2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #1. My dad has played a set if vicunas for about 40 years! 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. !but they had a very proprietary, strange-sized grip. He traded a set of classic Burke PunchIrons to get the Lynx. One of my buddies gave me a Tiger Shark wedge the one with 3 different alignment lines, concave dimples on the face instead of grooves, and a funky dual bounce sole configuration. Insurmountable debt, uncertain management, and stiff competition forced Spalding to stop production. So what did his famous Ginty patent actually mean? Like its sporting goods brother-in-arms MacGregor, Spalding ownership changed hands in 1958. Upload or insert images from URL. It wasnt long until Spaldings Executive golf clubs were launched, which were prevalent at all levels of the game. I look forward to your future deeper dive into the history of the Hogan company. These were actually a pretty good iron for the time and I think Trevino had something to do with this designbut not sure. I recently tried an old Jack Nicklaus 7 iron made by MacGregor many years ago. The Executives were the bomb back in the day. Spalding developed the first liquid center golf ball, the Kros-Flite. KKR was established in 1976 by partners Jerome Kohlberg, Henry Kravis, and George Roberts. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Do you remember what golf websites you were shopping on back in 1995? My first set of irons were the Tiger Sharks.The ball seemed to jump off the face.I still have them.My second set,still in play,are the Vas+.I love them.I hit them a mile high and they feel great.When I hear them calledthe worst irons ever it makes me wonder what the heck Im missing out on. So, if youre looking for a decent set of golf clubs without breaking the bank, theres no reason not to invest in a used set of Spalding clubs if you see a set that you like online. I have no ideabut I sure loved my Tommy Armour silver Scotts. . Great article takes me back to nostalgia. 1-949-642-6484 . When I was starting golf, I went to the shop and these were the clubs that I hit the best (compared to cavity backs) and bought them. I think this is the web site for me . In 2012, Callaway sold Top-Flite to DICKS and Hogan to Perry Ellis. From the 1950s to the 1990s Spalding was in the bag for many major victories, and was played on municipal courses across the country. The only thing a golfer needs is more daylight. - BenHogan. $89.99. made it even more interesting and valuable. So I sent it in and got the iron. The Spalding Top-Flite first came out in 1970. Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond LS Driver Review, Best Womens Golf Clubs for Intermediate Players, Ned Howard Retired PGA Teaching Professional. "url": "https://swingyard.com/wp-content/uploads/Spalding-Irons-by-Year.jpg" Yes, it did. Havent been able to give them up since my Dad died in 99, Does anyone remember a set of irons made in the 80s (I think) that were actually a bunch of small woods, even the PW was made from wood. Thats great. I actually travel with it and use it at the driving range, so I dont have to rent clubs. Spalding quickly grew, making baseball gloves and uniforms and the first modern baseball bat. OK MyGolfSpyers, its time to get creative! Actually, we used to produce more golf balls than Titleist. unbelieveably so..!! It was a popular cavity back iron and Spalding decided to sell it through general sporting goods stores, eschewing the golf pro. Since the Ryder Cup is shortly upon us MyGolfSpy & GolfCircuit.com thought it[]. The company stayed the course, and the result is a thriving, profitable company. I had a VAS 5 iron. "datePublished": "2022-05-12", i was pretty impressed with the club. When he would get ready to play, he would hold the club so that the sole was visible to everyone. They introduced the Browning 500 Series to counter that effect.But, they waited too long and by that timethe party was over! Was: C $107.89. Your previous content has been restored. This putter is a remake of the model Bobby Jones used in the 1930s and features a head made from nickel plating over copper plating over forged carbon steel. 