2018 Official Forum Member Review - Wilson C300 Irons

[azstu324]

Many of you know me as Gaussman1....

Killer stage 1! I'll have to say that from the front and face view they look slick.. but the sole.. I just don't know if I could get used to the look of the sole with the Power/speed holes/slots/whatever they want to call them. I realize you don't see it at address and I know it really shouldn't matter.. but the complete aesthetics of the clubs play an important part in the mental confidence part of the game. It would definitely be interesting to see your POV after a few rounds and if the mess on the bottom kind of just "goes away" after time.

 

It's unfortunate that Wilson is struggling so badly to re-discover their identity in the golf world when they really do seem to have some decent products that could be successfully built upon rather than trying to latch onto stuff that already exists (and has for a while) that isn't all that effective anyway. C'mon W/S marketing.. there are classier ways to do this! I've just never really bought into the whole "speed slot" concept. Just like with newer sports cars, there are ways to add performance without physically "adding" something like a super wing/spoiler. COG and other performance bits can be improved in more discrete ways without adding a bunch of unnecessary gadgetry.. Not just my opinion.. it's been proven

 

What I think of when I hear speed holes/slots...  

[russtopherb]

I can honestly say that you don't notice the slots at all after a few shots. I'm 3 range sessions in and I don't give them a second thought.

 

As far as “unnecessary gadgeting” I am seeing noticeably more height on my shots, which I desperately need as a lowball hitter. Don't think I'd call that unnecessary.

 

 

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[gaussman1]

Killer stage 1! I'll have to say that from the front and face view they look slick.. but the sole.. I just don't know if I could get used to the look of the sole with the Power/speed holes/slots/whatever they want to call them. I realize you don't see it at address and I know it really shouldn't matter.. but the complete aesthetics of the clubs play an important part in the mental confidence part of the game. It would definitely be interesting to see your POV after a few rounds and if the mess on the bottom kind of just "goes away" after time.

 

It's unfortunate that Wilson is struggling so badly to re-discover their identity in the golf world when they really do seem to have some decent products that could be successfully built upon rather than trying to latch onto stuff that already exists (and has for a while) that isn't all that effective anyway. C'mon W/S marketing.. there are classier ways to do this! I've just never really bought into the whole "speed slot" concept. Just like with newer sports cars, there are ways to add performance without physically "adding" something like a super wing/spoiler. COG and other performance bits can be improved in more discrete ways without adding a bunch of unnecessary gadgetry.. Not just my opinion.. it's been proven

 

What I think of when I hear speed holes/slots...

Tom Wishon has an interesting video about "slot face technology" vs Variable Face Thickness as it relates to COR and overall face flexing upon impact. It is specific to a woods/hybrids discussion but I think there is probably enough carryover to pull irons into the conversation. The idea with slots (or holes) is that by removing mass from the head you now give that metal some space to flex into when the ball is struck. If that's true you would then have faster rebounding from that particular area of the face. This should result in higher balls speeds and higher launch when the ball is struck by that part of the head. Wishon questions whether this is actually taking place to a degree that impacts launch conditions, but more to the point he questions whether this is more effective than using a thin and variable face thickness across the face. It seems to be his opinion that VFT has more effect across the face as a whole than cutting slots into the head. Neither of these technologies seem to effect launch conditions from a well struck shot in the center of the face, but rather have more of an effect, if one exists, for shots struck off-center.

I'm the wrong person for a technical or scientific analysis in Stage 2 but found his opinions as a deeply respected voice in clubmaking to be of enough interest to pass along here. My Stage 2 we're just going to crunch numbers and see how they add up.

I will tell you the short irons (no holes) are sweet in the short game

[Chadlius88]

Thanks for the kind words!

 

The KBS Tour 90s I have in the C300s are 101 grams, vs the Elements Chrome I have in the D200s which come in at 59 grams. Length is the same. I'll be honest - the weight difference has been the biggest adjustment so far, with less offset in the C300s coming in a close second. I've had to really think about my tempo with these clubs vs the D200s. Given the shaft weight differences, I "feel" the C300 clubhead differently, if that makes sense.

I'm very interested in how the tour 90s work out for you as they are one of my top 3 choices for my next set of irons.

[PING Apologist #9]

Many of you know me as Gaussman1. I think it's time to pull back the curtain and reveal the secret behind this username- My last name is Gauss. And I am a man.

This original username was crafted at the dawn of the internet and has lasted many years because I am lazy and don't feel like thinking up new things.

