About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the golf club, which I purchased with my own money in June of 2021.

My take

On first impression, the Wilson Staff Model Tour Grind wedge is beautiful to look down at. It has that classic wedge shape that inspires confidence and looks great in the bag. This is a forged wedge for advanced golfers, and is available at a lower price point, which intrigued me so much I bought this wedge without ever hitting it. Although I already own the 50°, 54°, and 58°, I had to see for myself—and I’m very glad I did.

About the club I own

• Model: 2020 Wilson Staff Model Tour Grind Wedge
• Loft: 58°
• Bounce: 10°
• Grind: The grind is most comparable to the M grind on a Vokey, or the C grind on a Callaway Jaws, creating a crescent shape
• Finish: Satin Chrome

About me

• Average Score: 79–82
• Handicap: 7.7 index
• Experience: 36 years of playing golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right-handed
• Golf Ball Used: Titleist Pro V1x
• Angle of Attack: Normal to shallow

Test conditions

• When I bought the wedge: June 2021
• Days tested: 50 days (around 30 rounds)
• Where I’ve used it: Range, course, and simulator
• Weather Conditions: All weather conditions
• Green Conditions: All green conditions

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for wedges with lofts to flow directly from my iron set which has a 46° pitching wedge. I chose the standard grind Wilson Staff Model wedges in 50° and 54° degrees, and I was looking for a wedge in 58°, because I like four degrees of loft gap between my wedges.

Why I chose this club

I was intrigued by the idea of a forged wedge made by an iconic manufacturer such as Wilson. Its price, which is a couple dozen dollars cheaper than the most popular wedges on the market, and even cheaper than the Ping forged wedges, was also intriguing. I have had a dozen wedge sets in my 36 years of playing, but when they started to break the $150 barrier—some around $200—I did not want to spend that much as wedges only last for two years with my frequency of play. I read a number of reviews and they all seemed to say the same thing: Wilson made an outstanding forged wedge to fit within a reasonable budget. Gary Woodland won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach playing Wilson Staff Model irons, and I had to try them.

What I love about it

• Launch: At 58 degrees the launch is high with a tremendous amount of spin to hold the green from chip shots, short fairway approaches, or bunkers.
• Forgiveness: The Wilson Staff Model is a blade-style wedge, which the majority of wedges on the market are right now. For a high-lofted wedge, it is very forgiving. The forgiveness really comes from the wedge’s generous bounce angle which prevents digging.
• Feel: The face is very soft at impact due to the forged 8620 carbon steel head this club possesses.
• Shaft: The True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 is lighter and feels better in the head at impact than the standard Dynamic Gold that comes with almost every other wedge available.
• Bounce: This model has 10 degrees of bounce which prevents the club from digging into either the fairway or the sand. Because the leading edge of the club is 10 degrees higher than the sole, the club can “ride” the turf or sand allowing golfers to execute either shot well. Also, having that 10 degrees makes this more of a high-bounce wedge, and for all but tour pros, high bounce is a good thing for consistent shots on wedges.
• Around the Green: The entire line is great around the green. From pitch and run shots, to digging it out of the rough, or even a pitch and one-hop stop shot—the Tour Grind can do it all.
• Full Shots: The club acts as I would expect on full shots and provides high-spinning approaches that stop dead when they hit (I use a high-quality, urethane-cover ball).
• Aesthetic Appeal: An absolutely beautiful wedge that has a classic teardrop shape and a bit of a curved leading edge. I also like the satin-chrome finish as it will not produce a reflection from the sun when standing over a shot. The logo and name on the club are not flashy or colorful—it looks like it means business.
• Innovation: There are limited bounce and grind options which, in my opinion, is a good thing for most players (even five-handicappers). By contrast, Vokey has six different grinds which can be confusing to many amateurs.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Spin: The spin on these wedges is good, but not the best in their class. The TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 and other wedges in the Titleist Vokey line perform better on spin. With the Tour Grind, the ball hits and stops but rarely backs up and it almost never releases forward unless the greens are particularly hard. This detail will likely only matter to players with a very low handicap.

Best shot with this wedge

My best shots with this 58° Tour Grind have been multiple approaches straight at the pin that stopped exactly where they landed. That’s what I want in a wedge!

Value for the money vs. other options

A forged wedge at this price point is an amazing feat on its own, but the Tour Grind also performs as well as, or better than, many wedges that cost significantly more money. A forged PING Glide is significantly pricier, and so is a new Bettinardi HLX 3.0. A PXG Sugar Daddy is more than three times the price, which is an unbelievable amount to pay for a wedge.

Final verdict

The bottom line is there are wedges that spin a little more, but their cost is nowhere near the Wilson Staff Model Tour Grind’s price point—and none of them are forged. This is an excellent product that will hit any shot I ask of it, whether it’s a high flop shot, a standard fairway approach, or chipping around the green, and it always inspires confidence. What more could one ask for from a wedge?