Equipment
The New Look of Speed: Wilson D300 drivers, woods, hybrids and irons
Wilson’s new line of D300 products certainly don’t suffer from a lack of visible technology. The super game-improvement clubs use slots around the perimeter of the irons, as well as “Micro Vortex Generators” on the crowns of the metal woods to improve performance.
The D300 drivers ($349.99), fairway woods ($219.99), hybrids ($199.99) and irons ($799 steel, $899 graphite) will be in stores starting on January 23. Learn more about what they can mean for your game below.
D300 Driver
The goal for most golfers purchasing a new driver is to hit the golf ball farther, and to do that more speed needs to be created. That’s Wilson’s goal with its new D300 driver; to create more speed.
To accomplish its goal, Wilson added steps across the crown — the company calls them “Micro Vortex Generators” — to reduce the effect of drag on the club head. That means as the golf club travels through space, especially during the downswing as the club nears impact, airflow remains closer to the crown making the D300 drivers more aerodynamic. The result is more swing speed than their predecessors, Wilson’s D200 drivers, all other things being equal. Wilson says golfers can expect about 1-2 mph more club head speed from the new drivers.
The D300 also incorporates the company’s “Right Light technology,” which uses weight saving tactics to make it “one of the lightest and fastest adjustable drivers on the market,” according to Wilson. The driver also has an interchangeable sole weight to allow golfers to dial in swing weight. The drivers are built for retain with a 2-gram weight, but 10- and 12-gram weights are available through custom.
“Innovation is at the core of all we do and elevating distance is something we take seriously,” said Michael Vrska, Global innovation Director of Wilson Golf. “Micro Vortex Generators and Right Light are technologies that players can see and feel, but most importantly, the speed and distance benefits will be obvious from the first swing.”
The drivers also have Wilson’s “Fast Fit” technology, an adjustable hosel that will help golfers dial in loft and lie angle. The drivers can be adjusted between three loft settings — 1-degree strong, standard and 1-degree weak — and each setting can be paired with a neutral or draw setting lie angle setting.
Wilson’s D300 will come stock with Golf Pride Tour 25 grips, a 44-gram Matrix Speed Rulz A Type shaft (A, R and S flexes) in 9, 10.5 and 13-degree heads (10.5 only for lefties).
D300 Fairway Woods
Like the D300 driver, the fairway woods also have Micro Vortex Generators on their crowns for less drag, and use Right Light technology — making the heads lighter, and thus, faster for most players — to produce more swing speed and ultimately more ball speed.
The faces of the fairway woods are made with Carpenter Custom 455 maraging steel inserts that the company says will maximize distance due to their thin design, producing a hot face with high CT (“characteristic time,” a measurement of energy transfer).
Wilson’s D300 fairway woods come stock with Golf Pride Tour 25 grips, a 49-gram Matrix Speed Rulz A Type shaft (A, R, and S flexes), in 15-degree, 18-degree and 21-degree heads (15- and 18-degrees for lefties).
D300 Hybrid
The D300 hybrids have a “progressive” head design, which gives lower-lofted heads a larger head profile that makes them more forgiving on the longer shots that they’re designed to hit. The hybrids become smaller and more iron-like throughout their wide range of lofts (17, 19, 22, 25, 28 and 31 for righties; 19, 22 and 25 for lefties).
They also use Wilson’s Micro Vortex Generators on their crown, as well as the same Carpenter Custom 455 maraging steel face inserts used in the D300 fairway woods to boost their ball speeds on shots contacted across the face. They come stock with Golf Pride Tour 25 grips and a 54-gram Matrix Speed Rulz A Type shaft, and are available individually for $199.99 each.
D300 Irons
Last January Wilson released its C200, which debuted a radical new technology. It was called “FLX Face,” and used used multiple “power holes” that were situated around the perimeter of the iron face to increase face flexion and provide golfers more distance and forgiveness.
