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fixyurdivot

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I'm not hating on Wilson and I genuinely want them to be a relevant force in golf again. BUT, of all the people here reading and defending them, how many are actually using their products? I don't just mean trying a sleeve of balls, I mean constantly in the bag? Is there literally anyone on this forum playing a Cortex driver? Anyone with a Wilson fairway wood or even putter? I bet there's only a small handful of iron sets in play on this forum. 

My point is that there's nothing exciting about the Wilson brand and the stuff they come out with. Blame marketing or whatever but if you have ZERO wow factor and your clubs are just OK, you're never going to sell anything at the same price as the leaders of the industry. 

Take a page out of Cobras book. Innovate and charge a little less so that people buy your product and try it to see it perform. Build on that base and performance and start to ask more of a premium as you convince people it performs on par with everything else.  

Wilson as a company is BORING and needs a youthful and innovative charge. Even their website is one of the worst sites I've ever seen as it tells you nothing about the product and they give you zero fitting or demo options for anything in stores. 

My bag is a revolving door!

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31 minutes ago, 03trdblack said:

I'm not hating on Wilson and I genuinely want them to be a relevant force in golf again. BUT, of all the people here reading and defending them, how many are actually using their products? I don't just mean trying a sleeve of balls, I mean constantly in the bag? Is there literally anyone on this forum playing a Cortex driver? Anyone with a Wilson fairway wood or even putter? I bet there's only a small handful of iron sets in play on this forum. 

My point is that there's nothing exciting about the Wilson brand and the stuff they come out with. Blame marketing or whatever but if you have ZERO wow factor and your clubs are just OK, you're never going to sell anything at the same price as the leaders of the industry. 

Take a page out of Cobras book. Innovate and charge a little less so that people buy your product and try it to see it perform. Build on that base and performance and start to ask more of a premium as you convince people it performs on par with everything else.  

Wilson as a company is BORING and needs a youthful and innovative charge. Even their website is one of the worst sites I've ever seen as it tells you nothing about the product and they give you zero fitting or demo options for anything in stores. 

I see your point, but I’d actually like to see them continue down the “boring” road.  Bring out some more throwback style irons, wedges, bags, etc.

Marketing wise, yes, perhaps they could do a little more. 
 

I don’t have any Wilson clubs in the bag, but there very well could be in the near future. Those v6’s were amazing, so I image the new CB’s are well.  It’s too bad they couldn’t get a guy like Brooksie to join Gary... they would be something.

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8 minutes ago, Shankster said:

I see your point, but I’d actually like to see them continue down the “boring” road.  Bring out some more throwback style irons, wedges, bags, etc.

Marketing wise, yes, perhaps they could do a little more. 
 

I don’t have any Wilson clubs in the bag, but there very well could be in the near future. Those v6’s were amazing, so I image the new CB’s are well.  It’s too bad they couldn’t get a guy like Brooksie to join Gary... they would be something.

Not being presumptuous but are you older in age? I'm 38 and mainly remember wilson in the early 90s with stuff like the invex driver, firestick shafts and eventually the fat shaft stuff. There's zero "throwback" stuff that interests me. All of the much older irons from the 70s etc are tiny, offer no tech and no one can realistically play them now. Definitely don't want any throwback persimmon wood tech. 

They even designed a driver specifically for Gary Woodland and he ditched it after one tournament. That being said I think it looks amazing and I want to hit it 😁 

My bag is a revolving door!

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1 minute ago, 03trdblack said:

Not being presumptuous but are you older in age? I'm 38 and mainly remember wilson in the early 90s with stuff like the invex driver, firestick shafts and eventually the fat shaft stuff. There's zero "throwback" stuff that interests me. All of the much older irons from the 70s etc are tiny, offer no tech and no one can realistically play them now. Definitely don't want any throwback woods. 

They even designed a driver specifically for Gary Woodland and he ditched it after one tournament. That being said I think it looks amazing and I want to hit it 😁 

I’m 37.  I grew up in the Tiger Boom too.  Yea, all of that weird Wilson stuff... I remember that all, but I also remember all of the old blades. Had a set. 

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40 minutes ago, 03trdblack said:

Take a page out of Cobras book. Innovate and charge a little less so that people buy your product and try it to see it perform. Build on that base and performance and start to ask more of a premium as you convince people it performs on par with everything else.  

You mean they should have a Wilson Challenge?  I agree 👍.  Maybe concurrent to the Cobra Connect Challenge and then a playoff between the two winners 🤩.

:ping-small: G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver 

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w

:srixon-small:  ZX5 Irons 4-AW 

:ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW   (removed from double secret probation 😍)

:EVNROLL: ER5v Putter  (Evnroll ER5v Official Review)

:odyssey-small: AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test)

 

 

 

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3 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

You mean they should have a Wilson Challenge?  I agree 👍.  Maybe concurrent to the Cobra Connect Challenge and then a playoff between the two winners 🤩.

Count me in! 

My bag is a revolving door!

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I currently don't have Wilsons in play but I have played their products up until this year. I have 3 or 4 sets of their irons, driver, woods, and hybrids. I always played what worked for me. I have tried and still own Cobra, TaylorMade, Callaway and others. The Wilson's  just worked for me. If I wasn't selected for the Sub 70 testing I still would have Wilson's in the bag and maybe even a new set of the forged irons.  Did Wilson fall off of the revelent market for a while, sure. Did they try to make a comeback, yes. Are they making progress yes.  Look at Nike. What happend to their equipment lines. Came in like a Tiger (pun intended) went out as quick as it came in.  I would say a lot of the OEM's have had their ups and downs over the last 20 years. 