What I do like, love actually, is the game of golf. I live in central Indiana and was raised across the street from an Indianapolis Parks Department muni. As kids my brother and I spent countless hours chipping and putting against each other as we waited for dad to finish playing. As we got old enough to play on the course we would spend sunup to sundown in the summers going round the little track and struggling to clear the creek that crosses many of its fairways. I watch my father now struggle with that same creek that he sailed over with ease for 40+ years and see one of the many ways way in which golf is a metaphor for life. My brother was a much better young player but I was the one who was hooked on the game. Now at 48 and 49 years old respectively he wishes he had stuck with it a little more and I wish I was a just little bit better. As someone turning 49 in a few weeks and carrying a 1 handicap for 25+ years that seems a little greedy but that's golf. We will never be good enough. Anything that could help me be just a little bit better is worth a try, which is how I stumbled on this ragtag collection of lost golfing souls to begin with. May God help us all.

 

Currently I have the Callaway Rogue SZ driver and 3 wood and a big question mark in the irons. Last year I had Srixon Z765s with the Nippon 120 shaft. They were supposed to be Extra Stiff but I accidentally bought a set that was Tour X flex. I managed to survive the season with them but knew that I was going the wrong way in speed to live with those clubs. That XX shaft is built for lumberjacks.

 

 

 

In January I had shoulder surgery to repair a bone spur and some torn labrum tissue. I knew this season was going to start slower than last year so the telephone poles had to go. I snagged a set of Ping I200s but the wider sole doesn't match up well for me and I can't drive them down in the wind. I don't know if it's the head, or AWT shaft, or a combination of the two, but high and higher are not ideal trajectories for a 120 yard wedge into the wind. Still Desperately Seeking Irons.

 

My typical 150 yard shot is an 8 iron with a little draw and the shot that I'm afraid of is a going draw, particularly with wind from the right. I'm the all-time champ at missing that shot left and I'm constantly short sided, so I flop more than a European Soccer player. Not exactly a great scoring strategy. I would love to be able to flight it down without turning it over and hold it a little left to right from time to time. Maybe new clubs will improve my ball striking! I've tried that before without much success but I still believe in the theory and don't want to give up on it prematurely. When I saw the Wilson test I was intrigued. I actually gamed the V2s a few years back for part of a season (I don't remember why I gave them up, they seemed fine) and I've been a fan of the brand since my first iron purchase back in about 1986. That was a used set of Wilson Staff Fluid Feels with the red bore-through pin. I can still see their tiny little faces begging me to try knock-downs, fades, hooks, anything but a straight ball. I've always had a soft spot for forgings and but for the occasional Ping dalliance my irons over the years have usually said Mizuno or Titleist or Srixon. Nothing feels like a forged iron at impact and I'm anxious to see if the C300 Forged can inspire that same sort of reverence. Some irons feel so sweet you almost want to apologize to them for mis-hits. Sorry about that 5 iron. You know I'm not good enough for you.

 

 

 

First Impressions

I could do unboxing pics but you guys have seen club boxes before. Clubs come in them. They're brown and rectangular. The clubs were professionally wrapped and the spec sheet inside was a nice touch. Everything matched up exactly with my order specs (KBS Tour 120 Stiff, Standard Loft and Lie), and I will put them on a loft/lie machine in Stage 2 for verification. The clubs themselves are visually stunning. The cavity and the WS scripting on the hosel are just gorgeous. The only slight negative is the numbers on the clubs are a huge stamp and one of my regular playing partners joked that they looked like the Reader's Digest Large Print version. At least I could read them!

Spec Sheet.jpg

Flx Face.jpg

C300 Full Bag.jpg

 

The 7 iron couldn't wait to be hit and buckled in the front seat while I was still putting the others in the bag. The wedges sat together in the back and gossiped about everyone else. Wedges think they're special

7 iron.jpg

wedges.jpg

 

 

The box does have a slogan in big font that says More Win. Did they mean Win More? Or More Wins? I'm honestly shocked that this is the slogan. How about Play Better? Or Wilson Golf- Modern.Classic. Do you need me to write ad copy for you, Wilson? I don't know why that bothered me so much but it's the first thing you see and is such an easy thing to get right and it's such an amateurish tag. From the looks of the clubs they've clearly got serious golf people working on the products but there is a disconnect between there and marketing. Maybe they can workshop it on a reality show.

 

That is typical of the areas where I think Wilson struggles to differentiate itself as a golf company instead of just some large generic sporting goods catch-all. The Wilson website has golf listed in the same sub menu as Pickleball, Fast Pitch Softball and something called Padel. You can buy a Padel Paddle from Wilson for just under $200 which looks a lot like something I got whacked with during fraternity pledging. If you go directly to WilsonGolf.com at least that redirects to the /golf  homepage. There you see the FG Tour V6 irons which are classy looking (but do seem like they occupy the same space as C300 Forged) and the upcoming judges on Driver to Driver Season 2 which feels gimmicky.  There's also info on how to win a trip (A Power Trip!) by doing a C300 fitting.

