wilson staff fg tour v4

Get plugged in…

Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 Irons Review

More in irons:.

50 Words or Less

The Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 irons are some of the best irons on the market for the better player.  Great looks and feel combined with sneaky forgiveness in the long irons.

Introduction

Fans of Wilson Staff have waited a long time for a true successor to the beloved FG Tour V2 irons, and that successor is finally here in the FG Tour V4 .  As someone who happily gamed the V2 for multiple seasons, I’m definitely in that group.  From the time I first saw the FG Tour V4 irons at the Wilson Innovation Center, I was very excited about putting them to the test because they have the refined looks that players want with the performance benefits of a combo set.

The  Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 irons  deliver exactly the kind of look that you want from a players iron: thin top lines, thin soles, minimal offset , and a classic look in the cavity.

In comparing the V4 to the V2, the V4 is a more refined club.  They are nearly identical in terms of the width of the top line and the size of the blade, but the V4’s more rounded edges make it appear smaller.  Similarly, the sole of the V4 is more rounded than the V2, but it’s also noticeably thinner.  You can see side-by-side comparisons of the V2 and V4 (V2 is always on the left) in the slideshow at the bottom of the page.

Sound & Feel

The bar that the FG Tour V2 set in terms of feel is quite high, but the FG Tour V4 irons  surpass it, if only slightly.  Both are extremely soft at impact , especially if you play a tour-caliber ball.  They also deliver very precise feedback about how the ball was struck.  The V4 gets my vote by being a bit softer and simultaneously feeling a little more crisp.  This difference may be related to the V4’s excellent stock shaft, the DG Pro.

Performance

A quick glance at the  Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 irons  might lead you to believe that they’re just another players iron.  A closer look, however, reveals their secret weapon: tungsten weights in the soles of the 4-7 irons .  This seemingly small change allows this traditional looking set to perform like a combo set – the long irons launch a little higher and more easily while the scoring irons retain their penetrating ball flight .  This change was based on feedback from Wilson Staff’s PGA Tour players like Ricky Barnes who loved the V2 irons but wanted a higher ball flight from the long irons.  As I mentioned earlier, the V4 irons also have a great stock shaft – the DG Pro – which enhances the higher launch of the long irons while keeping the short irons from ballooning.

In my testing, I found that the V4 did launch 1-2 degrees higher than the V2 on pure strikes, and also on mishits.  I think that the improved flight on mishits is every bit as important because it keeps the thinned long iron from being a score killer.

Beyond that, the V4 irons perform as you would expect: they give you total control over the golf ball with just enough forgiveness to cover up those small mishits.  You’ll be able to flight the ball high or low and shape it easily in either direction.

If you want a little bit of forgiveness without making any compromises in terms of looks and feel, the  Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 irons  are for you.  They have the benefits of a combo set with the classic looks and great feel of the most traditional forged blades.

Watch the Video

Recent posts.

• Sub 70 Pro V2 Fairway Wood Review - May 16, 2024
• ARETERA Alpha One Series Shaft Review - May 15, 2024
• Matt Saternus What’s In The Bag 2024 - May 15, 2024

what handicap recommendations for these wilsons

I don’t think handicaps are the best way to pick clubs, but, broadly speaking, 15 or better at least.

Good piece… so for a guy who’s playing less forgiving older Wilson Staff forged irons and shoots 79 -89 … usually somewhere in the middle, which do you thing: these or the newer F5s? I hit these V4s last year and really liked them…

I haven’t hit the F5 much, but my understanding is that the F5 is more about forgiveness, the V4 has some forgiveness with a more traditional look. All depends on your priorities.

The DG Pro shaft that comes with the Wilson V4’s gets many great reviews. Can I have the shafts extended by an inch or 1 .5″ without affecting the performance of the club?

Adding 1.5″ without making any adjustments will raise the swing weight considerably and could make the shaft play softer. I would work with a good club builder/fitter to get all that dialed in.

Leave a Comment Cancel

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Address

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• FootJoy Pro/SLX BOA Golf Shoes Review
• Sub 70 Pro V2 Fairway Wood Review
• Golf News – May 15, 2024
• ARETERA Alpha One Series Shaft Review
• Matt Saternus What’s In The Bag 2024

Contact Us Advertise Subscribe

Advertise on this site.

Plugged In Golf

Do You Like Free Golf Gear?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and not only will you get the latest reviews, instruction, and more delivered directly to your inbox, you’ll also be entered into regular giveaways for golf clubs and more.

Iron Reviews

Review: wilson fg tour v4 irons.

Pros: Forged cavity back irons with a compact shape that use tungsten weights to boost launch and forgiveness.

Cons:  They don’t feel as soft as other forged cavity back irons in their class. Slightly weaker lofts (47 degree pitching wedge) cause them to fly shorter than leading models.

Who they’re for: Better players looking for a set of modern, forged cavity back irons that are barely bigger than blades. They offer excellent workability and trajectory control.

If you’re a user of forged cavity back irons, you may have noticed that the amount of new models in the category have decreased. Modern iron design has trended toward larger, hot-faced irons in recent years, which have their perks — but they’re not for everyone. There’s a group of golfers who aren’t looking to hit their irons any farther. They’re satisfied with their current distance and accuracy, so they’re more concerned with looks, feel and trajectory control. If that’s you, read on.

Wilson currently offers three models of forged irons , the most intriguing of which is the FG Tour V4. They strike a sweet spot between the company’s larger FG Tour M3 irons, which trend on the larger side of players irons, and the company’s FG Tour 100 blade irons, which are best left to the most accomplished ball strikers — particularly those with shallow angles of attack.

I first hit the FG Tour V4 irons at the 2015 PGA Merchandise Show, and was quite impressed. I had a set built to my specifications, and spent the late winter and early sping testing them against similar models. My thoughts are broken up into the categories below.

Isn’t this every better player’s first question about a set of forged irons? The FG Tour V4 irons are forged from 8620 carbon steel, which is unusual. Most forged irons are made from softer metals like 1020 or 1025 carbon steel, and for that reason, the V4’s feel slightly firmer than leading models. The feel is consistent across the set, however, even in the 3-7 irons, which use 18-gram sole weights to lower their center of gravity (CG) for a higher launch and more forgiveness.

The slightly firmer feel didn’t bother me, and it’s definitely not a deal breaker if you’re interested in these irons. Users will still be able to tell when they slightly mishit a shot, which is exactly the feedback they’ll want.

The FG Tour V4 irons are one of the most compact forged cavity back irons on the market. Their most unique aesthetic features are their thicker-than-normal top lines, which gave me the feeling that these irons were more forgiving than their size indicated. More on that later.

It’s the absence of anything eye catching that makes the FG Tour V4 irons one of the most stunning new forged cavity back irons on the market. There’s minimal offset — almost none, actually — and the hosels of the irons blend beautifully with the top lines of the irons at address. The toe shape of the irons is neither boxy nor round, and the milled grooves sit centrally in the iron heads.

The aesthetics of the cavity — the part you don’t see at address — are quite bold. Manufacturers have trended toward silvers and grays with brighter accent colors in recent years, so the heavy black/gold look was more polarizing with my range buddies and playing partners than I anticipated.

The best indicator of the distance of a set of forged cavity back irons will fly is their lofts, and the FG Tour V4 irons are on the weak side. With stock lofts, the 3 iron is 21 degrees, the 6 iron is 31 degrees and the pitching wedge is 47 degrees. For that reason, golfers will likely hit the FG Tour V4 irons a little shorter than more popular models in their class such as Callaway’s Apex Pro (29-degree 6 iron) and Titleist’s 714 AP2 (30-degree 6 iron), which have similar blade lengths and also use tungsten in their designs to boost forgiveness.

Click to enlarge

The good news is that the FG Tour V4 irons seem to fly a little longer than their stock lofts indicate, particularly the mid irons and short irons. I was able to hit those clubs just as far as my Nike VR Forged Pro Combo irons , which are 1-degree stronger in each club. But I struggled to get the same distance from the FG Tour V4’s 4 and 5 irons. The easy fix is to bend those irons — or even the whole set — 1-2 degrees stronger if you’re looking for more distance. Since the FG Tour V4 irons have very little offset, such a small change won’t be uncomfortable at address. I actually prefer a little offset in my irons, but again, that’s something personal to me.

Forgiveness

Golfers who play compact, forged cavity back irons know that when they mishit a shot, they will suffer a penalty. The FG Tour V4’s are no exception, but they do an admirable job of making slight mishits fly more like perfect shots. They certainly play “bigger,” or more forgiving than their size indicates — particularly in the 3-7 irons, which use 18-gram tungsten weights to lower the CG of the irons for a higher launch. Eighteen grams is a lot of tungsten, a material that currently carries a high price tag and usually results in a set of irons that cost more than $1,000. It’s impressive that Wilson has priced a stock set of the FG Tour V4 irons (4-PW, GW) at $899 with True Temper’s DG Pro shafts.

