Wilson Golf Clubs

In 1914, three events heralded the beginning of an exciting new era in golf.

• First, the flamboyant Walter Hagen won the U.S Open Championship. His amazing golfing skill and colorful personality captured headlines, increasing the nation's interest and participation in the game.They are all about Lanzarote in the canary islands.


• Second, Henry Ford introduced the mass production assembly line, and doubled his worker's wages. He set a precedent that helped establish a new era in which the average man could afford both the time and money for what had previously been a rich man's game.
  


• Third, Wilson Sporting Goods Co entered the Sporting Goods business. In the years to come, Wilson's bold new club ideas helped make the game more enjoyable for more golfers than ever before in the history of the game.

The following chronicles were some of the key moments in the history of Wilson Golf Clubs that changed the gentle game of 50 years ago to the exciting, low scoring power game that we know today.

In 2008, Padraig Harrington pledged his future to Wilson Staff clubs in a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract. This relationship signified the most lucrative contract ever offered by Wilson Golf and an Advisory Staff Member. He won the PGA Player of the Year Award for the first time in his career this year.

Wilson Golf Clubs expanded the sales force nationwide, primarily driven by the great momentum in early 2008 and greater demand to see more Wilson.

• In 2007, D.J. Trahan, winner of the 2006 Southern Farm Bureau Classic, joins as the newest Wilson Staff Advisory Member. Di7 irons take the challenge on the road, making waves in all regions across the US letting the average Joe compare their clubs to ours.
  
  
• In 2004 - 2005, Wilson Golf marks 90 years in the golf equipment market with the re-launch of its famous Wilson Staff brand.
  
  
• In the year 2001 - 2003, the Deep Red driver makes an immediate impact with record sales. In 2002, the Staff True balanced ball is introduced as the world's first perfectly balanced golf ball. In 2003 Padraig Harrington signs a new 5-year contract.
  
  
• Padraig Harrington joins the Wilson Advisory Staff and goes on to become Europe's highest ranked player at No.6 in the world on Jan 05 of 1998.
  
  
• In 1997, the new Wilson Fat Shaft irons are introduced, the most stable iron in golf. The most important performance variable in an iron performance shaft is torque - less torque means less twisting, which equals greater accuracy. Fat Shaft technology provides a larger tip diameter (.500" versus typical .370" or 35% wider) providing 40% more torsional stability than skinny shafted irons for greater accuracy
  
  
• 1995 - Wilson Staff introduced the Staff RM midsize irons and makes an impact on Tour. The cavity backed forged clubs are hand designed and crafted by Bob Mendralla, a club maker with Wilson for nearly fifty years.
  
  
• 1994 - The Gene Sarazen "R-90" sand wedge was reintroduced. This was the year of the wedge; both new Staff and Dyna-Powered wedges designed by Bob Mendralla were launched
  
  
• 1990 - 1991 - Wilson continued to be #1 in wedges on the PGA tour. In 1991 the new Staff FG-51 iron was brought to the market.
  
  
• In 1983 - 1989, Wilson Staff irons were #1 on Tour.
  
  
• In 1970, the next chapter in company history was recorded in February 1970 when PepsiCo, Inc. a diversified marketer of soft drinks, snack foods, and services, purchased Wilson Sporting Goods.
  
  
• From 1954 the Wilson Staff ball has helped win more Masters and U.S. Open Championships than any other ball.
  
  
• In the year 1948, Wilson President Lawrence Icely provides the financial backing for Patty Berg and "Babe" Didrickson Zaharias to found the new Women's PGA, predecessor of the LPGA.
  
  
• 1947 - Bob Mendralla becomes a Wilson employee sweeping floors in Chicago.
  
  
• In 1940 - Twenty-two year old Patty Berg joins the Wilson Advisory Staff and goes on to win every major women's' tournament at least once. Berg wins 80 tournaments in her career and conducts over 10,000 clinics and exhibitions as an ambassador of golf and Wilson
  
  
• 1937 - The legendary Sam Snead joins the Wilson Advisory Staff at the age of 25. Snead went on to win five tournaments that year and Slammin' Sammy was born, winning a record 81 PGA Tour events in his illustrious career, including 3 PGA Championships, 3 Masters and an Open Championship. Sam remained with Wilson as an Honorary Staff member with a lifetime contract. Many believe he was the greatest golfer ever
  
  
• 1935 - In the final round of the 1935 Masters Gene Sarazen holed a 235-yard shot with a 4 wood from the fairway on the par-5, 15th hole at Augusta for an albatross to tie Craig Wood, who he went on to beat in the 36 hole playoff.
  
  
• In 1933, Wilson Advisory Staffer Willie Ogg's design for distributing weight away from the heel and moving it towards the "sweet spot" of the blade is featured in the Wilson Ogg-mented irons, the forerunner of perimeter weighting.
  
  
• 1922 - Gene Sarazen is the first golfer to become a member of the Wilson Advisory Staff and begins a 75-year relationship with the company, the longest-running contract in sports history. His career earns him 39 PGA titles including two U.S. Opens, three PGA Championships, a British Open title, and a Masters victory on his way into the PGA Hall of Fame in 1974.
  
  
• In 1914, the Ashland Manufacturing Company became known as the Thomas E. Wilson Co. in the year 1914 - the date of record of the present Wilson Sporting Goods Co.

Wilson Golf Clubs now offer high quality, tour caliber equipment, but have maintained their affordable prices to meet the needs of the average golfer. They have a new line of woods, irons, hybrids, putters and golf balls that can keep up with the more premium brands that have been on the market for many years. Because of their rich history, Wilson Golf Clubs do offer a quality product that is targeted the average golfer.

The new irons offered by Wilson golf clubs come in five different varieties. They truly have made a set of irons to meet the needs of any golfer. The forged irons are made for the highly skilled player that wants something similar to what the tour pros would be using. There are also new sets of irons designed by Wilson golf clubs that are meant to be game improvement hits for the average golfer.

The new control irons are meant to offer a nice combination of control and power. They also have some performance, distance, and control irons that are intended to improve the game of a typical golfer. When you get this type of driver, you can make the same swings that you did with your old one, but get added distance and more accuracy. Putting Wilson Golf Clubs in your bag today can have an immediate impact on your future rounds.

If you have been playing golf for a few years and are ready to step up to a new set of clubs, but you don't want to pay the high prices of some of the premium brands, then looking at Wilson golf clubs is a good choice. In addition to the new driver, fairway woods and irons, Wilson has also come out with a new line of putters.

These putters have stepped up to include the latest technology, face inserts and alignment aides. The same tour pros that are using the Wilson woods and irons are putting these putters into their bags. Finding a putter that you have a good feel with is a key component to having a good round.

Today there is so much competition for golf equipment, and Wilson has definitely found their niche. Their new driver offers all of the same features of the more expensive brands at an affordable price. With many tour professionals using their equipment, they have also gained more respect among the golf community.