But I will say I enjoyed the Driver versus Driver series. Watching the process was interesting. Were the drivers the best, not so much. But it brought an innovative approach to the brand that needed a jump start again. We all got to see the process and some of the science behind it all. Wish they would do it again.

:titleist-small: Driver, TSi 1 S Flex

:cobra-small: 3 wood, Aerojet Max UST Helium Nanocore R Flex

:cobra-small: 5 wood, Aerojet Max UST Helium Nanocore R Flex 

:cobra-small: 7 Wood, Aerojet Max UST Helium Nanocore R Flex 

:cobra-small: 5 Hybrid King Tec MMT R Flex

:cobra-small: Irons, Tour UST Recoil 95 R Flex (6 - Gap)

:cobra-small: Wedges, Snakebite KBS Hi- Rev2.0 54* & 60*

:cobra-small: Agera 35"

image.png Ultralight 14-way Cart Bag

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1 hour ago, 03trdblack said:

I'm not hating on Wilson and I genuinely want them to be a relevant force in golf again. BUT, of all the people here reading and defending them, how many are actually using their products? I don't just mean trying a sleeve of balls, I mean constantly in the bag? Is there literally anyone on this forum playing a Cortex driver? Anyone with a Wilson fairway wood or even putter? I bet there's only a small handful of iron sets in play on this forum. 

My point is that there's nothing exciting about the Wilson brand and the stuff they come out with. Blame marketing or whatever but if you have ZERO wow factor and your clubs are just OK, you're never going to sell anything at the same price as the leaders of the industry. 

Take a page out of Cobras book. Innovate and charge a little less so that people buy your product and try it to see it perform. Build on that base and performance and start to ask more of a premium as you convince people it performs on par with everything else.  

Wilson as a company is BORING and needs a youthful and innovative charge. Even their website is one of the worst sites I've ever seen as it tells you nothing about the product and they give you zero fitting or demo options for anything in stores. 

I'd be willing to bet the percentage of people on this or any forum gaming Wilson gear is about the same as the company's overall market share in the industry - a little less than 3% in irons, "other" in drivers and putters and low in balls. I'm not sure that's an indictment of Wilson rather than a reflection of the industry reality. And a business reality is market shares don't shift much in the short term, especially if the market leaders stay consistent. I'm not sure that's an indictment of Wilson products, or the company, for that matter. The golf world is filled with really good products that have very small market shares - sometimes by circumstance, sometimes by design. After all, Guerin Rife and David Edel make DANDY putters, but their overall market share is dwarfed by Odyssey, PING, TaylorMade and Titleist. Hell, I'd venture to guess Cleveland sells more putters than EVNROLL and Edel put together. 

As far as performance goes, it's important to know what we're talking about and to deal in facts rather than platitudes. 

The Wilson D7 Forged takes MGS's Most Wanted Players Distance Irons for 2020 - arguably the category with the most innovative tech. They're selling for $899 a set. Cobra KING Forged Tec - a top performer but 3rd overall - $1,099 a set. Modern math tells us that's a difference of $200.

Wilson Infinite "L" Putter - first runner up in 2020 Most Wanted Mallet putters, also named Best Value -- $99.99. Odyssey Triple Track won, and costs $249.99. 

 Wilson D7 driver - in 2020 Most Wanted Overall, finished 9th in carry distance, 10th in total distance and 4th in shot area. For Mid Swing Speeds it finished 2nd overall and was named best value at $299. What beat it out? the Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme - originally priced at $449 but is now being discounted because Cobra has 1 year cycles on its drivers, while Wilson has 2 year cycles. Oh yeah, the D7 is at the end of its two year run, and is currently discounted to $249.

We can go back further and see excellent results for the D300, D200 and even the D100 drivers - all excellent performers and priced below the market leaders.

But yeah, innovate and charge a little less.

Look, Challenger brands are in a tough spot. In drivers they're fighting for a seat at a table where there are more butts than there are chairs for them. The Big 5 sell 9 out of every 10 drivers sold. That means everyone else is fighting for what's left. None of them - and I mean none of them - think they're going to challenge Callaway or TaylorMade. They just want reasonable growth. Look at it this way - say Wilson sells 10,000 drivers a year (I'm making the number up, I have no idea what they sell). If they suddenly sell 11,000 - that's 10% growth. I don't care who you are, you take it and try to sell 12,100 the next year. The point is - growth is hard, and its important for that growth to be profitable or else what's the point?

I get it - preconceptions are hard to let go of, and generalizations are easy. And being a challenger brand is hard - size limits what you can really do and the Big 5 don't make it any easier. They have the money and power to dominate retail space. And I know it's popular to blast The Big 5 for their marketing, the bottom line is they spend big bucks on marketing because a: they can, and b: it works. 

