Wilson Staff FG Tour F5 Driver - THP Review

[Canadan]

Update
THP Review can be found on home page here.
http://www.thehackersparadise.com/wilson-staff-fg-tour-f5-driver-review/

In for review is the FG Tour F5 driver from Wilson Staff. It is 10.5 degrees in loft, and accompanied by the Fubuki Z 50-s shaft. There are quite a few interesting design elements in this one, and as I have already hit it quite a bit this weekend, I'll reserve my thoughts for a follow-up post shortly.

From Wilson Staff

The new FG Tour F5™ line of golf clubs from Wilson Staff offer designs geared to suit the eye of the better player while providing game improvement technology to help compliment anyone’s game.
Each of the FG Tour F5 woods and hybrids embodies Fast Fit™ technology, which is the lightest, easiest-to-use adjustable hosel system on the market while the F5 irons feature Speed Sole technology in the long and mid irons to generate added distance while still maintaining the soft feel of 8620 forged steel.

“Our product design starts and ends with the player in mind and even the best players want to manage and minimize their miss-hits as much as possible” comments Global Director of Innovation Michael Vrska.

FG Tour F5 Drivers (MAP: $379.99) - The FG Tour F5 driver is offered in two lofts, each featuring six loft settings and three adjustable sole weights to allow players to attain their ideal launch angle, ball speed and spin rate. Wilson Advisory Staff PGA Tour players heavily influenced and refined the deep face, 460cc head during its developmental stages.

• 9.0* and 10.5* models are available, each with 6-way adjustable hosels covering every loft from 8.0* to 12.5* in half degree increments.
• Green Means GO! Fast Fit technology allows players to make quick adjustments by eliminating the need to remove the club head from the shaft.
• An interchangeable weight placed low and close to the face decreases spin while maintaining an optimal launch for maximum distance.
• Reactive Face™ technology features variable thicknesses to maximize response and ball speeds at every spot on the face.
• A chemically-etched crown reduces weight where it does not benefit the golfer to be repositioned elsewhere in the head to lower center of gravity and increase moment of inertia

In Hand Photos

 

[Jman]

This was fun to see/mess-with in hand this weekend. Its a good looking head, though it is still pretty loud IMO, not M3 loud, but loud.

That said, I think the numbers seen spin wise out of it will shock some people.

Also, Dan, with this, at 12.5*, is insanity.

 

[Nappy]

Awesome - can't wait to hear more about this. Thanks for the pics!

 

[Canadan]

The fubuki Z 50 that is paired with the F5 head is an interesting profile for a 'feel player' (defined by W/S) profile. Explained by Mitsubishi Rayon as being a higher launching, lower spinning offering with a torque of 5.0. In a 58 gram weight profile, it leads me to believe that launch and maybe some spin are being manufactured by the shaft alongside the head, which has been suggested to be quite low in spin.

I don't have raw numbers to offer at this point, however I do believe the speed at which I can drive the F5 through the zone is strong. It'll be interesting to see if that translates to the monitor later in the review.

As I do with most drivers I review, I slammed it immediately into the -1 setting which made it play at 9.5 degrees and produced a mid flight with notable fade bias. After toying around with that setup for half a round, I moved it into the 12.5 degree setup (+2 degrees and likely a bit shut) from STD. What followed was a pretty remarkable high launch that fell out of the sky with some reentry burns on the ball (sarcasm confirmed). with that in mind, the distance numbers I was generating at 12.5 were still quite impressive. It wasn't like I was cutting out 30-40% of my distance by doing so. In fact, I'd bet that it's not even 10% overall.

Sound wise, this is a head turner. I'll see if i can bring the video of my swinging it into the thread for your consideration but I'll make a note of saying it's quite audible, but not high pitched. More like a slightly hollow THUNK that resonates.


(You may need to follow the link... I had to follow it to crank my volume settings on Vimeo (vimeo.com/145048127))

I know a few guys who can share their thoughts from golfing with me this weekend. Hopefully they can weigh in when they get the chance.

 

[#Cookie]

Yeah....this was insane. Dan launched this very very HIGH but also very very long. I would not have thought that a ball travelling that high could also generate the distance it did, and I was wrong.

I've always been one to think I hit the ball too high (at times) so try to keep the flight down but Dan proved that a high flight can still travel plenty far. Would enjoy seeing this head paired with a shaft that better suits Dan's swing as I think it could every bit as long as anything else I saw him hit.

 

[CBaker]

holy loud. Does that video make it seem louder, or is it right on par or maybe even less than in person?

 

[Canadan]

Yeah....this was insane. Dan launched this very very HIGH but also very very long. I would not have thought that a ball travelling that high could also generate the distance it did, and I was wrong.

