Earlier this year Wilson announced the return of its Dynapower line, which was first introduced in the 1950s, serving as a reminder of the legacy of a company which has won more major titles than any other brand in golf.
The Dynapower irons were first launched in 1956, and over the next couple of decades ran into double figures for major victories, as well as being the first iron to be hit on the moon by Astronaut Alan Shepard in 1971.
The new model, the first Dynapower iron for 50 years, now sees AI used to help produce new levels of distance and forgiveness in a Wilson iron.
The Tech
The irons utilise Wilson's AI supercomputer to analyse thousands of combinations of face thickness and power hole locations, to produce the most optimal combination.
As a result, ball speeds are maximised across the face, with a focus from the centre to the toe, as that provides maximum distance and forgiveness. Wilson say that 65% of shots are struck in this area by 10+ handicap golfers.
The irons feature a high MOI head design to provide more forgiveness on off-centre strikes, as well as a low centre of gravity for higher launch and steeper descent angles.
Wilson says that the irons have a perfect balance of a pleasing top line shape, optimal offset and a smooth hosel to help deliver a powerful and confidence-inspiring look at address.
The Dynapower Irons are available from 4-PW with the option of adding a matching GW and SW, which might be useful because it'll help to keep consistent gapping despite the stronger loft.
For example, the PW comes in at 42° with the GW at 47°. So if you just bought a set that went up to PW and then your existing GW is more like 52° you could end up with a 10° difference in lofts between your wedges, which is too big.
Price-wise, Wilson are always very competitive and the Dynapower irons are no different, with an RRP of £700 for an 7-piece set coming in a couple of hundred quid cheaper than the likes of TaylorMade and Callaway for a similar category of iron.
Wilson Dynapower Irons Review
Looks and Feel
The Dynapower irons give you everything you'd expect looks-wise from a Wilson game-improvement iron, and they're probably a little smarter than the previous D9 irons thanks to the new black and red colourway.
When I tested the Dynapower Driver earlier in the year I was impressed with the smart design and this has continued throughout the range.
Whilst the look on the back of the head may have changed slightly, at address and in terms of head size it's pretty much what we've come to expect from Wilson over the last few years.
The power holes are still there on the sole, and actually come on every iron in the line-up until you get down to the wedges. As I have said in previous Wilson iron reviews these will be down to personal preference but they don't really bother me, as they're a good reminder that the technology is there to help you out.
There's a generous blade length and topline, and as you move into the longer irons you can start to see a bit of the clubhead poking out at the back, with a bit of offset too which could help those golfers who struggle with a slice.
These irons are big and chunky and the loud whack at impact matches the profile pretty nicely - you definitely know about it when you've hit these irons.
It's not a soft feel but in a way that adds to the overall package, they feel fast and hard off the face which might be a good thing to those golfers who want to gain a little more speed and distance, and it gives you the feeling that you've hit the ball well even if you don't always do it.
Performance
Wilson promise that these irons provide you with both distance and forgiveness and that's exactly what I saw - they're among the easiest-to-hit irons that I have tested and I really felt like it was effortless to get the ball into the air with plenty of power.
They really fire off the face with a powerful sound and feel and this equates to lots of distance, as you may expect considering the strength of the lofts (the 7 iron is 27°).
I headed down to Hukd Golf in North Manchester to test these irons using the Foresight Quad, and I'd say I saw some mixed results in the data.
It was in the mid-irons where the Dynapower really excelled, as shown by an average carry distance of 173 yards with the 7 iron which is more than a club longer than my current irons.
I also found that the consistency of the irons was brilliant too, with the difference in carry between my shortest and longest shot just 6 yards and pretty consistent spin rates and peak heights too.
The short irons looked chunky and rounded by the ball and flew high and straight, although I found it a bit difficult to hit half-shots or knock-downs - but then that's not really what these irons are for.
The biggest issue I found was with the 5 iron, where I had plenty of ball speed but I actually struggled for distance because of the strong loft and low spin. I was only able to average 188 yards carry - just 15 yards more than the 7 iron - because the spin was down towards 3000rpm and the ball just seemed to be dropping out of the air.
If you're a higher handicapper who struggles with ball-striking then the 5 iron is definitely easy to hit, but I think this just demonstrates the potential dangers of continuing to lower lofts and spin rates to try and gain golfers more distance.
Wilson Dynapower Irons Verdict
I think Wilson make some of the best game-improvement irons in golf but I have to be honest and say that this felt more like a refresh of the D9 rather than any revolutionary new technology.
I don't think they're a massive improvement on the D9 irons and I found that the strong lofts and extremely low spin actually caused some problems at the top end of the bag.
They're very easy to hit though and if you give the 7 iron to someone who struggles with ball-striking or has been using a more compact iron, then they're clearly going to see big distance gains.
It's also a great story and pretty clever from Wilson to invoke the memory of a successful iron range from 50 years ago, reminding everyone of just how big the brand has been in the past.
Who Are They Aimed At?
These are aimed at high-handicappers who need help with their ball-striking, as they are built around forgiveness with chunky soles and an easy launch. You're likely to see an increase in distance from your previous iron set and they're also pretty good value for money too compared to some of the other major manufacturers.
Would I Use Them?
They're not for me, but I'd happily recommend them to any of my friends who are getting into the game or need a little more help with consistency in their iron play.
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