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Wilson Staff FG-59 Iron Review

Published

15 years ago

Jul 21, 2009

By: Brett Bowser GolfWRX.com writer

The opportunity to test drive and old friend, the Wilson Staff FG-59 irons. My initial thrilled reaction was one based on a love for my Wilson FG-17’s that I used through most of the 1970’s and early ‘80’s. Assuming Wilson would have no reason to re-introduce a (small market) players club other than to recapture the days of Sam Snead and Johnny Miller, I was fairly confident that these clubs were engineered to put Wilson back in the hands of better golfers worldwide.

This particular set contained 3 iron through Pitching Wedge and were set up with a Dynamic Gold S300 shaft and Lamkin Grips. Pretty enough for wall hanging, I added them to a bag that was previously filled with Ping Eye 2 irons for the last quarter century. As an accomplished player with a decent golf resume I joined the Ping Eye 2 hype in the early ‘80’s and have played with them ever since. I tinkered with other irons over the years and even had my Wilson FG-17’s “refinished” and spent some “meaningful” time on the range trying to rekindle some sort of lost magic. The Dynamic X300 shafts that were in the FG-17’s were just too much for this old dog so I found myself with a hybrid bag of Ping Eye 2 (2-6 iron) and Wilson FG-17 (7 iron – SW).

3 iron pictures-

The classic look of this Wilson FG-59 blade is awesome. To most golfers the heads probably seem smaller than the ball they are addressing, but to a ball shaper, they look much like finely tuned symphony instruments. The weight distribution from head to hand appears to be better that the FG-17 generation iron, thus I was able to strike the iron from the rough with the similar authority as a perfect fairway lie. The ability to hit shots from poor lies was the number one reason why those old Pings were in my bag for so long. Now, with the way the weight reacts with my club head speed I am not only able to strike solid irons from a poorer lie, but the distance control is becoming uncanny. Being a “cold state player” (Michigan) I worried in the early 2009 months that cold temperatures, and my winter playing rust, would not allow me to evaluate the FG-59’s fairly. Certainly the ball flew shorter in colder weather, but now that our temperatures have warmed considerably I feel this is the best time to assess the remaining characteristics of these irons.

I have now been using these irons for the last 3 months which would include about one month thus far of “competitive” golf. At 46 years old much of my competitive golf years are likely behind me, but with these Wilson FG-59’s, I recently qualified for our State Amateur Championship by hitting 13 greens in a row when I needed it most. The confidence grew with each iron shot and the response to distance was fantastic under pressure. The set-up to the eye is great. The top line is thin, yet solid, and this updated sole grind is creating a divot path that makes me wonder if I can shave with them following golf.

I have always been a “feel player” and never let “specs” tell me how a particular club strikes the ball. The weight balance throughout the set is outstanding. The response, or personal feedback, is also excellent. The ability to strike “half swings” like that of a full swing is really the most exciting part of this set. “Punch out shot’s are coming out low with clubs like 4 or 5 iron, but are still being stuck solidly at lesser required distances though design. To me this should be your number one sales point. Chipping with irons like 7, 8, or 9 iron provides a great little “check” and allows for a putter like feel too.

Pitching wedge pictures-

No doubt the excellent response comes from the soft characteristic of the steel used. That being said this set has already suffered its share of nicks on dings on the soles from playing, and back face of the clubs are showing dings from “bag rattle”. As a guy who likes the beauty of the club I have figured out how to strategically thread a towel through the set to reduce this unfortunate wear and tear.

The (minimal) offset which is obviously less than my Ping Eye 2 irons, has settled into my mind, and could likely be the reason for my much tighter divots. Considering center of gravity, I can only assume it has been moved for optimum interface with the ground and ball. The ball flight, because of this condition, appears to be more piercing than that of either my Ping irons or even that of the FG-17 model.

As an Automotive Designer when I’m not golfing, I feel qualified to discuss the stampings applied to the club. I love the retro looking stamped W/S logo in scarlet and black. The “tour blade” text does look very sexy and gives you the professional look, but the text “forged”, why? Obviously they are forged, and stating the obvious, is not what I would do to the better players who may consider purchasing this club. I would not have cluttered up the back face surface with that text.

I also know that most manufactures have gone away from a “matching” lofted (sand) wedges, however I would love to see a matching lofted wedge, and even a 2 iron, which one could add to the 3-PW set. With these irons you reduce the need for a hybrid woods anyway. From a guy that still like to hit it, bring back the 2 iron!

Congratulations on producing an iron that delivered enough confidence to replace clubs that many of my friends thought would go in the ground with me.

3,7 and PW pictures-

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News

Morning 9: Wyndham Clark on back injury | DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take | Houston Open photos

Published

4 hours ago

Mar 28, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the Houston Open gets underway.