 

 

What's in the bag:
 
Driver:  :titelist-small:TSR3; :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR Carbon
FW Wood: :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR 3-wood; :titleist-small: TSR 2+
Hybrids:  PXG Gen4 18-degree
Utility Irons: :srixon-small: ZX MkII 20* 
Irons:;  :Sub70:699/699 Pro V2 Combo; :wilson_staff_small: D9 Forged;  :macgregor-small:MT86 (coming soon!); :macgregor-small: VIP 1025 V-Foil MB/CB; 

Wedges:  :cleveland-small: RTX6 Zipcore
Putter: :cleveland-small: HB Soft Milled 10.5;  :scotty-small: Newport Special Select;  :edel-golf-1:  Willamette,  :bettinardi-small: BB8; :wilson-small: 8802; MATI Monto

Ball: :bridgestone-small: Tour B RXS; :srixon-small: Z-STAR Diamond; :wilson_staff_small: Triad

Stat Tracker/GPS Watch: :ShotScope:


 
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41 minutes ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

I'd be willing to bet the percentage of people on this or any forum gaming Wilson gear is about the same as the company's overall market share in the industry - a little less than 3% in irons, "other" in drivers and putters and low in balls. I'm not sure that's an indictment of Wilson rather than a reflection of the industry reality. And a business reality is market shares don't shift much in the short term, especially if the market leaders stay consistent. I'm not sure that's an indictment of Wilson products, or the company, for that matter. The golf world is filled with really good products that have very small market shares - sometimes by circumstance, sometimes by design. After all, Guerin Rife and David Edel make DANDY putters, but their overall market share is dwarfed by Odyssey, PING, TaylorMade and Titleist. Hell, I'd venture to guess Cleveland sells more putters than EVNROLL and Edel put together. 

As far as performance goes, it's important to know what we're talking about and to deal in facts rather than platitudes. 

The Wilson D7 Forged takes MGS's Most Wanted Players Distance Irons for 2020 - arguably the category with the most innovative tech. They're selling for $899 a set. Cobra KING Forged Tec - a top performer but 3rd overall - $1,099 a set. Modern math tells us that's a difference of $200.

Wilson Infinite "L" Putter - first runner up in 2020 Most Wanted Mallet putters, also named Best Value -- $99.99. Odyssey Triple Track won, and costs $249.99. 

 Wilson D7 driver - in 2020 Most Wanted Overall, finished 9th in carry distance, 10th in total distance and 4th in shot area. For Mid Swing Speeds it finished 2nd overall and was named best value at $299. What beat it out? the Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme - originally priced at $449 but is now being discounted because Cobra has 1 year cycles on its drivers, while Wilson has 2 year cycles. Oh yeah, the D7 is at the end of its two year run, and is currently discounted to $249.

We can go back further and see excellent results for the D300, D200 and even the D100 drivers - all excellent performers and priced below the market leaders.

But yeah, innovate and charge a little less.

Look, Challenger brands are in a tough spot. In drivers they're fighting for a seat at a table where there are more butts than there are chairs for them. The Big 5 sell 9 out of every 10 drivers sold. That means everyone else is fighting for what's left. None of them - and I mean none of them - think they're going to challenge Callaway or TaylorMade. They just want reasonable growth. Look at it this way - say Wilson sells 10,000 drivers a year (I'm making the number up, I have no idea what they sell). If they suddenly sell 11,000 - that's 10% growth. I don't care who you are, you take it and try to sell 12,100 the next year. The point is - growth is hard, and its important for that growth to be profitable or else what's the point?

I get it - preconceptions are hard to let go of, and generalizations are easy. And being a challenger brand is hard - size limits what you can really do and the Big 5 don't make it any easier. They have the money and power to dominate retail space. And I know it's popular to blast The Big 5 for their marketing, the bottom line is they spend big bucks on marketing because a: they can, and b: it works. 

 

Good points.  Wilson has made some significant headway in their pursuit of regaining one of the overstuffed chairs at the table (I like your analogy).  I do think it true that many still associate them with KMart/Walmart sport section offerings - just old baggage from the precipitous fall from their heydays.  Word is getting out however and I think they will continue to compete well with the biggies.  It sure would help the effort if these guys would start hoisting some more hardware.

image.png.9af120295f5b425e6cfc47c7c086f12c.png

:ping-small: G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver 

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w

:srixon-small:  ZX5 Irons 4-AW 

:ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW   (removed from double secret probation 😍)

:EVNROLL: ER5v Putter  (Evnroll ER5v Official Review)

:odyssey-small: AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test)

 

 

 

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40 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Good points.  Wilson has made some significant headway in their pursuit of regaining one of the overstuffed chairs at the table (I like your analogy).  I do think it true that many still associate them with KMart/Walmart sport section offerings - just old baggage from the precipitous fall from their heydays.  Word is getting out however and I think they will continue to compete well with the biggies.  It sure would help the effort if these guys would start hoisting some more hardware.

image.png.9af120295f5b425e6cfc47c7c086f12c.png

Perceptions are funny things - again, check out Wal Mart's website and you'll see more Callaway boxed sets than Wilson sets. I'm a firm believer in if something sounds fishy, it needs to be poked with a stick and challenged. 

I used to think - back when I was young and naïve - that all Wilson needed to do was come up with that one "must-have" club, and that would change their fortunes. That notion wound up being a bunch of nonsense - not because Wilson couldn't come up with that "must-have" club, it's that even if they did, most folks would believe that only Callaway or TaylorMade would be capable of coming up with a must-have club. And why would we believe only TaylorMade or Callaway could come up with a must-have club? Because Callaway or TaylorMade would tell us it's a must-have club and that only they could come up with it. And enough of us would believe it. It's Big Boy marketing, and it works. 

Think about it - and it's late, I'm on pain meds and I'm rolling - why do we believe Cobra or PING or Callaway are the most innovative OEMs out there?  Two reasons - first, they're pretty damned innovative, and second - they spend a lot of money telling us they're the most innovative OEMs out there. It reminds me of my second favorite poem:

He who has a thing to sell
And goes and whispers in a well
Is not as apt to get the dollars
As he who climbs a tree and hollers. 

