Equipment

SPOTTED: Wilson C300 prototype driver and forged irons

Published

6 years ago

Oct 31, 2017

On the range at the 2017 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas, we spotted new Wilson C300 driver and iron prototypes in staffer Ricky Barnes’ bag. Based on the photos we shot of the clubs, it’s clear the company is sticking with some familiar technologies, including speed slots, and “FLX Face,” which was a technology used in its C200 and D300 irons to boost forgiveness and distance. Based on stampings on the new C300 iron prototypes, the irons are also forged.

Here’s what Wilson had to say about Barnes’ prototypes:

“A central part of our innovation process is play-testing and refining clubs with our Wilson Advisory Staff before we introduce them to the market,” said Tim Clarke, President of Wilson Golf. “We are excited to introduce our new C300 clubs to golfers by year’s end. Ricky’s feedback has led to something we are very excited about and his use of the C300 Driver reinforces that.”

And here’s what GolfWRX members are saying about the new equipment. Check out more photos of the clubs below.

Wilson C300 driver proto

Wilson C300 Forged iron protos

See what GolfWRX members are saying about the C300 prototypes in our forums.

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17 Comments

Per-Eric Gustavsson

Nov 7, 2017 at 3:17 am

The C300 irons look fantastic. I play Wilson V4 and they are really smooth. Hopefully the new ones are as smooth as the V4: s and forgiving as the C200. I also hope that Wilson will build C300 in left version as well and do not abandon us that are left handed.

It would be nice if someone from Wilson gives us lefties a confirmation that they will give us C300 irons.

Pelle G, Sweden

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Randy Kitts

Nov 1, 2017 at 3:55 pm

I recently bought a set of Wilson C200 irons new,at a great price and got back the distance I lost with my 3 year old Ping I 25 irons and they aren’t forged either. They sure are sweet to hit!!!! C300’s look great !

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Randy Kitts

Nov 1, 2017 at 3:51 pm

Wilson is very under-rated! Even if the face is forged and the rest cast,what difference does it make? You’re going to feel the forged face,not the cast body!!!!! As for the price on the made for TV driver,it’s no different than the other guys(TM,Callaway) After 6 months to a year the price drops rapidly.So what? You don’t have to buy it. Has nothing to do with the quality,it’s just todays marketing!

Reply Report comment
- SK
  
  Nov 8, 2017 at 6:10 pm
  
  Ummm, no. To feel the forged face impact the feel ‘shock’ must go through the cast body and hosel to get to the shaft and into your hands, where you feel the ‘feel’.
  You can’t just mount a roll forged plate on what is essentially a cast steel club and then claim a soft buttery ‘forged’ feel. Sorry.
  
  Reply Report comment
Scott

Nov 1, 2017 at 2:43 pm

So, these are the RickyB Protos

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Rich

Nov 1, 2017 at 12:43 pm

These look super. I very interested in the irons .I have the V2 Tour irons and if these are better than those then I’m all in on getting a set..The Driver looks interesting and if it’s better than the Triton it has to be KingKong of golf!!!!!!!

Reply Report comment
PCR

Nov 1, 2017 at 11:38 am

Topline of the iron looks nicer than I remember Wilson’s previous flex face irons. The driver looks nice and compact.

Reply Report comment
Simms

Nov 1, 2017 at 1:36 am

How come you see most Wilson players using Taylormade Drivers? How about that great made for TV driver they sold, I see it for $149 everywhere and even $129 at one place…Wilson hasn’t ever recovered form when they tossed out John Daly after he won the British Open….

Reply Report comment
- Thomas A
  
  Nov 1, 2017 at 10:35 am
  
  Same could be said for Mizuno, Bridgestone, PXG, and Srixon staffers. Wilson has recovered. Go test them out. I’m playing the FG Tour F5 irons and PMP wedges. They’re awesome.
  
  Reply Report comment
Ben Jones

Oct 31, 2017 at 4:49 pm

Wilson had the original flex face iron with the Reflex.

Reply Report comment
- Ron Wolsted
  
  Oct 31, 2017 at 5:31 pm
  
  Yah, but this new model has a face-forged faceplate and the rest of the clubhead is cheap cast steel and for top dollar.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Thomas A
    
    Nov 1, 2017 at 10:36 am
    
    Cheap cast steel. LOL.
    
    Reply Report comment
RegW

Oct 31, 2017 at 4:21 pm

As for the driver, if it’s good enough for Ricky Barnes it should be even better for the average golfer who can’t break 90 in their score or club speed.

Reply Report comment
- C.B.
  
  Nov 2, 2017 at 2:06 am
  
  And you’re one of them, we all know.
  
  Reply Report comment
RegW

Oct 31, 2017 at 4:16 pm

The emblem plaque in the cavity looks chintzy. The slots in the sole will fill with mud and ruin performance. Wonder if it’s 100% forged, or just another club with cast steel body welded to a forged faceplate. Next.

Reply Report comment
- ...........
  
  Oct 31, 2017 at 9:05 pm
  
  I’m 99% positive the slots are filled with some type of polymer like TM irons.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Thomas A
    
    Nov 1, 2017 at 3:04 pm
    
    Judging from the photos I’m 100% sure the slots are filled with a polymer.
    
    Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

4 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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