Wilson Staff D200 Driver Review – Wilson has focussed a lot of their recent product launches on low weight clubs being Right Light rather than just light. This means they try to reduce weight but not at the expense of performance.
Wilson Staff D200 Driver Review
This they achieved very well with the Wilson Staff D100 driver and now they continue it with the Wilson Staff D200 driver. It is lighter by, wait for it, 1 gram at 268 grams and with the shaft being 1 gram lighter you may wonder what all the fuss is about.
However the shaft is also 1 inch longer and they have added an adjustable hosel so there must be some other changes in there to balance everything out.
The head is the same 460cc as before, but now features a matte black finish rather than the glossy dark finish of the D100, which is not the end of the world, but maybe not as premium.
The top line also looks a little squarer than the softer lines of the D100, so that may appeal to some more than others.
There is a silver face to contrast with the head and that should help alignment and it highlights that the face seems a little shut at address, even though it plays pretty square. The D100 seemed more neutral at address even if it wasn’t, so snap-hookers may want to look away now.
The face is longer across the bottom in the heel and toe areas and I am not sure seeing more of it at address helps the visual look.
I am a sucker for a steel lookalike graphite shaft, so the UST Mamiya Elements Chrome shaft gets my vote for looks. The extra length in the 46 inch shaft is noticeable, but it handles it very well and does not feel too long to play with.
The D200 does feel lighter to swing than the D100 and therefore you feel you get a lot more power into the ball.
Taking them both for a spin on our range with Trackman, I was actually getting more clubhead speed from the D100, but the 2° higher launch and 18% lower spin from the D200 driver resulted in a gain of a few yards for the new kid on the block.
However my dispersion was a little tighter with the shorter shafted D100, as you would expect, but certainly playing around with some shafts on the D200 could improve this and the clubhead speed, so there is potential for better things.
Certainly I felt the D200 was the more enjoyable to hit. The sound was just as good, but it just had a lighter and easier feel to it and the flight looked a lot better to my eye.
The aforementioned adjustable hosel is a first for the Wilson Staff D range of drivers and enables you to change the three head lofts of 9°, 10.5° and 13° up or down 1° in a standard or a draw setting.
The draw settings really make the face look like it is going round your left knee, but in reaility their influence was quite subtle. Adding loft did make the flight go a little higher, but this or changing to the draw setting had a minimal effect on right to left flight.
The price is what set the D100 driver apart and again the D200 is very competitive with an RRP of under £200 and that means it will probably be even lower in the shops.
For an adjustable driver from a renowned brand with a decent shaft and grip, this makes it very good value for money and if you are a single figure player or upwards on a budget, then the Wilson Staff D200 driver will be right light on your wallet too.
REviewed by Martin Hopley – Golfatlot.com
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