This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, (your email address will not be published), Acushnet 2022 Financials: $2.27 Billion and Counting, Penfold Ace Golf Balls: Whats Old Is New Again, Four Testers Wanted Inesis Spikeless Shoe. Can you help me find the history of the club? Iomic Golf Grips: 8 Key Facts Before You Buy. Box 4666, Ventura, CA 93007 Request a Quote: comelec district 5 quezon city CSDA Santa Barbara County Chapter's General Contractor of the Year 2014! Ive got a set of graphite Samurai ironwoods years ahead of their time lying around in the basement, I think. I had released it into the foreign market through a network of distributors mid in 1978, where it was well received. I tried to hit it oncenot a good idea! We had small layoffs on an ongoing basis, and people kept looking over their shoulder. "@type": "Article", as well as honest reporting on the latest issues affecting the game 2 Iron Spalding . Even tho I play with graphic shafts I really like the way those play. werent as good. Thanks for the history lesson, truly amazing how fast Spalding unraveled. Within three years, it would be gone for good. Paste as plain text instead, A very interesting stroll down golf history. I wonder how much influence he had on those? i was hitting 8 iron and was suprised how high the ball flight was. 0 bids. I dont think I paid more than $300 for all four sets combined- Im a Salvation Army searcher. You might be wondering how the hell did a Ping iron make the listbut look againthis one definitely deserves to be on the list for Wackiest Irons. I have a full set of Exec XE irons. "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjT3UiJflw60ZD31-6yC4mA", In 1900, Spalding released the Vardon Flyer, the golf ball used by Harry Vardon. Read on to learn more about the history of Spalding clubs and what you can expect from various models. Ive owned. Really a zany=looking set of irons. By A very easy to hit blade. Though he is a footnote in the PGA history he was briefly on tour in the 50s. A request, could you do Sonartec at some point? The design gave the clubs an exotic bamboo look; the underlying message being that these clubs offered players bamboo's legendary flexibility and whip-like strength. Played dots a bit but later played a lot of Top Flites because I was a teenager, and the balls did not cut (this was back in the days of balata balls that cut if you looked at them hard). During the time of the KKR takeover I was employed as the Managing Director in Australia/ NZ 2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #2. He struggled quite a bit with the change.. The Top-Flite line was to feature investment-cast irons and Strata balls sold through pro shops and off-course retailers, while Spalding was to be the value/recreational line sold pretty much everywhere. Clare. It was the mold makers attempt to make at a hollow head, wooden shape club. Those were real whacky.. bent shafts and roughly milled heads. Thanks. Say what you will but I own a set of Ray Cook Titanic irons. I accidentally broke it in the late 1970s the shaft was installed over a milled section of the hosel! I am surprised no one ever mass marketed them. $77.83. any info on this garbage?lol. Scott Stallings - WITB - 2023 Genesis Invitational. It was if I walked into the store from a time machine. I still think there were others that deserved some consideration. He traded a set of classic Burke PunchIrons to get the Lynx. What can you find out about Wilson x 70 irons. From the 1950s to the 1990s Spalding was in the bag for many major victories, and was played on municipal courses across the country. Jones famously retired from golf after winning the 1930 version of the Grand Slam. Anybody know anything? KKR wanted Spalding to make money the KKR way. Is it worth getting a new set of clubs, or should I focus on getting spikes and a gloves, ( I currently golf in thing sandles) 0. Some crazy lookin clubs, Why didnt you include the 1st set of Ping Irons? Spalding was the leading manufacturer of golf clubs in America throughout the mid-twentieth century, highlighting just how popular the brand was. Callaway had long wanted Top-Flites ball factory and patents but didnt want to assume any debt. They had a premium Molitor ball at the then scandalous price of $2. ), Phat Golf Scooters Reviews (Good or Waste of Cash? Its high point came in 1998 when Mark OMeara won the Masters and the Open Championship for Spalding. I still have the irons to this