Wilson’s FG Tour V4 Utility

Many modern iron sets have a progressive design, which means that the 3 iron is the largest iron head in the set, and the clubs get noticeably smaller as the clubs get shorter. The size of the FG Tour V4 irons is very constant, which means that if you choose to play a 3 or 4 iron from the FG Tour V4 set, you will be hitting a very small club. For that reason, I suggest golfers consider Wilson’s FG Tour V4 Utility iron as the longest iron in their set, because it is a stunning performer. And regardless of what irons you play, you should consider the FG Tour V4 Utility if you’re into driving irons.

I tested a FG Tour V4 Utility — 3 iron (21 degrees) — and found that it gave me all the distance I could want from a club of that loft. It didn’t seem to matter if I slightly heeled or toed the club. It flew about 235 yards every time, which was the exact distance I needed it to go based on my set makeup. Like the rest of the FG Tour V4 irons, it was also quite workable, and easy to hit high and low, or draw or fade.

The FG Tour Utility iron is a little chunky at address when compared to slimmer models such as Callaway’s Apex UT, TaylorMade’s UDI and Titleist’s 712U, but it feels quite soft for a hollow-cavity iron and offers plenty of feedback to the player. It’s also a great option off the tee and the ground, thanks to its smart sole design.

Odds and Ends

Better golfers sometimes prefer specialty wedges over the pitching and gap wedges that come with irons sets, because the head sizes of specialty wedges are generally more compact. Their sole grinds are also usually more versatile on partial shots, and on pitch shots around the greens. The small size of the FG Tour V4 wedges, as well as their excellent sole designs, however, does not necessitate a switch.

The sole of a FG Tour V4 pitching wedge.

I found the tour-inspired grind of the FG Tour V4 pitching wedge to be all I needed from a 47-degree club. Like all the FG Tour V4 irons, it resisted digging on full and half shots. It also resisted “sticking in the turf” on pitch shots. That performance can be attributed to the sole of the irons, which is heavily cambered, or rounded, and it offered great performance from both the fairway and rough.

With both the longer and shorter irons in the FG Tour V4 set set, it was easy to vary the trajectory. And because of their solid construction, I found no “hot spots” in them, and the wedges were no exception.

The FG Tour V4’s gap wedge comes stock at 51 degrees, the point at which most golfers start to look at specialty clubs. If that’s more of a full-shot club for you than a chipping club, I’d recommend using the set gap wedge. If you’re more interested in using a gap wedge for less-than-full shots, go with Wilson’s FG Tour TC wedges , or another specialty wedge of your choice.

The Takeaway 

The FG Tour V4’s are an elite set of forged cavity back irons, and will impress golfers who may have not otherwise considered an offering from Wilson. While they don’t feel quite soft as leading models, and don’t fly quite as far, they’re one of the most forgiving irons we’ve tested in their compact size.

Trajectory control is a breeze with them, and turf interaction is also fantastic. That’s what you’d expect from a set of irons that were designed with the assistance of Wilson’s Tour Staff. But thanks to the addition of tungsten to the soles of the long and mid irons, you don’t necessarily have to be a touring pro, or even a scratch golfer to play them.

[wrx_retail_links productid=”28″]

2015 Gear Trials: Best Game-Improvement Irons

Review: Miura CB57 irons

18 Comments

Jun 25, 2015 at 8:55 am

Zach is wrong. Distance is excellent and on par with my Ap2’s after much testing… and they actually feel very soft. Surprisingly so. Feel is one of the highlights of this iron.

Apr 28, 2015 at 5:52 am

love the Wilson d-100 irons and driver

Tom Duckworth

Apr 25, 2015 at 1:29 pm

I have read or watched every review on these since last winter. In the one real video review I found the tester was hitting them farther than his Ping set, it may have been the shafts. I think the point with clubs like this is hitting the same distance time after time. If you needed distance help why would you even look at clubs like these. These seem like a big change from the V2s that I play now. I would like to try them out. The sole grind and tungsten weights make them very intriguing. As far as resale value Wilson makes great clubs and they don’t come out with a new set every six months. I read somewhere that some Adams staff came over to Wilson I don’t if that is true bit these show some Adams influences.

Medway lefty

Apr 23, 2015 at 4:57 pm

Purchased a set of the V4 after having played the V2 and the V4 are an improvement from the previous model , soft feeling great consistency ,great shaft the tungsten weights help get the longer irons airborne quicker.As for the resale value if you find a great set why sell them .?

Good job Wilson

Roosterredneck

Apr 25, 2015 at 9:46 am

great comment, I buy to play , not to trade. I want to use them for as long as I can or until the grooves are worn away.

Apr 22, 2015 at 12:07 pm

They look great at address but I find the cavity a little generic looking. Can’t wait to try them.

Apr 21, 2015 at 7:39 am

So, sensible lofts are now considered a “con”? Beacuse they don’t “fly as far”? It’s a ding ding world

Apr 22, 2015 at 4:10 am

I could not agree more. It’s bad enough on the shovel side of things, but strong lofting for “players” forged irons? Come on golfwrx.

Apr 22, 2015 at 4:59 am

Yeah..At the very least do NOT mention it as a negative thing. Completely ridiculous. A short comment like “the lofts are more traditional so you might need to tweak your club choice if you have been using clubs with strengthened lofts” would be the sensible thing to do. And not give in to the “massage the egos of todays golfer by jacking lofts” mentality.

Apr 21, 2015 at 7:32 am

I am sure these are nice, forgiving irons but not great to look at. Replace this sicky looking brown/gold color with something else. Plus make it more mat then gloss.

Apr 21, 2015 at 1:53 am

Nice irons and great review but resale value and company credibility are lacking (I know Wilson was the club back in the day, but it isn’t 1967 anymore).

Aug 2, 2015 at 10:48 pm

I buy clubs to play with and clubs that help my game. I do not buy them to trade them or sell them a month or two later on ebay. Wilson makes very nice irons.

Apr 20, 2015 at 7:32 pm

The V4s are fantastic! I’ve been doing some demo testing of 7 irons in our fitting bay and the V4s are right up there. I’m going to hit them again because our rep was able to drop off a C-Taper for me to try. I really didn’t think that they were that small and I didn’t see any significant loss in distance over my current set, but the lofts are pretty equivalent. Wilson is making good products and people should be willing to give them a shot!

Apr 20, 2015 at 7:25 pm

The V4s are

Apr 20, 2015 at 6:47 pm

I have tried these and they are better than this reviewer has reported. I do own and play the V2 Wilson Staff irons and Love them. These V4 irons look as good and play as good as my V2 irons . Wilson is on the right track and if you haven’t tried them , then find some and you too will want them after hitting them. GREAT WORK WILSON.

Apr 20, 2015 at 5:48 pm

Nice to see Wilson getting some air time. These are nice irons but as a club ho, I just worry about the resale value. Well done Wilson.

killerbgolfer

Apr 20, 2015 at 5:47 pm

I”m not in the market for these but i love the reviews you do here. Great work.

Zak Kozuchowski

Apr 20, 2015 at 6:25 pm

Thank you, killerbgolfer. We appreciate the praise.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

You may like

Rory McIlroy spotted testing a new TaylorMade “PROTO” 4-iron at the 2024 Valero Texas Open

“Pants Drunk”: Geno Bonnalie shows off Joel Dahmen’s hilarious custom iron stampings

Here’s why Vijay Singh has red numbers written all over his irons

Tursky: I tested Titleist’s new 2023 T-Series irons (including the new T150 and T350). Here’s what happened…

2 veteran blade-iron users shockingly switch to cavity-back irons at the Wyndham Championship

2023 Titleist T-Series irons (T100, T150, T200, T350 and U505): Everything you need to know

Club Junkie

Club junkie review: cobra’s new king tour irons.

The Cobra King Tour irons have been proven on the PGA Tour already and will be in bags of better amateur players this year. The previous King Tour MIM irons were very underrated and offered great precision with a solid shape that many players liked. Cobra went away from the Metal Injection Molded construction and went with a five-step forging process for soft and solid feel.

Make sure to check out the full podcast review at the links below and search GolfWRX Radio on every podcast platform.

I was a big fan of the previous Tour MIM irons and played them in rotation throughout the last two years. Out of the box, I was impressed with the more simple and clean look of the badging on the new King Tour. Badging is mostly silver with just small black accents that should appeal to even the pickiest golfers. I didn’t notice the shorter blade length in the new irons but did notice that the leading edge is just slightly more rounded. Topline is thin, but not razor thin, but still has enough there to give you the confidence that you don’t have to hit it on the dead center every shot.

Feel is solid and soft with just a slight click to the thud on well struck shots while mishits are met with a little more sound and vibration to the hands.

These King Tour irons are built to be cannons and place more emphasis on consistent and precise shots. I also felt like the new irons launch easily and maybe a touch higher than some irons in the same category.

My launch monitor showed my 7 iron with an average launch angle of 22 degrees and spin right around 5,800 with a Project X LZ 6.0 stock shaft. Ball speed isn’t the ultimate focus of this iron but it did well with an average around 108mph and the iron was able to keep the speed up well when you didn’t strike the center. You will still see a drop off in speed and distance when you miss the center, but you don’t have to be Navy SEAL sniper accurate on the face to achieve a good shot. Dispersion was very tight, and while there are bigger irons with more forgiveness, this players cavity still allows good playability when you aren’t bringing your A-plus game to the course.