 

I scroll down to the C300 icon which invites me to #poweryourplay. My play is being #powered by something called Power Hole Technology which is just an awful slogan and not really even accurate. When is a hole not a hole? When it's filled, which is the case with Power Holes. They are slots carved out of the sole (and topline in the standard 300) and then filled in with urethane. The end result of this should be more face flexion and higher ball speeds across the face.

Not Holes.jpg

 

Power Holes seems like another marketing flop. I'm picturing the pitch meeting for this and an executive saying “is Power Holes really the best we can come up with?” and getting “well sir, Speed Slots was already taken” as a response.  The elastomer filling is there to absorb vibration and also for a tidier fit and finish than you would have if you actually played golf with clubs that had holes all the way around the head. Anyone who had to dig mud out of their original Rocketballz fairway will be able to appreciate that the holes are filled in here. Although there is a lot going on in the soles of the 300 Forged because of the Power Holes, you don't see any of it at address with this model. What you see is a very traditional looking topline. Not quite as thin as a modern blade but in no way thick or cumbersome at all. They are all shiny chrome and classic looking badging and are visually quite striking, particularly over the ball. The Wilson Logo on the grip is traditional and classy.

 

At address.jpg

grip.jpg

 

The website also says “C300 irons with double the power, double the irons and double the distance technology”. I looked everywhere trying to find out what exactly was being doubled before I realized they just meant there are two sets of C300s. Standard and Forged. So, you know, double.

 

I know it seems like I am being tough on Wilson and I am. The website is convoluted and the marketing is gimmicky and cheesy. It's as if these clubs are being marketed to some regional big box chain for a Father's Day Blow Out. You would never catch Titleist or Callaway slapping Power Holes on one of their premium iron sets. And neither should Wilson. Because in Stage 2 we're going to see launch monitor data and on-course comparisons. And we're going to see that this is a premium set of irons.

This was a fantastic write-up! Funny as hell and very informative. My favorite parts were that "wedges think they're special" & "speed slots were already taken". Belly laugh both times! Nice work there Mr. Gauss!

[russtopherb]

I'm very interested in how the tour 90s work out for you as they are one of my top 3 choices for my next set of irons.

I'm going to hold off on giving a full answer on this for now as I'm still adjusting to them after playing graphite for a few seasons. I'll definitely have some input on them, though!

 

 

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[Chadlius88]

I'm going to hold off on giving a full answer on this for now as I'm still adjusting to them after playing graphite for a few seasons. I'll definitely have some input on them, though!

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I play Adila phenom graphite shafts currently. They are 75g.

[russtopherb]

I play Adila phenom graphite shafts currently. They are 75g.

I'm coming from 59g Elements Chromes so it's definitely an adjustment.

 

 

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[russtopherb]

Solid little practice round on a 9 hole par 3 before work this morning. I only hit 3 GIR because I'm missing long and left with these irons right now. And the lefts are due to a draw that shows up when I'm not aiming to play it, of course.

 

Boy the sound of these irons is addictive.

 

 

 

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[Nunfa0]

Sounds like your really enjoying the irons😁

[MattF]

Nice start from you lot.

[StrokerAce]

Nice work!

 

Couldn't agree with you more on your perception of the marketing/advertising... almost like golf is an afterthough for Wilson.

 

I hit these at a demo day and when I picked them up and looked at them I thought they looked a bit plastic-y...kind of unprofessional. Don't get me wrong, that chrome finish is gorgeous ( I think this is one thing that Wilson does better than anyone else) ... I wish they used the traditional ferrules to give it that finishing classic touch, but I digress....the font they chose for the club number is all wrong...the power holes- they could have done a much better job blending them in rather than using black plastic; I know they're there and don't need to see them.

 

But then I hit them and realized that-appearance aside- they're legit.

Smooth and easy to hit with a nice balance and profile and they just go.

 

If you can get past the way they look I highly recommend trying them, whatever your handicap.

 

BTW- I tried the cast version and just couldn't get over seeing the power holes- on the topline... I didn't find much difference between the cast and forged.

 

Anyhow... I am not a reviewer but I did try them so wanted to share my thoughts.

 

Look forward to all of your Stage 2's.

Stage 1 is up!

