Click Here To See Part 1 – INSIDE LOOK! Wilson Golf R&D Center
THE INTERVIEW
(Written By: GolfSpy Matt) Today is Part 2 of MyGolfSpy’s “Inside Look” with Wilson Golf. If you missed Part 1 you will definitely want to take a glimpse. Lots of pics in Part 1 but if you came for pics today….you might be disappointed. That’s because today is all about asking Wilson Golf some intriguing questions.
Here’s the interview with Steve Junkroski, manager of Wilson’s Special Order Department.Thanks to the MyGolfSpy forum members who supplied many of these questions. Hope you guys enjoy!
QUESTIONS
Q:: What separates WILSON from other OEMs?
A: First of all, our commitment to working with our staff players. You’ll never hear that a player left WILSON because they were underserved. The other thing is that we focus on the entire golf club: the head and the shaft. The shaft is not an afterthought for us like it is with other OEMs. Two examples are our Half and Half shaft and our Wide Tip Technology.
Q:: What are the biggest advantages golfers will gain from playing WILSON products?
A: WILSON delivers high quality products that are well built. Also, players will benefit from the time we put into R&D and the fact that we look at form and function. All of our clubs are tested in Humboldt, TN on both an Iron Byron and by real life players. We like to say that we own the fairway with our irons, hybrids and fairways.
Q:: What new innovations does WILSON have coming down the pipeline?
A: Consumers can expect to see new products in our FG and Ci line later this year.
Q:: Lofts on irons are getting stronger, and WILSON seems to be on the forefront of this. Why do the lofts continue to get stronger?
A: Stronger lofts are better suited to players with slower swing speeds; it helps them to create equal distance gapping. Also, you really can’t look at loft by itself: you need to look at loft and center of gravity together. When the center of gravity gets lower and lower, the lofts need to be stronger. We’re not focused on lofts as much as creating good distance gapping and having a club for every distance. One other note on COG: we are very proud to say that the COG on our fitting cart irons matches the clubs that consumers will buy.
Q:: How are you working to expand your presence on tour and how important is the tour to Wilson’s success?
A: Tour presence is very important; it’s where we get the most exposure as a brand. Padraig Harrington has been using a WILSON putter grip and we have received lots of calls just asking for that grip. Also, the tour is an important tool for us to use in terms of getting feedback from the players on our new products.
What we really look for are players who can be brand ambassadors. We want guys who are top players but also a positive influence on the brand. You mentioned earlier what a great guy Kevin Streelman is, and that’s a big part of why we’re so happy to have him on our team. Mike Small is another example of that: a great guy who has lots of positive influence on other PGA professionals and great young players. Padraig Harrington is another guy who is a class act…
Q:: The way he handled that DQ earlier in the season was tremendous.
A: Exactly. He’s always willing to take time for fans and makes everyone feel good. Ricky Barnes is the kind of guy that you’d love to go play a round with: very nice, fun, and he helps us appeal to a younger audience.
Q:: What is the target audience for Wilson’s golf products?
A: We really want to target the low, mid, and high handicapper, as well as the beginner golfers with our box sets. We have to be careful not to target ourselves to much to the top players. While the FG products get all the buzz, the Ci and Di lines are what fit most players.
Q:: How much emphasis does WILSON place on custom fitting, and how do you promote it?
A: We are pushing custom fitting very hard. We will roll out 150 fitting carts this year and the cart will continue to evolve and become more prevalent. We are training our staff on how to conduct a proper fitting, we are at demo days where players can be fit, and we also have a strong focus on fitting on our web site.
Q:: What do you want golfers to think of when they hear the name “Wilson”?
A: We want golfers to think of the heritage of our brand, but also to see our younger side. We want people to know that we’re not a has been, we’ve always been here building on our success. We are the longest continuously producing OEM, we invented the sand wedge, and we were the #1 iron on tour for many years. (Note: For a look at that younger, fun side, check out their new ads on YouTube)
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Q:: What is the design process like for new clubs or balls?
A: We start with drawings, then solid models, solid samples, and from there we refine it. We make many prototypes and test them, meet with R&D, sales, and marketing. We make constant modifications until we have something that performs. What we’re really focused on is designing with the end in mind: improving on the last model, whether it’s the FG, Ci, or Di line.
Q:: What is the biggest challenge in getting golfers to try or buy WILSON products?
A: People have passed on the name, so we’re fighting against people thinking that we’re a has been. It’s why we put so much focus on R&D and creating better products.
Q:: What is your favorite product in the current line?
A: I played the FG Tour irons; it’s a players club with forgiveness. I’m also playing the FG Tour wedges and ball with a KC1 putter.
Q:: What is the next big trend you foresee in golf equipment?
A: If I knew that I would be the president of the company! Everyone’s searching, looking 2-3 years ahead. Fitting systems are here to stay. Adjustability…I’m not sure about that. I think it benefits the low handicap player more than the high handicap player because the high handicap player doesn’t have the knowledge to use it effectively.
Q:: Does WILSON have any plans to incorporate adjustability into their clubs?
A: There’s a lot of talk in the company. We don’t want to follow, we’re only going to add adjustability if we can be different and better. If we can’t, then we’re going to look in a different direction. Adjustability is great, but only if the consumer has the knowledge to use it to their benefit.
READER QUESTIONS
Q:: I have an R90 wedge from the mid 80’s…..are the new R90’s comparable?
A: The last year that the R90 was produced was 2000 which was a replica of the original Gene Sarazen R90 wedge. These are very comparable to R90 wedges produced previously.
Q:: I’ve been playing the Di line for a few years. My question would be why does WILSON make it so difficult to find their products? I know they are trying to differentiate themselves from the other manufacturers but it’s not always easy to find any of the better equipment.