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. Just make sure to mix in a few lessons with your local PGA pro, and you'll progress nicely. There was a time that Spalding golf clubs were among the best in the business. $77.83. He changed from forged blades and balata balls to cavity back, investment cast irons and sold core balls, White tells MyGolfSpy. But they seem to work though. These irons which I dont know who actually designed were called the Ray Cook Titanic irons and were made back when Scotty Cameron was a putter designer for the company. During their time together, Vardon and Spalding agreed the best way to grow the game in the U.S. and grow the market for Spalding golf products was to build more golf courses. What about Goldwin?? Great nostalgia with the article. In 1893, Spalding bought the Lamb Knitting Machine Company in Chicopee, Mass which made, obviously, knitting machines and, less obviously, eggbeaters, bicycle wheels, and rifles. Maybe it is a good idea or maybe it is not. Tommy Armour TI 100 need to be on the list, they were twice the size of any other iron produced ever. Yes. His company quickly expanded into making equipment for every sport imaginable. Mr. Adams had just formed Taylor Made Golf in late 1978 and this was their first showing in the market. Callaway had long wanted Top-Flites ball factory and patents but didnt want to assume any debt. By this time, Spalding was making everything from barbells, dumbells, punching bags, and rowing machines to fencing blades, whistles, shot puts, javelins, and golf clubs. Still use them. Spalding Golf Clubs: Do Still Make Them & How Much? - Windtree Golf higher loft is really your best bet for getting out of these difficult fairway lies, Top 10 Best Cheap Drivers (Updated 2021 Buying Guide), 5 Advantages of A Strong Golf Grip (Everything To Know), What Is An Overrun Golf Ball? Thanks for the memories, John Barba. In 1910 Spalding started making fairway clubs made of aluminum, and heavier lead face putters. The reason why Spalding clubs arent particularly valuable is that they have been widely available for so many years. "keywords": ["spalding irons by year","when did spalding stop making golf clubs","does spalding still make golf clubs","spalding golf clubs history","spalding executive golf clubs history"], Finally, I think a distinction needs to be made between the wackiest looking and worst irons made. The Browning 440 was a marvelous clubas you say off the fairway!!! Win a bunch of BogeyPro swag! I wonder how much influence he had on those? Well today is going to be a little bit different. Just came back from the PGA Tour Superstore after reading this site last night. Men's Right Handed. Inventory available of individual, single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding EXECUTIVE XE Irons. We are here to help educate and empower golfers. The Ginty was the first modern Utility club. In the late 70s I also had a set of Unique irons which were great apart from the plastic covers covering the cavity back constantly falling out. 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. "author": "Ned Howard", Spalding Executive MV2 bird over ball Irons - Ironfinder Case in point: The article makes the statement that The (Cleveland) VAS irons have finally been dethroned from their previous top spot as Worst Iron Ever Made! I dont think Cory Pavin would have won PGA tour events and endorsed them if this had been true. 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. Our friends[], Amazing Ryder Cup Contest! You should shoot me some pics of your new set. Not the first or the last business to be destroyed by KKR. my 5w distance matches my friends new drivers in distance off tee,,they are amazed. The range is for form anyway. He was a pro at having fun when he played golf! The Kro-Flite in 1930 was golfs first liquid center golf ball, while the Spalding DOT was a mid-century icon. "dateModified": "2022-05-12", I have a med flex shaft, 1 inch extension on each Exec club, and Golf Pride Velvet jumbo grips. The VAS are ugly, but they work. 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. Acushnet has been sold twice since the 1970s, and each time the buyer took the same approach: be profitable, and well leave you alone. I played a lot of Spaulding equipment as a kid in all kinds of sports. He also was one of the best designers in the golf biz. ENTER NOW! In 1895, Spalding started making golf balls. Many of which might have even found there way into a few of your bagseven if you dont want to admit it. I cannot find any information on this club, maybe they were a golfsmith thing from early 2000s?? I am a self-admitted admirer of Mr. Hogan having owned more than 2 dozen sets of various Hogan iron sets over the years and a former member of the only club to have a Hogan-designed course (actually 27 holes). One day, I was caddying for him and he crushed a drive, but about 100 yards out, it just fell out of the sky. "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjT3UiJflw60ZD31-6yC4mA", However my 6 iron had twice as much offset as any other iron in the set. I had a set of Tiger Sharks(the short irons hit the ball miles).The follow up Great Whites Within three years, it would be gone for good. Youve forgotten the worst offender. By the Roaring '20s, A.G. Spalding & Brothers was using the process of "drop forging" to manufacture metal club-heads. Its pretty clear KKR didnt do its due diligence. Really a zany=looking set of irons. Im a sucker for the odd things, I also had a Power Pod(big mistake). Any of you still have a set of these beauties laying