The whole Driver vs. Driver thing was to show Wilson had its own innovation story to tell. You can debate over how effective it was, but industry surveys show more people were talking about Wilson as a premium OEM after the show than before. Think of it as simply moving the ball down the field as best you can.

And not for nothing, Wilson also has an A.I. R&D setup every bit as sophisticated as Callaway's, and it showed in the performance of the D7 Forged irons. 

One thing I've learned while reading all of our Most Wanted reports over the last five years, is that small companies can make great performing products and big companies can make also-rans. But those also rans will invariably sell more because of marketing. In some cases, marketing can make us think those products are better than they really are, but more often than not marketing makes us feel safe in those choices. After all, if you were an average consumer (and by definition MGS readers are well above average in terms of knowledge and savvy), what would give you more buyer's remorse: a set of category #1 selling Mavrik irons or a set of Wilson Staff D7 irons? 

I'll save you the trouble of looking it up - D7 outperformed Mavrik in Most Wanted. But sales-wise, it ain't close.

My wife tells me it's time to go to bed. 😉

 

 

What's in the bag:
 
Driver:  :titelist-small:TSR3; :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR Carbon
FW Wood: :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR 3-wood; :titleist-small: TSR 2+
Hybrids:  PXG Gen4 18-degree
Utility Irons: :srixon-small: ZX MkII 20* 
Irons:;  :Sub70:699/699 Pro V2 Combo; :wilson_staff_small: D9 Forged;  :macgregor-small:MT86 (coming soon!); :macgregor-small: VIP 1025 V-Foil MB/CB; 

Wedges:  :cleveland-small: RTX6 Zipcore
Putter: :cleveland-small: HB Soft Milled 10.5;  :scotty-small: Newport Special Select;  :edel-golf-1:  Willamette,  :bettinardi-small: BB8; :wilson-small: 8802; MATI Monto

Ball: :bridgestone-small: Tour B RXS; :srixon-small: Z-STAR Diamond; :wilson_staff_small: Triad

Stat Tracker/GPS Watch: :ShotScope:


 
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7 hours ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

It's Big Boy marketing, and it works. 

I think this sums it up very nicely, John. Wilson's biggest problem isn't their gear it's their marketing and brand messaging. Callaway, Titleist, TaylorMade, Ping... those are all companies where the golf line is the primary product and focus. Wilson/Staff is just one of many sports divisions in the overall Wilson portfolio and they're treated as such when it comes to their messaging and marketing $$$ (IMO as a marketing manager, myself). 

This thread has devolved into another referendum on W/S relevance in the marketplace, and I apologize because I'm one of the worst offenders here. I've got a D7 driver and an Infinite Southside as my backup putter. My son's bagging my D200 irons right now, and I've played the C300, D100, and Di11s as well. I love the value they bring and their clubs just *work* for so many people. I happily play the Duo. Their wedges are a fantastic value. I honestly wish they could resolve the problem they've had with their branding and product availability to finally silence the folks who continue to bang the drum of "washed up", however wrong they might be. 

In my  :wilson_staff_small:  carry bag:
:mizuno-small: ST-X 10.5* Kai'li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 15* Kai/li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 4h Linq Blue R Flex
:cleveland-small: Launcher 5h
:cleveland-small: Launcher CBX 6i-PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 54* & 58*
:cleveland-small: Huntington Beach #10
:bridgestone-small: e12 Contact
CURRENTLY TESTING - Mizuno Long Game

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11 hours ago, 03trdblack said:

I'm not hating on Wilson and I genuinely want them to be a relevant force in golf again. BUT, of all the people here reading and defending them, how many are actually using their products? I don't just mean trying a sleeve of balls, I mean constantly in the bag? Is there literally anyone on this forum playing a Cortex driver? Anyone with a Wilson fairway wood or even putter? I bet there's only a small handful of iron sets in play on this forum.

I think one of the 'perception' issues (which my never-been-used business degree tells me is a marketing issue) is that Wilson is seen not as a first-ballot contender, even if performance-wise, it can hang with the best. Just this week, I was between trying one of the Infinite putters and a Spider. I've rolled the Spider before plus Dick's had a good deal on one. Or at least that's how I'm rationalizing it. In reality, I have to wonder if that's just the story I'm telling myself.

As with my decision to buy a TM putter instead of a Wilson putter, I think we're seeing the same mental gymnastics in the debate about this ball. $45 for a WILSON ball? NO WAY. If it performs, why not a $45 ball? I've got the D7 Forged from the Official Review and at their price point, I don't think you can do better than these irons if you're wanting irons that feel great, look great, and fly absolutely straight. But if I had $1000 to spend, would Wilson be on my shortlist? Not unless a fitter put one in my hands and said, "just try it."

IMHO, this is exactly how Wilson is going to grow: one fitting at a time, one more person here or there being willing to try a paintless golf ball, seeing one guy at your club with Staff Model wedges (those are SEXY), one more person saying, "I want a milled putter, but I don't have $400"

Be the tortoise...

