About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the golf club, which I tested for one day in May of 2023.

My take

The Wilson D9 Fairway Wood is great for attacking pins on those long par 3s and approach shots on par 5s. This club is geared toward mid-handicappers who need a club to help them from a distance while not giving up on consistency.

About the club I tested

• Model: 2021 Wilson D9 (3 wood)
• Loft setting: 15°
• Shaft type: Mitsubishi CK Series 50g
• Shaft flex: Regular

About me

• Average score: 79
• Handicap: 7
• Experience: 22 years of playing golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right-Handed
• Typical ball flight: Left to right
• Golf ball used: Titleist Tour Soft
• Club swing speed: 97mph

Test conditions

• When I tested the club: May 2023
• Days tested: 1
• Where I’ve used it: Outdoor Range
• Weather and wind conditions: 72° sunny, 15 mph winds

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for a new wood that offered distance and forgiveness as my current Callaway XR16s are becoming increasingly outdated, and I don’t love their feel.

Why I chose to test this club

I tested this club because it was visually appealing to the eye, and I have heard from other friends that the D9 is solid. I didn’t end up buying this club, but I loved the distance and how easy it was to swing.

What I love about it

• Distance: The distance carried consistently at 255 yards, which I expected based on its specs. I usually swing a stiff shaft with my woods, so I think I could have carried the ball a few yards further with the proper shafts.
• Forgiveness: The forgiveness was better than I thought, with the club being as light and distance being as long as it was that it didn’t feel like it was sacrificed on the forgiveness side, as my shots left or right was only 10-15 yards off target.
• Feel: The feel was incredibly light, and the composition of the head made it so I could feel each shot where it hit upon the face of the club. I enjoyed this because it gave instant feedback as to where I missed it or if I struck it pure.
• Sound: It had a normal ting sound and a nice ring to it when it came off the face of the club with each swing.
• Shaft Performance: The shaft is lightweight, allowing me to move through the ball with vengeance on my downswing. With the proper swing speed, this shaft will help those find more greens on approach shots from a distance.
• Aesthetic Appeal: Sleek, simple design looks cool from behind when addressing the ball. I love the all-black finish as it is incredibly sharp and looks like it is a more expensive club.
• Launch Angle: The ball flew higher off the club than I expected, but I prefer that as I like my ball to land softly with a high fade.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Workability: The workability was not great, as I couldn’t consistently hit my high fade. Occasionally, I pulled off my fade, but hitting it wasn’t as easy as my current XR 16s.
• Adjustability: It has no adjustability, so if someone wants to set their club at a draw/fade, they cannot do so.
• Shaft Feel: The shaft feel is lighter than I would have preferred at 50g. It was lightweight, but my swing speed didn’t allow me to strike the ball with the consistency I would have liked.
• Grip Feel: Oversized grips were on this club I tested, which is not ideal, considering I have smaller hands. I like custom grips on my clubs, so I would replace them with new standard Golf Pride grips if I purchased the Wilson D9.
• Spin: The spin rate was a little higher than I would have liked at 4,500rpm versus being closer to the 4,000rpm mark.

Best shot with this club

The best shots I remember hitting were back-to-back shots that landed within five yards of one another. Again this club was easy to hit, but hitting those two back-to-backs on a string resonated with me after testing it out.

Value for the money vs. other options

I think the Wilson D9 is a quality wood for the price. It outperforms the Cobra Air-X and the Tour Edge line of fairway woods but doesn’t quite have the performance of the Callaway Big Bertha or Mavrik series, as those are more workable, consistent, and more expensive.

Final verdict

The Wilson D9 is a good option for the average weekend golfer looking to increase their distance from the fairway or find the green on longer approach shots.