Cobra lists the King Tour as an iron for a Tour level player up to a 7 handicap and I think this iron could see the bags of more golfers than that. I am a 9.4 handicap, and I felt more than comfortable playing this iron even on less than perfect days.

Review: Honma TW737-Vs Forged Irons

Pros:  Incredible feel all the way through the bag. These irons offer considerable forgiveness on mishits, and their slightly stronger lofts generate plenty of distance for a better-player forged iron.

Cons:  Some will find the price point ($150 per club) too high to consider.

Bottom Line:  The entire TW737 line boasts impressive specs and looks. The TW737-Vs, with their slightly larger shape and stronger lofts, could be perfect for the player ready to move from game-improvement irons to better players irons or for those those looking for more forgiveness in a forged set.

Many GolfWRX Members will already be familiar with Honma Golf, known for its intricately crafted clubs and as one of the most prestigious, fastest-growing golf brands in the world. For others, this review will be the first time they’ve heard of Honma, or seen their iconic “mole in a hole” cloisonné and wondered, “What’s that?”

That is about to change. Honma, a mainstay in the Japanese Domestic Market for almost 60 years, is making a major push to become a household name in the U.S. and Europe. This year marks the company’s first entry into national “Hot List” competitions, and you can now find and test some of their products, such as the TW737 irons, in big-box golf stores like the PGA Superstore.

While Honma has traditionally been associated with extremely high-end clubs —  even gold-plated at times — the Tour World line is priced similarly with other forged irons from domestic manufacturers. Tour World also happens to be the line played by their tour pros like Hideto Tanihara , who has the TW737-Vs in his bag.

Related: More photos of Honma’s Tour World irons, driving irons and wedges

There are three unique models in the Tour World 737 line, each with slight variations in loft and head shape that are designed to fit the specific needs of forged-iron users. Each model includes Honma’s unified face progression and center of gravity design, which essentially allows for slight changes in sole width, face thickness, and head size based on loft, while keeping the same offset. The design is great in and of itself, and it also makes it easier to play a Tour World combo set.

The entire TW737 iron line is forged from S25C steel using Honma’s proprietary high strength W-Forging , a two-stage forging process that mixes hot and cold forging. According to the company, the process creates more density in the club face, especially high on the face. The extra strength is said to increase ball speed and forgiveness.

• The TW737-Vn  is made particularly for better golfers who like the shape and workability of a blade, but want a little more forgiveness.
• The TW737-V  has a small cavity-back head, but adds a little more forgiveness and distance than the Vn.
• The TW737-Vs , the model I tested, has a slightly larger head and strongest lofts, making it the longest and most forgiving of the three forged irons in the TW737 lineup.

You can find all the  specs on the Honma site here .  The TW737-Vs specs are below.

TW737-Vs irons are available now in 3-11 ($150 per club). A variety of stock shafts are available and include the NS Pro 950GH, Dynamic Gold AMT, Modus3 Tour, and Vizard 160. Honma has a  retailer search on its site  to help you find nearby golf stores where you can check out these clubs for yourself. Of course, custom shaft and grip options are available.

My set of TW737-Vs

I decided on the TW737-Vs because I wanted the extra performance and forgiveness. Honma built a 3-11 iron set, standard length, 0.5-degrees upright with Golf Pride New Decade Multi-Compound grips and two wraps of tape.

Having played cast, game-improvement irons my entire golfing life, I was anxious to see how these clubs would look at address, feel at impact and most importantly, how they would perform for my swing. In recent years, I have been using a forged Vega wedge, also an iconic Japanese brand. I love the feel, so I was excited for these.

You might be wondering, “Why test against a cast club and not compare Honma to Honma or Honma to Miura?” One reason is that like many of you, I’m precisely who Honma is looking to attract — a US-based consumer who has been playing mostly domestic clubs.

Take it one step further, I’ve also been looking to put forged clubs in the bag and make the move to the better-player iron category, but I was hesitant for a variety of reasons. I mentioned to a few other golfer that I was reviewing this set and their reaction was the same. Are they blades? Are they small? Are they hard to hit? All responses were followed by, “I don’t think I’d be ready for forged clubs.”

After testing I can tell you the irons are not too small, not too hard to hit, and stack up to anything else I’ve tested.

Performance

I like to start testing outside before getting on a launch monitor so I can focus purely on what I’m seeing and feeling. And with these clubs, my expectations were high, very high.

I started with the 11-iron because… how often do you get to hit a club stamped with an 11? I’ve always taken a significant divot with my wedges, but my first swing resulted in a solid, crisp shot with a thinner divot. Everything about the shot felt perfect. This happened to be a center strike and impact felt like almost nothing at all… in a good way. The sound was solid and strong, but the first real feeing I registered was slicing through the turf.

That feeling continued even with the long irons. Hitting a 3 or 4-iron around the middle provided plenty of feedback, but the more pure the strike, the less feeling there was. The ball flight appeared to be slightly lower than my current set, with a straight-to-draw flight and similar distances. Working the ball both ways was not a problem.

On the course, I struggled with distance control at first. This was my own fault for not dialing in the distances, especially with the stronger lofts in the 7-iron and shorter clubs. My expectation was that these clubs would not fly as far as my current clubs, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The exceptional feel continued. Truly effortless power on center strikes. The ball just jumped off the face and provided plenty of feedback and forgiveness. My divots from fairway lies were thinner than normal, which I don’t mind at all. These clubs cut through the rough nicely as well.

My favorite moment came at an island-green par-3, No. 16 at BridgeMill Athletic Club. I had 160 yards to the pin, with 150 yards covering the water and 175 yards to the water at the back of the green. With my old set, it would have been a smooth 8-iron (a full 9-iron is a reliable 145 yard carry). For me, the TW737-Vs 9-iron is essentially an 8.5-iron, so I went with 9-iron and played to the center with a little draw. I hit one of the most solid shots of the day, and it landed just a few feet away from the pin. Trusting a 9-iron would be enough… now that was fun.

Launch Monitor Data

My expectation going into launch monitor testing was that I’d see a flatter trajectory, lower peak height, similar distance and spin, and a decent amount of help on mishits.  I tested the TW737-Vs on SkyTrak against my TaylorMade RSi 2’s using Bridgestone Tour B330 balls. I rotated clubs every 5 shots and went through multiple rounds with each club.

The launch monitor data backed up what I was seeing on the course. For the short and mid irons, the Honmas generated slightly more distance (not less as I expected prior to testing). The 9-iron had the biggest gap, but the TW737-Vs is also 2 degrees stronger.

Spin was lower, but I was also seeing slightly more draw bias to my shots. While the spin looks a little low, on the course I had no issues stopping the ball on approach shots. With the long irons, my flatter trajectory always forces me to play for a little roll, so that won’t change.

I’ve never been a high ball hitter. My swing produces a lower flight and I’m sticking with it. Not surprisingly, my launch angle and peak height with the TW737-Vs was slightly lower across the board.

Ball speed on heel and toe side of center dropped about 2 mph on average, but the shots were very playable. With the 3 and 4-irons, toe shots generated quite a bit more left spin, but heel shots didn’t really impact the flight.

For shots higher on the face, I was very surprised and happy to see a minimal loss of distance. All in all, these clubs are very playable and forgiving on shots that miss the dead center of the clubface.

Looks and Feel

Feel is subjective, but I love the way these clubs feel. There is a nice weight through the swing. The W-Forging process has created a strong face that fires balls off like little rockets. Some other irons have a spring-like feel at impact, but with these, center shots just seemed to melt into my hands.

I spent a lot of time using powder spray on the face to see the exact impact location. With other irons I’ve tested, it is easy to know if I hit the extreme toe or heel side. But with the TW737-Vs, I was able to feel if I was half a ball to the heel or toe side. Same with being low on the face or a few grooves high. Both better players and mid-handicap golfers looking to improve will appreciate the feedback these clubs provide.

As for looks, “These are beautifully simple” was my first thought when I saw them in person. The lines are clean and sharp in some areas and smooth and rounded in others. The head, while definitely smaller than what I’m used to, doesn’t feel or look too small. I don’t have any confidence issues looking down at the ball.

Each of the TW737 models have the same minimal amount of offset, creating a relatively straight edge from the shaft out to the toe. I find it easier to set up and align clubs with less offset, so I like this a lot. I wouldn’t call the top line thin, but it isn’t thick either. Overall, I just really like how these irons look at address.

Bottom Line

Honma might not be the first name most Americans think of when they think of forged irons. That is going to change… not just because Honma will be spending more money to reach golfers in North America, but because the company’s Tour World line is both beautifully crafted and packed with performance.

If you’re in the market for forged players irons, make sure the TW737 is on the list of clubs to hit.

GolfWRX Member Reviews: TaylorMade 2017 M1 and M2 Irons

One of the many benefits of being a GolfWRX Forum Member is exclusive access to Giveaways and Testing Threads. For Giveaways — we give away everything from golf clubs to golf balls to GPS units — all it takes is a forum name. Enter any Giveaway, and we select winners randomly. You’re then free to enjoy your prize as you wish.