With the D300 irons FLX Face returns, and its power holes are now bigger. According to Wilson, the new design frees 76 percent of the face from the body, paving the way for more face flexibility and ultimately more ball speed for the golfer. The improvement will be beneficial on center strikes, but most noticeably on off-center hits, Wilson says.
As with their predecessors, the power holes are filled with TE031 Urethane to help the face recover faster at impact, creating more speed, better sound and better durability. The heads themselves are cast from 17-4 stainless steel.
The irons also have increased heel-toe weighting seen with weight pods on both sides of their soles to increase MOI (moment of inertia), a measure of forgiveness.
Wilson’s D300 irons (4-PW and GW) will come stock with the company’s Tour Traction grips and the following two shafts options:
- Steel ($799): KBS Tour 80 steel (R and S flexes)
- Graphite ($899): Matrix Speed Rulz A Type (A, R, S flexes)
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- Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.
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TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.
TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.
TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.
Can you see where this is going?
Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”
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TaylorMade PUDI
TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)
Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.
In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.
TaylorMade PDHY
TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).
Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.
Club Junkie’s take
Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.
For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.
PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?
TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:
- PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
- PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
- Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
- PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
- PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family
Pricing, specs, and availability
Price: $249.99
At retail: Now
Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)
Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)
PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed
PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Don
Sep 4, 2017 at 11:43 pm
I clicked accidentally, didn’t mean to report comment! Sorry!
Andrew S
Jan 9, 2017 at 5:46 pm
I love my Wilson D100 Driver, these are likely good. But, $349 for a Wilson driver, seriously (lol)?
Mike Honcho
Jan 9, 2017 at 3:57 pm
How has Wilson survived? Like Nike, I’ve never played a single round golf where someone in my group had even one Wilson club in the bag.
tlmck1234
Jan 10, 2017 at 7:14 am
Wilson’s heyday was in the 80’s and 90’s when they were in just about everybody’s bag, including tour pros. Their 80’s Staff blades were some of the best ever made, and even their department store full sets were a cut above the rest. I learned with cheap Blue Ridge blades and laminated maple woods, went briefly to WS2000(similar to original Ping Eye), and then to Staff blades. In the mid nineties or so, I started building my own mostly.
Dave R
Feb 4, 2017 at 11:56 am
t; I am late-60s age and a 9-HCP on links layout. I played WS Ci7 irons until last week. Wilson Staff clubs and especially their irons are invariably excellent and built to very high standards. My second last full shot with my Ci7 irons produced a hole-in-one but I have decided to replace them with…. the new Wilson Staff Tour FG V6 irons.
From long experience with Callaway, Taylormade and other manufacturers of fine products IMO Wilson Staff products ( especially irons ) are well worth a try for any serious golfer. No affiliation of any sort to any company of course.
Tommy
Oct 4, 2018 at 10:38 am
I also learned with a half set of Wilson Blue Ridges. Wow, did those things suck. I would love to hold one in my hands today just to remember how and why they were so hard to hit well. This was around 1966.
robin
Jan 9, 2017 at 12:59 pm
Steve you are so right about it’s a right handed world.
I’m am left and right player. I hit right handed and puts left.
I wish I hit left handed because the prices on eBay are great for left handed players…
S Hitty
Jan 9, 2017 at 12:14 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk170vq2Fws
SV
Jan 9, 2017 at 8:37 am
Based on the shafts and the description “making the heads lighter”, I wonder about the feel. Is it like swinging a shaft without a head? Also, as a lefty I really appreciate the lack of choice Wilson has given me (a lot of other manufacturers are the same).
Steve S
Jan 9, 2017 at 12:24 pm
As a lefty you should know that small guys(yes Wilson is a small guy in golf) can’t afford to tool for LH players since they are such a small part of the golfing community. My son is a left handed hitter in baseball but learned to play golf right handed because of the lack of club options. Unfortunately for all left handers it is a right handed world and you have to live in it….
On the plus side if you go on ebay and look for left handed clubs they tend to be 20-50% cheaper than right handed versions.