day! my Dad is still pulling new 90s & 2000s Top Flights from the closet to play lol. In the early days, golf clubs were hand-forged using a hammer and anvil. Great collection! Ive got other odd clubs, a clear/see thru 5W, 68 & 73 degree wedge (of course, they may not be considered crazy. I have the entire set of samurai woods and irons,,,driver,3wood,5wood,7wood,,irons,,2-pw,dont believe they ever made a sw,,,,and I still use them,,,my fellow golfers are still amazed at the distance I get,,if you want a picture of the set,,let me know,,ill take one and send to you,,, I have the whole set of samurai irons,2-pw and woods1,3,5,7,,still use them,,i have had pros hit them,,and be amazed at the distances over their irons,,,i would like to find another 5wood,if anyone knows where or who has 1,,i, neil,,do you have a samuarai 5 wood,,,hard to find,,,id like one. Was a fan of the TopFlite XL. Well these irons which were designed out in LA by Stan Thompson were made to capitalize on that same concept. The market was changing rapidly, as well. and they wonder why they went out of business. With long-term debt in the neighborhood of $600 million, KKR found itself in a negative equity situation. Club-makers traditional method had been to shape metal heads with an anvil and forge. In one sense, Spalding suffered the same fate irrelevance as did fellow legacy golf brands Wilson Staff and MacGregor. In 1895, Spalding started making golf balls. It was just crazy how many golf balls we would sell through Wal-Mart in 18-ball pack, adds White Wed get orders on the fax machine for 50,000 18-ball packs, and theyd want them in two weeks.. Its factory could only make about six million dozen a year, and it was paying patent royalties. As a former pro athlete, Spalding saw the value of using professionals to help promote both the game and his products. I surely do remember those Dot balls that my brother and I would find on OFCC in south suburbs of Chicago because we couldnt afford them but you really had to pay attention to look at those balls before you grounded your club or you would put a significant cut in them. How about Hogan Magnums and Magnum Plus irons big cavity backs from the 1970s. This stuff is really interesting.. Colin Montgomerie joined the staff, and Spalding had big plans. If KKR had appointed Scott Creleman as the head man at the time I firmly believe Dpaldi g would still be a player in the golf industry President Wright was the driving force behind Bostons Franklin Park golf course, the first municipal course in the U.S. Bostons other muni is named after Wright, who donated the land for the Donald Ross design. info@pgatradein.com Mon-Fri: 9AM - 5PM EST . when were spalding executive golf clubs made MENU. Starting in the early 1900s, Spalding started making golf balls before manufacturing clubs. Cleveland was giving them away for free if you send in some coupon from golf digest. I just had a guy show me a wedge that is a small diamond shaped club with about a 3/4 hollow core in the back that goes up to the inside of the face of the club. Just bought a set of Nicklaus Linear Dynamics N1 Golf Irons at a thrift shop in Vegas. Display as a link instead, It felt like a rock but flew like a rocket and weekend warriors bought them by the bushel. Used to play traditional blades with the odd shank. But, you raised an interesting question: If Top-Flite Elite Professional irons with the Bird on Ball logoare rated by the MyGolfSpy Forums resident vintage club expert Big Stu as the third greatest pure forged blade of all time. Then what irons are #1 and #2 best ever forged blades? There was a time that Spalding golf clubs were among the best in the business. single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize Irons. It came with Driver, 3W, 5W and 3-PW. maybe EVER. The only thing a golfer needs is more daylight. - BenHogan. Heres one for the booksTommy Armour EQL one length irons. Forward-face progression creates a hitting surface 20 percent larger than standard and 5 percent larger than over-sized irons. I'm 25 years old and I've been playing with my grandfathers Spalding executives for 10 years now, and I shoot about a 80-85. It is called a hollow wedge, but you can putt with it as well. Executives were my first real set of golf clubs. But Zevo Golf is one of those on this list that was a pioneering. Recently I bought another set (I keep an eye on E-Bay for them) so I could have extras & other club sets for friends that come into town. I look forward to your future deeper dive into the history of the Hogan company. Both were smart, competent leaders but had little golf experience. Just make sure to mix in a few lessons with your local PGA pro, and you'll progress nicely. (What Exactly Happened?). "@context": "http://schema.org/", They actually play pretty well. I was wondering if anyone had ever tried Slotline Classic Copper golf clubs. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.You can also visit my Am. Its an interesting question to ask about a company that was a factor for over 125 years. but worth a kings ransom, Great post thanks mgs but i agree with dj ,The doctor rx has to be on the list. The chrome Players would switch balls during a round as conditions warranted. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. I think you are talking about the Spaulding Executive XE irons,ahead of their time,I played a set for a couple of years then sold them, looking back I wish I hadnt. Model Summary Color chart indicates best . By reducing our debt and consolidating our operations, we enhance our abilities to drive growth behind our prestigious group of golf brands, CEO Jim Craigie said at the time. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Do you remember what golf websites you were shopping on back in 1995? We want you to get the most out of your What about the Porsche irons? The early Top-Flites were juast the opposite; you couldnt cut one of them with an axe. "width": "645", Overall, Spalding clubs arent worth a great deal of money today, but theyre a good option if youre hoping to pick up an affordable set of clubs to get started with. Spalding did have high hopes for the Hogan brand. Tommy Armours ownership circus eventually turned it into the Sports Authority (and now DICKS) house brand. This technology is a shank-proof hosel. I just searched eBay right now and saw a set for $139. The Strata, however, proved to be a gold mine for Spalding. Great stuff. Albert Spalding was a superstar. "@type": "ImageObject", "headline": "Spalding Irons by Year", As a designer, the design is perfect and although they look funny, they were a great club, ask Cory Pavin. He re-gripped them and beats the Taylormade hand-me-downs of his friends. Mismanagement and a growing golf market led Spalding to cease manufacturing golf products, selling off popular brands like Top Flite to Callaway in the early 2000s. "height": "342", Fugly yes looks kinda like a pancake spatula at address but effective. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. In 1880, Spaldings League Ball became the official baseball of the National League (and later of the American League), a position it held until 1976. "dateModified": "2022-05-12", Spalding stopped producing golf clubs in 2022, focusing on other sports in the years since. And although Spalding would show operational profits, debt service kept turning those profits into losses. Callaway had been making balls but never turned a profit. "@type": "ImageObject", Colgate-Palmolive bought RAM and Penfold in the mid-70s to sell more toothpaste but gave up after only five years. Hope you find this one interesting!!!! They got so popular at the time that it scared club makers badly (Every set was pretty much custom built then), and Golfing associations banned the club from play. The 1999 Hogan Apex, forged by Endo Manufacturing in Japan, remains a sought-after collectible, and a very playable blade, to this day. I had a set of Tiger Sharks(the short irons hit the ball miles).The follow up Great Whites Lots of wackiness. Jeff Sheets had been Director of R&D for Top-Flite since 1995, and his first club for Hogan became a legend. If so send them to contact(at)mygolfspy.com. Spaldings buddy Wright had been doing the same thing since 1892. Decent? They are similar to the Nike slingshots as they have a powerbow looking thing on the back of them. But, in the rough the club went right underneath the ball. Alternatively, you can look on a discount site like Rock Bottom Golf. It was made by Salt Lake City Specialties. We had hybrids back in the 80s. They produced more premium balls, but we used to make 25-, 26-million dozen a year.. It was a low loft club used for poor lies and putting. Great research John with some very interesting history facts about the company and its equipment. Known for launching the ball from a nice crisp fairway lie but it jumped the shark when it came to hitting it from any kind of fluff. Why is that I have the