around? Fantastic article John! Cliffy2020 Over two million Bobby Jones sets were sold in America. Basically, the new irons are all the same cavity backed design tweaked for the metal content and painted pretty for your golf bag. More on the tr600!!!! Very well researched and well done, as someone who is not super well versed in some of golfs history, it was a great, informative read! In 1906 Bendelow designed the expansion of Atlantas East Lake Club, the eventual home club of one Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. Well spare you the decade-by-decade rundown of Spalding innovations (and there are many). Thanks. He has provided some keen insights from his time with Mr. Hogan in other articles and podcasts. What can you find out about Wilson x 70 irons. lots of memories here. Men's Right Handed. Iomic Golf Grips: 8 Key Facts Before You Buy. I want to say they were called Ironwoods but I cant find them on the internet maybe they were just in one of my wild dreams!! So, while Spalding is nowhere near as prevalent as it once was in the world of golf, you can still pick up a set of Molitor clubs for a very reasonable price online. And if the Nicklaus Bear irons were used to win the US Amateur, they shouldnt be on a worst irons list either. He re-gripped them and beats the Taylormade hand-me-downs of his friends. Just saw a full set of them again today. I owned two sets of Unique ironsstarting in 1976. 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. By the following year, Spalding began making clubs in the U.S. Also, consider TaylorMade sold last spring for $1.6 billion, while KKR paid nearly $1 billion for Spalding in 1996. You can post now and register later. Great looking blade and the low COG really lets one hit it high. Wanted them when I was in college but couldnt afford them then. 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 Leather Golf Grips Review: Should I Use Them? Ugly or unconventional, I felt a more confident with them and Stan Thompson fairway woods. 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. They definitely arent the prettiest of clubs but I did enjoy playing them. Can anyone ballpark an estimate on the value of a set of Samurai clubs? There are worse things. Oddity? If it works for you use it. Tommy Armours ownership circus eventually turned it into the Sports Authority (and now DICKS) house brand. It was fun to have and I actually hit the thing really really well. Albert Spalding was a superstar. KKR had been trying to dump Spalding as early as 2000, but no one would take on the debt burden. The Black Dots and Red Dots were equivalent to the Titleist black numerals and red numerals. Say what you will but I own a set of Ray Cook Titanic irons. Bought a used set of 3-SW with a sticker decal some 35 years ago and added a 2-iron with stamped lettering later on a trip to Chicago. Typically about 2 of the three would be OK, but if you hit one thin, you just threw it away on the next tee. BombTech Golf Reviews (These Golf Clubs Any Good? They are a blade from the early 80`s. The Early Years Starting in 1900, Spalding opened clubmaking factories in London and in Fife, Scotland, producing forged iron heads for Spalding clubs sold both in the U.K. and U.S. Spalding also started the Spalding Athletic Library; a series of sports and exercise books published from 1892 through 1941. Remember all the other clubs, good to read. He also had a head for business and knew a good opportunity when he saw one. Geek Golf when were spalding executive golf clubs made Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.You can also visit my Am. I wonder what Jack thought of them. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. This stuff is really interesting.. We stand behind our clubs and want you to be satisfied with them. As a former professional player, Spalding recognized the need of enlisting the assistance of experts to promote both the game and his merchandise. They kept slashing the pricing. Executives were my first real set of golf clubs. but fairly forgiving. 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 Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. I dont want to pay the asking prices for individual 440 Plus irons on eBay, so Ill keep my eye out for them at the thrift shops and G-W. Andyou see the Spaulding Executive irons at the Goodwill stores all the time. I saw a set go for well over $300 (I think it went closer to $500, but I just would not swear to it). jazzbone, September 4, 2006 in Equipment. The chrome Great collection I remember many of them in the past 30 years often thought of buying some of them, but luckily, I didnt, Ive purchased dozens of iron sets in the last few years (Big Bertha,FTI, Taylor Made, Cobra, Nike V series) NOne of these work as well as my Ping Zings, Hey, what about Shakespeare and fiberglass. Almost , http://www.intheholegolf.com/store/f2is.html. While