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/23686-official-forum-member-review-wilson-c300-irons/?p=410871

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[StrokerAce]

Tom Wishon has an interesting video about "slot face technology" vs Variable Face Thickness as it relates to COR and overall face flexing upon impact. It is specific to a woods/hybrids discussion but I think there is probably enough carryover to pull irons into the conversation. The idea with slots (or holes) is that by removing mass from the head you now give that metal some space to flex into when the ball is struck. If that's true you would then have faster rebounding from that particular area of the face. This should result in higher balls speeds and higher launch when the ball is struck by that part of the head. Wishon questions whether this is actually taking place to a degree that impacts launch conditions, but more to the point he questions whether this is more effective than using a thin and variable face thickness across the face. It seems to be his opinion that VFT has more effect across the face as a whole than cutting slots into the head. Neither of these technologies seem to effect launch conditions from a well struck shot in the center of the face, but rather have more of an effect, if one exists, for shots struck off-center.

I'm the wrong person for a technical or scientific analysis in Stage 2 but found his opinions as a deeply respected voice in clubmaking to be of enough interest to pass along here. My Stage 2 we're just going to crunch numbers and see how they add up.

I will tell you the short irons (no holes) are sweet in the short game

I have a set of Wishon Sterling's and the mid to long irons use this exact face flexing technology that he describes (it's a great article and worth a look)..when you look at what Ping, TM and others are doing with the foam(?) injection I think that the face flexing technology is really becoming prominent.

 

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[russtopherb]

One area of concern for me with these irons is the sole design. 

 

I do want to put that in perspective though - my miss is a big ol' fat hit. Like, beaver pelts flying down the fairway further than the ball fat. The D200s I'm comparing the C300s to have a great sole design that works for someone like me, where if I hit fat, I'm losing some distance but I'm still going straight with OK if not great flight. With the C300s, forget it. If you catch it fat, you're done.

 

I experienced that first hand this morning at the driving range, I snuck out for a small bucket since my weekend is filled with family things to do. I hit a few fat and boy was it penal. I ran out to the car and grabbed my D200 7i, and hit it head to head with the C300 7i. I purposely tried to hit just slightly behind the ball (that's what I told myself, anyways) and the D200s were far better at getting through the turf. 

 

Would this be an issue for other golfers? Perhaps, or perhaps not. It all depends on your own miss. More head to head tests are warranted, me thinks. 

[cnosil]

Finally back in town from a business trip so I was able to post my stage 1 review.  Let me know if you have any questions or of there is a direction you would like me to pursue. 

 

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/23686-official-forum-member-review-wilson-c300-irons/?do=findComment&comment=410868

[STUDque]

One area of concern for me with these irons is the sole design.......

Guess you'll just have to practice! I think your review will make a nice case study for the forum members:

 

Will a smaller sole force you to learn a better strike?

 

 

It's not like we're talking about shovels to blades here, we're only taking about a slight step in categories. My money is on #winning.

It helps that you were fit for the clubs (shaft and all) so you can really trust the process.

 

 

 

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[cnosil]

Guess you'll just have to practice! I think your review will make a nice case study for the forum members:

 

Will a smaller sole force you to learn a better strike?

 

 

It's not like we're talking about shovels to blades here, we're only taking about a slight step in categories. My money is on #winning.

It helps that you were fit for the clubs (shaft and all) so you can really trust the process.

 

 

 

Sole design seems to be a common area of focus.  This is one of my areas to watch as well.  I am going from thinner to thicker sole design.  

[tony@CIC]

Sorry about the delay in getting my stage 1 posted; was out of town on a business trip. I will apologize up front for not necessarily being as creative as some of the reviewers on this forum. I am an IT person and when I do write something it is generally a technical document. As a result my review will tend to be more analytical in nature.

 

Intro:

My name is Chris I am 52 years old and I live in Southeastern Virginia. I started playing golf when I was about 14; unlike a lot of people that post their story there wasn't anyone in my life that pushed me toward golf or inspired me to play. The first memory I have about golf was hitting golf balls in a cemetery behind one of my friend's houses. We had some clubs and balls and would hit them from one end to the other. Thinking it might be fun to actually play golf I asked my parents to sign me up for some lessons. I didn't play that often due to the inability to get to a course and wasn't very good when I did. After high school golf fell off the radar as life continued…college, job, and marriage (you know the usual stuff). Back in the early 90s I started getting back into golf a little bit and was still pretty bad but I enjoyed playing. At this point I was playing 9 holes after work with my father-in-law. After a while I decided that scoring in the 90s wasn't where I wanted to be so I took some more lessons with an instructor that I clicked with. Within 2 lessons I went from scoring in the 90s to shooting a round of 76. My game was coming together and I was hooked with some new-found confidence that I could actually play this game. In about 2002, I had a friend invite me to play with his Sunday group; about 20 guys, ranging in age from late 30' up to 70s. Time has taken its toll on that group, some have passed away, so had financial crunches, others just moved on. Today, I play golf as long as the temps are over 40*F and am just as happy playing by myself as I am with friends. I enjoy the time outdoors, the scenery, and the challenge of the game. I am pretty analytical in nature and like to understand the mechanics of the swing and how club dynamics impact a golf clubs performance. In my mind feel is derived from understanding and applying the mechanics.

