News

Retail versions of Wilson’s Triton driver ruled non-conforming by USGA

Published

9 years ago

Dec 12, 2016

Retail versions of Wilson’s Triton driver — the winner of Golf Channel’s Driver vs. Driver reality TV show — were ruled non-conforming by the USGA, as reported by Wilson on Monday, Dec. 12.

The major concern is with the two interchangeable sole plates but it’s possible the issue will be rectified as early as Dec. 19, according to the company. Wilson has made an adjustment to the sole plates, indicated by “DvD” printed on the sole, which would make retail versions of the drivers legal by swapping out the old sole plates for the new. The Triton comes with two different sole plates — one is titanium and one is carbon; both were ruled non-confirming.

Due to the confidential nature of the television show, circumstances were different than a normal club release, according to Michael Vrska, Global Director of Innovation at Wilson.

Wilson explained further in a statement released on Monday.

While a traditional product submission process would afford Wilson Golf and the USGA the opportunity to review a product several months prior to its commercial launch, the timeline for testing, modifying, manufacturing and shipping a final, comprehensive Wilson Staff Triton driver was compressed. This shortened timeline was due to the nature and confidential format of the show. Since the time of our submission, we have worked closely with the USGA on its review of the Triton driver.

Crown: What Wilson hopes will be conforming by Dec. 19 (left), and the current retail version

The rear edge of the sole plate has been reduced “by a few millimeters,” according to a press release from Wilson.

The USGA has assured us this small modification to the sole plates will bring all three lofts into conformity with its “Plain in Shape” Rule. Further, this small reduction is consistent with the sole plates of the Wilson Staff 9-degree Triton DVD model.

The Triton 9-degree DVD model referred to in the statement above is the driver that’s expected to be played by Wilson staffers Kevin Streelman and Ricky Barnes, which is conforming under the USGA rules.

Sole: What Wilson hopes will be conforming by Dec. 19 (right), and the current retail version

While there was no concern from Wilson as drivers hit shelves on Nov. 22, it turns out the USGA had issue with the sole plate creating “two cavities” in it, according to Vrska. He maintains that there is only one cavity, which would make the driver legal, but apparently, the USGA disagrees.

A secondary concern by the USGA with the Triton driver deals with a particular setting, using a 12-gram adjustable weight in the 10.5 and 12-degree heads. The Triton driver has three weight ports in its soles, where the player can make adjustments to the center of gravity (CG) to give it a draw, neutral or fade bias. In a setting that has a 6-gram weight in the rear port, a 6-gram weight in the heel port, and a 12-gram weight in the toe portion for a max-fade bias, the driver did not pass the USGA’s inspection when hit on a certain area on the club. In this setting, “the USGA observed a CT (Characteristic Time) that was slightly above their allowable limits and testing tolerance,” according to a press release from Wilson.

To rectify the issue with that particular weight setting, Wilson will no longer offer the 12-gram weight in its adjustable weight kits that come with purchase of a Triton driver. To make up for that, Wilson is giving a dozen Duo golf balls to those who have purchased a Triton driver.

Wilson will also offer any refunds on drivers purchased, although Vrska doesn’t believe consumers will want to.

“We stand by the performance of the driver, and we know people believe in the technology,” Vrska said. “This is just a slight hiccup.”

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

33 Comments

Egor

Dec 15, 2016 at 11:14 pm

The top view of the driver strikes me as ugly. Even their own website product images barely show the top of the driver. Of all the rotation images, 5 are of the bottom, one of the side, none of the top. They have to know it is ugly looking down at it and for me, something has to go sideways in my swing for me to look at the bottom of the driver at address or during my swing. Tmag, ping, Callaway, Mizuno, all fairly pretty (some may say ‘sexy’) drivers from the address position.

Reply Report comment
jgpl001

Dec 13, 2016 at 6:15 pm

Conforming or non-conforming who cares???