Driver: :srixon-small: ZX5 LS MkII 9.5* (@ 9.0*) with 46.5" Ventus Blue 6X
3-wood: :taylormade-small: SIM 15* with Diamana Limited 75S
5-wood: :cobra-small: RADspeed 18.5* with Motore X F3 60S
2i: :srixon-small: ZX with SteelFiber i95 Stiff

4hy: :titleist-small: TS3 23* with Tensei AV Blue 70 S
4i-7i :srixon-small: ZX7, 8i-PW Z-Forged, Modus3 Tour 120 S
50*, 55* :cleveland-small: RTX 6 Modus3 Tour 125
60* :cleveland-small: RTX Full Face ZipCore DG Spinner S400
Putter: :callaway-small: Toulon Chicago with a :garsen: Quad Tour or :cleveland-small: HB SOFT Milled 10.5S with UST All-in

Ball: :callaway-small: Chrome Tour (but I might still have some :titleist-small: Left Dashes hanging around)
Bag: :srixon-small: Ltd Edition Tartan, blue/green/yellow

Using :ShotScope: to keep track of my shots

Tested:
:wilson_staff_small: D7 Forged 3i-PW, KBS Tour-V 110S - Official Review
:titelist-small: Blind Ball Test (Ball #3 vs Ball #4) - Unofficial Review
:ShotScope:
 V3 GPS Watch + Tags - Official Review
:OnCore:
 Vero X2 - Official Review

The Stack System - Official Review

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1 hour ago, russtopherb said:

I think this sums it up very nicely, John. Wilson's biggest problem isn't their gear it's their marketing and brand messaging. Callaway, Titleist, TaylorMade, Ping... those are all companies where the golf line is the primary product and focus. Wilson/Staff is just one of many sports divisions in the overall Wilson portfolio and they're treated as such when it comes to their messaging and marketing $$$ (IMO as a marketing manager, myself). 

This thread has devolved into another referendum on W/S relevance in the marketplace, and I apologize because I'm one of the worst offenders here. I've got a D7 driver and an Infinite Southside as my backup putter. My son's bagging my D200 irons right now, and I've played the C300, D100, and Di11s as well. I love the value they bring and their clubs just *work* for so many people. I happily play the Duo. Their wedges are a fantastic value. I honestly wish they could resolve the problem they've had with their branding and product availability to finally silence the folks who continue to bang the drum of "washed up", however wrong they might be. 

Hey - let's not worry about the thread wondering. Good conversation is good conversation.  I'm not sure the vague notion of "better marketing" is going to change much, simply because marketing isn't done in a vacuum - the other guys are doing it non-stop, 24-7 with a buttload more money. When someone with deeper pockets grabs an attribute and a market image, it can take years to change it, and even then only if the market leaders screw up somehow.

I would think if Wilson hits 3% in irons share, sells a few more wedges, metal woods, putters and balls in 2021 - while still being profitable - they'd be more than thrilled with it. Said said, 3% might be a bridge too far considering the others guys are selling stuff too. 

33 minutes ago, greggarner said:

I think one of the 'perception' issues (which my never-been-used business degree tells me is a marketing issue) is that Wilson is seen not as a first-ballot contender, even if performance-wise, it can hang with the best. Just this week, I was between trying one of the Infinite putters and a Spider. I've rolled the Spider before plus Dick's had a good deal on one. Or at least that's how I'm rationalizing it. In reality, I have to wonder if that's just the story I'm telling myself.

As with my decision to buy a TM putter instead of a Wilson putter, I think we're seeing the same mental gymnastics in the debate about this ball. $45 for a WILSON ball? NO WAY. If it performs, why not a $45 ball? I've got the D7 Forged from the Official Review and at their price point, I don't think you can do better than these irons if you're wanting irons that feel great, look great, and fly absolutely straight. But if I had $1000 to spend, would Wilson be on my shortlist? Not unless a fitter put one in my hands and said, "just try it."

IMHO, this is exactly how Wilson is going to grow: one fitting at a time, one more person here or there being willing to try a paintless golf ball, seeing one guy at your club with Staff Model wedges (those are SEXY), one more person saying, "I want a milled putter, but I don't have $400"

Be the tortoise...

Tortoise - LOVE IT! 

I would bet most of @Golfspy_CG2's money that Wilson would not sell appreciably more Staff Model balls if they priced them at $39 or even $35. I'd venture to guess they'd probably sell less. I felt the same way about the Cortex - yeah, people laughed at the $499 price tag (and some of the retailers questioned the decision), but drop it to $399 and I firmly believe people would have said hey, for another $100 plus I can get a TaylorMade or a Callaway. I really believe they probably would have sold fewer of them and not made as much money on the ones they did sell which, after all, is the whole point of the exercise. 

 

 

What's in the bag:
 
Driver:  :titelist-small:TSR3; :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR Carbon
FW Wood: :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR 3-wood; :titleist-small: TSR 2+
Hybrids:  PXG Gen4 18-degree
Utility Irons: :srixon-small: ZX MkII 20* 
Irons:;  :Sub70:699/699 Pro V2 Combo; :wilson_staff_small: D9 Forged;  :macgregor-small:MT86 (coming soon!); :macgregor-small: VIP 1025 V-Foil MB/CB; 

Wedges:  :cleveland-small: RTX6 Zipcore
Putter: :cleveland-small: HB Soft Milled 10.5;  :scotty-small: Newport Special Select;  :edel-golf-1:  Willamette,  :bettinardi-small: BB8; :wilson-small: 8802; MATI Monto

Ball: :bridgestone-small: Tour B RXS; :srixon-small: Z-STAR Diamond; :wilson_staff_small: Triad

Stat Tracker/GPS Watch: :ShotScope:


 
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12 minutes ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Hey - let's not worry about the thread wondering. Good conversation is good conversation.  I'm not sure the vague notion of "better marketing" is going to change much, simply because marketing isn't done in a vacuum - the other guys are doing it non-stop, 24-7 with a buttload more money. When someone with deeper pockets grabs an attribute and a market image, it can take years to change it, and even then only if the market leaders screw up somehow.

I would think if Wilson hits 3% in irons share, sells a few more wedges, metal woods, putters and balls in 2021 - while still being profitable - they'd be more than thrilled with it. Said said, 3% might be a bridge too far considering the others guys are selling stuff too. 

Tortoise - LOVE IT! 

I would bet most of @Golfspy_CG2's money that Wilson would not sell appreciably more Staff Model balls if they priced them at $39 or even $35. I'd venture to guess they'd probably sell less. I felt the same way about the Cortex - yeah, people laughed at the $499 price tag (and some of the retailers questioned the decision), but drop it to $399 and I firmly believe people would have said hey, for another $100 plus I can get a TaylorMade or a Callaway. I really believe they probably would have sold fewer of them and not made as much money on the ones they did sell which, after all, is the whole point of the exercise. 

 

Yea, I agree, keep the conversation and thread rolling - it is indeed good conversation.  My summary on all the responses is that product marketing is more a factor to market share than it should be... at least if things were largely performance based.  Like it or not, admit it or not, most have Andre Agassi syndrome.

Agassi GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY 

:ping-small: G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver 

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w

:srixon-small:  ZX5 Irons 4-AW 

:ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW   (removed from double secret probation 😍)

:EVNROLL: ER5v Putter  (Evnroll ER5v Official Review)

:odyssey-small: AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test)

 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Yea, I agree, keep the conversation and thread rolling - it is indeed good conversation.  My summary on all the responses is that product marketing is more a factor to market share than it should be... at least if things were largely performance based.  Like it or not, admit it or not, most have Andre Agassi syndrome.

Agassi GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY 

Yep, and it takes years to establish it, fewer years to lose it and the more years to change it. 

 

What's in the bag:
 
Driver:  :titelist-small:TSR3; :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR Carbon
FW Wood: :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR 3-wood; :titleist-small: TSR 2+
Hybrids:  PXG Gen4 18-degree
Utility Irons: :srixon-small: ZX MkII 20* 
Irons:;  :Sub70:699/699 Pro V2 Combo; :wilson_staff_small: D9 Forged;  :macgregor-small:MT86 (coming soon!); :macgregor-small: VIP 1025 V-Foil MB/CB; 

Wedges:  :cleveland-small: RTX6 Zipcore
Putter: :cleveland-small: HB Soft Milled 10.5;  :scotty-small: Newport Special Select;  :edel-golf-1:  Willamette,  :bettinardi-small: BB8; :wilson-small: 8802; MATI Monto

Ball: :bridgestone-small: Tour B RXS; :srixon-small: Z-STAR Diamond; :wilson_staff_small: Triad

Stat Tracker/GPS Watch: :ShotScope:


 
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24 minutes ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Hey - let's not worry about the thread wondering. Good conversation is good conversation.  I'm not sure the vague notion of "better marketing" is going to change much, simply because marketing isn't done in a vacuum - the other guys are doing it non-stop, 24-7 with a buttload more money. When someone with deeper pockets grabs an attribute and a market image, it can take years to change it, and even then only if the market leaders screw up somehow.

I would think if Wilson hits 3% in irons share, sells a few more wedges, metal woods, putters and balls in 2021 - while still being profitable - they'd be more than thrilled with it. Said said, 3% might be a bridge too far considering the others guys are selling stuff too. 

Tortoise - LOVE IT! 

I would bet most of @Golfspy_CG2's money that Wilson would not sell appreciably more Staff Model balls if they priced them at $39 or even $35. I'd venture to guess they'd probably sell less. I felt the same way about the Cortex - yeah, people laughed at the $499 price tag (and some of the retailers questioned the decision), but drop it to $399 and I firmly believe people would have said hey, for another $100 plus I can get a TaylorMade or a Callaway. I really believe they probably would have sold fewer of them and not made as much money on the ones they did sell which, after all, is the whole point of the exercise. 

 

Bet most of my money? That's not very high stakes.  Betting most of my clubs, now that's a whole different level 🤣

:ping-small: G430 Max 10K 

:titelist-small: TSiR1 15.0 Aldlia Ascent 60g

:titelist-small: TSR2 18.0 PX Aldila Ascent 6og

:titelist-small: TSi1 20 Aldila Ascent Shafts R

:titelist-small: T350 5-GW SteelFiber I80 

:titelist-small: SM10 48F/54M and58K

:ping-small: S159 48S/52S/56W/60B

:scotty-cameron-1: Select 5.5 Flowback 35" 

:titelist-small: ProV1  Play number 12

 

 

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23 hours ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Not for nothing, here are some pix of the ball after my last round. Didn't wash it, obviously. This is after the last 3 holes.

IMG_1358.JPG

62680864787__7A73B4EC-43AD-44BE-A0CE-6CB5C8B5304B.JPG

62680863095__70BCA550-4ABA-4E45-B518-66D2752A1DA4.JPG


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

That dirty ball looks like what I game all the time. My hole in one came with a dirty ball like that - it doesn't bother me at all. 

Golf is simple - people are complicated.

