Each month on a Thursday we do a little blast from the past and have some fun with it. In this installment, we thought we would showcase the latest and the greatest from Wilson Staff in the year of 2002.
The Year of 2002
Entertainment
Winona Ryder’s Shoplifting Trial
More Surprising – Angelina Jolie filing for divorce from Billy Bob Thornton, or the three-month marriage of Lisa Marie Presley and Nicolas Cage?
Americans Idolize American Idol
Michael Jackson dangles his baby over the terrace of a hotel in Germany
Sports
After 11 innings of the All-Star baseball game in Milwaukee last July, baseball Commissioner Bud Selig declared the game a draw.
Freezing Ted Williams
Patriots shock the Rams in the Super Bowl
Tiger Woods wins the Masters
Tiger Woods wins the US Open
Ernie Ells wins the British Open
Rich Beem wins the PGA Championship
The Wilson Staff True Golf Ball
Wilson had the golf world buzzing by introducing its new Wilson Staff “True” golf ball. Wilson had claimed to have created a perfectly balanced golf ball, and the company put on a series of demonstrations at its 2002 PGA Merchandise Show booth utilizing a robotic putter to prove the technology. Wilson used that same show to announce that two-time Masters champ (and putting extraordinaire) Ben Crenshaw would play the ball during his Senior PGA Tour debut the following month.
During the same PGA Show launch, Titleist unveiled its follow up to the popular Pro V-1, the Pro V Star
Maxfli introduced the Noodle, an all purpose ball that proclaims to be both long and soft (hence the name)
Precept launched the new Laddie golf ball.
The story here was not those, however but the True golf ball by Wilson Staff and how it was essentially calling out other manufacturers and their “imperfect” balance. Without the star power of top talent like Tiger Woods, David Duvall or Ernie Ells, this was pure marketing genius. Short game expert Dave Pelz even wrote about the lack of balance in the Putting Bible, his incredibly popular book. Here is an interesting article from 2002 discussing the ball in detail.
Viewing in a readable format can be done by clicking each image.
Did you play the Wilson Staff True Golf Ball?
Very interesting going old school. I liked it.
For some reason, I didn’t expect to see that this was offered with a urethane cover. I love reading the old articles. Thanks for posting this.
That was 2002?? It feels like yesterday! haha. Great article. This was one ball that passed me by, surprisingly, given my infatuation with the SmartCore ball.
Love this article! I can’t believe how long ago 2002 was. haha, love the Throwback Thursday!!!
I love throwback thursday. I never tried these, but that is some good marketing.
I must admit, I never heard of these!
I am a huge fan of throwback thursday. I remember this ball, hard to believe it was almost 10 years ago.
I never got to try this ball. But I love the flash back to the past, it makes you realize how quickly time flies.
Hmm somehow these balls never made it onto my radar. To be honest this was the first time I had heard of them. Its always cool to revisit past equipment.
I had forgotten all about this ball. Thanks for posting this. 🙂
I enjoy this series. I tried this ball, but don’t remember it. Keep it coming, I love the nostalgia!
I played the Wilson True Tour and liked it. My only problem with it was playing it on windy days… not a great wind ball at all. But whether or not I fell for the advertising, I swore that I putted better with it! 🙂
I just found 2 boxes in my well preserved “inventory”!!! I’ll see how they do versus the Di25.
Never have tried the ball, but thats very interesting. I think I have saw a few more ‘balanced’ putting balls out there. Thanks for posting. I like the throwback Thursdays a lot!
Thanks so much… It was the best Golf ball that I’ve ever played!!!!