Tiger Shark 7 iron and the Spalding Exec XE 5 iron in my golf collection??? . Spalding Executive clubs were established in the 1960s, with the Top Flite Executive Synchro-Dyned golf clubs being the first in a super popular series. Thanks for the article. I love them so much I have four sets, just a case a club breaks. I was the Sales Manager of Stan Thompson golf company for several years and worked very close with Stan. Spalding had a long history, terrific heritage, and healthy topline sales of over $500 million. What a lovely trip down memory lane, nostalgia is a wonderful thing. Slotline Inertial E-Max irons laying around ? Can anyone ballpark an estimate on the value of a set of Samurai clubs? Brilliant writing! Thanks. I was told they only made a few hundred sets. Just got Calloway X20s last week. And Spalding predated Mizuno by at least 60 years with a copper undercoating for its forged blades in the mid-50s. The company's unique "baseball mark" A.G. Spalding had helped put baseball on the map--was stamped on the clubs and below it "Made in Great Britain" appeared. lots of memories here. Mr. Adams had just formed Taylor Made Golf in late 1978 and this was their first showing in the market. The legendary Spalding bird logo appeared on their clubs in the 1960s, with the Top-Flite Elite Professional irons proving popular on Tour. why did patrice o'neal leave the office; why do i keep smelling hairspray; giant ride control one auto mode; current fishing report: lake havasu And if the Nicklaus Bear irons were used to win the US Amateur, they shouldnt be on a worst irons list either. Those are the reasons they work. Dreadful golf balls! I became a +2 handicap using those irons, and a lot of people scoffed at them early ontill they saw me hit them. I play them still and love them. Does Spalding make golf balls? Hope you all enjoyed a look back at some of the craziest irons ever made. Thanks for doing the digging! I have a set of Lynx Parallax irons that were my fathers. You should shoot me some pics of your new set. Yes. While the idea of owning a golf company sounds great, the list of companies that tried and failed is long. What about Pax (Paul Goydos promoted them)? In 1895, Spalding started manufacturing golf balls. We knew something was up, recalls White. It adjusts to every loft in a full bag, plus half lofts. In fact, one of Spaldings most popular models was the Bobby Jones collection, selling two million sets between 1932 and 1973. These were actually a pretty good iron for the time and I think Trevino had something to do with this designbut not sure. Perhaps they were a little ahead of their time (3-PW). And add on Sweet Spot Golf Drivers and the Mac/Burrows Driver. I played a lot of Spaulding equipment as a kid in all kinds of sports. (Cavity back blades???) And Jim Furyk won the 2003 U.S. Open with the new Strata Ace, which featured playing card suits (a la Penfold) instead of numbers. lol! In 1900, Spalding released the Vardon Flyer, the golf ball used by Harry Vardon. Buyers can still find Spalding clubs on some secondary sites. KKR had been trying to dump Spalding as early as 2000, but no one would take on the debt burden. Within weeks, Top-Flite filed Chapter 11. My Dad's execs from the 70's were blades that had aluminum shafts. My wife says I never met a strange-looking golf club I did not want to own and play with. Went back 10 years and got the 845s used. Ive owned a set of VAS, Zings, Slingshots and the Spaulding Execs (for vintage golf days). This is the story of Spaldings Final Countdown. I am still playing with my set every week! I also have a set of Browning TR600s. Win a bunch of BogeyPro swag! I am on my 2nd set.I used to lovem and had friends that bought as they loved the ball flight and were also a great set of chippers. Executives were my first set as wellI thought they were a great starter set. I use them in Central Texas when the fairways are hard and the greens harder (late summer and all winter). Of course, it is the Indian not the arrow to some extent, but he does well. As previously mentioned, you can buy Spalding Molitor clubs at Rock Bottom, and theyre a great option for beginner players. I actually have these clubs. Seemed like big headed design with half the head chopped off to produce a bigger face!!! Spalding stopped making golf clubs in 2002, and their last clubs were branded as Top Flite Oversized irons. My dad has played a set if vicunas for about 40 years! The Browning 440 was a marvelous