Wilson Staff 8802
GolfMagic joins 10 testers at Horsley Lodge Golf Club in Derby to test some of the best new blades
Brand: Wilson
Putter: 8802
Design: Blade
RRP: £129
Loft: 3-degree Lie: 71-degree
Head Weight: 335g
Available lengths: 35"
Summary: The new Wilson Staff 8802 putter continues the heritage of the original Wilson Staff milled putter that won multiple major championships in the hands of some of the best putters in history. With the same elegant, heel-shafted head shape, the new 8802 model is milled from 304 stainless steel for the ultimate in precision and feel with a double-milled facing for a flat surface that delivers a true roll on the green.
Looks: Not for our younger testers but the traditionalists who remembered the former 8802 shape and styling were in awe. Testers agreed you're either a fan of the elegant, heel-shafted head shape or not. Putter comes with the same head shape of the original but has also been updated with a head weight of 335g to match the demands of modern greens and ball construction. Comes with a lovely head and white putter headcover that looks great in the bag. 3.6 (out of 5)
Feel: Not the best sounding putter in the test, but it proved solid enough across the board and testers agreed it was nicely weighted. The majority of our testers felt the ball was rolling consistently but five testers felt it was a little harder off the face than other putters in the test. Majority of testers highlighted the comfort of the new Lamkin 3GEN smooth Pistol grip. 6.8 (out of 10)
Performance: Divided opinion with only half of the testers saying the head shape was easy to keep square through the ball. A few testers struggled with distance control, particularly on the 15-foot putts, citing the ball was popping off the face a little too hot and burning the edge of the cup on many occasion. 6.8 (out of 10)
Verdict: A re-designed putter that will send a shiver down the spines of Wilson 8802 fans from yesteryear. Not for all of our testers, however, with our elders scoring it higher than our juniors. Nevertheless, a decent overall score and decent value for money at £129 if you're a fan of this type of elegant, heel-shafted shape. 17.2 (out of 25)
Results: 92 putts holed (out of 180)
| Tester | Name | Handicap | 3-feet | 6-feet | 15-feet |
| 1 | Andy | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 | Charlie | 14 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | Tom | +3 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Dean | Pro | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 5 | Sam | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 6 | Steve | 13 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 7 | Jerry | 16 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | Damian | 17 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 9 | Gareth | 20 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | Andrew | 21 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | Dick | 23 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Bob | 26 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Final Results
Andy first joined the brand on a month's work experience back in April 2011, and he now assumes the Editor role. When Andy joined GolfMagic it was a small site with potential.