For Testing Threads, the process a bit more involved. GolfWRX Forum Members sign up to test the latest and greatest products in golf, and then they provide in-depth reviews on the equipment. Being the intelligent golf-equipment users they are, GoflWRX Members are able to provide the most-informed and unbiased reviews on the Internet.

In this Testing Thread , we selected 75 members to test a TaylorMade M1 2017 7-iron and TaylorMade M2 7-iron. Each of the clubs were built with the stock lofts and shafts — M2 2017 (28.5 degrees) with a TaylorMade Reax shaft, and M1 2017 (30.5 degrees) with a True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 shaft — and the testers were instructed to post their review of the clubs here .

Below, we’ve selected what we’ve deemed the most in-depth and educated reviews out of the 75 testers. We have edited each of the posts for brevity, clarity and grammar.

Thanks to all of those involved in the testing!

• All 75 Reviews: TaylorMade M1 and M2 Testing Thread
• Tech Talk: What you need to know about TaylorMade’s M1 and M2 irons

To be honest, looking down on the TaylorMade M1 and M2 irons at address, there is really not much difference. I would have to pick one up to see which is which.

The first 10 balls I hit were with M1 and 6/10 felt great, while the other 4 were toe hits, which I felt and the distance reflected that. Kinda what I expected with a club design for lower-handicap players. Distance was about 1/2 longer than my Srixon iron and dispersion was close, as well. I will say they did not feel as good as the Srixon on center hits.

Next 10 (ok, 15) balls were with the M2. Wow, can you say “up, up and away? The ball really popped of the club face, but wasn’t a ballon flight. Waited for the ball to come down and WTH, with the roll out it was 5-8 yards longer than balls hit with M1, and that is with a few toe shots. I did some smooth swings and then very aggressive swings and was a little amazed at this iron. Just like the M1, it does not have the forged feeling and does have a clicky sound (which I hate).

Bottom line: M2 is the longest iron I have ever hit. I love my 545s, but I could see myself playing M2 very easily. Matter of fact, I will be taking this M2 7 iron in my bag and play it more head-to-head against my Srixon 545 on the course.

deathbymuffin

These are both beautiful clubs. What surprised me the most is how much alike the two clubs look at address. I was expecting a chunky topline and significant offset in the M2, but it’s footprint looked almost exactly the same as the M1, outside of the chrome finish on the M2 versus the frosted finish of the M1. The M2 could almost pass as a player’s iron to my eye at address. These clubs both get A’s from me in the looks department.

The M1 felt a tad thicker than most player’s irons I’m used to, but it seemed to come with a bit of added forgiveness too. Well-struck shots felt good, with a nice mid-trajectory and with the workability that I’ve come to expect from a player’s iron. But true to TaylorMade’s claims, the M1 seemed more forgiving than a traditional player’s iron. Had a nice soft feel at impact, mishits didn’t sting and left you with a more playable result. A really nice combination of the better attributes of both player’s and game improvement irons. I’ve been playing with an old set of Tommy Armour blades, but I’ve been recently wanting more forgiveness for when I’m stuck with my B or C swing. Based on the early returns, I could definitely see myself bagging these.

I’m not sure if it’s the shaft, the design of the clubhead, or a combination of both, but the M2 is definitely a different animal than the M1 at impact. This club launches the ball high, arguably ridiculously so. I was hitting Jason Day moonbombs with this bad boy. Didn’t seem to matter what kind of swing I put on it, the ball launched high, flat and dead straight. The club was super forgiving and if not for the insanely high ball flight, I would love to have a set of these for when my swing is out of sorts. I didn’t really try to flight it at all, so I’m not sure what it’s capable of at this point. One other note was that the M2 had a clicky feel at impact. It didn’t bother me since it still felt so sweet… so strange as it sounds, clicky, but smooth and sweet at the same time. I think these clubs will be big winners with the mid-to-high handicap set.

The M1 is a fine iron, but doesn’t really stand out in any way from other irons of its class.

The M2, on the other hand, is an iron on steroids. I’m really starting to love this thing. It’s super forgiving and just goes and goes. According to my laser, flush shots were going 195 yards (my usual blade 5 iron distance) and very high. I can’t help but think golf would be a whole lot easier, particularly longer courses with long par 3s, with a full set of these in my bag.

poppyhillsguy

M1 feels softer than the M2 and I felt the ball flight was more consistent and what I want in an iron. The M1 did have a harsher feeling in my hands than I typically like, but I’m going to credit a lot of that to the range balls.

M2 flies very high. It was a windy afternoon and about 100 degrees. I love the high ball flight on the range, but I have a concern what that ball flight would be like on the course. I like to hit the ball different heights for different shots and I don’t think I could do that confidently with the M2, but I could with the M1. I don’t like the sound of the M2. It sounded “clicky” to me.

Initially on the range I was scared because the M1 had a regular flex in it, so I took it easy for my initial 10-15 swings with it. Ball SHOT off the face, loud crack (didn’t care for it, but not too bad) and ball just kept rising and rising but didn’t balloon. I thought, “whoa,” that’s not what I expected…did it again…another CRACK and the ball just flew. I set another down and I paid attention to how it looked behind the ball, not much offset for a game improvement and I thought…”I could actually play this club!”  The 5-7 were EASY swings, aimed at a target of 170 yards away (my normal 7 iron distance) and with a EASY swing I was flying it by 20 yards or so. The next 5-10 I really went after it, same CRACK and ball just flew but to my surprise it was a nice draw, harder draw than the first but it was a nice 10-yard draw. This time the balls were landing just short of the 200 yard marker. Damn, 200 yards with a 7 iron! I know they are jacked lofts but it feels good to say “my 7 irons just few 190-200 yards!”

P.S. LOVE the Lamkin UTX grip!

Now, this was interesting, the M2 was quieter then the M1… weird!  Now, there is more carbon fiber added to this one and there is a “Geocoustic” label on the back. I am sure that it has something to do with all that carbon fiber but it does have a better sound. Other than the sound, it played exactly like the M1: long and straight. The REAX shaft felt a little weaker than the True Temper shaft and it flew a little higher but nothing else I could pick up.

noahdavis_7

Finally got out to the range after getting these bad boys in on Friday. My first impression of them is that they look really sharp. The graphics and design really stand out and really give these clubs a cool, modern look.

They were both a little to big IMO, as I am currently bagging Mizuno MP-68s. The M2 isa definite “game improvement iron”, while the M1 was similar in size and shape to my previous irons, Titleist AP1s.

They both really launch it, high and far. Ridiculous for 7 irons. I don’t have access to a launch monitor, but it was about a 20-yard difference between my gamer 7 iron and these (stronger lofts, as well).

The M1 definitely was more suited for my eye, and produced more consistent ball flights. It felt much more smooth and solid as the M2 had a clicky, cheap feel.

The M2 just isn’t for me. I felt like it was launching too high and ballooning, which could be due to the shaft (the M1 had the S300, while the M2 just had a stock “Reax” shaft).  The feel off the face of the M2 just turned me off, to be honest.

While I don’t think I’ll be putting either model in play, I can definitely see the appeal for mid-to-high handicaps. Both irons were super forgiving, and they should be a dream to the average weekend golfer who has trouble with ball striking consistently.

golfnut5438

Looks: As expected, I preferred the M1 with less offset, slightly smaller sole and a smoother finish. Less glare looking down on the iron. I must say the M2 did not look as bulky, or have as much offset as I thought it might have.

Feel: This was a close race, probably due to the shafts as much as the heads. The M1 was just a slight bit smoother feeling on solid shots. But the M2 was not bad at all, just not quite as smooth.

Distance and performance: Our range has a slight incline up the length of the range, so specific yardage gains or losses were difficult to measure. Both irons had a higher trajectory than my gamer 7 iron. Neither sole dug onto the turf either. The lofts for both irons are a degree or two stronger than mine, so I would think they probably flew a little further than my gamers. Neither iron flew “too” high, however. Might be a little harder to hit knock down shots, though.

Final thoughts: I had hit both the M1 and M2 irons last year during a fitting day, but did not like either. This year’s model were both better in my eyes. I asked a fellow member at our club to hit both and he felt the M1 was his preferred model, and he is a 20-index player. So coming from both a single digit, and a high double-digit, the M1 won this battle of wills. I will try and see if I can locate both a 5 iron and 9 iron to see if a full set might be a winner for me.

I was surprised that the M2 was the winner in this brief session. It felt better, flew higher, easier to hit and about 1/2 club longer that my gamer Apex CF16. The feel/sound was better than I thought it might be, but really not up to the CF16. I could, however, easily game the M2’s.

Feel: I hit the M2 first, and found it to be very solid when hit on the screws. There was almost no feel off the club face at all. When I mishit it, you knew it was, but it wasn’t harsh at all. Hit the M1 next, and same type of feel when hit solid. Much more harsh when mishit though, but I knew that was coming.

