50 Words or Less
True to its draw bias designation, the Wilson Staff Launch Pad driver is anti-slice and offers great forgiveness. Nice looking with an attractive price.
Introduction
Living close to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center, I attach significant meaning to the words ‘launch pad’ both from a historical perspective and current endeavors. Knowing the legacy of the company, I wasn’t surprised that Wilson had selected Launch Pad as the name for their new irons and woods. Having learned that the irons were true to the name [read our review HERE], my expectations soared for the Launch Pad driver.
Looks
If you learned the price before seeing the Launch Pad driver, you’d probably be pleasantly surprised by the good looks. I did that in reverse: unboxing the driver and seeing the deep metallic finish on the crown and refined sole before being amazed that the driver was at a $300 price point.
Looking down at address, the pinstriping on the trailing edge helps define the bulbous head. The club sets up closed, but the continuous black finish from the crown to the face keeps it from being a visual distraction. Face on, the club stands tall, offering immense contact area.
Sound & Feel
The Launch Pad driver produces a loud metallic crack that’s consistent across the face. As Wilson’s “most forgiving face yet” it wasn’t surprising to discover that like the club’s sound, feel was also consistent.
The solid feel of every decent strike had me checking the face for visual clues to impact location. Although I needed an impact sticker to check location in the hitting bay at Club Champion, I predict players will benefit from not being concerned with feedback out on the course.
Performance
Before I get into the performance numbers above, please note that by design the Launch Pad driver is draw biased – it’s printed right on the head. Wilson Staff designers accomplished this with three physical attributes: an offset hosel, heel-side weighting, and an upright lie angle. As someone who typically hits a straight ball or a slight draw, my swing at odds with those design elements. Even so, the club was playable and displayed its forgiveness. Although I was catching the ball towards the heel and hitting a strong draw, distance was down less than 10%.
Setting up for a fade to mimic an outside to in swing, the Launch Pad driver produced a wonderfully high and straight ball flight. With more centered contact, ball speed increased as did carry distance. As I grew more comfortable with the performance and pushed for speed, the driver never faltered, and I gained an additional 5 to 10 yards. I could easily conclude that was the result of the lightweight construction, but the decline in my strike precision speaks volumes about the forgiveness.
Conclusion
If you’re tired of your tee shots curving right, the Wilson Staff Launch Pad driver may be the dream club you’ve been searching for. The draw bias design elements and super forgiving face not only tame a slice, but combine for a high, straight ball flight that’s very satisfying. Toss in the great looks and this driver can truly “elevate your game.”
Wilson Launch Pad Driver Price & Specs
Matt Meeker
Latest posts by Matt Meeker (see all)
- Vessel Player III Carbon Black Golf Bag Review - March 17, 2023
- VRST Golf Apparel Review - March 14, 2023
- Titleist TSR1 Driver Review - March 9, 2023
How does this compare to the F7 driver released last year?
Alex,
The F7 is from 2017. If you meant the Cobra F9 I reviewed last year, please take note of the draw-bias design of the Launch Pad. The adjustability of the F9 can allow for compensation of swing path, but for a slicer, the LP is a great choice. As always, there’s no substitute for hitting clubs before purchase and proper fitting is the only way to get the most out of any club.
– Meeks
D7?
I am a left hander and prone to slicing. If this driver can limit my slice I’ll be a very happy golfer.
Sorry, I meant the Wilson Staff D7 driver,
Ah, I should have thought of that Alex. The drivers are very similar on performance for their intended player. Both are designed for slower swing speeds and max forgiveness. The D7 is intended for ‘general’ ball flights whereas the LP is setup to straighten out slices. Be true to your swing tendencies and as always, try before you buy.
– Meeks
I have purchased the Launch Pad driver and can really see the benefits
For sure I had a slice and was of course losing distance and fairway placement
After a month my accurcy onto fairway are now at 85% from from low of 60 %
Ball spin is down from 3800/4000 to 2500/2200
Distance has increased on average to 25 yards all in temperatures below 12c degrees 53f
10.5 loft gives a good height
Occasional slices still happen but confidence is flowing and all areas of game seem to be moving well
I tried all the latest more expensive drivers and none gave the quick result that this club has shown
At 64 i reckoned that my swing could still improve but not to give the consisitency I’m now seeing
Will almost certainly invest in a 3 Launch Pad fairway wood
Hi Matt, what flex did you test? The shaft website says regular for 80-95 mph. Did that work for you?
I tested with stock regular flex shaft.
– Meeks
@matt, Hello hoping you can give me some feedback on a purchase I just made. I golf 2-4 times per year, so not looking to spend a fortune and I went into PGA superstore and for my budget i got fitted with a Wilson D9 9degree driver. i hit well with it, still had some slice to my normally very slicey ways, but i was happy. In wanting to do some research, i came across the Launch Pad driver, and now your article. do you think it’s worth me trying a launch pad vs. the D9? plus its $50 less.
any advice would be welcome.
THX
Second guessing is something most of us do Stan. Trust in the fitting you did unless you can try the Launch Pad – or have the budget to roll the dice. The Launch Pad is designed to help with a typical slice, but there’s no guarantee it will be better for you than the D9.
– Meeks