Here at Golf Monthly, our highly experienced team of testers play a lot of golf in different conditions throughout the year. Through our rigorous testing procedures, our collective goal is to test every golf model on the market as soon as it becomes available, putting in the hours in all weathers out on the golf course, the practice ground and the short-game area. It’s a 35 compression which does indeed make it as soft as anything out there, while the VelocitiCOR aids greater distance. What is VelocitiCOR? According to Frank Simonutti, Director of Golf Ball Innovation for Wilson, it’s basically “steroids for golf balls”.Unlike golfers, golf balls are allowed to be enhanced with steroids. Wilson market this ball as having “tour level distance optimised by a low-spinning trajectory off the tee” as well as "maximum greenside spin that delivers unparalleled stopping power".

Irons grab bag: 1-PW Golden Ram TW276, NV105 S; 1-PW Golden Ram TW282, RIP Tour 115 R; 2-PW Golden Ram Vibration Matched, NS Pro 950WF S; testing: Arias D-23 5i w/Modus 120 S Just like the Staff Model R it has a V-COR for increased distance off the tee and a 362-dimple pattern smooths airflow around the ball for a lower ball trajectory and maximum distance.The biggest difference between the two balls is that the R model’s urethane cover is completely unpainted, which is a golf industry first. Wilson maintains that the unpainted ball produces a stronger ball flight on full shots, more friction and spin on short shots, and increased accuracy. In our testing, the first two claims were realized, with the ball flying as far as some of the best distance golf balls on the market. Improved accuracy, however, was difficult to discern. I don't know if I should talk about putting because the feel is so subjective. I felt on putts the Staff was a bit more lively off the putterface than other balls... not quite to the extent of a Chrome Soft but just a little different. This early in the year my putting is too awful to really draw conclusions. Our other solution came during development, when robotic testing revealed that an unpainted or ‘raw’ version of the Staff Model ball provided virtually flawless performance. With no paint in the dimples, it delivered a lower flight trajectory, and ”grabbed” the wedge surface for enhanced greenside spin. The end result of this testing is Staff Model R, the world’s first unpainted urethane golf ball.

All in all I think this ball is as good as anything else out there and if it performs for me with wedges like it did for me today it will be a serious contender for my 2021 gamer. The Wilson Staff Model is one of the best premium golf balls on the market and a ball that is being played on professional tours around the world. The Staff Model features a four-piece construction and soft urethane cover - a combination that delivers exceptional distance off the tee while providing players with maximum control and exceptional feel from 100 yards out.Perhaps the most interesting golf ball in Wilson's current lineup is the new Staff Model R. From a construction standpoint, it mirrors the Staff Model and is Wilson’s second premium golf ball offering, designed for Tour-quality distances and feel. Like the Staff Model, the Staff Model R features a four-piece construction and Wilson’s V-COR core, which combine to produce explosive distances in the long game. It also delivers the control and feel that golfers want with their scoring clubs on full shots and around the green. The Staff Model is a 4-piece urethane golf ball with true Tour-caliber precision, speed, and consistency. Because uneven paint can harm performance, Staff Model is painted with a highly regulated application technique that assures each urethane ball has a near-flawless finish when it leaves the manufacturer. This means you can always rely on the Staff Model to take you where you want to go. This is a masterpiece of perfection. The best premium golf balls come in alternative versions that spin slightly less for players who prefer a firmer feel or more control off the tee. We recommend you try both kinds of feel from various distances to find your preferred feel. Another urethane 4-piece ball very much the same as the Staff Model R. The obvious difference is that this ball is painted, albeit with "a finely controlled application process that ensures every urethane ball leaves the factory with a near-flawless finish".

Which aspect of the game is most important to you? Are you looking for maximum distance or something that allows your short game to shine around the greens? Our seamless 362-dimple pattern smooths airflow around the ball for a lower ball trajectory and maximum distance performance.

Feel

But does that extra tiny drop of paint in a few dimples really make any difference to the accuracy of a shot? And if so, how much are we talking here? An inch? A foot? Yards? It can’t be much, surely, but at least you know with the unpainted ball that you are removing that variable entirely. I’m very much in the latter category and of all the balls I’ve tested recently the DUO has been the one I’ve most enjoyed putting with. I love the feel of it off the putter as it’s so soft you almost don’t even feel it at all. That isn’t going to suit everyone of course. Wilson offers two premium golf balls in its current range, the Staff Model and Staff Model R, both of which offer tour-proven performance. Both balls feature a four-piece construction and highly responsive urethane cover, with the result being distance and control in the long game and ample spin and soft feel on and around the greens. The primary difference between the two models is that the R version of the ball is unpainted, which Wilson says will deliver a more controlled trajectory, increased short game spin, and improved accuracy on full shots. Do any professional golfers use Wilson golf balls?