clubas you say off the fairway!!! Balata covers. The player would then conveniently cover the top of his bag with a towel so that no one would see the length of the irons. Welcome back to the latest installment of Historys Mysteries. "https://www.linkedin.com/in/swingyard/", However as a caddy the Spaulding staff bag was a real trunk!! These gentlemen used them to win large amounts of money on the course from unsuspecting victims. Keep up the great work. I cant believe to Ping Zing 2s are on the list. If it works for you use it. MyGolfSpy is jumping into the DeLorean and taking a 1.21 jiggawatt-fueled look at the long life and quick death of Spalding Golf. }. I learned the game on a set of used Spalding Execs-still have them today. The Kro-Flite in 1930 was golfs first liquid center golf ball, while the Spalding DOT was a mid-century icon. Different, yes, but they are the only ones where you can really aim at the target! I got an incomplete set at the Salvation Army for $15. These were said to be Moe Normans favorite clubs and are rated by the MyGolfSpy Forums resident vintage club expert Big Stu as the third greatest pure forged blade of all time. These were great clubs. At the time of the sale, it was considered the lowest cost and most efficient operation in the industry. However my 6 iron had twice as much offset as any other iron in the set. Finally, my number came up along with everyone else in the product management and marketing teams.. What about the old Bullet Driver that was hollow in the center (like an inverted U shape)? Callaway wound up suing Spalding for using its imagery on Spalding packaging. I think all the readers as well as the golfspies would love to learn as much about these past designs as possible. These irons actually performed quite well and had many copy cats of it down the road to prove itincluding another iron that made the list at #12 Slotline Lowpro iron and the Titleist Super Slim irons. Great list of wild clubs. Thanks for the history lesson and walk down memory lane. and they placed it in the show. I still have the samurai irons,2-pw and woods,driver,3w,5w,7w,,and still use them. PING was still PING, and Tiger was becoming Tiger. In 1993 Payne Stewart signed a multi-million-dollar deal to go full Top-Flite, a move that sidetracked Stewarts career. Well done. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It is the Super Stick. Not to belittle them because KKR is incredibly successful, but they didnt know the golf business the way we did, says White. Titleist has been the Ball King for so long, its hard to remember a time when it wasnt. Well then so did everyone else. It made its mark in the 80s through leveraged buyouts buying undervalued or poorly managed companies with other peoples money, improving their bottom lines, and then spinning them off at a profit. Our mission is #ConsumerFirst. Whats fun is to find one of those old sets, regrip them and beat your friends with them! Jim, If you are interested in writing about the history of the urethane covered golf ball at Titleist, I can provide all of the facts. * Note: These irons were designed by Jim Flood and were considered a controversial design and are often times very hard to find. The 300XXL Driver was so lightawesome clubhead speed ! Still bagging their wedges. So what did his famous Ginty patent actually mean? But unfortunately for the VASs they were dethroned from their long held position. Today we are going to be spotlighting the crazy, the absurd, and some of the wackiest irons the golf world has ever seen. No copy for them. Spalding manufactured golf clubs for some of the leading players in the game, including the legendary American player Bobby Jones. The shaft collapses to 18 inches so it is great for travelsure beats the cost of checking a golf bag these days. Sign In. Spalding sold off its majority ownership in Evenflo in August of 1998. They are exactly like the Cleveland Ironwood set you see now, but it was made y..e..a..r..s ago. Pat Simmons first wanted to say thanks and also that, You may not know the Pat Simmons name, but if youre a golfer, you know of several of my inventions. (8 Ways To Know) . That year Albert and his brothers opened the A.G. Spalding & Brothers sporting goods company and started making baseballs. Various . It wasnt long until Spaldings Executive golf clubs were launched, which were prevalent at all levels of the game. I collect odd golf items. Starting in 1900, Spalding opened clubmaking factories