The Wilson Triad is one of the best mid-price golf balls on the market and is an ideal choice for mid-handicap golfers who are looking for the feel and control of a urethane model without having to pay the premium price of a Tour golf ball. That being said, such is the versatility of the Triad that a scratch golfer could also use this ball and not really notice any significant drop off from whatever premium golf ball they are using. This ball is such a good all rounder that it doesn’t really have any specific weakness and will do a good job for golfers of virtually all skill levels.
Yet other than myself, I don’t personally know anybody who games the Triad and that baffles me somewhat. Is it just that Wilson balls aren’t as fashionable as the best Callaway balls or Titleist golf balls? Triad might be the most underrated 3-piece urethane golf ball on the market, especially for the average club golfer looking to lower their handicap. This ball has been specifically designed for that very purpose.
(Image credit: Future)
Not much has changed from the previous iteration of Triad because nothing really needed to. In terms of distance, once again it will be up there with any of the best golf balls on the market. It provides ample control on approach shots and off the face of the putter it has a lovely, soft feel and an impeccable roll. In fact, Wilson describes Triad as “the only perfectly balanced golf ball on the market” thanks to a perfect center of gravity on every ball that means there are no “heavy spots” that can cause an uneven roll on the greens. Whether this is just clever marketing or it actually gives Triad an edge over the competition when it comes to putting is hard to say, but in theory it makes sense.
The aesthetics have changed a little, with the alignment line having been given a facelift. The Wilson Staff initials have been removed from the logo too, but overall it isn’t hugely different. Given that the new Soft Duo ball has now been brought into line with the other best Wilson golf balls, there is a fairly uniform look about all of the main balls in the Wilson range.
The new Triad golf ball (left) next to the previous model
(Image credit: Future)
I’ve been playing the Triad for a few years since I went to a professional driver fitting with Wilson’s tour fitters. As well as getting me fitted into a Dynapower driver that I still use today, they recommended that I switch from the premium golf ball I was using at the time (the TaylorMade TP5) to the Triad, simply because it is aimed specifically at golfers of my skill level.
Essentially, Triad is designed to help golfers hit more fairways, more greens and hole more putts. In my case I’d say the latter two are very much difficult to quantify, especially the putting. On the rare occasions I hole a putt I don’t think I can say “I wouldn’t have made that with a different ball” but since being fitted into the Dynapower driver and the Triad ball, I am definitely hitting a lot more fairways than I was before.
(Image credit: Future)
I tested the new Triad on the course as well as at the driving range and I put it up against the 2023 version. There was virtually no difference other than I would say the new model flew a bit straighter off the tee. Driving has become the main strength of my game as I do hit the ball pretty straight when I’m on it. If I’m a little off I can tend to push the ball right, but I rarely slice or hook the ball even on my bad shots. On the day I was testing I was just a little off and kept pushing drives to the right side of the fairway. With the older Triad I was also seeing a tiny bit of fade on those push shots, whereas the new model was usually 6-8 yards left of it due the straighter flight I was seeing.
In terms of everything else, there was no discernible difference. Perhaps if you’re Tiger Woods you could tell the difference from the sound, feel or flight, but quite honestly if I didn’t know which ball I was hitting I certainly would not be able to tell one from the other. Mid-handicap players should absolutely give this ball a try as it will perform close to the level of a premium golf ball but at a significantly lower cost.
The new Wilson Triad is available in white or yellow priced $39.99 in the US and £32.99 in the UK.