theyre old-school, Spalding clubs are made to high standards and are built to last, making them a great option if youre looking for a cheap and cheerful set of clubs. Pretty sure that was the first major won for a solid core ball. With Spalding's mass-market success breeding scores of imitators, players could pick and choose from countless club lines. Perception-wise that made Spalding a second-tier, big-box company compared to Titleist. . ), Phat Golf Scooters Reviews (Good or Waste of Cash? Remember when pros like Norman and Stadler and others with that bright red Spaulding Tour Bag. Under Chapter 363, it bid $125 million for Top-Flite. I accidentally broke it in the late 1970s the shaft was installed over a milled section of the hosel! In addition to being a prolific golf club designer and inventor of innumerable gadgets and gizmos, I have led a fascinating life, as you can see by a brief look at a summary of my biography.. I was the Sales Manager of Stan Thompson golf company for several years and worked very close with Stan. 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. Still have the XL-4s in the garage. Might need to get a full set of Tiger Shark irons to match the wedge!! Im surprised that nobody has mentioned the Wilson Fat Shaft irons for ugliness. In 1900, Spalding released the Vardon Flyer, the golf ball used by Harry Vardon. 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. The Cobra set left handed golf club set is made of premium products. Just bought a set of Nicklaus Linear Dynamics N1 Golf Irons at a thrift shop in Vegas. Nabbed them just for the pure ugliness. Press J to jump to the feed. Goldwin was a San Diego company, years ahead of its time. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I remembered them from this article. Peter lived in Ridgefield,Ct. Purespin (diamond face)? Current owner FILA Korea Ltd took Acushnet public, and the company has thrived ever since. Swing Yard is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.ca, amazon.co.uk and any other websites that may be affiliated with Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Forward-face progression creates a hitting surface 20 percent larger than standard and 5 percent larger than over-sized irons. Taylor Made Golf was my Distributor for the U.S. and Canadian market. Did KKR overpay? Ugly. In 1910 Spalding started making fairway clubs made of aluminum, and heavier lead face putters. Established in Caracas in 1929 as a small material transport business, the Cisneros Group had its fingers in everything from soft drinks, ice cream, and beauty products to banking and a burgeoning telecommunications business. About; Blog; Service; Contacts But $1 billion is a lot of cabbage, and KKR borrowed heavily to make the deal. today. Back in the day (early-60s), I caddied at a CC in so. Please put any questions or comments here. Im sure Scott White would love to contribute. Sold them to a guy 30 years younger who also loved them. I have a Simmons Great White Shark putter with a 7 blade. The shaft collapses to 18 inches so it is great for travelsure beats the cost of checking a golf bag these days. In 1993 Payne Stewart signed a multi-million-dollar deal to go full Top-Flite, a move that sidetracked Stewarts career. It came with Driver, 3W, 5W and 3-PW. 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. Throughout America, the affordable Spalding clubs flew off the shelves and reaped huge catalog sales. I owned a set of Nocklaus N1 irons (the pro versions of the bear irons?). Fila Golf has developed this new iron using a patented design feature. Players would switch balls during a round as conditions warranted. 0 bids. Make Request. What you supposed to do, cut your head off!!! Odyssey to Callaway In July 1997, Callaway Golf purchased putter maker Odyssey for $130 million, or nearly four times the company's annual sales of $35 million at the time. And although Spalding would show operational profits, debt service kept turning those profits into losses. i just hit a 8 iron in that series last night. Titleist and PING were established competitors, while TaylorMade and Callaway were flexing their muscles. Still, if youre looking for more information about Spalding golf clubs, youve come to the right place. More than 50 percent of that total came from golf ball sales. They actually play pretty well. It is more of a you gotta be kidding me), an Integra 650 cc driver (you have to dig a ditch before you swing), etc. Take the Spalding Executive line. Do You have any idea? Starting in the early 1900s, Spalding started making golf balls before manufacturing clubs. Nice article John! There is nothing crazy about the Slinger! They are awesome clubs, very well-weighted, with a great center of gravity for high loft shots. Anybody know anything? I just searched eBay right now and saw a set for $139. Corey Pavin won the 1996 US Open Shinnecock