When you peer into the golf bags of major champions, past and present, the iconic Wilson logo is a familiar sight. This legendary brand, trusted by numerous titans of the game, has been at the center of some of golf's most historic moments. This article will show you exactly which high-level professional golfers are playing Wilson clubs today, what specific models they carry, and unpack the reasons why these incredible players put their faith in Wilson Staff equipment.
A Legacy of Major Wins: The Wilson Heritage
Before we look at the current roster, it’s important to understand the foundation Wilson is built on. This isn't just another equipment company, it's a brand synonymous with victory at the highest level. Players using Wilson irons have won a staggering 62 major championships, a record that stands on its own. Golf heroes like Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Nick Faldo, Payne Stewart, and Walter Hagen all trusted Wilson clubs for their most significant wins.
This history matters because it establishes a heritage of performance and peerless craftsmanship. The classic forgings and iconic designs from the past inform the modern technology you see on Tour today. It's a lineage of precision that attracts a very specific type of player - one who demands ultimate control and unfiltered feedback from their equipment.
The Current Wilson Tour Staff: Who's in the Bag?
While the wall of legends is impressive, Wilson maintains a strong presence on professional tours worldwide. The modern Wilson Staff players continue the tradition of ball-striking excellence. Let's look at who’s teeing it up with Wilson today.
Gary Woodland: Power and Precision Personified
Gary Woodland is arguably the most prominent name on the Wilson staff, thanks in large part to his spectacular win at the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. His iron play that week was a masterclass in control, highlighted by the stunning shot from the fairway on the 17th hole that secured his victory.
- What He Plays: Woodland is a long-time player of the Wilson Staff Model Blades. These are classic, muscle-back irons designed for the purest of ball strikers.
- Why He Plays Them: As a golf coach, I can tell you that a player of Woodland's caliber isn't looking for his irons to "fix" anything. He's looking for a tool that responds precisely to his commands. A blade-style iron like the Staff Model provides the most direct feedback of any club type. The look at address is clean and inspiring, with a razor-thin topline and minimal offset. This allows an elite player to shape the ball both ways - fading it into a right pin or drawing it into a left pin - with total confidence. The soft 8620 carbon steel they are forged from also delivers an exceptionally pure feel at impact, which is a non-negotiable for most Tour pros.
Pádraig Harrington: The Master Tinkerer and Three-Time Major Champion
Three-time major winner Pádraig Harrington has had a long and very successful relationship with Wilson. The Irishman is famous for his work ethic and his deep, analytical understanding of the golf swing. He's also known for being incredibly meticulous with his equipment setup.
- What He Plays: Harrington’s bag is a fascinating look into the mind of a feel player. He almost always has a set of Wilson irons, often starting with the Staff Model Blades in his short irons. He also blends in Staff Model CB (Cavity Back) and Staff Model Utility irons for the longer part of his set and has been known to carry a Dynapower Fairway Wood.
- Why He Plays Them: Harrington lives and dies by feel. He needs to know exactly where the ball impacts the clubface. Like Woodland, the Staff Model Blades offer him that raw, unfiltered feedback. But the interesting part is his use of combo sets. He understands that a little extra stability and a higher launch a in 4-iron can prove helpful, even for a world-class player. By using a CB or Utility iron at the top of his set, he gets just a hint of forgiveness without sacrificing the player-preferred look he desires. This intelligent bag composition is a great lesson for all golfers.
Kevin Kisner: The Fairway Finder
Known for his grit, swagger, and remarkable consistency, Kevin Kisner joined the Wilson team more recently. His "fairways and greens" approach to the game makes him a perfect fit for a brand built on precision iron play.
- What He Plays: Kisner embodies the modern professional's approach to equipment, opting for a blend of tools. While he has tested blades, he primarily relies on the Wilson Staff Model CB irons or blends them with the Staff Model Utility irons.
- Why He Plays Them: This is a fantastic example for amateurs. Not every professional golfer plays the most difficult-to-hit iron. The Staff Model CB provides the best of both worlds. At address, it presents a thin topline and compact shape that elite players love. However, the small "cavity" milled into the back of the clubhead pulls a small amount of weight away from the center, increasing the club's stability on slight mishits. For a player like Kisner, whose game is built on hitting his numbers consistently, that extra bit of forgiveness can mean the difference between on the green or just off it.