 

About My Game:

I currently play to a 7 handicap and have been as low as a 4. One of my strengths is my tee game where I hit 63% of the fairways. My weakest area is short shots when I miss the green; however, I think I can relieve a lot of pressure of that aspect of my game if I hit more greens with my approach shots. Currently, I hit about 8 greens in regulation and have to get up and down more often that I like.

 

As for my ball flight, I generally play a fade off the tee and draw the rest of my clubs. My ball flight is mid/high to high with my irons and mid with my driver. The mistake I try to miss with is when I turn my hands over and hit that low pull hook. My miss on the clubface is low and toe hits. I have a smooth moderate tempo swing and driver swing speed is in the 100-107 MPH range.

 

https://youtu.be/c98-r2Huwrc

 

Current Equipment:

I just love the game of golf and trying new equipment. While I am always eager to demo the latest and greatest my bag typically stays pretty consistent from year to year. Now that I have found MGS I get my equipment cravings satisfied by visiting the MGS Headquarters and participating in the Most Wanted Testing. There is a lot to like about new clubs and often there is an urge to put something new in the bag, but I don't change clubs very often. When I do decide to upgrade it does not have to be professionally fit. Although it may not be fit, it will have been tried numerous times in the store and tested on the course. Generally, I buy used and I have a store near me that lets you demoused equipment on a trial bases before you have to purchase.

 

You can see my current bag setup in my signature. Instead of talking about the whole bag, the discussion will focus on irons since that is what this test is about. I used to change irons often but have only had 2 sets of irons in my bag since 2004. I am currently playing Callaway X-Hot Pro irons that have been in my bag since 2014. I was not professionally fit for those irons but went to several demo days and settled on the Project X Flighted 95 shafts.

 

 

First Impressions

What do I think of these irons and why did I apply to test them. In January I had decided to do full bag fitting at Club Champion to see how my current setup compared to my ideal setup. One of the biggest areas for improvement was my irons. We tested a variety of the Players-Distance irons/Crossover irons such as the Ping I200, Taylor Made P790, Callaway Rogue Pro, and the JPX 900 Forged. I recently learned about this iron category as it fits between the players irons and the Game Improvement Irons and is designed for the player the likes the look or a player's iron but wants a bit more forgiveness and distance. The “winner” for me was the Taylor Made P790 irons with KBS Tour shafts. Why aren't those clubs in my bag??? The simple answer is the $1299 retail price was more that I was willing to invest.

 

Fast forward a month and I happened to walk into my local golf shop while they were holding a Wilson demo day. To be honest I have always known about the history of Wilson golf clubs but in the last 10+ years felt that while they had some tour level products they were more of an entry level player type company. During the demo day I tried the C300 and C300 forged and came away very impressed with the feel, playability, quality and appearance of these clubs. The price tag $800-$900 depending on whether you went with the C300 or the C300 Forged. At the demo day learned about the C300 line and Wilson's Power Hole Technology. In the C300 Forged the long irons through the 8 have urethane filled holes that are designed to increase face deflection to help increase distance. Do they work? Hopefully we will find out as part of this review process.

 

Next up, MGS posted a tester's wanted thread and after confirming that I could get the KBS Tour shafts, best shaft for me based on Club Champion fitting, I quickly threw my name into the hat for a chance to put these irons through their paces. Once selected, the next challenge was figuring out how I wanted them configured. Wilson custom fitting offers an array of shaft combinations (stock, aftermarket, and exotic) and grip options. I will say Wilson seems to have a fondness for KBS shafts as they seem have every KBS option available for drivers through irons; you just need to find the profile that fits your game. As mentioned earlier, I am analytical in my approach to golf and my loft, lie, and length selection process was just that. I elected to go with the 8 iron set comprised of 4-PW, GW and match specs as close as possible to the P790s that I was fitted for.

 

specs.jpg

 

 

In reviewing the chart above, you can see the high lofts present in the longer irons the gradually approach the lofts of my current irons as you pass the 9 iron. I went 1 degree flat to match up the lie angles with the shorter irons from the P790s recommended spec. I left the length at stock to provide myself the option to chop off the additional quarter inch to match my fitting.

 

My first impression was fear as I saw the UPS driver bringing the box to the front door was fear. Fear because the box was bent.

 

DSCN0759 (Small).JPG

 

Once I opened the box, I felt relief as I saw the irons were not impacted.

 

DSCN0760 (Small).JPG

 

It was a nice touch to include a letter showing my custom specs.

 

DSCN0761 (Small).JPG

 

Lampkin/Wilson Staff Grips: High quality grips that do draw attention to the clubs. Gives the clubs a polished look.

 

DSCN0762 (Small).JPG

DSCN0763 (Small).JPG

 

Upgraded KBS Tour 120 shafts: All installed with the label pointing down to give a clean look at address.

 

 

DSCN0766 (Small).JPG

 

When comparing to my current irons they are roughly the same overall head size and have the same thickness topline. The C300s do have a wider sole so it will be interesting to see if there is any difference with turf interaction.

 

DSCN0767 (Small).JPG

DSCN0769 (Small).JPG

DSCN0770 (Small).JPG

 

 

Where are we going from here?

My primary goal for these irons is to minimize dispersion, get consistent trajectories, and maybe even pick up a few yards on my current clubs. Through this review I intend to walk through the process I would follow if I were evaluating clubs for inclusion in my bag. Where are we going heading into stage 2 and what questions am I trying to answer.

 

• How do these irons compare to my current gamers and my Club Champion fitting? We will do a deep dive into the numbers.
• Does feel change between 8/9 where the power holes no longer exist?
• Do the clubs help me hit more greens?
• How workable are these irons?
• Do I create any distance gaps at the top or bottom end of my bag?
• Can the higher lofted C300 Forged irons compete with the lower lofted irons generally associated with the Players-Distance/Crossover category?

Stay Tuned and Let's find out!

Great write-up. Hope your experience with these irons is as good as mine

 

 

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[cnosil]

Great write-up. Hope your experience with these irons is as good as mine

 

 

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Thanks,  putting them in my bag tonight for their trial run tomorrow.  Glad I can finally give them a go.

[russtopherb]

Thanks, putting them in my bag tonight for their trial run tomorrow. Glad I can finally give them a go.

You've got a great smooth tempo based on that vid you posted. I'm looking forward to hearing how these work out for you.

 

 

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[ole gray]

Sorry about the delay in getting my stage 1 posted; was out of town on a business trip.  I will apologize up front for not necessarily being as creative as some of the reviewers on this forum.  I am an IT person and when I do write something it is generally a technical document.  As a result my review will tend to be more analytical in nature. 

 

 

 

Where are we going from here?

My primary goal for these irons is to minimize dispersion, get consistent trajectories, and maybe even pick up a few yards on my current clubs. Through this review I intend to walk through the process I would follow if I were evaluating clubs for inclusion in my bag.   Where are we going heading into stage 2 and what questions am I trying to answer.

 

• How do these irons compare to my current gamers and my Club Champion fitting? We will do a deep dive into the numbers. 
• Does feel change between 8/9 where the power holes no longer exist?
• Do the clubs help me hit more greens?
• How workable are these irons?
• Do I create any distance gaps at the top or bottom end of my bag?
• Can the higher lofted C300 Forged irons compete with the lower lofted irons generally associated with the Players-Distance/Crossover category?

 

Stay Tuned and Let's find out!

 

Wow it was worth the wait Chris as this was a jam up intro for stage 1 !   Looking forward to your stage 2 and how well these puppies bark. 

[Golfspy_CG2]

You've got a great smooth tempo based on that vid you posted. I'm looking forward to hearing how these work out for you.

 

 

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He really does. Ive had the occasion to see it first hand a couple of times and its pure bliss to watch.

 

 

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[Golfspy_CG2]

Sorry about the delay in getting my stage 1 posted; was out of town on a business trip. I will apologize up front for not necessarily being as creative as some of the reviewers on this forum. I am an IT person and when I do write something it is generally a technical document. As a result my review will tend to be more analytical in nature.

 

Intro:

My name is Chris I am 52 years old and I live in Southeastern Virginia. I started playing golf when I was about 14; unlike a lot of people that post their story there wasn't anyone in my life that pushed me toward golf or inspired me to play. The first memory I have about golf was hitting golf balls in a cemetery behind one of my friend's houses. We had some clubs and balls and would hit them from one end to the other. Thinking it might be fun to actually play golf I asked my parents to sign me up for some lessons. I didn't play that often due to the inability to get to a course and wasn't very good when I did. After high school golf fell off the radar as life continued…college, job, and marriage (you know the usual stuff). Back in the early 90s I started getting back into golf a little bit and was still pretty bad but I enjoyed playing. At this point I was playing 9 holes after work with my father-in-law. After a while I decided that scoring in the 90s wasn't where I wanted to be so I took some more lessons with an instructor that I clicked with. Within 2 lessons I went from scoring in the 90s to shooting a round of 76. My game was coming together and I was hooked with some new-found confidence that I could actually play this game. In about 2002, I had a friend invite me to play with his Sunday group; about 20 guys, ranging in age from late 30' up to 70s. Time has taken its toll on that group, some have passed away, so had financial crunches, others just moved on. Today, I play golf as long as the temps are over 40*F and am just as happy playing by myself as I am with friends. I enjoy the time outdoors, the scenery, and the challenge of the game. I am pretty analytical in nature and like to understand the mechanics of the swing and how club dynamics impact a golf clubs performance. In my mind feel is derived from understanding and applying the mechanics.