with a purple set. The brand was popular until the late 1990s, but Spalding opted for a new direction at the turn of the century and focused on other sports instead of golf. when were spalding executive golf clubs made My only wacky set now are some Macgregor MT Splitsoles in very gd cond which were bought at a Thrift store. I had some Staff FG-17 and my friends dad had the Executives. Top Flite is now synonymous with bargain or cheap instead of being the club of choice for the greatest golfers on tour. I have a set of both the 440s and the 500s, and there is no difference in face depth. "width": "645", Still have the clubs in my basement. Would the F2 wedges still be legal if the crank were a few inches further up but still keeping the same angle please. The BIG BOYS missed on this one. 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. It was if I walked into the store from a time machine. 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? lol! Jones immediately put his Georgia Tech engineering degree to good use. 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational - Discussion and Links to Photos, 2023 The Honda Classic - Discussion and Links to photos, 2023 Genesis Invitational - Discussion and Links to photos, 2023 Waste Management Phoenix Open - Discussion and Links to Photos, 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - Discussion and Links to all photos. In an effort to keep golf a game of skill, the USGA implemented the 14 club rule that we see today. CT. We had a very good amateur player, reputed to be one of the longest hitters in the state. Cleveland VAS was really great Iron. The 1968 arrival of the Executive MV2 Bird Over Ball clubs are among some of Spalding's most easily recognizable clubs. Within weeks, Top-Flite filed Chapter 11. An excellent article well researched 2 Iron Spalding . Find golf club trade-in and re-sales values for over 4,000 models of used golf clubs at the PGA Value Guide, from leading manufacturers such as Callaway, TaylorMade, Taylor Made, Titleist, Ping, Odyssey, Nike, Cleveland, Mizuno, Cobra, Adams, Wilson. { Terrific article as usual Mr. Barra. It was a low loft club used for poor lies and putting. "https://twitter.com/_swingyard_", I have a old slotline cigar putter I still use,,no loift at all,looks like a big tootsie roll,but puts great,,friends still get amazed at how it puts,,. any info on this garbage?lol. John, MacGregor Doctor X. I had the Bears. "https://www.pinterest.com/Swingyard/blog/" Your link has been automatically embedded. Spalding was the leading manufacturer of golf clubs in America throughout the mid-twentieth century, highlighting just how popular the brand was. #15 - Stan Thompson Ginty Irons You might remember the popular Stan Thompson woods with the unique sole design. (ENTER TO WIN) Super cool contest we have for you fellow GolfSpies today! I didnt know until I read this article that evidently FILA was the designer of the original face forward iron design; speaking of which, I wouldve thought the F2 Face Forward Irons wouldve made the list (http://www.intheholegolf.com/store/f2is.html). As a designer, the design is perfect and although they look funny, they were a great club, ask Cory Pavin. What was wacky about the Bears? a beginner could really benifit from the Nike slingshot, they are easy to hit. 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. You had to turn those over to see the ugly, but the cone in the bottom was down right wacky! Ever hear of Belmont (internal, removable sole weighting)? Great stuff. In the mid-80s, Spalding introduced the solid core Tour Edition, and in 1996 it came out with Strata, a true game-changer for Spalding and the first multi-layer solid core ball used on Tour. What you like is what you like. I believe Robert Molitor was the fellow who developed the Top Flite. Spalding took off with sales and production with Bobby Jones joining the team. Perhaps they were a little ahead of their time (3-PW). They play as well as any other set Shortly thereafter, Spalding signed him as spokesperson, vice president and director of research. But the funky look kept me from ever thinking about buying a whole set. Ive got a crazy iron set that is one telescoping iron with a blade that changes position to vary the loft. I also have a set of Browning TR600s. Spalding introduced many variations of hickory-shafted clubs to bring distance and control to the professional and duffer alike. It is my Go To clubmy favorite. It wasnt very sophisticated back then, and they wanted to add layers of sophistication that they had in their other businesses. Corey Pavin says, If I wont paid to play them ugly ass sticks they would have never been heard of ;). The 1999 Hogan Apex, forged by Endo Manufacturing in Japan, remains a sought-after collectible, and a very playable blade, to this day.
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