I've always been one to think I hit the ball too high (at times) so try to keep the flight down but Dan proved that a high flight can still travel plenty far. Would enjoy seeing this head paired with a shaft that better suits Dan's swing as I think it could every bit as long as anything else I saw him hit.

The flighting at 9.5 was fairly reasonable. Definitely more in the mid range, and I think that's a testament to how functional their adapter system is.

That in mind, I was shocked at how little trouble I had finding the center of the face. A majority of my strikes were directly on the center of the driver face, proving that it is very well balanced throughout the swing, even with a lighter shaft connected with the head.

 

[Canadan]

holy loud. Does that video make it seem louder, or is it right on par or maybe even less than in person?

The contact sound I generate is more audible than many of the driver offerings I've experienced, however it's not anything in a league of it's own. There are comparables, for sure.

 

[CBaker]

The contact sound I generate is more audible than many of the driver offerings I've experienced, however it's not anything in a league of it's own. There are comparables, for sure.

Sounds a lot like my R9 honestly. That one is also very loud.

 

[Puttin4Bird]

Sounded like you smoked it in that video Dan. Looking forward to hearing more on this one, seems like a great setup and who doesn't want to lauch the ball high/carry it far?! I'll be staying tuned!

 

[Scrap Iron]

So desperately want to try this in a 9 degree head. Love that the same weight system is back.

 

[emart2173]

I'm glad to see this type of driver from w/s. The d200 was light and fin to hit but with the stock shaft I felt it might have been to "spinny" for lack of better word.

the hosel adjustability without having to remove the head sounds easy. The Fubuki has been a shaft I have not particularly liked in most drivers I hit it with but the designers know a heck of a lot more than me. I can't wait to try this one.

 

[Jeff Spicoli]

That is a great looking driver. In terms of depth, is a comparison to the Cleveland Classic 290 fair?

 

[d_in_la]

Please make some bad swings so you can comment on how forgiving the club is. :bulgy-eyes:

 

[6ixOhFore]

Sounds like a real winner Dan. Love the look on these.

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

 

[DufferToo]

Please make some bad swings so you can comment on how forgiving the club is. :bulgy-eyes:

I second that request. Though we're both asking for a friend of course.

I think W/S did a great job with both the looks and the performance in the F5 series of clubs. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

 

[Nappy]

Very nice. Is it January yet?

 

[Rusty Dave]

Please make some bad swings so you can comment on how forgiving the club is. :bulgy-eyes:

So I swung this thing about 25 times at #staffproto and I was amazed. My driving is sporadic at best. With this thing it was long and my mishits were not far off. Very forgiving for me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[JB]

Out on the range with this one today and man is this thing low spin. Had 7 guys test it on FlightScope and I dont think a single person cleared 2400 RPMs.

 

[ArmyGolf]

Out on the range with this one today and man is this thing low spin. Had 7 guys test it on FlightScope and I dont think a single person cleared 2400 RPMs.

Is it a low launcher too? If so some higher loft options might have been a good idea?

Regardless, I don't think this driver was intended for a guy like me hehe.

 

[JB]

Is it a low launcher too? If so some higher loft options might have been a good idea?

Regardless, I don't think this driver was intended for a guy like me hehe.

Low spin is going to make low launch most of the time.
But the 10.5 goes to 12.5 so the loft is there for those that want it.

Then combine it with the fact that they still have a higher launching driver in line and its a pretty good mix in my opinion.

Army,
You are playing one of the lowest spining drivers made last year in the R15.

 

[emart2173]

I like hearing that about the spin. Curious what their other stats were for launch, AoA and peak height.

 

[ArmyGolf]

Low spin is going to make low launch most of the time.
But the 10.5 goes to 12.5 so the loft is there for those that want it.

Then combine it with the fact that they still have a higher launching driver in line and its a pretty good mix in my opinion.

Army,
You are playing one of the lowest spining drivers made last year in the R15.

Yeah the R15 is really really low spin, but I'm playing it at 15*. I want the F5 to work so bad and look forward to giving it a whirl as soon as I locate one in the new year.

 

[AG47]

Out on the range with this one today and man is this thing low spin. Had 7 guys test it on FlightScope and I dont think a single person cleared 2400 RPMs.

It is LOW spinning!!! I am a high spin player and yesterday on the launch monitor I was getting spin as low as 1650 rpms with a stock stiff 50g Fubuki and the 10.5 head set at 9.5 degrees.

 

[JB]

Yeah the R15 is really really low spin, but I'm playing it at 15*. I want the F5 to work so bad and look forward to giving it a whirl as soon as I locate one in the new year.

Looking forward to your feedback.