50 Words or Less
The Wilson Staff Model RB Utility Iron has excellent ball speed and a slim, Tour-preferred look. Balances shot control with forgiveness in a way that many golfers can appreciate.
Introduction
The Wilson Staff Model RB Utility iron rounds out the revamped Staff Model family which already includes the Blades, CB, ZM Wedges, and two Staff Model golf balls [review HERE]. This new utility was designed with input from Tour players like Kevin Kisner and Padraig Harrington who suggested a thinner, more streamlined look. I tested one to see if it can fit the eye and into the bag of recreational players, too.
Looks
At address, the Wilson Staff Model RB Utility Iron has been slimmed down. The top line is trim, on the thin end of the game improvement spectrum. There’s a modest amount of offset, and the blade length is fairly compact compared to its peers.
In the bag, the new RB Utility has a much cleaner look than the original Staff Model Utility Iron [review HERE]. The RB Utility has a chrome finish on the lower portion with the other side finished in matte silver. Wilson kept the branding consistent throughout the iron models with a subdued “Staff Model” near the heel. My favorite change is that the iconic Wilson Staff shield is now blank inside.
Sound & Feel
Like most utility irons, the Wilson Staff Model RB Utility Iron has a hollow construction. Though an increasing number of hollow body irons have “defeated” the unpleasant, empty feel of early hollow clubs, I’m always a little wary when I start my testing. The RB Utility is similar to its older brother with a very satisfying impact sensation.
On center, there’s a crisp “click” at medium volume. The face feels thin, though not in an unpleasant or harsh way. On the best shots, I could feel the face flexing and launching the ball. It’s not super traditional like the Staff Model Blades [review HERE], but it’s satisfying in its own way.
This club offers strong feedback through both the hands and ears. Mishits sound harsher, more discordant. You can feel impact location with good precision, and the feel is not as sweet. It never gets to a hard or stinging place, but misses will remind you to put forth a better effort.
Performance
The primary reason for dropping a utility iron into your bag in place of a long iron is consistency. Utility irons offer greater predictability because they’re more robsut with regard to ball speed, launch angle, and spin. Additionally, they may be faster than long irons with the higher launch that most players need to optimize carry distance. The Wilson Staff Model RB Utility Iron does a solid job of checking all those boxes.
Wilson is using a “High Strength 300 Steel” to make the face of the RB Utility which they credit with producing the excellent ball speed. On center, this club is about as fast as anything I’ve tested in this category. It retains that speed fairly well on mishits – certainly better than any conventional iron – thanks to the rib structures inside the hollow head.
Moving to launch and spin, I found the Wilson Staff Model RB Utility Iron to favor a lower launch with low spin. It’s consistent with these numbers, but it doesn’t provide the high, easy launch of some other utility irons. Part of that is due to the stock shaft – the Project X HZRDUS Black. This is one of the lowest launching and spinning shafts available, and it certainly adds to that low/low performance. If you like the look and feel of this head but need more height, work with a fitter to find a different shaft.
Finally, I found that the RB Utility hits a sweet spot between shot control and point-and-shoot forgiveness. It’s not hard to get this club to cut, draw, or change trajectories. At the same time, I felt very confident than a stock, B- swing would put the ball in a good position. If you want a club that lets you call the shots but also covers up some mistakes, this is it. It’s an ideal partner to the Staff Model CB irons [review HERE].
Conclusion
Padraig Harrington has already captured a professional win with the Wilson Staff Model RB Utility Iron in his bag, but this is a club with appeal beyond the Tour. Whether you’re transitioning away from long irons or hybrids, this club strikes a great balance of shot control and forgiveness.
Visit Wilson HERE
Wilson Staff Model RB Utility Iron Price & Specs
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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4 Comments
Why on earth would they remove the iconic W and S from inside the shield logo ? An iconic identifier which has graced their clubs for around 70+ years.
Perhaps they are preparing for a global merger with the Salvation Army
How forgiving is it compared to it’s predecessor?
Chris,
It’s a touch better, in my opinion, but they’re very close.
Best,
Matt