The Wilson Revival Continues Apace

Wilson FG Tour V6 Iron
“Players that want the look, feel, sound and feedback of a forged iron will love the (Wilson FG Tour) V6,” says Michael Vrska, Wilson’s Global Director of R&D. The clubs will be available January 9th, 2017.

Your father and grandfather remember Wilson as the company of Sarazen, Snead, Palmer, Casper, Irwin, and dozens of other top players who used its forged blades to win hundreds of PGA Tour events and dozens of major championships. You’ve probably been aware of a very different Wilson during your lifetime, however. Purchased by PepsiCo in 1970, the Chicago firm’s golf division slowly lost its elite status by churning out cheap boxed sets for department stores, and then selling large quantities of its famous two-piece Ultra ball for crazy prices at Walmart.

Tournament players and club professionals ditched Wilson in droves. And by the start of the 21st Century, the company’s market share in the irons category began dipping below 1% as Callaway, Titleist, King Cobra, TaylorMade and Ping squeezed it out of consumers’ consciousness.

Today, Wilson is looking buoyant again, the resurgence having started around 2007, shortly after Tim Clarke was made General Manager and immediately began changing the company’s focus from bargain basement back to tour-quality.

Wilson’s return to profitability was given a massive boost by the success of Padraig Harrington who won three majors in 2007 and 2008 using Pi7 irons, the Dd6 driver, Df6 fairway wood, Dh6 hybrid, and Tw7 wedges. The Irishman’s success gave the brand a level of credibility it hadn’t enjoyed for some time. And though it still has a long way to go to retain the respect and attention it received during the 1960s-1990s, further product launches aimed at seasoned, knowledgeable golfers rather than total beginners looking for a cheap starter set have helped Wilson reestablish a foothold.

Photos of the Wilson FG Tour V6

The FG V4, launched in November 2014, was a high point in Wilson’s recovery. A handsome players’ iron, the V4 incorporated an 18g tungsten weight in the sole to lower the Center of Gravity and increase launch angle without increasing spin. Harrington won the 2015 Honda Classic at PGA National in Florida using the V4s.

Three weekends ago, he used the V4’s successor – the FG Tour V6 – to win his first European Tour event in eight years, the Portugal Masters. Available early next year, the V6 obviously draws on the V4 but possesses a couple of significant enhancements.

“The V4 was very popular with our Tour staff so we didn’t want to make dramatic changes,” says Michael Vrska, Wilson’s Global Director of R&D. “The overall setups are similar, but the V6 has a 20g tungsten weight in the sole (split between heel and toe in the 3, 4, and 5 irons, centered on the 6 and 7) instead of the V4’s 18g weight, the top-line is slightly thinner, the shape of the cavity back has been refined, and the V6 features True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT shafts.”

The V6 which took slightly less than two years to go from drawing board to prototype to finished product, is forged from 8620 carbon-steel and geared towards what Vrska calls ‘feel players’.

“Players that want the look, feel, sound and feedback of a forged iron will love the V6,” Vrska adds.

“These players generate speed and spin by themselves and generally make good, consistent contact. Our tour players love them, and so will single digit handicaps.”

Available January 9th, 2017.

$900
wilsongolf.com

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