Wilson are back for 2026 with a new range of their Staff Model irons, featuring a new finish as well as introducing a third model in the XB. But today I’m looking at the classic Staff Model CB iron.
I think Wilson irons fall very much into the underrated category as they are competing with so many other big brands in this market. Since rebranding to focus more on the ‘Staff Model’ for better players I think the overall package has improved, but does the performance back it up too?
Who Are They Aimed At?
When it comes to the Staff Model range specifically, the CB irons sit somewhere in the middle. They’re a players cavity back iron, which means that they provide plenty of precision, workability and soft feel, but with a little more forgiveness and than a blade.
This doesn’t necessarily mean more distance, because they have the same lofts as the Staff Model Blade, but they are designed to be a little bit easier to hit, so the chances are they’re going to go further anyway.
We’ve actually seen a trend of Tour players choosing to use irons like this over traditional blades. One of the most notable examples is Rory McIlroy, who has switched from the Rory Proto irons into the TaylorMade P7CBs as he felt it gave him better performance especially in the longer irons.
On the flip side, they aren’t quite as big or forgiving as the new Staff Model XB. This is Wilson’s ‘Player Performance’ iron, with a hollow body for more ball speed and forgiveness.
As a result, the CB irons are still really for the low handicap golfer, someone who is confident with their ball-striking and valuing looks, feel and workability over distance and forgiveness.
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The Tech
This time around it feels like more of a case of refining the previous 2024 Staff Model range, rather than make big changes.
There’s a new brushed satin finish to add a contemporary edge to the classic looks, and the irons have been designed to blend together so that they can be easily merged into a combo set.
The irons are made from a forged 8620 carbon steel, with a precision milled face and scoreline pattern encouraging longer contact with the ball on the face. This is said to produce more consistent spin and better stopping power.
The irons use Wilson’s Fluid Feel technology, helping to redistribute weight towards the centre of the face. The CG has also been positioned to improve the overall performance of each head.
Despite being a cavity back head, the CB has been designed to have a similar shape to the Blade, based on input from Wilson’s tour players.
Comparing to previous generations the irons have a shorter head and softer edges to better match the Blade. There’s also a reduced offset and a straighter, narrower sole for better turf interaction.
Wilson 2026 Staff Model CB Irons Review
Looks
Wilson’s Staff Model has been one of the best looking iron ranges for a while now, and the latest update is great offering adding to the 2024 models.
The brushed satin finish looks good, but I have to say I prefer the overall package of the 2024 models – I miss the combination of chrome and brushed chrome together.
However, the old model looked more traditional whereas there is something a little softer about eh 2026 edition it definitely has more of a modern feel. It should also help with reducing any glare when playing in bright conditions too.
They’re clean, uncluttered but yet they aren’t daunting either. In terms of shelf appeal, I can see plenty of younger golfers’ eyes being drawn to these in the Pro Shop on a Saturday morning.
Moving the chrome badge to the top left corner of the cavity produces a clean look, and the retro numbering on the sole is a nice touch.
At address is where the CBs really excel – there’s a nice compact look, which is sleek without looking too small. The topline is a nice medium thickness, and the blade length is quite generous. These irons really suited my eye – some of the best of seen so far this year.
Feel
The Staff Model CBs felt really good – just as expected. They strike a great balance between brilliant feedback across the face, yet a little blanket of help on some of those mishits.
The sound was crisp and consistent and that soft feel was really satisfying to hit – I could have spent all day testing these irons they felt that good. Looks and feel? Tick.
Performance
When it comes to irons like this, consistency is one of the key things that golfers will be looking for.
Testing the CB irons on the launch monitor, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away with ball speeds or carry numbers, but I did want to see predictable results.
The 9 iron average 136 yards carry, but importantly there was only about 5 yards between my shortest and longest shot.
This moved up to 10 yards with the 7 iron and 12 yards with the 5 iron. I was pretty pleased with that, as you want the scoring irons to be going the same distance every time, whilst a gap of only 12 yards with a long iron means you’re not losing out too much on those mis-hits.
Having said that, I was impressed with the distance especially as I moved up towards the long irons. An average carry of 199 yards with a 5 iron is not far behind my own Titleist T250 5 iron, despite being 2 degrees weaker in loft.
This was all being achieved without losing out on spin either. The 7 iron was spinning over 6000rpm, and the 5 iron at nearly 4400rpm. Couple this with a really high ball flight (over 130 feet) and a descent angle in excess of 55 degrees, and these irons are definitely going to consistently stop on the greens.
I would be interested to see how they perform into the wind though. I’m not sure how sustainable those peak heights would be in windy conditions, especially with relatively high spin – getting a little more dialed in with custom shafts may just help here.
Wilson 2026 Staff Model CB Irons Verdict
One of the reasons that I really rate Wilson irons is because of their value for money. This continues with their 2026 range, and the Staff Model CB irons are going to set you back £1,169 for 7 irons.
This is really good value for a forged iron in my opinion, and is cheaper than competitors like the Mizuno M-13 (£1680) and Titleist T150 (£1369).
I was really impressed with the overall performance of the Staff Model CB. The looks appear to be as strong as ever, and I was surprised by how forgiving and powerful the irons were when testing on the launch monitor.
If you’re looking for a new players iron in 2026, this should definitely be on your testing list. Wilson Staff irons really are going from strength to strength and its time more golfers took note.
Would I Use Them?
Yes! I was super impressed by the data I got out of this iron considering its traditional shape and lofts.
