In today’s golf landscape, fitting has become increasingly important. Gap analysis is crucial in determining how golfers set up their bags. Bridging the gap between the shortest fairway wood and the longest iron presents various options for golfers. Some choose to add an extra fairway wood, while others find that hybrids are a good fit.
Around this time of year, we are accustomed to seeing companies introducing different driving or utility irons to the market. These releases coincide with the final two majors of the golf season, where accuracy and ball flight control are particularly vital. Today, Wilson unveils the Staff Model RB Utility, providing golfers another option to address this essential aspect of their golf bag.
Wilson has maintained a consistent design style across their Staff Model range of 2024 irons and wedges, which has been well received by golfers worldwide. Unsurprisingly, the Staff Model RB Utility also follows this design language and seamlessly fits into the bag with its attractive looks. The input of players on the Wilson Advisory Staff, such as Kevin Kisner and Padraig Harrington, has influenced the tour-inspired design of the Staff Model RB Utility, including a thinner topline.
The Staff Model RB Utility utilizes hollow body construction to redistribute weight towards the clubhead’s heel, toe, and sole. This design helps achieve a mid-to-low center of gravity, enhancing forgiveness, stability, and launch conditions. Additionally, Wilson incorporates a high-strength C300 steel face, renowned for its exceptional strength and flexibility, which contributes to increased speed and a softer feel.
Perhaps the most significant battle when talking about hollow-body designs is how companies work to fine-tune the sound. It’s fair to say the most popular method is to fill the void with some type of foam material. Wilson is going in a different direction, as they have strategically placed several rib structures inside. These ribs serve a dual purpose: to help optimize the sound, while the other is to assist in more stability on contact that strays away from the sweet spot. The sound profile is relatively crisp, but there is a distinguishable sound and feel difference when striking the middle of the face instead of out on the toe, which is my common miss.
“The professional athletes and elite amateurs with whom we tested all commented on its amazing soft feel at impact and optimized ball flight,” explained Bob Thurman, Global General Manager of Golf and Vice President of Research & Development at Wilson. “We feel we created something special for golfers in search of that easy-to-hit distance club.”
Even though Wilson is just announcing the Staff Model RB Utility today, it’s worth noting that it has already received tour validation earlier this season on the PGA Tour Champions tour. Padraig Harrington secured his seventh victory at the Hoag Classic and used the 24° model to do so.
In Hand Thoughts
For transparency purposes, I’ve avoided using long irons (3-5 range) for almost ten years. Throughout my testing, I’ve found that hybrids or fairway woods better suit my needs and make the game easier. However, I’ve been working on incorporating long irons back into the bag this season. Adding the Staff Model RB Utility allowed me to explore an option I hadn’t previously considered viable. For this review, I tested the 21° model with the stock Project X HZRDUS GEN 4 Black shaft and Golf Pride Z Grip. A quick note about the grip: it’s the non-corded version of the Z Grip.
Wilson discusses these utilities as another option for those looking to fill the gap between fairway woods and irons. Golfers who tend to lean towards irons but want a little extra help will likely gravitate towards this style of club because it offers the ability to manipulate shot shape a bit easier than a hybrid or fairway wood. During my time with the 21°, I tested it both off the tee and from the fairway.
With the earlier discussion about shaping, there is one aspect of this design that I particularly liked, and that is the width of the sole. It’s not an overly wide sole, but it provides enough width to prevent digging and offers forgiveness, especially for someone like me who tends to have a steep swing. Knowing this help was there gave me more confidence to attempt shots that I would generally avoid. While most of my approach or layup shots with this club were from the fairway, I also had several shots from the rough and was impressed with the performance without having to suffer any issues with the clubhead snagging on the thicker grass.
Below is some dry ball data that was collected with the help of a SkyTrak+ launch monitor. For this data session I used a Volvik Condor X golf ball.
These numbers corroborate what I experienced on the golf course as well. Off the tee, I did see a higher ball flight, except for times I was purposely trying to keep the ball low, and while on the course, it helped hit some tight fairways and was used for more positional tee shots. Overall, the most surprising aspect of this club was the ability to hit it off the turf and get the ball up in the air. Reiterating that I am far from the most confident player with a long iron in hand, being able to elevate the ball and get a carry yardage of around 200 yards made this a playable option for that portion of my bag. Applying this to my bag, my longest iron currently carries around 185 yards, so it fits nicely from that perspective.
Have you ever used a utility iron before? What club do you prefer to fill the yardage gap between your shortest fairway wood and your longest iron? Those who like utility clubs or play long irons will be a good fit for Wilson’s new Staff Model RB Utility, which will be available starting July 9th at $249.99.
More information is available at www.wilson.com.
The Details
Available: July, 9, 2024
Price: $249.99
Lofts: 18°, 21°, 24°
Dexterity: RH Only
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS GEN 4 Black
Grip: Golf Pride Z Grip