 

About My Game:

I currently play to a 7 handicap and have been as low as a 4. One of my strengths is my tee game where I hit 63% of the fairways. My weakest area is short shots when I miss the green; however, I think I can relieve a lot of pressure of that aspect of my game if I hit more greens with my approach shots. Currently, I hit about 8 greens in regulation and have to get up and down more often that I like.

 

As for my ball flight, I generally play a fade off the tee and draw the rest of my clubs. My ball flight is mid/high to high with my irons and mid with my driver. The mistake I try to miss with is when I turn my hands over and hit that low pull hook. My miss on the clubface is low and toe hits. I have a smooth moderate tempo swing and driver swing speed is in the 100-107 MPH range.

 

https://youtu.be/c98-r2Huwrc

 

Current Equipment:

I just love the game of golf and trying new equipment. While I am always eager to demo the latest and greatest my bag typically stays pretty consistent from year to year. Now that I have found MGS I get my equipment cravings satisfied by visiting the MGS Headquarters and participating in the Most Wanted Testing. There is a lot to like about new clubs and often there is an urge to put something new in the bag, but I don't change clubs very often. When I do decide to upgrade it does not have to be professionally fit. Although it may not be fit, it will have been tried numerous times in the store and tested on the course. Generally, I buy used and I have a store near me that lets you demoused equipment on a trial bases before you have to purchase.

 

You can see my current bag setup in my signature. Instead of talking about the whole bag, the discussion will focus on irons since that is what this test is about. I used to change irons often but have only had 2 sets of irons in my bag since 2004. I am currently playing Callaway X-Hot Pro irons that have been in my bag since 2014. I was not professionally fit for those irons but went to several demo days and settled on the Project X Flighted 95 shafts.

 

 

First Impressions

What do I think of these irons and why did I apply to test them. In January I had decided to do full bag fitting at Club Champion to see how my current setup compared to my ideal setup. One of the biggest areas for improvement was my irons. We tested a variety of the Players-Distance irons/Crossover irons such as the Ping I200, Taylor Made P790, Callaway Rogue Pro, and the JPX 900 Forged. I recently learned about this iron category as it fits between the players irons and the Game Improvement Irons and is designed for the player the likes the look or a player's iron but wants a bit more forgiveness and distance. The “winner” for me was the Taylor Made P790 irons with KBS Tour shafts. Why aren't those clubs in my bag??? The simple answer is the $1299 retail price was more that I was willing to invest.

 

Fast forward a month and I happened to walk into my local golf shop while they were holding a Wilson demo day. To be honest I have always known about the history of Wilson golf clubs but in the last 10+ years felt that while they had some tour level products they were more of an entry level player type company. During the demo day I tried the C300 and C300 forged and came away very impressed with the feel, playability, quality and appearance of these clubs. The price tag $800-$900 depending on whether you went with the C300 or the C300 Forged. At the demo day learned about the C300 line and Wilson's Power Hole Technology. In the C300 Forged the long irons through the 8 have urethane filled holes that are designed to increase face deflection to help increase distance. Do they work? Hopefully we will find out as part of this review process.

 

Next up, MGS posted a tester's wanted thread and after confirming that I could get the KBS Tour shafts, best shaft for me based on Club Champion fitting, I quickly threw my name into the hat for a chance to put these irons through their paces. Once selected, the next challenge was figuring out how I wanted them configured. Wilson custom fitting offers an array of shaft combinations (stock, aftermarket, and exotic) and grip options. I will say Wilson seems to have a fondness for KBS shafts as they seem have every KBS option available for drivers through irons; you just need to find the profile that fits your game. As mentioned earlier, I am analytical in my approach to golf and my loft, lie, and length selection process was just that. I elected to go with the 8 iron set comprised of 4-PW, GW and match specs as close as possible to the P790s that I was fitted for.

 

specs.jpg

 

 

In reviewing the chart above, you can see the high lofts present in the longer irons the gradually approach the lofts of my current irons as you pass the 9 iron. I went 1 degree flat to match up the lie angles with the shorter irons from the P790s recommended spec. I left the length at stock to provide myself the option to chop off the additional quarter inch to match my fitting.