5w Taylormade SLDR S 19* - 220yd, Ping G2 5-U - 190-105, Maltby M+ 54* & MG 60* - 95-75, Evnroll ER8, Titleist 816 H1 4h 21*, Maltby 4 Hybrid Iron 24* - 210-200, Callaway XR16 8* - 235 carry

886809507_image1(5).jpeg.56bc697c3b02b1fb00feb8d4b66389bc~2.jpeg

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20 minutes ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Yep, and it takes years to establish it, fewer years to lose it and the more years to change it. 

As they say for a reputation, takes years to build it, and can be destroyed over night.  

:ping-small: G430 Max 10K 

:titelist-small: TSiR1 15.0 Aldlia Ascent 60g

:titelist-small: TSR2 18.0 PX Aldila Ascent 6og

:titelist-small: TSi1 20 Aldila Ascent Shafts R

:titelist-small: T350 5-GW SteelFiber I80 

:titelist-small: SM10 48F/54M and58K

:ping-small: S159 48S/52S/56W/60B

:scotty-cameron-1: Select 5.5 Flowback 35" 

:titelist-small: ProV1  Play number 12

 

 

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The tech in this does intrigue me on the spin, being a low spin guy on irons and wedges it could help, but as a low launch guy as well, I'm not sure the additional spin would help with a mid launch ball, but I guess it's all relative to mid and high.

Might be willing to give them a test, but I've got so many other balls I'm considering I'll admit they might not see play as lack of availability where I am makes it hard to get my hands on them outside of ordering, which adds that shipping cost that makes it tough to invest.

Again, it's not a conscious bias against Wilson, it's just hard when the product isn't widely available where you are because big box stores are more concerned about meeting margins.

In a :ping-small: Hoofer Lite bag

 :titleist-small: TSR2, 10 degrees, A1 setting, Fujikara Speeder NX Blue 50-S

:taylormade-small: Stealth, 15 degrees, VA Composites Nemesys 70-S 

:755178188_TourEdge: E722, 19 degrees, Oban Devotion 80-S

:mizuno-small: JPX 921 Hot Metal Pro 4-P, Nippon 950GH Stiff Flex

 :cleveland-small: CBX Zipcore 50* (bent to *49) and RTX Zipcore Tour Rack 54* (bent to *55), DG 115 Spinner, Tour Issue

:wilson-small: Staff Model TG 60*, Dynamic Gold 120 S300

 SIK Golf Flo-C

:bridgestone-small: Tour B-XS (2022 Model)

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It certainly sounds like bull to me but Im sure its a great ball.  Id just be concerned about cover durability when you have no paint protecting it.

Either way, Im happy to see W/S coming out with something new.  Golf is better when you have heritage brands like Wilson coming out with new things.

"I suppose its better to be a master of 7 than to be vaguely familiar with 14." - Chick Evans

Whats in my Sun Mountain 2.5+ stand bag?

Woods: Tommy Armour Atomic 10.5* 

Hybrid: Mizuno MP Fli-Hi 3H

Irons: Mizuno T-Zoid True 5, 7 and 9-irons

Wedge: Mizuno S18 54* and Top Flite chipper

Putter: Mizuno Bettinardi A-02

Ball: Maxfli Tour X

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One guy's take with a review comparing the painted Staff Model vs.  Staff Model R.    The results he got were surprising to me.

Gameday
Vessel Sunday 2.0/ Ogio Silencer
Wilsonlogo20Clemson.png.eee77a65568179cdcfb783c9a3e68f4b.png Dynapwr Carbon | Hzrdus Smoke Black
:callaway-small:  Mavrik 3w | Evenflow Riptide
Wilsonlogo20Clemson.png.eee77a65568179cdcfb783c9a3e68f4b.png FG Tour F5 Hybrid(20,23) | MCA Fubuki

Wilsonlogo20Clemson.png.eee77a65568179cdcfb783c9a3e68f4b.png Staff Model CB 5-PW |  DG 120
:titleist-small: Vokey SM7 (50, 54, 58) | DG 120
bettinardilogo2MGS.png.3b311f05930da73872d3b638ef39f51c.png Studio Stock 15
:titleist-small:-ProV1x (left dash)

Romans 10:9


Classic Bag
Jones Collegiate Clemson Stand Bag

pinglogo_clemson_MGS.png.f64aa10b6e73d4f55a61d78f590addca.pngEye 2 Laminate
:wilson_staff_small: 1973 Staff Dynapower 4-PW

pinglogo_clemson_MGS.png.f64aa10b6e73d4f55a61d78f590addca.pngAnser

:wilson_staff_small: DUO

 

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On 11/17/2020 at 3:10 PM, Wedgie said:

I've purchased a couple dozen of the Wilson Staff balls this year and it is a really good ball. The reason I don't buy more is because they are sold out about every time I go to buy more. I'll bet that will be the case with this ball as well.

Same with me really liked the ball than couldn't get more. I love w/s but marketing is awful

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The idea of this is particularly fascinating, and when the "Titleist Natural" or whatever comes out, people will be tripping over themselves to get it. Kirkland Signature Unpainted Balls? Suburban Mayhem. 

Wilson is solid. I will have to give these a try, and it seems like something potentially overlooked. Ball technology now is different from an era where finishing might have been more important in the overall process, so it stands to reason the more pronounced dimples and lack of paint pooling could make a difference. 

 

Titleist 975J

Callaway Hawkeye 3 Wood

Ben Hogan CFT Hybrid, Apex Plus Irons

Cleveland 588 Wedges

Scotty Newport 2 Mid Slant Pro Platinum

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So, my original challenge still exists. The ball is for sale for $45...who here (besides Shankster) has actually ordered any yet? Everyone is rooting Wilson on and singing praises but I've yet to see one post saying they bought a dozen. Who's actually stepped up to show support with their wallet??? 