This is piece of rubbish like all Wilson drivers, it will be long forgotten in a few months

Move on, and stop wasting valuable website time on this “nothing” club

Reply Report comment
- Tom
  
  Dec 14, 2016 at 1:26 pm
  
  Booooo
  
  Reply Report comment
- tzed
  
  Dec 14, 2016 at 2:26 pm
  
  Try hitting it. I did at my shop and the ball flies.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - jgpl001
    
    Dec 14, 2016 at 5:46 pm
    
    In the shop?
    There are no scorecards in the shop, and everything flies on a monitor….even a Dunlop!
    I am not against Wilson, I learned to play with a set of staff blades
    But this driver is still rubbish, absolute rubbish
    
    Reply Report comment
The Rules of Golf

Dec 13, 2016 at 8:29 am

See what I have to put up with?

Reply Report comment
Mike Honcho

Dec 13, 2016 at 7:18 am

Here’s a dozen Wilson Duo balls for your trouble….Hey Rusty, here’s shiny new nickel if you will rub Granny’s feet.

Reply Report comment
jon

Dec 13, 2016 at 1:28 am

Absolutely agree with you there, what a joke, Subjective rubbish – they were obviously butt-hurt because Wilson didn’t follow standard procedure and send in samples to the USGA before release. They got their retribution by claiming it doesn’t fit in with their “Plain and Simple” rule which has no quantifiable value. WS could probably sue here.

Reply Report comment
- Alan
  
  Dec 13, 2016 at 2:07 pm
  
  Even stupider, golfwrx mixed up the driver heads in the 2nd picture. Even they can’t properly tell what is conforming or not. The one on the right is the conforming driver head not the one on the left. They had issues with the sole plate sticking out as a “lip”. so shaving it down to have a less rounded shape but no lip is more in line with “plain in shape.” “plain in shape” is a stupid term when it is purely subjective. Whether the sole plate sticks out or not probably has effect on the club performance I bet, its just a dumb way to keep golf archaic as its always been.
  
  WAY TO GROW THE GAME R&A….
  
  Reply Report comment
  - James
    
    Dec 13, 2016 at 7:48 pm
    
    And the big cavity in one of the past Nike drivers was OK?
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Haamess
      
      Dec 15, 2016 at 12:55 pm
      
      Eggggggggggggggzactly!
      
      Reply Report comment
Chris C.

Dec 12, 2016 at 8:42 pm

How can any amount of cavities or shape of a sole plate violate USGA’s artistic interpretation of “plain shape”? How can sole weight distribution impact the ability of the face to flex? Finally, the elimination of the 12 gram weight will result in swing weights less than D-0 when using the carbon sole plate. My local GG had the titanium sole driver set up at D-6 and the carbon sole set up at C-6.

Reply Report comment
- James
  
  Dec 13, 2016 at 7:51 pm
  
  Again how did Nike get away with that huge cavity in their past model? Also 12 years ago there was the driver with the big hole in the bottom (which still sits in my garage)..
  
  Reply Report comment
- Yearight
  
  Dec 14, 2016 at 10:57 am
  
  I agree. The USGA’s usefulness as an organization is really waning. Maybe it’s time for a different ruling body to watch over golf with a more modern take on the game. Let’s make golf great again 😉
  
  Reply Report comment
  - McPickens
    
    Dec 14, 2016 at 6:25 pm
    
    I know just the guy, unfortunately he’s busy for at least 4 years
    
    Reply Report comment
Dugan

Dec 12, 2016 at 8:17 pm

“A secondary concern by the USGA with the Triton driver deals with a particular setting, using a 12-gram adjustable weight in the 10.5 and 12-degree heads. The Triton driver has three weight ports in its soles, where the player can make adjustments to the center of gravity (CG) to give it a draw, neutral or fade bias. In a setting that has a 6-gram weight in the rear port, a 6-gram weight in the toe port, and a 12-gram weight in the heel portion for a max-fade bias, the driver did not pass the USGA’s inspection when hit on a certain area on the club. In this setting, “the USGA observed a CT (Characteristic Time) that was slightly above their allowable limits and testing tolerance,”

I’m curious about one thing. If they don’t allow this weight configuration, what happens when someone sticks six grams worth of lead tape on the heel and uses it?

Reply Report comment
KK

Dec 12, 2016 at 7:37 pm

Wow. Punch to the gut for Triton and Wilson’s Driver vs Driver program. At least the dude gets to keep his $500k.