in London and in Fife, Scotland, producing forged iron heads for Spalding clubs sold both in the UK and U.S. When my father would shot a 215 yard iron into the hole, his fellow golfers wold ask him what club he used. Sponsored by: GolfCircuit.com, Maxfli Tour, Tour X and Tour S Golf Balls, Penfold Ace Golf Balls: Whats Old Is New Again, Topgolf Callaway 2022 Financials: $4 Billion? My friends and I (and Im embarrassed to say this now! I asked him about it and he said he had shown it to Spaulding, Wilson and MacGregor and their response was It will never sell!!!! At the same time, the Spalding Top-Flite Syncrho-Dyned irons (released in 1953) were well received, thanks to their flex shaft and copper undercoating. My golf team partner talked me into getting new technology Ping G-20s a couple years ago, & I can not hit them nearly as well. Copyright 2023. White says the KKR leadership team was much more hands-on than the Cisneros brothers had ever been, which is understandable if you just shelled out a billion simoleons for a sporting goods company. Getting sold doesnt have to be the end of the world, but it can be if the buyer doesnt do their homework and pays too much. Their president at the time said this about the newly released irons, Titanic irons are the first long irons even God and you can hit. Now that is a bold statement that should of had you guys flocking to purchase these beauties. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I have a Simmons Great White Shark putter with a 7 blade. The RB880 s by Northwestern are also knockoffs of the Browning 440 s. when I got my samurais,they were expensive,,but you can get them ocassionally on ebay,,picked up a 6iron for 15$. This one in particular was interesting to me because I grew up in a Spalding family of sorts. Laugh if you must, but the design works. And I remember drooling over those Tour Edition Custom blades in the pro shop. Right now Ive been with the Execs 2 then 5 SW, Ram 64 wedge, 1 & 3 wood, both hybrids and putter. Im a scratch golfer, and to date have found nothing that is better. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. They also made a set made entirely of woods. I demand a re-count!, He went on to say, and as owner of MyGolfSpy you should feel ashamed since you were given a set as a gift 15 years ago and I remember you putting me in play for a few rounds, how could you do this to me?, Slotline had a hit on their hands with their Slotline Inertial puttersthey sold over 2 Million of those flatsticks. Or maybe it was just wacky that a German car company decided to start selling $1500 golf clubs that sucked. #15 - Stan Thompson Ginty Irons You might remember the popular Stan Thompson woods with the unique sole design. BarbaJo, you da man! Written by June 5, 2022 . When I was first introduced to golf in the mid 70s, spoiling was still a player in the recreational market. Get the best deals on Spalding Executive Irons when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Love to see them. Tom Farrell. Spalding also started the Spalding Athletic Library; a series of sports and exercise books published from 1892 through 1941. Ive seen several of those uglies up close over the years so this was fun to view. During his time with Spalding, Stewart dropped from 6th to 123rd on the money list, with his only win coming at the 1995 Houston Open. Theres even premium urethane cover options (Pro V1 and X styles) for ~$15 a dozen. I played a set of Mags for years until I got to where I could not swing fast enough to bend the stiff shafts. In 2012, Callaway sold Top-Flite to DICKS and Hogan to Perry Ellis. 2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #3. Great looking blade and the low COG really lets one hit it high. Great set. I STILL play with my Spalding Executive set 2 SW. I might suggest you also include input from Tom Stites who worked for Hogan in the 1980s before heading up Nikes golf (mis)adventure. "logo": { Author: Ned Howard Retired PGA Teaching Professionalif(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'swingyard_com-box-3','ezslot_6',194,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-swingyard_com-box-3-0'); Spalding has one of the most storied histories in sports, and a major impact on golf. With a few months of work and some radical design modifications it was turned into the first modern Metalwood. Some deserve to be on the former, but definitely not the latter!
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