My bag is a revolving door!

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7 hours ago, 03trdblack said:

So, my original challenge still exists. The ball is for sale for $45...who here (besides Shankster) has actually ordered any yet? Everyone is rooting Wilson on and singing praises but I've yet to see one post saying they bought a dozen. Who's actually stepped up to show support with their wallet??? 

Actually... I got side tracked.  I’ll be ordering them today. 🙃

 

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14 hours ago, huskie55 said:

Same with me really liked the ball than couldn't get more. I love w/s but marketing is awful

I think "their marketing is awful" has been repeated often enough in this thread - and I agree their marketing is sloppy at times. The Baller Box idea, I think, was basically sound but very badly executed, and they had a mixup - that was rectified right away, over the initial pricing of both the Staff Model and Staff Model Raw balls. They did have one of the very best young social media people in Corey Holloway, but he left for a plumb gig at FootJoy earlier this year. That's not sloppy, but maybe more of a financial reality.

So, in the spirit of real info vs. platitudes, what in your opinion are examples of awful marketing? And what specifically would you do to improve it? 

I ask out of genuine curiosity, and there are some parameters here. You can't just say "it sucks and they need to do better" or "they need to spend more money." Wilson spends a fixed percentage of its annual sales on marketing, the same fixed percentage as Callaway, Titleist and pretty much every other company in golf - it's just that, say, 3% of maybe $130 million is a much, much smaller number than 3% of $1.3 billion. 

If you were in charge of Wilson Golf marketing, what's your specific 5-point plan, and what's the ultimate goal? Where will you be in Year 1, Year 5 and Year 10? 

This could be an interesting exercise...commence to thinking GolfSpies - let's see what you got. 

 

What's in the bag:
 
Driver:  :titelist-small:TSR3; :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR Carbon
FW Wood: :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR 3-wood; :titleist-small: TSR 2+
Hybrids:  PXG Gen4 18-degree
Utility Irons: :srixon-small: ZX MkII 20* 
Irons:;  :Sub70:699/699 Pro V2 Combo; :wilson_staff_small: D9 Forged;  :macgregor-small:MT86 (coming soon!); :macgregor-small: VIP 1025 V-Foil MB/CB; 

Wedges:  :cleveland-small: RTX6 Zipcore
Putter: :cleveland-small: HB Soft Milled 10.5;  :scotty-small: Newport Special Select;  :edel-golf-1:  Willamette,  :bettinardi-small: BB8; :wilson-small: 8802; MATI Monto

Ball: :bridgestone-small: Tour B RXS; :srixon-small: Z-STAR Diamond; :wilson_staff_small: Triad

Stat Tracker/GPS Watch: :ShotScope:


 
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8 minutes ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

If you were in charge of Wilson Golf marketing, what's your specific 5-point plan, and what's the ultimate goal? Where will you be in Year 1, Year 5 and Year 10? 

This could be an interesting exercise...commence to thinking GolfSpies - let's see what you got. 

Fun exercise. I'll jump in with a few ideas.

1) Branding - better engagement on social media and on the forums. Since Corey left, their Twitter feed is now mostly posting sale or product announcements without a lot of actual engagement. They also seem to tweet on average every 3-4 days, save for recently due to new product announcements. Facebook, they post a lot but don't respond to much from what I've seen. Get someone (or two someones) on the forums to discuss products, updates, and answer questions. Don't recall seeing a W/S product rep around in a number of years.

Additionally, a dedicated W/S website separate from their main corporate site that has all of their lines underneath it. 

2) Distribution - product needs to be on the shelves. Period. Especially in the big box stores where the bulk of golf purchases are made. Too many people talk about how they'd like to try them out, but can't find them. I have to drive 45 mins either towards Boston or down into RI to get my hands on W/S clubs. 

3) Messaging - I like when they have Frank Simonutti talking about their golf balls and why they designed them. The Duo has a lot of fans, so more info about those, or the Raw balls, and specifically why they work well, will go a long way towards awareness. Likewise, they have a huge history - contrasting that with their recent innovations and really playing the two of them off of each other could work well, if done right. 

4) Use what you've been given - Rick Shiels, for one, talks about how much he loves Wilson irons. So get influencers like that to really work with you. Likewise with the accolades from MGS; aside from a few tweets I don't think I've seen them really use the feedback and accolades from actual golfers in their marketing. I know I react more to what a 15 hdcp says rather than what a pro says about golf gear.

Same with their internal staff - Callaway does a great job with putting their design team and internal staff out there to talk about product development, who's using what, why they did certain things, etc. Whether it's podcasts, videos, interviews, etc they're always out there. The job Harry did with Callaway was amazing - I'm not saying Wilson should replicate it, but it shows that brands can absolutely be brought to the forefront over the course of a few years.

Most importantly, there just needs to be some consistency across the board. You can't do a big push like they did with DvD then go relatively silent. They had the issues with the sole plate and it seems like that seemed to take the wind out of them across the board. Just my personal opinion and observation.

In my  :wilson_staff_small:  carry bag:
:mizuno-small: ST-X 10.5* Kai'li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 15* Kai/li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 4h Linq Blue R Flex
:cleveland-small: Launcher 5h
:cleveland-small: Launcher CBX 6i-PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 54* & 58*
:cleveland-small: Huntington Beach #10
:bridgestone-small: e12 Contact
CURRENTLY TESTING - Mizuno Long Game

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