Breaking Down the Gear: What Makes Wilson Clubs Tour-Ready?
Seeing professionals use these clubs is one thing, but understanding the clubs themselves is where the real learning happens. These aren't just off-the-rack sets, they are finely tuned instruments. Here’s a look at the clubs favored by the pros and what makes them tick.
The Staff Model Blades: The Player's Iron
This is the quintessential Wilson iron. Its design philosophy is simple: complete control for the golfer who can find the middle of the face time and time again.
- Forged Feel: Each head is forged from soft 8620 carbon steel, which delivers that buttery feeling top players want. This soft metal allows the ball to compress on the face for a fraction longer, providing more feel.
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A subtle anachronism, Wilson removes weight directly from the hosel and redistributes it to the toe of the club. Essentially, this design moves the sweet spot more towards the toe-side of the face which is where almost all golfers tend to miss more frequently, even professionals. This innovation also helps to prevent a “shank,” which comes in very handy, even for the better player. - Who should play them? Honestly, these are for highly skilled players - think scratch golfers to low-single-digit handicappers with excellent ball-striking dynamics. If you want maximum ability to shape shots and demand pure feedback, these are a dream. But be warned, they offer very little forgiveness on mishits.
Staff Model CB (Cavity Back): Forgiveness Meets an Expert’s Eye
The CB irons are Wilson’s answer for the player who wants a blade-like experience with a modern safety net. They are the perfect representation of a "players' cavity back."
- Profile and Performance: They feature nearly the same size, topline, and minimal offset as the blades, so they look fantastic behind the ball. The key difference is a small cavity forged into the back, which provides just enough extra mass around the perimeter to stabilize the head on off-center strikes.
- Who should play them? This a broader range. Low to mid-single-digit handicappers will find these to be aspirational yet playable clubs. They are a great fit if you still want workability but acknowledge that you don’t find the dead center of the face with every swing.
The Dynapower Resurgence: More Than Just Irons
For decades, "Dynapower" was a legendary name in irons, known for its innovative weighting that helped players get the ball in the air. Wilson revived the name, using artificial intelligence to design modern, powerful drivers, fairway woods, and a distance-focused iron.
While most of the Tour staff gravitates to the feel of forged Staff Model irons, seeing players like Harrington put a Dynapower wood in the bag shows that Wilson is competing across every category. The Dynapower AI technology focuses on generating maximum ball speed across the entire face, bringing Wilson firmly into the modern distance game in a way that benefits everyday golfers the most.
Should You Consider Playing Wilson Clubs?
Seeing what the best players use is always interesting, but the most important question is: what's right for you? It's easy to get caught up wanting the same clubs as a U.S. Open champion, but that isn't always the smart play.
As a coach, my advice is always to match the equipment to the player, not the other way around.
- If you’re a confident ball-striker looking for feel and control, the Staff Model Blades or CBs are absolutely worth testing. There are few irons on the market that provide a more rewarding feel on a well-struck shot.
- If you’re a mid-to-high handicap golfer, your eyes should be on the Dynapower line of irons or other game-improvement offerings from Wilson like the Launch a Pad lineup. These are specifically designed with the technology to help you get the ball in the air more easily, add distance, and give you more forgiveness on the shots that aren’t perfect.
Using what the pros use is cool, but shooting lower scores is even better. The real key takeaway is the importance of choosing clubs that complement your strengths and help support your weaknesses. Playing a pure blade when you struggle with consistent contact is a recipe for frustration. A club fitting is the absolute best way to determine which Wilson model is a match for your swing speed, attack angle, and typical miss.
Final Thoughts
Wilson’s story in golf is one of enduring excellence, from the legends of the past to the formidable Tour professionals of today like Gary Woodland and Pàdraig Harrington. The common thread is a demand for precision, feel, and the control needed to perform under the greatest pressure, supported by finely crafted irons that continue a legacy of major victories. Selecting equipment is a vital first step, but how you use it to navigate the course determines your success.
Matching your game to the right clubs is important, and for everything after that, we designed Caddie AI to be your personal on-course strategist. Getting instant, expert guidance on club selection for a tricky lie or smart strategy for a dangerous hole helps you make better decisions, play with more confidence, and take the guesswork out of your game so you can just focus on the shot in front of you.