Reply Report comment
Guia

Dec 12, 2016 at 7:17 pm

The TV show was a joke and boring and Wilson’s decision to produce this Driver really hurts their credibility. For a company so long in the equipment business to make this mistake is unbelievable.

At one time they produced some of the best equipment available and of course ruled the forged iron sales for many years. This mistake will cost them many customers.

Someone needs to be fired!

Reply Report comment
- Jeff D.
  
  Dec 12, 2016 at 9:05 pm
  
  I’m with you and that someone is Tim Clarke – President of Wilson Golf. I’d love to tweet him but he’s blocked me from direct tweeting him after I criticized him and the show, lol.
  
  Reply Report comment
- DM
  
  Dec 12, 2016 at 9:19 pm
  
  I cannot fault Wilson for taking a chance… if folks did not think outside the box we would still be using Persimmon Drivers and Bullseye putters with a wound ball…
  
  If equipment makers stop innovating, why buy new equipment…
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Rd
    
    Dec 13, 2016 at 3:28 am
    
    Er, no DM, we wouldn’t. People have always tried to make things better, go far, faster and hit straighter with all kinds of materials that are malleable. But it took a lot of technology advances to make them be cost-effective and feasible for mass production. Look at the way computers and electronics developed from the 50’s and 60’s and into the 70’s, and what they cost. The 70’s nearly killed the world with its oil crisis. Look at the weapons and rocket and airplane tech developed in the 60’s during the Vietnam period. It all coincides. It took a long time for all that tech to become small enough and skills to be good enough to manipulate the materials to get to where we are today.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Jerry
  
  Dec 12, 2016 at 9:55 pm
  
  Come on Wilson has been a joke all the way back to 1965 when they did not re-sign John Daly. How much do you think trying to get this club to market because Nike bailed may have led to a product not being tested properly, who else would release a club without it being on the USGA Conforming list…someone is looking for a new job today I would bet…
  
  Reply Report comment
  - tzed
    
    Dec 14, 2016 at 2:29 pm
    
    John Daly didn’t resign in 1965? Ok then. I have an Infinite putter and two PMP wedges. I’ll put them up against anything.
    
    Reply Report comment
- jon
  
  Dec 13, 2016 at 1:27 am
  
  you aren’t serious right?
  Remember when the Wilson Staff FG Tour F5 Driver was released? Nope, of course you don’t, because NOBODY was talking about it. This has been an absolute master class in brand awareness marketing strategy. You are talking about the new Wilson Staff driver. That man deserves a raise – not fired lol. This is why you make peanuts and they make millions my friend.
  
  Reply Report comment
3PuttTerritory

Dec 12, 2016 at 6:27 pm

A darn, darn shame. I’ve seen people hit this driver well.

They still don’t buy it, but you know, not bad.

Reply Report comment
4puttfor90

Dec 12, 2016 at 6:13 pm

Poseidon called, he wants his copy-write back.

Reply Report comment
Wilson

Dec 12, 2016 at 5:58 pm

Nice of them to offer a refund, those 5 people that bought one will be very happy.

Reply Report comment
- Boobsy McKiss
  
  Dec 12, 2016 at 8:00 pm
  
  ROFL.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - alan
    
    Dec 13, 2016 at 1:04 pm
    
    “ROFL” ?? is this 1995 and we are in an aol chat room ttyl
    
    Reply Report comment
new stuff!!

Dec 12, 2016 at 4:59 pm

it’s ok Wilson – at least this is something that can be fixed with out replacing the whole driver head.
silver lining = fixable + more press – this is the most I’ve ever heard about Wilson golf ever.

Reply Report comment
- Jerry
  
  Dec 12, 2016 at 9:58 pm
  
  You missed John Daly winning the British Open with that odd looking Wilson Driver….
  
  Reply Report comment
  - tzed
    
    Dec 14, 2016 at 2:31 pm
    
    Or Padraig winning 3 majors with Wilson.
    
    Reply Report comment
DevilDog18

Dec 12, 2016 at 4:45 pm

Whoops $$$$

Reply Report comment

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