Wilson Staff Fi5 Iron set Golf Club

I have been a Wilson iron collector and player for many years. I play to a single digit handicap for those of you who care about the experience and ability of the person writing a review. As I've stated in other reviews I've written, the Wilson Staff FG-51 is my all time favorite Wilson forged iron. I still play them today because of their traditional looks and clean design. They also help make me a better golfer because I'm forced to hit the sweet spot or suffer the penalty of a poorly struck shot. That's what golf is all about, great results for a well hit shot and poor results for a poorly struck shot. From it's early inception in Scotland, golf has been about truthfulness, honesty and integrity. That's why I love the FG-51's. They are simply a a 'true' and simple golf club with no gimmicks. Now, to the Fi5 forged irons. I own a set and have played them numerous times. The size of the iron head is slightly larger than the head on a FG-51 iron. Also, the top edge of the blade is slightly thicker, to a fault. I do not like irons with thick top lines. Why? Because the thicker top line gives me the visual impression the iron is too heavy and will not offer the sensitive feeling I'm looking for when hitting a golf shot. Even though the 8 through the PW is a muscle back design, the Fi5 does not offer the feel of a traditional blade to the degree of an FG-51 blade. Wilson made a cavity back forged iron called the 'Progressive' back in 1993 that more closely compares to the FG-51 than does the Fi5. The Progressive design had the thinner top line than does the Fi5 and the sweet spot was in the same place on the face of all the irons. I'm sure the sweet spot is in the same place on the Fi5's as well. I can't quite figure out why but the metal forging looks better to me on the FG-51 than that of the Fi5. Could that be because the FG-51's were forged in the U.S. in Wilson's former plant in Tennessee as opposed to being made overseas as I believe the Fi5's were? Many new Fi5 iron sets are being sold on Ebay now in the $200-$250 dollar range. I just bought a used set of FG-51's with Rifle 6.5 shafts for $400.00. Does that tell you something about their popularity? Now I'm not saying the Fi5 irons are worthless. They are a fine iron, capable of providing many excellent golf shots and of course, are more forgiving on off-center hits than the FG-51's. But if you want a forged cavity back iron, I would opt for the Progressive iron rather than the Fi5 and it's price is much less as well. But for the truest feel in golf, a muscle back, thin top line blade will out perform a cavity back any day. I'll always play the FG-51's.

I wasn't going 88 in a DeLorean, but I was taken back in time when I looked at the pitching wedge through 8 iron in this set. They look like the classic Staff irons of the late 1970s and early 1980s that we all cut our teeth on so many years ago. The forged feel -- both good and bad -- is there with the scorting low irons. The move to the 7 iron and a cut back design is barely noticeable. Simply put, Wilson is back. Many of my playing partners are using the Ci7's and love them, but if you want a little taste of the oldies -- go for the Fi series. Beware of severe mishits; they sting just like they did thirty years ago. The lofts on all Wilson products are pretty strong so you might need to adjust about a half a club. For the price, you can't beat them.

Rebelhaus