Arguably Wilson Staff’s biggest success in recent times, the Duo is back for 2015 and even softer. In addition to the Duo’s re-boot, the company is introducing a 3-piece version of the ball they’ve named the Duo Spin that they are saying fits in between the harder covered Duo and the urethane FG Tour. In addition to the technical information below, nine of THP’s readers had a chance to discuss these new golf balls with Wilson’s R&D staff and put them into play after a recent trip to the company’s headquarters and will be sharing their feedback on the THP Forum.
Why Low Compression?
Wilson has performed a significant amount of testing of the feel of a golf ball to determine that softer compression balls are preferred by a majority of golfers. Testing shows that, regardless of handicap, golfers overwhelmingly prefer a softer (lower compression) golf ball over a harder (higher compression) golf ball.
Result of testing between lower compression and higher compression golf balls show the following:
- 67% of golfers prefer a lower compression golf ball.
- 59% of golfers perceive a lower compression golf ball to have higher spin rate.
This percentage is consistent regardless of the handicap of the golfer. Both single digit handicap players as well as 15+ handicap players show a preference of low compression/soft feel golf balls to harder /higher compression balls in the range of 65 to 70%.
Overall, the test results continue to show that a large majority of golfers prefer the feel of a softer, lower compression golf ball. Wilson Staff testing (going back to 1997 introduction of Staff Titanium) continues to show this preference and that the level of preference continues to be high even at low compression/softness levels.
2015 Wilson Staff Duo
The new Wilson Staff DUO is the softest solid core golf ball ever made. The DUO ball provides distance performance as long as any competitive 2-piece golf ball and is longer than any previous Wilson low compression golf ball. The new Wilson Staff DUO comprises a large, very soft (0 compression) core and hard ionomer cover that result in exceptional distance performance and unmatched soft feel.
The new Wilson Staff DUO golf ball comprises improvements in core composition, ionomer cover blend and dimple pattern which all contribute to the distance and feel performance of the golf ball.
The new Staff DUO comprises an entirely new construction compared to previous Wilson Staff golf balls:
- A softer (zero compression) “rubber rich” core for higher C.O.R.
- A harder tri-blend ionomer cover to maximize ball velocity.
- A new, seamless 302 dimple pattern to optimize distance performance and flight trajectory.
The combination of all of the new components allows the new Wilson Staff DUO to be the softest, lowest compression ball available and have distance performance as long, or longer than, any premium distance golf ball.
Wilson Staff 2015 Duo Spin
Consumer testing showed a category of players who indicated the need for a ball that provides a higher spin than the Wilson Staff DUO (2-piece golf ball) but less spin than provided by a Urethane covered (FG Tour) golf ball. The Wilson Staff DUO Spin is designed to meet this need, providing the same soft feel and long distance as the Wilson Staff DUO but with higher spin rate on iron shots for better control around the green.
The Wilson Staff DUO Spin is the softest multi-layer golf ball ever made. The DUO Spin ball provides distance performance as long as any competitive 3-piece ionomer covered golf ball and is longer than any previous Wilson low compression 3-piece golf ball. The Wilson Staff DUO Spin comprises a small, extremely soft core, and inner layer comprised of a soft, fully neutralized terpolymer and a mid-hardness ionomer cover that result in exceptional feel and distance performance, as well as high spin and control on short iron shots. The Wilson Staff DUO Spin ball is designed as a ball that provides soft feel with spin/control performance tailored for the better player.
The Wilson Staff DUO Spin golf ball comprises low compression core technology and two outer core layers designed to optimize distance, feel and control performance of the golf ball.
The Wilson Staff DUO Spin comprises an entirely new construction compared to previous Wilson Staff golf balls:
- A small, sub-zero core (0.235” deformation under 200 lb. load, correlating to -55 compression) to provide soft feel and low Driver spin rate.
- An inner mantle comprising soft DuPont HPF fully neutralized ethylene terpolymer to provide ball velocity and higher spin rate on short-iron (lower swing speed) shots.
- A mid-hardness tri-blend ionomer cover to produce a balance of both ball velocity and spin rate.
- A seamless 302 dimple pattern (dual radius dimple profile) to optimize distance performance and flight trajectory.
The combination of all of the new components allows the Wilson Staff DUO Spin to be the softest multi-layer ball available and produce long and straight (low spin) flight on Driver shots as well as high spin rate and green-holding capability on short-iron shots.
As mentioned earlier, stay tuned to the THP Forum for feedback on both of these new golf balls from everyday golfers that have been using them over the last three months.