Distance and performance: This is was where I was curious to see how they would play. The M2 went out high in the air, and just kept going forever. Now granted my eyesight isn’t that great anymore, but it looked like I got about 10-15 yards more from the M2 compared to my Wilson D300. The only thing I didn’t like about the M2 was how much I was able to turn it over. Got a lot more hook compared to my D300. Don’t know if that was from the REAX shaft, but would love to find a less spinning shaft to correct that.

The M1 wasn’t a great performer for me. Same height as the M2, but much straighter off the club face. Didn’t get any great distance advantage as compared to my D300.  Can’t game a player’s iron anymore, and testing this one just reaffirmed that.

Final thoughts: Was very happy with the distance I gained with the M2 compared to my current gamer. Very good-performing iron for me, and something I would definitely consider changing them out if I could reduce the spin off the face. If you’re looking for more distance, you need to try these out.  The M1 just wasn’t for me, but as a player’s iron, I can see it as a great option.

Like the other testers, I found the M2 to launch the ball much higher and is 10-to-15 yards longer than my Adams XTD forged 7 iron. Of the two 7 irons I prefer the M1. I like the design of the M1 and its visual appearance at address. I feel more confident in trying to work the ball with the M1. The M1 gave me more feedback as to where the club head was in relation to my swing plane. If I had my druthers I would put the M1 in the bag as it stands now. Will continue to test, what a treat to compare the two irons.

Once I started making solid contact with a decent shoulder turn, the M2 really came alive in my hands. Towering flat height, for me, and very long. No more clacky hollow feel, just a very mild pleasant sensation… then zoom. Once I started making better swings, back to the M1, which was a very nice iron. Shorter than the M2 (though not short) and a little lower ball flight. Felt nice and substantial without being heavy. Very forgiving on slight mishits.

But the M2 was the star for me. High trajectory and very long. Club felt lively and fun. Frankly, unless a player wanted a lower trajectory, or likes to hit a lot of knock downs or feel shots, I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t choose the M2. They are very attractive and a very fun iron. I think folks who say that the M2 feels and/or sounds clicky, clacky or hollow may be mishitting the iron toward the toe. I am not judging — I mishit a lot of shots at first. I agree on toe mishits the iron did not feel great. It almost felt like plastic. The ball still flew pretty well, but it wasn’t a very enjoyable experience. Not painful, just felt very dead. But when hit nearer the center, the iron felt fantastic. Light, springy and very lively. 

They are both good-looking clubs. Not too long heel to toe and toplines were not that distracting. M1 is more what I like to see shape wise, but M2 was not bad at all. Personally, not a fan of seeing the face slots. But I could see how some people may like how they frame the ball. 

– Has a very odd sound on contact, almost sounds a tad like a fairway wood “ting. Not a fan – Looks very good at address with the brushed finish – Most shots I hit with it seemed to fall out of the sky (very likely a lack of spin). Ball flight was much lower than I would have expected (not super low, just not much different than my 7 iron) – Inconsistent misses. Next to no distance gains vs RocketBladez Tour 7 iron

– Doesn’t look as good at address as the M1. Chrome finish at address is  not  an issue in even direct sunlight for me – Feels and sounds quite nice to my ears at impact. Not a classic sound but very good considering what type of club it is – Ball flight is very strong (comes off hot). Ball stays high in the air for awhile. Very high and lands soft – 10-12 yards longer on average vs my 7 iron, it even had the horsepower to hang with my 6 iron – VERY forgiving on thin strikes. Couldn’t believe how a near-top still traveled to nearly the front edge in the air and still went as far as the M1 did on a good strike – Shaft is too light

Even though I’m a 2-handicap and don’t fit the M2 “mold,” I could see myself playing this club from 4-6 iron (although gapping would be a major issue mixing these with almost anything else) if it had a heavier shaft in it (I can only imagine how far this 4 iron must go… yikes)

M1 = 2.5/5 stars M2 = 4.5/5 stars

Visual first impressions:  The M1 7-iron is visually appealing to me as far as the finish and overall look. Even though it is classified as a player’s iron, it doesn’t seem so tiny that it would be tough to hit. I am not a huge fan of the bright-yellow badging, but I probably could get over it. The iron inspires confidence with its topline and a little bit of offset. The “rubber” piece on the hosel is a little bit funky to me.

I thought the M2 7-iron would look clunkier than it really is. Besides the finish being a little bit different, the difference between the M1 and M2 is actually pretty small. The M2’s topline and sole are a touch wider, but not by much. Not a huge fan of the fluted hosel since it can be seen at address. The M1’s fluting is only on the rear of the club.

I did notice that the sole’s finish did scratch pretty easily. Overall, I thought the M1 and M2 are pretty good looking, but I would definitely give the edge to the M1. I also preferred the stock Lamkin grip on the M1 vs. the ribbed M2 grip.

On course action:  They both feel solid. I tried hitting both irons in all different types of on-course situations over a two week period. Both clubs launch the ball high but I would not say they balloon. For me, the M2 was about 10 yards longer and higher than the M1. Compared to my Cleveland irons, they are 1 to 1.5 clubs longer.

M1 loft = 30.5 M2 loft = 28.5 Cleveland TA7 loft = 33.5

I know this accounts for the distance gain but the ball definitely comes off hot compared to my set. I was hoping I would hit the M1 better since I like the appearance better, but that was not the case. The M2 definitely felt better for me and I felt more confident with it in my hands.

Discussion: Read all 75 reviews and the responses in our Testing Thread

Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters

John Daly stuns fans into silence with brutal opening tee shot on PGA Tour Champions

Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why

Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you

Scottie Scheffler WITB 2024 (March)

Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters

Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters

2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33

Neal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway

Paulina Gretzky opens up on receiving death threats following DJ’s move to LIV Golf

Collin Morikawa WITB 2024 (April)

Collin Morikawa what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. More photos from the event here.  Driver: TaylorMade...

WITB Time Machine: Jordan Spieth’s winning WITB, 2022 RBC Heritage

At the 2022 RBC Heritage Jordan Spieth defeated Patrick Cantlay on the first playoff hole after nearly holing his greenside...

Jason Day WITB 2024 (April)

Jason Day what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage.  Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees @10) Shaft: TPT...

Ludvig Åberg WITB 2024 (April)

Ludvig Åberg what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage.  Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, D4 SureFit setting)...

Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour

Addiction, spinal fusion, and scam artists – Everything Anthony Kim revealed in candid interview with David Feherty

Wilson Staff FG Tour

• Sign up to Golf Monthly Newsletter Newsletter

At address, the Wilson Staff FG Tour irons offer a fantastic blend of being small enough to feel that you can control flight and shape, while also offering confidence-inspiring size and forgiveness. Best of all however, is the feel. A well-struck shot feels just as silky smooth with these as with any of the more expensive forged options currently on the market.

Why you can trust Golf Monthly Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

The Wilson Staff FG Tour irons have been forged from soft carbon steel to offer a more responsive feel. The wider sole and cavity back lowers the centre of gravity to help improve ball striking. The classic design is based on the famous F17 iron model created by Bob Mandrella.

These irons should suit golfers who prefer the feel of a forged club, want a Tour iron that also offers forgiveness, and like a classic-looking design.

Pictures : View pictures of the Wilson Staff FG Tour irons

More Wilson : A review of the Wilson Staff Smooth driver

More irons : More iron reviews

If you decide to buy one of these fantastic Wilson golf clubs, first look at one of our Wilson coupon codes . 

Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter

Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf. 

Throughout his time with the brand he has also covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points. 

Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSR2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons: PING Blueprint S (4&5), PING Blueprint T (6-PW) Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X

A familiar face is back on Hovland's team as the Norwegian looks to rediscover form

By Andrew Wright Published 15 May 24

After turning heads at the Masters in April, Malbon have revealed the clothing Jason Day will be wearing at the second men's Major of 2024

By Matt Cradock Published 15 May 24

The American is relishing the chance to once again test himself against the best players in the world on the biggest stage

• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Accessibility statement
• Cookies policy
• Advertise with us

Golf Monthly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

REVIEW: Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 utility iron

Call me crazy, but for the longest time, I've wanted to have a 2-iron in my bag.

Maybe it was the pre-teen in me that idolized Tiger Woods ' perfect stinger.

I also love playing with old equipment -- I once gamed a bag from 1969 for half of a summer, for crying out loud -- so putting a modern version of a club disappearing from bags in favor of hybrids fits my psyche.

What I know for sure is that I'm not really a hybrid guy. They work, they're great, and I like them well enough. But I love swinging an iron. So I wanted something stronger than a 3-iron that I could put out there some 250 yards, practically at will, so I could manage my game around the course.

When I met with Wilson Golf at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, I saw what I wanted. The Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 utility iron appealed to me right away. It looks like an iron, but it has the extra mass behind it like a hybrid (and more mass behind it than an old-fashioned 1-iron). I took a couple of swings with the 18-degree model.

The utility iron has tungsten weighting in the toe for forgiveness and to help a player get back to square. A sole weight moves down the center of gravity compared to a regular, ole 2-iron. The 455 Carpenter steel face is thinned out to deliver maximum distance.

The Wilson folks were gracious enough to send one to me so I could put it in the bag for my annual golf trip to Orlando in February.

The verdict? I like it a lot. The sound from the hollow head is different than a traditional iron, and it doesn't have the potential metalwood-like sound of hybrids. It's somewhere in between and a little hard to describe. There's definite feedback on each shot, even though the face is fairly forgiving.

I've played six rounds with the FG Tour V4 2-iron, and I've yet to miss a fairway with it. It took maybe 10 swings to get used to the weighting, both of the head and the stock Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Black 90 graphite shaft, but it's very easy to hit. I can hit it with a couple of different ball flights, going either with a mid-height shot that will run a little or my usual higher ball flight that can still roll but not as much. Either way, the club goes about 240-250 yards for me off the tee. On a 400-yard tight par 4, that's all I want in life. Give me an 8-iron into the green.

I'm also becoming more comfortable hitting the 2-iron from the fairway, particularly on par 5s. Until the last year or so, I've never been much of a fairway-wood-from-the-fairway player, so I've used hybrids and long irons to advance the ball. Sometimes, I need a little extra than what the 3-iron or 3-hybrid could give me. This 2-iron can get me that 250-yard shot on occasion that makes a 550-yard hole reachable without that big of a sweat. I'm still working out how to hit shots with the same flighting as off the tee, but, by late Spring, it's going to be a huge part of my bag.

I realized that a 2-iron isn't for everyone. In fact, I'm running into a burning building while everyone is fleeing toward the safety of hybrids -- which, by the way, are starting to look more like utility irons in some cases. But, if you want to try something a little different and have a reliable club that can put you in the fairway time and again, the Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 utility iron may be for you. They're available for $180 each.

About the author

Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is currently a +2.6 USGA handicap, and he has covered dozens of major championships and professional golf tournaments. He likes writing about golf and making it more accessible by answering the complex questions fans have about the pro game or who want to understand how to play golf better.

Ryan talks about golf on various social platforms:

X or Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryanballengee Facebook: https://facebook.com/ryanballengeegolf Instagram: https://instagram.com/ryanballengee YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ryanballengeegolf

Ballengee can be reached by email at ryan[at]thegolfnewsnet.com

Ryan occasionally links to merchants of his choosing, and GNN may earn a commission from sales generated by those links. See more in GNN's affiliate disclosure.

Review: Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 Utility Iron

On the course it definitely plays more like an iron, than a wood.  I could hit it much easier out of the rough than a typical hybrid.  Off the tee it was about the same and off the fairway it was a club that you can go after and take a divot like you would an iron.  You can compress it rather than sweep it. There are 2 main difference between the Wilson FG Tour V4 utility iron and a wood style hybrid.  This has much less draw bias compared to most hybrids.  That is always the knock on hybrids is their tendency to hit draws.  The other biggest difference I found was the consistency of distance.  Typically my hybrid hits in a range of yardage, 200 – 215 even at times squeezing out 225.  But the Wilson FG Tour V4 utility iron almost always hits the same 200-205 yardage.  The distance circle was much tighter.

FlightScope Xi Tour Launch Monitor

Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 Utility Iron

• Spin: 5241 rpms
• Launch Angle: 14.3*
• Dispersion: 4.4 yds
• Club Head Speed: 93.2 mph
• Ball Speed: 132.3 mph
• Total Distance:  205.1 yds
• Carry Distance:  199.9 yds

If you aren’t a fan of wood style hybrids, check out the Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 Utility iron for its non-draw bias, easy to hit, consistent distance and iron looks.  You can put any one of the three different irons replacement utility irons in your bag for great results, excellent feel and the look that appeals to your eye.

For more information:  www.wilson.com/en-us/golf Quick Hits: +Iron Looks +Non-draw bias +Consistent distance +More forgiving than regular iron +Super solid feel –Not much extra distance to squeeze out of it

About Us   Submit Your Product Contact

Full Disclosure Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions

© 2024 Independent Golf Reviews

Advertisement

Wilson staff fg tour v4 irons, share this article.

Forged from 8620 carbon steel for soft feel, the Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 irons have a head size, blade length, offset and topline that are nearly identical to the FG Tour V2 irons that came out three years ago.

The biggest difference between the two sets is the incorporation of 18 grams of tungsten in the sole of the FG Tour V4’s 3- through 7-iron. The heavier metal lowers the center of gravity in the clubs that many better players want to hit higher.

“Players have told us that they want to make the ball stop faster, but we really don’t want to do that with spin, because that can make the ball balloon,” said Michael Vrska, Wilson Golf’s director of research and development. “The other thing you can do is make the ball come down on a steeper angle. The tungsten allowed us to increase the launch angle without increasing spin.”

Wilson said the combination of a higher launch angle and no increased spin yields a few extra yards of distance, but shots come down more vertically and should stop faster on the green.

Wilson also made the face of the FG Tour V4 irons 11 percent thinner outside the hitting area, which allowed designers to shift weight to the heel and toe. The moment of inertia is 3 percent higher than the previous model’s, which should make the FG Tour V4 irons more stable. But these are definitely better players’ clubs, far from the most forgiving clubs Wilson makes.

“We’ve modernized the look a little bit,” Vrska said. “The V2 was a little bit sharp and hard-edged. The V4 is a little bit more round, but it’s still a Wilson-looking iron. We did some work on the sole based on feedback form the PGA Tour. Kevin Streelman has been grinding his V2’s in a certain way for a while, and the V4s are pretty close to his clubs, right out of the box.”

Because these clubs are designed for better players, the lofts are very traditional. The standard set includes 4-iron (24 degrees) through gap wedge (51 degrees).

When they arrive in stores Jan. 15, 2015, the Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 irons will come standard with True Temper Dynamic Gold DG Pro steel shafts for $899.99.

Get the latest British Open leaderboard updates, news, and more.

Most Popular

Scottie scheffler facing four charges – including a felony – after being arrested at 2024 pga championship, follow tiger woods on friday at 2024 pga championship with shot-by-shot live updates from valhalla, in pictures: rory mcilroy and wife erica stoll, lynch: scottie scheffler got cuffed, but golf world's reaction was even more embarrassing, live updates from scottie scheffler's round at 2024 pga championship, 2024 pga championship second round delayed due to fatal accident near valhalla golf club friday morning, shot-by-shot analysis: tiger woods shoots 1-over 72 thursday at 2024 pga championship at valhalla.

• Remember me Not recommended on shared computers

Forgot your password?

Review of Wilson FG Tour V4 Irons

By tball88 February 10, 2015 in Equipment

• Reply to this topic
• Start new topic

Recommended Posts

I looked all over the web for reviews of these irons after getting feedback from a good friend, that they were very solid. He tried them at the PGA merchandise show in Orlando and loved them.

So, I have been sporting Ping I20's for the last three years, and really liked them, but was looking for a change. Went to the PGA Superstore expecting to come away with either Titleist AP2's1/s, Pings, or Mizzy's.

I really liked the AP1's, but couldn't get over the 44 degree loft of the pw, figured I'd need to buy three gap wedges. AP'2's, I loved the wedge -6, but struggedl with teh 5 and four.

Loved the feel of the Mizuo MP 3, but figured they may be a bit much bat for 4 index.

Anyway, based on my friends advice, I tried the Wilson's, and absolutely loved them.

Will try to be as objective as possible, so will give my pros' and con's.

One of the softest forgings on the market, feel like absolute butter

Standard lofts, if you like traditional lost, pw is 47, and moves in 4 defree loft patterns.

Very easy to hit as far as forged goes, longer irons are easier to get high than most forged irons

Very easy to keep your shorter irons low

Very easy on the eyes, good look at setup.

Standard lofts? If you're looking to hit your pw 160, these aren't the clubs for you, try the ap1's

Maybe be a bit too much of a club for those above a 10 handicap.

Forged, and am a little worried about club chatter, I'm getting iron covers, definitely can ding easier than my old Pings.

Overall, i have never played Wilson's, but was very impressed with this offering, if you're looking for a new set in 2015, I'd put these on the list. The pro helping me wouldn't have brought them over unless I asked about them. Seems they primarily push the major oem brands.

Hope some find this helpful, if you are looking for new irons this year.

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

• Created 9 yr
• Last Reply 3 yr

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

tball88 1 post

Break81 1 post

TJC85 1 post

deetsal 1 post

Feb 10 2015

Feb 11 2015

They look nice. I have the FG V2 and I love them, they match all of your pro's re the V4 particularly regarding how forgiving they are I also find them to be long, not burner long or cally xhot long but for a club with such standard lofts they match my expectations. Regarding the issue of dinks and chatter I have always played mizzy and often used covers but I haven't with these and I'm finding that they are holding up very well cosmetically. No dinks at all, nor any chatter that I've notices. They still look pretty pristine after 6 months of autumn and winter golf. Having played literally dozens of different set over the past few years I can genuinely say; these are going nowhere.

Mizuno ST-X 220 10.5 Aldila Ascent Stiff

Mizuno ST230 16*  UST LINQ

Mizuno JPX Fli_HI #4 20* UST Recoil F3

Mizuno JPX Fli_HI #5 22.5* UST Recoil F3

Mizuno MP 5 5- PW TTDG 95 stiff

Mizuno T22 50 KBS $ Taper Lite Mizuno T22 56 KBS $ Taper Lite Mizuno M Craft OMOI #1

Love my V2s!!

I moved away from my V2s (the ho in me) and had to go back. Feels like home. I've never hit a nicer feeling, more forgiving set. And that's coming from mp-h4s! Tempted to try the new v4s but can't imagine improvement.

I tried the M3 for the 1st time recently and was pleasantly surprised. Very underrated and overlooked brand these days.

V2s were great. V1s were great. No surprise here. Incredibly underrated clubs. V1 for me felt better but the v2 played better. V4 best of both? Hope so.

Ping G430 10k - 9* - Ventus TR Black 6x

Callaway Apex UW - 19* - Ventus Black 7x

PXG 0311P Gen6 - 5i-GW - DG x100

Vokey SM9 - 52.12F, 56.14F - DG x100ss

Vokey SM9 - 60.08M - KBS Hi-Rev 2.0

Callaway PM Grind 64 - KBS C-Taper 130x

My pic says it all!

Titleist 913 D3 8.5 Stiff Titleist 910 fd 15 Stiff Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 2 utility Wilson Staff FG Tour V2 3-PW Wilson Staff FG Tour wedges 56/60 Odyssey White Hot putter

Love my fg tour pre v2, v1? great clubs.

• 1 year later...

Thinking about picking up a set of these. Currently playing to a 9.5 index. I hit the demo 7 iron without any issue... still a little concerned if they are a little too much of a players club for me. I really hit the Z565 extremely well but the price tag is almost double what I can get the V4 for right now. Thoughts?

Cobra F7+ - Stiff Callaway V-Series 3 & 5 wood with Aldila Rouge Silver Srixon 585 5-AW - Modus 105 Stiff Ping Glide 2.0 Stealth 53 & 58 Degree EVNROLL ER5 Srixon XV - Yellow

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

×   Pasted as rich text.    Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.    Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.    Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

• Insert image from URL
• Submit Reply

Recently Browsing    0 members

• No registered users viewing this page.

2024 PGA Championship - Discussion and Links to Photos

GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment , Monday at 06:01 PM

2024 Wells Fargo Championship - Discussion and Links to Photos

GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment , May 6

2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson - Discussion and Links to Photos

GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment , April 29

2024 Zurich Classic - Discussion and Links to Photos

GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment , April 22

2024 RBC Heritage - Discussion and Links to Photos

GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment , April 15

Popular Now

By ABOsborn20 Started 3 hours ago

By TJ Hester 23 Started 6 hours ago

By Arlin964 Started 6 hours ago

By PureDivots Started Thursday at 04:32 PM

By MattyO1984 Started Monday at 10:15 AM

Welcome. Register Here.

Come on in, the water is fine...

Recent B/S/T

CCUgolfer23 · Started 10 minutes ago

tincup09 · Started 44 minutes ago

DaveTrom · Started 2 hours ago

tipperi · Started 2 hours ago

koiuh11 · Started 2 hours ago

GolfWRX_Spotted · Started December 5, 2023

• Existing user? Sign In

The Bag Room

• Tour & Pre-Release Equipment
• WRX Club Techs
• Golf Sims/GPS/RFs/Apps
• Golf Style and Accessories

The Club House

• General Golf Talk
• Classic Golf And Golfers
• Courses, Memberships and Travel
• Groups, Tourneys, and Partners Matching

WRX Academy

• Instruction & Academy
• Rules of Golf and Etiquette
• Swing Videos and Comments

Classifieds & ProShops

• Deal/No Deal

Website Help

• Forum Support
• BST AD Help Forum

My Activity Streams

• BST/Deal Activity
• All Activity
• Unread - No BST/19th
• Subscriptions

Classifieds

• For Sale Forum
• Wanted to Buy
• Mall of Pro Shops
• Where Did My Ad Go?
• Trade In Tool
• Create New...

• Account Login
• Order Status

• Customer Service

Featured Brands

• Bridgestone
• New Balance
• Sun Mountain
• Tour Striker
• Travis Mathew
• True Linkswear

View All Brands

• Fairway Woods
• Complete Sets
• Womens Clubs
• Junior Clubs

Featured Golf Clubs

• Callaway Epic Flash Driver
• Cleveland RTX-4 Wedges
• Tour Edge Exotics EXS Driver
• Dixon Earth

Shop by Type

Related categories.

• Personalized Golf Balls
• Golf Range Balls
• Limited Flight Practice Golf Balls
• Ladies Bags
• Junior Bags
• Travel Bags
• Golf Bag Rain Covers
• Golf Bag Accessories
• Golf Push Carts
• Electric Carts
• Push Cart Accessories
• Electric Push Cart Accessories
• Golf Cart Accessories

Golf Training Aids

• Impact Position
• Launch Monitors
• Swing Analysis
• Swing Plane
• Weight Transfer

Featured Training Aids

• DST Compressor
• Explanar Golf
• Eyeline Golf
• Impact Snap
• Orange Whip
• Perfect Putter
• Smart Stick
• Swing Glove
• Swing Jacket
• Swing Plane Perfector
• Tour Angle 144
• Golf Practice Equipment
• Golf Putting Greens
• Golf Hitting Mats
• Golf Hitting Nets
• Golf Launch Monitors
• Golf Simulators
• Voice Caddie

Featured GPS Systems

• Garmin Approach S60 Golf GPS Watch
• Bushnell Ion 2 GPS Watch
• Voice Caddie VC300 GPS
• Garmin Approach S20 GPS Watch
• SkyCaddie SX500 Golf GPS
• Garmin Approach G10 GPS
• Bushnell Phantom GPS
• Garmin Approach G80 GPS & Launch Monitor
• SkyCaddie Linx GT GPS Watch
• Golf Rangefinders
• Golf GPS Accessories
• Ian Poulter
• Loudmouth Golf
• Zero Restriction

Accessories

• Ball Retrievers
• Cart Accessories
• Cart Covers
• Club Storage
• Divot Tools
• Golf Club Accessories
• GPS Systems
• GPS Accessories
• Memorabilia
• Nutritional Bars
• Rangefinders
• Range Supplies
• Home > Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 Utility Iron

Shop With Confidence

• Free Shipping
• Price Matching
• 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
• Privacy & Security

Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 Utility Iron

• Price: $179.95
• Product Code: WIL15-FGTV4UI
• Manufacturer: Wilson Staff
• Availability: Discontinued
• Hand: Right Handed Left Handed
• Iron: 2 Iron (18*) 3 Iron (21*) 4 Iron (24*)
• Flex: Regular Stiff X-Stiff
• Shaft: MRC Kurokage Black 90
• Quantity in Basket: None
• Email your friend
• Free Shipping On Orders Over $75 (Continental United States Only)

Recent Products

Featured products.

2024 Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max Driver

2024 Sun Mountain C-130 Golf Cart Bag

Garmin R10 Golf Launch Monitor & Simulator

True Linkswear True OG Tour Golf Shoes - Black/White

Power angle pro - golf swing trainer.

My Mini Golf Professional Set - Miniature Golf Set

GPaint Golf Club Paint - 8 Pack (All 8 Colors)

Stewart Q Follow Electric Golf Push Cart - Carbon - w/ Free Accessories

2023 Odyssey White Hot Versa Seven Putter

Sure Putt Pro Golf Green Reader & Golf Putting Aid - Red Poker Chip

Rypstick Golf Swing Speed Training Aid

Garmin Approach S70 Golf GPS Watch - Black/47mm - Ceramic Bezel/Black Silicone Band

Company Info

• Privacy Policy
• Returns & Exchanges
• 1-888-733-8383
• [email protected]
• InTheHoleGolf.com
• P.O. Box 11471
• Jackson, WY 83002

• Moscow Tourism
• Moscow Hotels
• Moscow Bed and Breakfast
• Moscow Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Moscow
• Moscow Restaurants
• Things to Do in Moscow
• Moscow Travel Forum
• Moscow Photos
• All Moscow Hotels
• Moscow Hotel Deals
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

tour or driver to vladimir & suzdal - Moscow Forum

• Europe    
• Russia    
• Central Russia    
• Moscow    

tour or driver to vladimir & suzdal

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Central Russia forums
• Moscow forum

My husband and I will be in moscow and wanted to take a side trip..understand Vladimir & Suzdal is quite nice. Do you prefer that to Sergiev Posad? Do you know any agencies that provide group tours or private tours to Vladimir & Suzdal? I understand that Patriarshy Dom is not operating its group tour during this time. Please advise. Any information you have to share would be helpful.

Vladimir & Suzdal are close to each other. you can use vladimir as base and also visit suzdal.

I will give you some links ( sorry i am out on tour and can't do more research).

http://gotorussia.vand.ru/ ( this is a tour operator offering 1 day tour from moscow to Vladimir , Suzdal or both) there are also combo tours with sergiev Possad with any of the above towns.

In order to organize tours from Vladimir, there are 3 major sites where you will get infor about the tours operating from Vladimir, how to reach there etc.

1. http://www.tour.vladimir.ru

2. http://www.vladimir-city.ru ( official site)

3. http://www.museum.vladimir.ru ( my recommended site)

<< go to english version / select option "services" / tours & excursions

My sugestion would be to go to Vladimir by train from moscow in the evening, take rest and then join a full day tour of vladimir - suzdal and return at night or next day morning. The train takes 2-3 hrs. Details available at http://www.poezda.net ( in english) .You can even book online

Trains are clean and safe. Hotel Vladimir at Vladimir is ok. near the train station. you can find the contacts in google. ( book the tickets in advance.)

You can visit sergiev possad ( quite near to moscow) using the moscow based tour agency mentioned above. They offer day trips to Sergivev possad.

If you want to search the net further, go to http://www.yandex.ru ( russian website) and type in "vladimir tour" or "suzdal tour" in ENGLISH. This will give you many sites with english option

have a nice trip

will you consider a DIY trip?

from moscow to vladimir take a long-distance train or a suburban (electrichek) train from kursky station. there are several in the daytime/early evening. certain long-distance trains are faster and can arrive in 2 hours. suburbans take 3 hrs. probably less complicated to buy suburban ticket than one of a long-distance train (where you need passport, specify what type of seat, which train number...) and also cheaper

once in vladimir you can walk around for 1-2 hours or even have your dinner there. then take a bus (avtobus) at the bus station just up a slope from the train station. the bus runs every 30-60mins till late. i took the one around 8-9pm. and the evening buses go directly into city centre of suzdal. the trip is about 40-60mins

the tricky part is if you reserve your accomodation in suzdal with a guesthouse/B&B, it may not be easy to locate. the one i had booked did not have a sign hanging at the door. i walked around for about an hour and at last had to find a local to talk to my host over phone and then she kindly led me to the right wooden house

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

• travel to moscow May 04, 2024
• Planning trip to Russia Apr 28, 2024
• Train Booking Moscow to St. Peter Apr 24, 2024
• SIM card. Russian SIM cards, do they still work in the UK? Apr 09, 2024
• Union Pay debit card Mar 27, 2024
• Russian trying to book a hotel in Jerusalem Mar 14, 2024
• Dual Citizen Arrested in Russia Mar 12, 2024
• about clothes Feb 27, 2024
• NOTE - border crossing from Finland into Russia closed Feb 09, 2024
• Snow boots in Red Square Feb 04, 2024
• Travelling to Moscow & Murmansk with toddle in winter Feb 02, 2024
• Anyone traveling from London to Moscow this week ? Jan 27, 2024
• Booking accommodation Jan 11, 2024
• Traveling friends (Designers preferred) :) Jan 05, 2024
• Moscow to St Petersburg train or air?? 32 replies
• New Sapsan Express Train from Moscow to St Petersburg 18 replies
• New year's in moscow 8 replies
• Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour 5 replies
• How do you purchase Bolshoi Ballet tickets at a great price? 2 replies
• Select-a-room.com Are they legitimate? 3 replies
• Weather Moscow and St. petersburg in May 8 replies
• Night train to St Petersburg 3 replies
• ATM Access 12 replies
• Visa needed if on layover at Moscow Airport??????? 15 replies
• Where can I get initial answers to ANY question?

• Search Menu
• Browse content in Arts and Humanities
• Browse content in Architecture
• History of Architecture
• Browse content in Art
• History of Art
• Browse content in Classical Studies
• Classical Literature
• Religion in the Ancient World
• Browse content in History
• Colonialism and Imperialism
• Diplomatic History
• Environmental History
• Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
• Historical Geography
• History by Period
• History of Agriculture
• History of Gender and Sexuality
• Industrial History
• Intellectual History
• International History
• Legal and Constitutional History
• Local and Family History
• Maritime History
• Military History
• Political History
• Regional and National History
• Revolutions and Rebellions
• Slavery and Abolition of Slavery
• Social and Cultural History
• Theory, Methods, and Historiography
• Urban History
• World History
• Linguistics
• Browse content in Literature
• Literary Studies (European)
• Literary Studies (Romanticism)
• Literary Studies (American)
• Literary Studies - World
• Literary Studies (1500 to 1800)
• Literary Studies (19th Century)
• Literary Studies (20th Century onwards)
• Literary Studies (British and Irish)
• Literary Studies (Early and Medieval)
• Literary Studies (Fiction, Novelists, and Prose Writers)
• Literary Studies (Plays and Playwrights)
• Literary Studies (Poetry and Poets)
• Literary Studies (Postcolonial Literature)
• Literary Studies (Queer Studies)
• Literary Studies (War Literature)
• Literary Studies (Women's Writing)
• Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
• Shakespeare Studies and Criticism
• Media Studies
• Browse content in Music
• Applied Music
• Ethnomusicology
• Music Cultures
• Music and Media
• Music Theory and Analysis
• Musical Scores, Lyrics, and Libretti
• Musical Structures, Styles, and Techniques
• Musicology and Music History
• Performance Practice and Studies
• Race and Ethnicity in Music
• Browse content in Performing Arts
• Browse content in Philosophy
• Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art
• Epistemology
• History of Western Philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Moral Philosophy
• Philosophy of Science
• Philosophy of Law
• Philosophy of Religion
• Philosophy of Language
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
• Social and Political Philosophy
• Browse content in Religion
• Biblical Studies
• Christianity
• History of Religion
• Judaism and Jewish Studies
• Qumran Studies
• Religion and Politics
• Religion and Art, Literature, and Music
• Religious Studies
• Browse content in Society and Culture
• Cultural Studies
• Technology and Society
• Browse content in Law
• Company and Commercial Law
• Browse content in Comparative Law
• Systems of Law
• Browse content in Constitutional and Administrative Law
• Government Powers
• Local Government Law
• Criminal Law
• Employment and Labour Law
• Environment and Energy Law
• History of Law
• Human Rights and Immigration
• Intellectual Property Law
• Browse content in International Law
• Public International Law
• Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law
• Law and Politics
• Law and Society
• Browse content in Legal System and Practice
• Legal Skills and Practice
• Medical and Healthcare Law
• Browse content in Policing
• Police Regional Planning
• Property Law
• Browse content in Medicine and Health
• History of Medicine
• Browse content in Public Health and Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Browse content in Science and Mathematics
• Browse content in Biological Sciences
• Microbiology
• Zoology and Animal Sciences
• Browse content in Earth Sciences and Geography
• Palaeontology
• Environmental Science
• History of Science and Technology
• Browse content in Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Evolutionary Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Browse content in Social Sciences
• Browse content in Anthropology
• Theory and Practice of Anthropology
• Browse content in Business and Management
• Business History
• Business Ethics
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Browse content in Economics
• Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resource Economics
• Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
• Economic Systems
• Economic History
• Economic Development and Growth
• Financial Markets
• History of Economic Thought
• International Economics
• Labour and Demographic Economics
• Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
• Microeconomics
• Public Economics
• Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
• Browse content in Environment
• Climate Change
• Conservation of the Environment (Social Science)
• Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Social Science)
• Browse content in Politics
• African Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Conflict Politics
• Environmental Politics
• International Relations
• Middle Eastern Politics
• Political Theory
• Political Economy
• Politics and Law
• Public Policy
• Russian Politics
• UK Politics
• US Politics
• Browse content in Regional and Area Studies
• African Studies
• Asian Studies
• Native American Studies
• Browse content in Sociology
• Childhood Studies
• Economic Sociology
• Health, Illness, and Medicine
• Migration Studies
• Organizations
• Race and Ethnicity
• Social Theory
• Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
• Sociology of Religion
• Sociology of Education
• Urban and Rural Studies
• Reviews and Awards
• Journals on Oxford Academic
• Books on Oxford Academic

• < Previous chapter
• Next chapter >

8 Zelenograd, the Soviet Silicon Valley, 1962–1965

• Published: October 2005
• Cite Icon Cite
• Permissions Icon Permissions

This chapter focuses on the construction of Zelenograd, the Soviet Silicon Valley, during the period from 1962–1965. The chapter reveals that Khrushchev signed the postanovlenie, or official decree, on August 8, 1962, authorizing the establishment of a center of microelectronics, to be called the “Scientific Center,” near Kryukovo railroad station. The satellite city was officially named Zelenograd (Green City) on January 15, 1963, by a decree of the Moscow Executive Committee. The first planned city in the Soviet Union, it was designed to accommodate approximately 65,000 people. Its designers had been influenced by the British New Town movement. Unlike in other Soviet industrial centers, where apartment buildings were often built adjacent to belching industrial smokestacks, living areas and factories were located in separate areas. Located 25 miles north of the Kremlin, Zelenograd was declared a part of Moscow.

Signed in as

Institutional accounts.

• Google Scholar Indexing
• GoogleCrawler [DO NOT DELETE]

Personal account

• Sign in with email/username & password
• Get email alerts
• Save searches
• Purchase content
• Activate your purchase/trial code
• Add your ORCID iD

Institutional access

Sign in with a library card.

• Sign in with username/password
• Recommend to your librarian
• Institutional account management
• Get help with access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Sign in through your institution

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

• Click Sign in through your institution.
• Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
• When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
• Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:

• Click Sign in through society site.
• When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

• View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
• View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.

• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Rights and permissions
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.