Wilson Staff Launch Pad Driver Review

Wilson Staff’s new Launch Pad driver is designed for players who need more forgiveness and assistance with fighting a slice off the tee. While this is a common byline for competing drivers in the game-improvement category, the Launch Pad driver offers a fresh look and impressive stock options.

Wilson Staff Launch Pad driver.

Background and Technology

It’s a tale as old as time: amateur golfers fighting a slice with their driver. We’ve all battled it before, and the dreaded banana slice off the tee has sent many players to the parking lot, slamming their car trunks in frustration.

Wilson Staff addresses this problem head-on with the design of their new Launch Pad woods. The tools of the trade are there in the design:

• A slight offset in the hosel to allow for just a bit more time to square the clubface

• Extra weighting in the heel of the club to promote the shutting of the face

• An upright lie angle to encourage impact away from the heel

Combined with a super-light clubhead (272 grams) and science that promotes higher launch angles, players who struggle with their driver will find solace in a club anybody can hit well. Wilson makes a great move by stocking each Launch Pad driver with the new UST-Mamiya Helium Series, and the Wilson Staff MicroLite Lamkin grip, which maintains the traditional feel in a super lightweight construction.

Wilson Staff Launch Pad driver sole.

Appearance and Feel

Out of the box — or off the rack — the Wilson Staff Launch Pad driver looks fantastic. The white/grey/black color scheme is extremely attractive and, dare I say, a step in the right direction for a brand that has relied heavily on their brand colors in the past. The Launch Pad looks like a player’s club despite the obvious demographic to which it will be marketed.

At address, the crown of the club has minimal markings and alignment aids and no distracting graphics, which is a plus. Being a draw-biased design, the Launch Pad sits slightly closed when framing your golf ball. The UST-Mamiya shaft blends nicely into the clubhead, matching the overall aesthetic of the design nicely.

UST Mamiya Helium Black driver shaft.

Before I get into the performance of the club, it’s only fair to state that I likely was not the demographic in mind when they were designing the Launch Pad. I don’t fight a slice — in fact, I fight a hook — so my initial test of the driver included a healthy dose of holding off the club face at impact.

That stated, the Launch Pad driver absolutely promotes a draw bias on your drives. The first few balls hit had a “healthy” amount of draw-spin, landing well left of my intended target line. When I finally dialed back a bit and focused more on club face control, I found the Launch Pad’s metrics to be average.

Distance was slightly less than my gamer to the tune of 10 yards on average. This isn’t a massive difference, of course, but a consideration when attempting to carry a bunker or hazard. Spin rates were a tad higher than I would want, but my golf ball didn’t balloon up into the air as I may have feared going into the test. Launch was definitely higher than what I’m used to, which could account for the difference in total distance.

The Wilson Staff Launch Pad was also very consistent in terms of dispersion. Drives favored the left side for me, with most staying within 11 yards of each other. I had my best results when slowing down my swing slightly and focusing on just putting it out there, allowing the club’s tech to do the work. This lowered ball speed, of course, but most golfers will be happy to sacrifice a few yards to stay on the fairway.

I’m confident that with more quality time spent with the Launch Pad driver, those last few yards could be recouped easily.

Overall Impression

While not the most exciting driver release this season, the Wilson Staff Launch Pad will definitely help a wide range of golfers. In a market that preaches the sexiness of distance and speed, accuracy and forgiveness is paramount with Wilson’s latest offering.

Wilson Staff Launch Pad driver crown.

The Wilson Staff Launch Pad driver hits retail at $299.99 and becomes available on January 13, 2020. For more information visit Wilson’s website here.