1. Wyndham Clark hurts back…still hopes to play

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…”Reigning U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark injured his back while working out at home Monday, but he hopes to play in this week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open, which starts Thursday at Memorial Park Golf Course.”

“Clark, the fourth-ranked golfer in the world, said he was lifting weights and “got caught in an awkward spot doing a lift and [his] back went.”

“It’s not something that happens regularly, but it happened and you live and you learn,” Clark said. “I’m trending in the right direction. I’m hitting it or feeling stronger and more mobile every day. I’m going to give it my best effort tomorrow and hopefully I can play and compete. If not, I’ve got to get ready for tournaments to come after this.”

Full piece.

2. DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take

Our Matt Vincenzi…”While speaking on the Subpar podcast, former PGA Tour winner and current PGA Tour Champions player Chris DiMarco said he hopes LIV buys the Champions Tour.”

“We’re kind of hoping that LIV buys the Champions Tour,” he said.

“Let’s play for a little real money out here. I mean this is kind of a joke when we’re getting $2 million. There were like seven guys last week from TPC (Sawgrass, at the $25 million PLAYERS Championship) that made more money than our purses.”

Full piece.

3. Charley Hull’s course management problem?

Our Matt Vincenzi…”Charley Hull came just short of her third LPGA Tour victory over the weekend at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship when she played her last two holes at 3 over to slip all the way to 10th on the leaderboard.”

“After the round, Hull was blasted by Sky Sports commentator and former LPGA Tour player Trish Johnson for her lack of golf course management.”

“While speaking on the Sky Sports Golf podcast, Johnson spoke harshly of Hull.”

“I’m probably her harshest critic, because I know how good she is. She doesn’t win anywhere near enough for her talent, and she doesn’t get involved enough, in all honestly.

“The thing with Charley is that you’re never going to change her. I read something the other day that said how much she loves the game and it’s her love of the game [that costs her]. She’s never going to change and she’s just going to go for every pin.

“In theory that’s great, but it won’t win you golf tournaments, it just won’t because she’s not that much better than anybody else.

Full piece.

4. Sahith’s interesting idea

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”Which brings Theegala to his big idea: “There’s got to be something, like a fan challenge or – I think it would be awesome to see a scratch handicap go out and play like the Monday after a tournament, keep the same conditions and see what they would shoot just to put it into perspective how hard a PGA Tour golf course is.”

“Theegala loves the thought so much that he’d even come out and watch.”

“Shoot, I’d commentate on it,” Theegala added before continuing, “I have a pet peeve, sometimes when I watch golf on TV, a great example is hole 8 at Valspar last week. It’s a 230-yard par 3, the green’s 12 yards wide and someone will hit the middle of the green and, you know, they’ll be like, ‘Oh, really smart shot there.’ I’m like, ‘Well, no, he’s absolutely laced this 4-iron in the middle of the green, that’s right where he’s looking and to hit a 4-iron that straight is really, really hard.’ … Even like chipping, a lot of the stuff just looks flat on TV, but then when you get over the chip, like, oh, great, I have to land it over a mound on a downslope down grain?”

Full piece.

5. Top am Rachel Heck not going pro

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”As Rachel Heck nears the end of her college golf career, she has decided that the LPGA isn’t for her.’

“Heck, the 22-year-old Stanford senior who won an NCAA individual title as a freshman and has climbed as high as second in the world amateur rankings, penned a first-person essay for No Laying Up in which she explained her reasoning for remaining amateur after graduation this summer and starting an internship not in professional golf but rather private equity. Heck, a political science major, also will be pinned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.”

Read her piece on No Laying Up: https://nolayingup.com/blog/why-im-remaining-an-amateur

Full piece.

6. DJ’s new LIV signing

Golf Monthly’s Elliott Heath…”Dustin Johnson‘s LIV Golf team 4Aces GC has announced former TravisMathew CEO Chris Rosaasen as the side’s new General Manager.”

“Rosaasen, who is a long-time friend of Johnson, is also the founder of the team’s apparel sponsor Extracurricular and has been CEO of the Omniverse Group for the past four years.

“He joins with more than 20 years of “brand-building, marketing, and business leadership” according to LIV Golf, which says his “record of innovation in the golf industry will strengthen and accelerate the growth of the 4Aces GC brand.”

Full piece.

7. Photos from the Houston Open

Check out all of our photos from this week’s event!

Full piece.

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Four books for a springtime review

Published

1 day ago

Mar 27, 2024

Ronald Montesano

One thing that never changes over time: snowy evenings give purpose to reading (is it the other way around?) It has been a snowy 2024 in western New York, and I’ve had ample time to tuck into an easy chair with a blanket, coffee, and a book. You’re in luck, because despite the title of this piece, I’ll share five books and their worth with you.

