Wilson has been in the golf game for a long time. They’re a bit overlooked today, but if you’ve never tried their stuff, they make some really good clubs and balls.
My current driver is a Wilson. My current ball is a Wilson. Both are some of the best I’ve hit. I’ve also tried one of their forged irons and really liked them.
Back to golf balls…
I wanted to see how the Staff Model golf balls compared to my current gamer (the Wilson Triad), so I got a box of both, took them to the course, and put them to the test. Here were the results.
You can see our favorite balls for average players HERE.
The Tech
The Staff Model is a 4 piece ball with a Urethane cover. The compression rating is on the higher side, somewhere around 95.
With specs like this, it’s a ball designed for high-level golfers with faster swing speeds. If you have a swing speed under 100 MPH, you’ll probably find this ball very firm.
Generally speaking, a 4 piece ball will have more spin compared to a 3 piece ball (learn more HERE). The main benefit is to improve spin rates with the longer clubs off the fairway.
Just for reference, the Triad is a 3 piece ball with a compression rating of around 80. A bit softer, and geared towards golfers with “average” swing speeds.
If I had to sum up the Staff Model, I think it’s a good Pro V1 alternative. A bit firmer, but not as firm as the Pro V1x. If you like either of those balls, you might want to think about trying it.
The Sound & Feel
Since this is a high compression ball, it’s going to be on the firmer side. If you don’t have a super fast swing (like me), you probably won’t like the feel, especially on mishits.
Off the tee, I liked how it felt. Even compared to the Triad, both balls felt solid and exploded off the driver.
When we move to the irons and wedges, this is when I started to notice a difference. When struck pure, the Staff Model felt great. When I didn’t find the sweet spot, it was too firm. Even the sound was a bit clicky.
The same thing happened on the green. It doesn’t help that the Triad is one of the best-feeling balls off the putter, but with the Staff Model, it came off the putter quick.
Both balls have a softer Urethane cover, but the Triad has a much lower compression rating. I found the Staff Model to be a bit too firm and clicky. This is a personal preference, some people might prefer that.
The Long Game
Some people pick their ball based on sound and feel. Others just look at the performance. I’m more of a performance guy, but you might be different.
The most important thing for me is hitting more greens and fairways. This is why I look for a ball that flies straight.
Off the tee, both balls were pretty similar. The Staff Model launched a bit higher and had a touch more spin. That said, the total distances were very close, with the Staff Model getting an extra 2-3 yards.
The main difference (for me) was that the Triad went a lot straighter. It’s one of the straightest balls I’ve hit that still offers good spin rates around the green.
With the irons, both balls went the same distance. Again, the Staff Model launched higher and had more spin. This could be beneficial if you need more height, especially with the longer irons. That said, my dispersion was still better with the Triad.
The Short Game
Another important thing to look at is how the ball feels on the green and how it performs off the wedges. Generally, a 4 piece ball is going to be “clickier” off the putter and spin more off the wedges.
That was the case with the Staff Model compared to the Triad. With full wedge shots, both balls hit the green and stopped right away. This is what we want for distance control.
With shorter chip shots, the Staff Model had a bit more stopping power. My wedge game isn’t the strongest part of my game, but I was able to get some bite with both balls.
If you’re just an average golfer, you probably won’t notice much of a difference with your wedges. If you like hitting aggressive chips that land and stop, the Staff Model is very good.
Should You Play The Staff Model?
Having used the Staff Model balls for a number of rounds, I think it’s a good ball, but that said, I don’t think it’s the best choice for the average player.
When I say the average player, I’m talking about people shooting in the 80’s, 90’s, and 100’s. For these people, the Triad (review HERE) is the much better choice.
You’ll get straighter shots, they’re going to feel a lot better, they’re cheaper, and they put up very respectable short game spin.
However, if you’re a low handicapper with a fast swing speed (105+ MPH) and you want max spin, the Staff Model could be right for you.
Have you used the Staff Model balls? If you have, let me know what you thought of them in the comments below!
Best Place To Buy: Check The Price On Amazon
Other Balls To Consider
If you’ve read this article and think the Staff Model isn’t the right choice for you, you can read one of these articles to find an alternative:
