Our Wilson C300 driver review took place on the course at Moor Allerton followed by some data gathering at Leeds Golf Centre.
We used a SkyTrak launch monitor to get the numbers and used premium range balls.
Wilson C300 driver review: First impressions
The Wilson C300 driver is part of the brand’s first C range of woods.
We’re used to the F, C, D system from Wilson but previously we only had irons in the ‘crossover’ category aimed primarily at mid-handicappers.
Little bit of ‘first hit’ testing with the new @WilsonGolf C300 woods and irons @MoorAllertonGC – Reviews on the way soon… pic.twitter.com/knSDH0drvn
— James Savage (@JamesSavageNCG) December 4, 2017
So the Wilson C300 driver fits in between the FG Tour driver and the D300 driver in terms of it’s target market.
[skylab_video id=”53405″]Wilson D300 You Tube[/skylab_video]
There’s plenty going on from the outset with the Wilson C300 driver as we have a new, deep matter red finish on the crown and we have visible ‘power hole’ technology on both the crown and sole.
I’m a big fan of this finish – it looks stylish and classy and will really help it to stand out.
I’m less of a fan of the power holes on the crown as it does look a touch busy.
But the Wilson C300 driver and C300 irons have visible technology at their heart to try and inspire a bit more confidence.
Wilson C300 driver review: The technology
So what are the power holes in the Wilson C300 driver all about and what do they do?
There’s two on the crown and two in the sole and Wilson say they help improve performance and stability across the face for better ball speed on off-centre hits.
They effectively work to create a larger sweet spot, if you like.
The Wilson C300 driver also has three moveable weights on the sole to fine tune ball flight and spin along with an adjustable hosel to change the loft from 8-14˚.
Wilson C300 driver review: The results
From our on-course testing the first thing which struck us about the Wilson C300 driver was that it looks great in the address position.
I wasn’t convinced by the power holes on the crown but they do help you to frame the ball quite nicely.
It’s a nice headshape too – this won’t put anyone off.
There is a very distinctive sound through impact with the Wilson C300 driver – it’s loud and quite metallic.
Bit of launch monitor testing with the @WilsonGolf C300 driver. Sound is quite loud and metallic, numbers are GOOD (for me…)? pic.twitter.com/p2lUCMlzu5
— James Savage (@JamesSavageNCG) December 5, 2017
My first thought was that it sounded a bit like a baseball being hit with a metal bat. I”m not saying this is bad but my personal preference is for the sound to be a bit quiter and sweeter.
The ball flight wasn’t too high which was great for me – it looked like a strong penetrating flight and much better for me than the D300 I tested last year.
My initial thoughts were positive and this improved further after our launch monitor testing.
Carry and total distance were really good for me with one carrying 234 with a total of 257 yards. Low spin and good roll-out are not common for me so to get 24 yards of run was a bonus.
On average my swing speed was a few miles an hour down from normal – it was freezing cold and I had not been fitted into this driver.
But the numbers were pretty much what I’d hope for and expect on any driver – average carry just over 220 and total just over 240 yards.
This was a variety of strikes across the face with the good strikes going 250 and the average-bad strikes going 225. I can certainly live with that on the course.
Remember, this is a driver with a stock stiff shaft, off-the-shelf with no fitting at all so if I could improve the numbers with a fitting I’d be very happy indeed.
Wilson C300 driver review: NCG verdict
From a performance point of view the Wilson C300 driver is probably the best driver I have ever hit from the brand.
I’m a fan of the headshape and the red finish and like the way there’s loads of adjustability.
The sound is a slight negative for me but that could just be personal preference.
And the numbers are up there with any driver I have hit over the past 12 months.
This driver is coming in at £349 which is a bit pricier than you might expect from Wilson.
But there is a lot of tech here and I still think the Wilson C300 driver will be cheaper than Callaway and TaylorMade’s new drivers for 2018.
Please give it a hit and let me know what you think.
Details/SRPs
SRP: £349
Loft: 8-14˚
Stock shaft: Fujikura Speeder Pro 58
On sale: January 22, 2018
More information available on the Wilson website