 

My first impression was fear as I saw the UPS driver bringing the box to the front door was fear. Fear because the box was bent.

 

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Once I opened the box, I felt relief as I saw the irons were not impacted.

 

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It was a nice touch to include a letter showing my custom specs.

 

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Lampkin/Wilson Staff Grips: High quality grips that do draw attention to the clubs. Gives the clubs a polished look.

 

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Upgraded KBS Tour 120 shafts: All installed with the label pointing down to give a clean look at address.

 

 

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When comparing to my current irons they are roughly the same overall head size and have the same thickness topline. The C300s do have a wider sole so it will be interesting to see if there is any difference with turf interaction.

 

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Where are we going from here?

My primary goal for these irons is to minimize dispersion, get consistent trajectories, and maybe even pick up a few yards on my current clubs. Through this review I intend to walk through the process I would follow if I were evaluating clubs for inclusion in my bag. Where are we going heading into stage 2 and what questions am I trying to answer.

 

• How do these irons compare to my current gamers and my Club Champion fitting? We will do a deep dive into the numbers.
• Does feel change between 8/9 where the power holes no longer exist?
• Do the clubs help me hit more greens?
• How workable are these irons?
• Do I create any distance gaps at the top or bottom end of my bag?
• Can the higher lofted C300 Forged irons compete with the lower lofted irons generally associated with the Players-Distance/Crossover category?

Stay Tuned and Let's find out!

Nice work!!

 

Everyone is off to a great start.

 

 

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[cnosil]

Today was my first time out with the C300 irons.  Let's not worry about the score    as this is about the C300 Forged Irons.   Went for it with the clubs,  pulled out one of my hybrids and went with the 4-GW instead of my typical 5-GW

 

Hit a few 7 irons on the range to just warm up and see how they felt.  First one was low, but the next to were nice trajectory and good distance.  Initial impressions on the course:

 

• They were much better feeling clubs than I expected with soft non clicky feel off the face. 
• Had a tendency to pull shots left with the clubs, but I was pulling everything today including my driver which I normally hit pretty straight. 
• Concerned about the feel aspect of these clubs;  I like to know where I hit the ball on the club face and either I hit them close to the center or they mask the off center hits; something to look at while the testing continues. 
• 4 iron launched the ball easily. 
• Going to have to learn the distance on these clubs as they seem to be a bit longer than my X Hot Pros.  
• Clubs with or without the power holes seem to feel the same. 
• May have to alter my wedges as the gap between GW and 54* SW may be too big.  

After round 1,  the overall feeling is the clubs are nice, have a good feel, and launch the ball well.  

 

 

 

 

 

[deejaid]

Good reviews so far guys!

 

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[Nunfa0]

Seriously good work guys, really enjoying this test.

[HeathS16]

Hey everyone, I've got my Stage 1 posted for you to read. This is my first MGS review, so I'm excited to see what I can bring to the table, especially from the higher handicapper point of view.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or if there's anything you'd like to know about prior to my Stage 2 review. I've got 3 range sessions in with them so far and headed out to the course this coming weekend, so fire away!

A good read indeed!! Nicely done it's hard doing your first review, feel like there is a lot of pressure. You started off great!! Cant wait to read the other 2 stages!

 

 

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[russtopherb]

A good read indeed!! Nicely done it's hard doing your first review, feel like there is a lot of pressure. You started off great!! Cant wait to read the other 2 stages!

 

 

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Many thanks! I had a pretty good range session with these today, still going a lot more left than I'm used to with a straight draw so I've got to figure that out sooner rather than later. It's still early in the season for me so I'm not too concerned. 

 

When you catch one of these irons flush, good heavens. It's a pure sounding and feeling rocket ship. 

 

Toe misses, I've found, are pretty penal however. Again, early season swing here. 

[Golfspy_CG2]

A good read indeed!! Nicely done it's hard doing your first review, feel like there is a lot of pressure. You started off great!! Cant wait to read the other 2 stages!

 

 

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Just to clairify, so nobody thinks the reviewers are slacking. The format has been changed to just two stages this year.

 

We found the 3rd stage didn't really add much value to the original two.

 

That said we encourage all reviewers to continue to make any posts or comments they would like after the second stage. But its not a requirement.

 

 

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[HeathS16]

Just to clairify, so nobody thinks the reviewers are slacking. The format has been changed to just two stages this year.

 

We found the 3rd stage didn't really add much value to the original two.

 

That said we encourage all reviewers to continue to make any posts or comments they would like after the second stage. But its not a requirement.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Didn't know thanks for the clarification!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy