Wilson Staff Model Ball Review

The Wilson Staff Model is a softer feel alternative to the Titleist Pro V1. Wilson says the model generates the fastest ball speeds in the game, my review finds out if it delivers.

Despite performing incredibly well during my 2023 Robot Golf Ball Test Wilson golf balls have barely been played on tour for decades. When the brand launched the original Staff Model ball in 2020 they had extremely high hopes it was the model to put them in the mix at tour level. Three years on things haven’t quite worked out as the company envisaged.

For 2024 though the company is taking on a new double-pronged attack at tour-level balls. A new two-model family includes the Wilson Staff Model ball plus a renamed Staff Model X. Here’s why.

Everything you need to know about the Wilson Staff Model golf ball

One model just wasn’t enough

The original Staff Model was a stand-alone ball within the range of Wilson golf balls. Whereas all the other best golf ball brands in the world have two or more models aimed at the game’s best players.

So, while the 2020 Staff Model ball was really good and offered fast ball speeds with high driver and iron spin, plus great greenside control, it didn’t take the brand too long to realize only 30% of players on tour play a golf ball with these characteristics.

Essentially by introducing the Staff Model to their tour pros, it was like asking the best players in the world to switch from playing a softer-feeling Titleist Pro V1 to a firmer Titleist Pro V1x. An ask that proved to be way too much for most pros to make. Consequently, the original Staff Model got very little play on tour.

For 2024 the Staff Model has been split into two models. A new softer Staff Model will target Titleist Pro V1 players, whereas the Wilson Staff Model X will hit on those used to playing a firmer feeling Titleist Pro V1x, TaylorMade TP5x, or Callaway Chrome Soft X.

Getting company ducks in a line

Wilson is a huge global sporting goods company. The brand is well known for making brilliant American footballs, basketballs, tennis racquets, and baseball bats yet the golf arm of the business has always had its own identity and not put such a premium on trading off the same Wilson logo as the rest of the stable.

That’s all set to change for 2024. Wilson wants the same company logo to stand for quality and market leadership across all the sports they trade within. Just like how Nike uses the same Swoosh across all their business platforms.

So gone is the Staff logo which used to adorn the front of the previous Staff Model ball. The new Staff Model and Staff Model X have the same Wilson script logo found on all the company’s other products. Expect also a blank Wilson shield which can be coloured with a Sharpie to personalize and identify your golf ball on the golf course.

Staff Model is a growing franchise

It’s really easy to look at the original Staff Model golf ball and say it failed at what it set out to do. But, write off the Staff Model franchise at your peril. This is very much a growing entity.

In fact, Wilson Staff Model blades and Staff Model CB irons could easily be attributed to initiating the company’s renaissance among serious golfers over recent years.

Factor in the cracking Wilson Staff ZM wedges which are going down a storm on tour, plus the traditionally styled CNC-milled Staff Model putters and you have a franchise that’s on the up. With tour ball sales being so lucrative it can only be a matter of time before Wilson bags a decent-sized chunk of market share.

Wilson makes very accurate golf balls

If urethane-covered tour-level golf balls that cost a little less than the market leader are your thing then absolutely you have to give Wilson a look in 2024. My 2023 robot test pitted the best golf balls head-to-head and Wilson came out as the leading brand for accuracy.

Back then the previous Staff Model bossed the tour level category with 18.7 SQ YDS of dispersion. The Triad topped the 3-piece club golfer category (with the lowest dispersion of the whole test at 17.2 SQ YDS) and the Duo Soft conquered the 2-piece category (with a dispersion of 26.6 SQ YDS). All in that has to say if accuracy and consistency are high on your list of priorities Wilson is a brand not to be shunned.         

Raw isn’t a choice with the Wilson Staff Model X

Wilson made a massive deal about the Wilson Staff Model R ball in 2020, it was a raw unpainted version of the Staff Model. The company boasted how they’d discovered competitor golf balls were often unevenly painted, with pooled liquid in the dimples leading to serious aerodynamic inconsistencies. So, a completely ‘raw’ unpainted ball alleviated all such issues.

Wilson at least for the time being has benched the raw unpainted golf ball idea for this generation of Staff Model. They say though both new balls have a near-flawless paint finish that ensures maximum consistency. Interestingly Callaway has picked up the ‘consistent paint’ baton too and started talking up the ‘evenly painted’ credentials of their new Chrome Tour, Chrome Tour X, and Chrome Soft balls. Which says the idea has to have some performance merits.  

There’s a top 30 player coming onboard

Despite the likes of Payne Stewart, Vijay Singh, Nick Faldo, and John Daly having played Wilson in decades gone by, since Padraig Harrington won three majors in 2007/8 there’s been a serious lack of Wilson presence on tour.

Wilson says that’s all set to change in 2024. Whilst they weren’t quite ready to divulge details when I spoke to them about who they’re looking to recruit, I have it on good authority the brand is currently working with a top 30 player in the world on a new club, bag, and golf ball deal.      

How to choose between the Staff Model and Staff Model X

It’s really important to understand the new model here is the softer standard Staff Model. Essentially the original ball (which was quite firm) has become the new Staff Model X. Compared to competitors 2023 models Wilson says the X is the fastest urethane ball on the market. The model is higher spin-off the driver and irons. It will also generate additional greenside spin too.

With a 104 compression, it’s the firmest ball in the Wilson family. Previous Staff Model fans should gravitate to this model. Golfers choosing this ball will enjoy seeing shots launch and fly higher. And like how the model gives maximum shot shape potential.

Whereas the standard Staff Model is softer with an overall 95 compression. New inner and outer mantles generate less driver and iron spin. Wilson’s golf ball boffins say to expect a 100 RPM less driver spin from the inner mantle, and 300 RPM less from the outer mantle when hitting irons.

Fans of this model will enjoy the slightly softer feel, quite possibly in the short game and when putting. They’ll also like their shots to have a lower more penetrating, and boring ball flight.     

Staff Model		Staff Model X
Maximum Control	Designed for:	Maximum Speed
4-Piece	Construction:	4-Piece
Fast	Ball Speed:	Fastest
Low	Driver Spin:	Low
High	Iron Spin:	Highest
Thin Urethane	Cover:	Thin Urethane
Mid	Launch:	High
Medium	Feel:	Firm
High	Wedge Spin:	Highest

Details: Wilson Staff Model golf ball

RRP: $54.99 / £52 per dozen

Construction: 4-piece with urethane cover

Typical golfer: Elite players

How does the Wilson Staff Model compare to competitor balls in data?

Just bear in mind this is Wilson’s internal test data and it compares the 2024 Staff Model against the 2023 versions of competitors’ golf balls.

Verdict: Wilson Staff Model golf ball

Wilson on the Staff Model golf ball

   

Wilson Staff Model golf ball

RRP: $54.99 / £52 per dozen

Construction: 4-piece with urethane cover

Typical golfer: Elite players

Visit the Wilson website here