Equipment
New 2020 Wilson Staff D7 Forged irons: Forged for all
In 2019, Wilson Staff irons were in the bag of a major winner again, thanks to Gary Woodland winning the U.S. Open with the Wilson Staff Model Forged Blades. From a brand perspective, this was a huge win for Wilson, but one quick look into the bag from a consumer relatability side of things would show that few golfers can gain a benefit from hitting a forged blade ala Mr. Woodland. Wilson is proving forged can be for everyone with the introduction of the Wilson D7 Forged Irons for 2020. They’re forged and fast!
Just because an iron is forged doesn’t mean golfers of a particular handicap should shy away from it—forging is merely a process used to create end products, not a measure of a club’s forgiveness or ball speed potential. With the new Wilson D7 Forged irons, every golfer can appreciate the feeling of a well-struck shot with a forged club without the fear of a tiny miss coming up 10 yards short, since they are also packed with key Wilson golf innovations.
Wilson Staff D (for distance) Series is better known for larger cast clubs built for longer, higher-flying shots, but the engineers at Wilson wanted to change that perception by bringing D Series technology into a club that would appeal to more traditional golfers still looking for a ball speed boost. By working with their tour staff from the PGA Tour down to PGA staff professionals, they have created a club with tour-preferred styling; one packed with distance and launch improving technology.
2020 Wilson Staff D7 Forged irons: The technology
Urethane Power Chamber and Power Holes: Like with the previous (non-forged) D7 irons, the new forged model has a unique set of holes on the sole positioned to allow for greater flexing of the face for more ball speed, especially on shots hit lower on the face, a popular spot for recreational players.
By combining these slots with a urethane-filled cavity behind a soft 8630 forged carbon steel face (the Power Chamber) you get greater rebound potential paired with a very pleasing soft feel. Placing a vibration dampening insert or softer material behind a thin face to tune acoustics is not a new idea, and each OEM has a different take on what the best way to achieve the final result is, but Wilson is the only player using both a filled cavity and sole slots to do it, making the D7 forged a stand out in the crowd.
The looks
The D7 Forged irons are designed to appeal to what Wilson calls the “traditional golfer” with minimal offset similar to the C and Tour series irons and a thinned out topline and thinner sole for improved ground interaction. It’s one thing to have a technology-filled club, but if a golfer doesn’t feel comfortable standing over a shot, it’s never going to end up in the bag.
Wilson designers looked at every detail to bring the D7 Forged iron in line with the wants and needs of aspiring players.
“Combining the distance technologies from the original D7 line with the aesthetics of Wilson Staff’s players irons, the D7 Forged Irons provide an ideal blend of maximum distance and ultimate feel for golfers looking for effortless distance and ultimate control,” said Jon Pergande, Manager of Golf Club Innovation. “
“Through the optimized sole and face thickness, urethane-filled Power Chamber and centered power holes, the new D7 Forged Irons give golfers remarkable ball speeds, shot-making ability, and a soft forged feel across the entire club face.”
When talking further about the new D7 Forged with Jon, one of the reoccurring themes of our conversation was choices. A golfer needs confidence standing over a longer iron, knowing that a miss—over a hazard for example—still has the opportunity to make it, even if contact isn’t perfect. That same golfer also needs to know when hitting a short iron, precision will be rewarded with consistent downrange dispersion—something that more traditional game improvement clubs can struggle with based on spin rates.
The D7 Forged balances the best of both worlds very well!
Shafts, pricing, and availability
The D7 Forged irons stock shafts are
- Steel: KBS $-Taper Lite’s
- Graphite: Project X Catalyst Black 80g
The D7 Forged irons start at $899.99 in steel and are $999.99 with graphite, in a seven-piece configuration.
The D7 Forged will be available for pre-order at retail and on Wilson.com, starting January 14, 2020. You will see them arrive on golf retailers shelves January 21, 2020.
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Pelling
Jan 8, 2020 at 2:38 pm
Junk, for hackers.
Kurt
Jan 7, 2020 at 11:52 pm
Got fitted for 5-PW yesterday. Great distance and feel. Ultimately preferred them over the T200, particularly for the prices here locally (NZ). Should be here early next week.
James
Jan 7, 2020 at 3:15 pm
Priced $1000 for 7 irons. BAD MOVE! The Wilson brand is not THAT good. Yet. Hit 2 home runs first.
Greg
Jan 9, 2020 at 12:55 am
I see your point, but just wondering–would the V6’s and the Staff Model Blades be considered home runs?
Patrick J McLeod
Jan 10, 2020 at 10:45 am
$1000 for a 7 piece forged set with graphite is priced below just about every other club in the category.
Jim
Jan 7, 2020 at 12:25 pm
The iron could potentially be a big step for Wilson as it’s a pretty good looking iron that allows for most players to play forged irons. It’s a little big/ thick for my taste for a nice overall appearance. But the multiple sole slots is where they lose me. I couldn’t look at these in my bag every round, it’s just goofy looking and not in keeping with what you would expect from a better iron. Wilson needs to lose the slots and then they would have a solid iron in my opinion.
Martin Brown
Jan 7, 2020 at 11:14 am
The article says this is the only iron to have sole slots and urethane filling. However the TaylorMade P790 has had exactly that since its introduction in 2017.
Thomas A
Jan 7, 2020 at 12:08 pm
I think they meant that they are one piece. In the P790’s the urethane insert is not connected to the urethane slot filling.
Milo
Jan 7, 2020 at 11:11 am
So thick and shiny
Peter
Jan 7, 2020 at 9:39 am
Is just the face insert forged? If so, the term forged iron is very misleading compared to a true forged head from a single billet.
Thomas A
Jan 7, 2020 at 12:09 pm
Yes, only the face is forged. Which is fine with me because I only hit the ball with the face of the iron. 😉
Charlie Waffles
Jan 7, 2020 at 12:54 pm
I’m getting a different take on these, thinking that they are forged and not just the face. I could be wrong tough.