Wilson Staff C200 Golf Irons
The nine holes bored through the heads of Wilson Staff's new C200 golf irons may look like an assembly mistake, but rest assured, they are there by design. The voids, dubbed Power Holes by the people at Wilson, are the key behind the C200's revolutionary new FLX Face technology, a radical advancement in club design that we found markedly improves both distance and accuracy, without sacrificing feel or durability.
The concept behind the FLX Face design is to minimize the point of impact between the club's face and the rest of the head, thus allowing for maximum bend when the ball is struck. To achieve this, Wilson bore the nine slots through the club head and attached the face to only 24 percent of it, meaning three-quarters of the face is disconnected.
The Power Holes aren't literally holes—or else the C200 irons would violate the legal club parameters laid out by the United States Golf Association. Rather, the voids have been filled in with TE031 urethane, a substance that provides excellent feedback, sound and feel to the player. Additionally, the face is made from 17-4 stainless steel, a strong, flexible material.
Wilson created the C200 irons to help mid-to-high handicap players hit the ball farther with more consistency. After a few trips to the range, we found the irons add about four to eight yards to each club, a remarkable feat considering the lofts haven't been ramped up, but are industry standard. However, while more distance is always appreciated, we most enjoyed the feel and feedback of the C200 irons, as it was easy to tell if a ball was hit flush or more towards the toe.
The Lamkin Crossline grips that come with the clubs are more than comfortable, if only a bit slick for our taste, while the stock KBS Tour 90 steel shafts, which are also standard in length and come in regular and stiff versions, feel durable. Wilson also offers a graphite shaft option with Aldila's Rogue Pro series in three flex options.
A complete set of C200 irons comprises eight clubs, 4 iron through pitching wedge, with a gap wedge included. The stainless-steel shaft set runs for $799, while the graphite shaft version goes for $899. They are available at golf shops everywhere, or direct from Wilson.
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