Today’s Golfer UK — December 2017

New

Gear

Wilson Staff D300

£579 (s), £659 (g)

http://www.wilson.com

OAvailability:4-PW, GW

OStock shaft: KBS Tour 80 (s) Matrix

Speed Rulz A-Type (g)

O7-iron loft/length/offset: 29.5°/37.50”/

5.2mm

Verdict:Power hole tech means only 24%

of the D300’s face is connected to the

body, which Wilson says improves face flex

and rebound. We’d agree the tech works, as

a 190-yard average carry (with a 7-iron) is

right up there with the more expensive

models here. Our pro felt ball flight was a

little less consistent, with shots hit lower in

the face (where most flex occurs) spinning

up higher than shots hit further up the face.

With the biggest difference in shot height

(12 yards) for all the irons tested, our data

supports the pro’s theory, too.

Callaway Big Bertha

OS £849 (s), £1099 (g)

http://www.callawaygolf.com

OAvailability:4-PW

OStock shaft: True Temper Speed Step 80

(s) UST Recoil ES 460 (g)

O7-iron loft/length/offset: 30°/37.25”/5mm

Verdict:Iron heads just weren’t made like

this a few years ago. A cage-like

construction removes every last gram of

weight from areas you really don’t need it,

which means fantastic forgiveness from the

Big Bertha’s slightly smaller, more compact

head. The OS is one of Simon’s favourite

irons of 2017 purely because it’s an uber-

forgiving design with a look you just don’t

expect from such an iron. The construction

method is expensive, so these don’t come

cheap. But in terms of power, speed and

preserving distance when shots aren’t hit

from the centre of the face, it is right up

there with the very best.

Cobra King Oversize £699 (s), £799 (g)

http://www.cobragolf.co.uk
OAvailability:4-PW (stock set 5-PW)
OStock shaft: True Temper XP-85 (s)
UST Recoil 460 (g)
O7-iron loft/length/offset: 30° loft
/ 37.25” length / 4.5mm
Verdict:Hollow-headed constructions
(like the Oversize) are becoming more
popular nowadays, primarily because
engineers have realised how they can
make a decent looking head and
combine it with the

levels of forgiveness you’d expect from

a hybrid. 50g-70g of tungsten low in the

toe offers excellent off-centre hit

stability and while our test pro wasn’t a

fan of the circular groove pattern (in the

centre of the face), the looks and

performance did force him to question

why more of us (himself included)

don’t use such forgiving irons. By

recording an average 190 yards (7-iron

carry) the Cobras certainly hold their

own for distance and forgiveness.

Club speedBall Backspin Height Carry

Ping GMax 7-iron (av) mph^126 5,831rpm yards^30 yards18 3

Wilson Staf f D300

7-iron (av)

128

mph 5,226rpm

28

yards

190

yards

TaylorMade M CGB

7-iron (av)

131

mph 5,114rpm

29

yards

19 5

yards

Callaway Big Bertha

OS 7-iron (av)

129

mph 5,212rpm

28

yards

192

yards

Cobra King Oversize

7-iron (av)

12 7

mph 5,173rpm

28

yards

190

yards

THE KEY NUMBERS

HOW EACH MODEL COMPARES

TODAYSGOLFER.CO.UK ISSUE 367 89