There is great breadth of subject matter from one to five. Golf is as complicated as life, which means that the cover of the book isn’t worth judging. The contents begin the tale, but there is so much more to each topic presented within. If you’re like me, your library grows each year. Despite the value of the virtual, the paper-printed word connects us to the past of golf and humanity. Here’s hoping that you’ll add one or more of these titles to your collection.

Rainmaker

Hughes Norton interviewed with Mark McCormack for 20 minutes (30 if you count the missed exit at Logan International) while driving the founder of IMG from Harvard to the airport. The lesson of taking advantage of each moment, of every dollar, because you might not get another opportunity, is the most valuable one that life offers. I say to you, be certain to read this book, because another opportunity to bend the ear of Hughes Norton may not come our way.

Hughes Norton was with Tiger Woods for waaayyy fewer years than you might guess, but they were the critical ones. Be warned: not all of the revelations in this tome are for the faint of heart. Some, in fact, will break your heart. Golf was a sleepy hamlet in the 1990s, until the 16-lane interstate called Eldrick “Tiger” Woods came into town. Everything changed, which meant that everything would change again and again, into eternity. Once the ball starts rolling, it’s impossible to stop.

My favorite aspect of this book is its candor. Hughes Norton is well into his time on Planet Earth. He has no reason to hold back, and he doesn’t. My least favorite aspect is that George Peper got the call to co-author the book (and I didn’t.) Seriously, there is no LFA for me, so this is the best that I could do.

Decision: Buy It!

The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor

Michael Wolf, James Sitar, and Jon Cavalier, in abject partnership, collaborated to produce a handsome volume on the work of gone-too-soon, engineer-turned-golf course architect. Seth Raynor was pulled into the game by Charles Blair MacDonald, the crusty godfather of American golf. Raynor played little golf across the 51 years of his life. His reason? He did not wish to corrupt his designs with the demands and failings of his own game.

Jon Cavalier began his photography career as a contributor to the Golf Club Atlas discussion group. I met him there in a virtual way (we still have yet to shake hands) and have exchanged numerous emails over the years. Despite the demands of his day job, Cavalier has blossomed into the most traveled and prolific course photographer alive today. His photography, both hand-held and drone, makes the pages pop. Michael Wolf invited me and two friends to play his home course, despite having never met any of us in person. His words, melded to those of James Sitar, are the glue that connect Cavalier’s photos.

My favorite aspect of the books is the access it gives to the private-club world of Raynor. Fewer than five of his courses are resort or public access, and knowing people on the inside is not available to all. My suggestion? Write a letter/email and see if a club will let you play. Can’t hurt to try! My one complaint about the book is its horizontal nature. Golf is wide, but I like a little vertical in my photos. It’s not much of a complaint, given the glorious contents within the covers.

Decision: Buy It!!

Big Green Book from The Golfer’s Journal

Beginning with its (over)size, and continuing through the entire contents, there is no descriptor that defines the genre of the Big Green Book. It is photography, essay, layout, poetry, graphics, and stream of consciousness. It harnesses the creative power of a lengthy masthead of today’s finest golf contributors. Quotes from Harvey Penick, verse from Billy Collins, and prose from John Updike partner with images pure and altered, to immerse you in the diverse golf spaces that define this planet.

One of my favorite aspects is the spaces between the words and photos. Have your friends and others write a few notes to you in those blank areas, to personalize your volume even more. One aspect that needs improvement: the lack of female voices. I suspect that will be remedied in future volumes.

Decision: Buy It!!!

Troublemaker and The Unplayable Lie

Books that allege discrimination and mistreatment check two boxes: potentially-salacious reads and debate over whose perspective is accurate. In the end, the presentation of salacious revelation rarely meets the expectation, and the debate over fault is seldom resolved. Lisa Cornwell spent years as a competitive junior and college golfer, before joining The Golf Channel as a reporter and program host.

Despite the dream assignments, there were clouds that covered the sun. Cornwell documents episodes of favoritism and descrimination against her, prior to her departure from The Golf Channel in 2021. Her work echoes the production of the late Marcia Chambers, who wrote for Golf Digest in the 1980s and 1990s. Chambers took issue with many of the potential and real legal issues surrounding golf and its policies of access/no access. Her research culminated in The Unplayable Lie, the first work of its kind to address issues confronted by all genders and ethnicities, and immediately predated the professional debut of Tiger Woods in 1997.

My favorite aspects of the two works, are the courage and conviction that it took to write them, and believe in them. My least favorite aspects are the consistent bias that many groups continue to face. Without awareness, there is no action. Without action, there is no change.

Decision: Buy Them!!!!

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