Wilson Triad golf balls may well be the most innovative golf balls released in the last decade.
Yes, we went there.
We will understand why, but after three years Wilson is releasing an updated Triad. The 2025 model is very similar to the 2022 original with one big difference: it’s softer.
Don’t take that to mean DUO Soft is soft. Not even close. But the new Triad is significantly softer than the old Triad and it’s all the Staff Model’s fault.
Don’t worry, we’ll explain.
First, what is the Triad?
The Wilson Triad golf ball is several things. First, it’s a three-ply urethane golf ball priced at just under $40. This is nice, but not remotely unique. What makes the Triad interesting is what Wilson calls Tri-Balanced Technology and, in our opinion, this is what makes the Triad so innovative.
With Triad, Wilson created what it believes to be the perfectly balanced golf ball, not in performance but in density. Wilson found a way to make all three layers of the Triad—the core, mantle, and urethane cover—the same density.
Typically, the synthetic rubber core of a golf ball can weigh about 36 grams with a density of 1.2 grams per cubic centimeter. The ionomer mantle typically weighs less than six grams with a 20 percent lower density. Last is the thin urethane cover, which weighs less than four grams but has a density of 1.125 grams per cubic centimeter, roughly midway between core and mantle.
Wilson has managed to make the core lighter and slightly denser. Some of this mass is transferred to the mantle to increase its density and weight. The coating remains the same, resulting in each layer having a density of 1.125 grams per cubic centimeter.
This gives the ball a higher MOI resulting in lower spin off the tee. The soft cover supported by a hard mantle continues to rotate (as much as possible) during approach shots.
Sounds perfect, right? The triad, in fact, was one of the best performer in our 2023 ball test.
So why is Wilson making it softer?
Why IS Wilson makes it softer?
Wilson initially listed the Triad with a compression of 89 (we measured it at 86) which put it in the same neighborhood as the Pro V1, Srixon Z-STAR and Bridgestone Tour B XS.
The Triad was aimed at the golfer trying to break 80. Low spin would help him/her keep the ball in play off the tee, but with enough spin to hold the green.
So far, so good.
When the Triad was launched, Wilson’s only other urethane ball was the Tour-level Staff Model, rated at 102 compression. However, last January, Wilson renewed Staff Model line. The new Staff Model X was now ranked 102 while the updated Staff Model ball was ranked 94.
It left little compression differentiation for our friend, the Triad. To fix this, Wilson is tamping the Triad down to 80 compression. This provides a bit more separation between Wilson’s three urethane balls. It’s not as strong as it was, but neither is the marshmallow.
“We wanted to lower the spin rate more because, for the guy trying to break 80, lower driver spin is a positive,” Wilson Global Golf Ball Innovation Director Frank Simonutti tells MyGolfSpy. “We also wanted to preserve the spin rate of the iron as best we could.”
Specifically, Wilson is softening the core to lower compression. To compensate for the potential loss of ball speed, Wilson is adding a dose of ZnPCTP to the core.
What, you may wonder, is ZnPCTP?
It stands for Zinc Pentachlorothiophenol. It serves as a plasticizer for the synthetic rubber and makes the core more flexible so it can have higher compression without feeling like rock.
Soft puzzle / speed / rotation
When the compression goes down, the ball speed potential goes with it. This is a fact of life. Another fact of life is that rotation decreases with compression. OEMs have some levers they can pull to minimize compromises, but they can’t eliminate them.
“With a lower spin rate off the top, the ball won’t bend as much,” says Simonutti, “and when it lands, it will roll farther.”
Make no mistake. of Wilson The Triad is not a soft ball and will continue to spin a bit more than, say, a Wilson DUO Soft off the tee. However, at 80 compression, it will spin significantly less than a Staff Model X with 102 compression. However, as the swing slows down with the irons, the soft core plays less of a role.
“The inside of the ball is less of a factor and the outer layers are more of a factor,” says Simonutti. “We have a soft core, but a high-stiffness mantle with a thin 25/1,000th of an inch urethane cover.”
If you compare the new Triad to, say, a Staff Model, you’ll probably see a noticeable drop in spin from the 5-iron, but as lofts increase, the differences will become smaller.
“With a 56-degree wedge, you’re probably only going to see four to five percent lower spin compared to the Staff Model,” says Simonutti. “That’s not too bad, considering these players are looking more to keep the green instead of supporting it or anything.”
Who are Wilson Triad golf balls for?
If the target market is any golfer trying to break 80, the answer is simple:
Hell next to everyone.
“The triad is still for the best player,” says Simonutti. “It’s not a game-enhancing product. It’s kind of a stepping stone for golfers. As they continue to improve, they can move from the Triad to one of our Staff Model balls if they wish. It’s for the guy who’s trying to get into his 80s, who’s taking more lessons and who just wants to play better.”
of Wilson Tri-Balanced technology should, in theory, create a perfectly balanced golf ball. Because we mortals aren’t completely consistent golf club swingers, it’s hard to notice any benefits on a shot-by-shot basis. This, however, does not mean that the benefit is not there. I mean, how would you know that the reason your putt landed on the right side of the fairway instead of flying to the right side is because your ball has three layers, all of the same density of 1.125 grams per cubic centimeter ?
Never mind jumping 23 feet to maintain the level that circled the cup before falling in instead of falling out.
Wilson Triad Golf Balls: Price and Availability
The new Wilson Triad golf balls hit stores and the World Wide Web today. They retail for $39.99, the same price as when it launched in 2022.
The Triad will be available in white and yellow.
For more information, visit Wilson Golf website.
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