Wilson Staff Spine driver, showing head profiles and shaft
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It's often said that within a couple of minutes we can decide whether on first viewing of a house, we can turn it into a home. Similarly, whether on meeting a new applicant for a job interview, we can see ourselves working with them or not. It's an almost intangible gut feeling.
I'm pleased to report, it's not the same with drivers - not this one, at least.
My first impression of the Wilson Staff Spine driver, I have to admit, didn't fill me with confidence. I'd seen the video on the Wilson Staff website in which their leading staff players like Padraig Harrington, DJ Trahan and Jesper Parnevik had sung its praises.
Indeed
Harrington enthused: "I'm impressed. In fact I'm going to stand here all day until I miss the fairway!"
But I wasn't taken in. I'd hit it on the practice ground for at least an hour and then used it for three rounds. The head looks big and confidence-inspiring at address but despite the occasional solid strike I couldn't learn to love it.
To tell the truth I thought it looked and sounded a bit girlie with its predominantly white, Proforce UST, high MOI (regular shaft) and black and white headcover the size of a heavywight's boxing glove. As for the sound it was more of a 'pink' than a masculine 'tonk' - a real head-turner but not in a nice way.
My view was 'if you can't say anything positive, best say nothing at all' so I relegated it to a dark corner of my garage for a couple of months.
This week I gave it another chance and took it to the range ahead of a midweek medal competition - my first of the year. Armed with a slight adjustment to my grip and a swing thought I could remember ('take it slow in the backswing'), suddenly from being a discarded item, it became my new best friend.
I ignored those first impressions and embraced its technology - a high MOI to keep the head square at impact, a 12-degree loft and low centre of gravity to get the ball airborne and a light, soft feel off the clubface.
Like Harrington, I could hardly miss a fairway, which gave me growing confidence to complete a full backswing instead of my usual tendency to steer my tee shots into play.
I'm still not the longest in our regular group - a former international javelin thrower using a Mizuno T-Zoid driver that's less than half the size of the Spine has that doubtful honour - but suddenly I'm one of the straightest. And I'll settle for that.
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Rating: |
8.5/10 |
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Summary: | Don't be put off by the square-style shape of the head and the sunken crown which can offend the traditionalist. Ignore, too, the predominantly white shaft and high pitched sound coming from the reinforced face. In the right hands and at the right price (I've seen them available at around £170) the Spine can add some backbone and stability to your game, too. |
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