A: We are constantly working on increasing our distribution. One of our best tools in this is the consumer asking their retailer to carry the product. Please call our golf customer service group at 1-800-622-0444 to find a retailer in your area.
Q:: How do you relate your Tour presence/successes with the consumer other than incorporating the technology?
A: Our tour staff is a very important element of not only our brand but also our product design. We use all of our staff players as a test bed for new products and incorporate their ideas in our designs to benefit players of all levels.
Q:: Any plans to offer a more customizable Driver in the future?
A: We are always testing new technology but we want to make sure that before we bring out a product that it indeed performs to our high level of expectations. Adjustable/customizable drivers have become popular as of late in the industry and we want to make sure that if we release a club with these options that it indeed benefits the player. Our R&D team takes great pride in the fact that not only does our product astatically look great but performs at a high level for the player.
Q:: An old School Full brim visor with the W/S logo would be great as well.
A: We do offer a visor in the WILSON Staff line that is available in multiple colors.
Q:: I haven’t heard much on their customization offerings. What options are there?
A: We offer many shaft and grip models in our custom program such as the Project X, KBS Tour, Nippon NS Pro 950 and others. Some of our grip options are the Golf Pride New Decade MultiCompound, Tour Velvet, Lamkin Tour Black Full Cord, as well as other popular models in various sizes.
Q:: Any plans to work with a Putter house in the future like you guys did with Kirk Currie? There is a pretty good one right there in Chicago!
A: Currently all of our putter plans are in house but we would never rule anything out in the future.
Q:: Why don’t they use a different brand to sell their cheaper lines? I think it really hurts their image when they sell their complete sets using the same branding as their top lines. Maybe they should do similar to Callaway where it has top-flite.
A: We currently sell all of our recreational product under the WILSON or the WILSON Pro Staff name. Our proline product is sold under the WILSON Staff name.
Q:: What would be the best way to prepare for a fitting session? Should you be hitting as much as possible before a fitting or would they recommend something else?
A: Your golf swing will constantly be evolving all season long so there is never a perfect time to be fit. We would recommend that you have at least practiced a few times and possibly played a round of golf just to get the cob webs out of the swing before being fit. Being cooped up all winter in the Chicago area we can appreciate this question!
Q:: Are there things that most golfers don’t usually bother to take notice or look for that can actually help a fitter during a fitting?
A: Great question! Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the fitting. The only stupid question is the one that is not asked. The players feedback is invaluable to the fitter so if any positive or negative reactions to equipment are important.
Q:: What are their thoughts on equipment used in the fitting? Other than Trackman, what other options are comparable?
A: Trackman is excellent fitting tool but like any launch monitor it is only as good as the fitter using it. The knowledge and skills of an experienced fitter are much more important than the fitting system that they use. That being said there are many good fittings systems out there such as Trackman, Flight Scope, Vector, and others.
Q:: I find hitting indoors to a net, does not give enough feedback. In the range I could adjust my swing to get it to a state where I’m happier (sometimes). If the fitting is done indoors, how do you get to your “ideal” swing before the actual fitting starts? Is it just better to go to a fitting that can be done outdoors?
A: It’s very difficult to adjust your swing if you cannot see your ball flight. A fitter can only fit you for the swing you bring with you that day. A fitting outside or in a simulator where you can see actual ball flight is the most beneficial because you can mentally correct for changes in ball flight. Unfortunately not everyone has access to an outdoor facility or a golf simulator. When doing an indoor fitting that doesn’t allow you to see ball flight make sure that the fitter is using face tape and sole tape which is a very accurate indicator of where you are striking the ball.<br style=””> <br style=””>
Q:: What set of questions should a fitter ask in every fitting?
A: One of most important tools that a fitter has is the feedback of the fitter. The fitter should be constantly asking you for your feedback every time he makes a change (shaft, length, lie, etc.) to the club(s) that you are using in the fitting. All feedback from the player is important in making sure that they are comfortable with the clubs that they are fit for.
Q:: I am curious to know,since WILSON Staffs resurgence into the market starting several years ago, what there market share is at now compared to 5 years ago.
A: Our market share has been climbing in recent years and we will continue to work hard to increase it with new product additions and new marketing campaigns.
Q:: Why “Uniflex” shafts? Why not more custom options?
A: The idea of a Uniflex shaft is to develop a product where the flex fits the largest segment of players. This is typically done in a club model that would fit into the game improvement segment. We have a number of custom shaft options such as the Project X steel and graphite, KBS Tour, Nippon NS Pro 950 and the Dynamic Gold SL all in various flexes. We also offer a number of grip options such as the New Decade MultiCompound, Winn Excel and DSi as well as the Golf Pride Tour Velvet.
Q:: WILSON should have purchased MacGregor when they were up for sale. That would have been cool! The two best (and iconic) brands from the 1970s coming together as one for current day players. Alas, this is not to be. However, what plans are on the drawing board to get WILSON Staff back to the prominent position they enjoyed in their heyday? Do they want to be as big as successful as the big kids on the block (like Callaway and Taylor Made)? Maybe they don’t…
A: We do not put a ceiling on our goals for future growth and would like as much as anyone to be a market leader in the sport. The golf equipment industry is a much different place then it was 30-40 years ago but we are confident that in the years to come WILSON will be a top brand in golf. We constantly hear from consumers that the set of WILSON Staff irons that they had in their bag 30 years was their favorite set of irons. Our goal is for the consumer to tell us that the set of WILSON Staff irons in their bag right now is the best set of irons they have ever played!
Click Here To See Part 1 – INSIDE LOOK! Wilson Golf R&D Center
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