There was a time when Spalding was one of the biggest brands in golf. I recently tried an old Jack Nicklaus 7 iron made by MacGregor many years ago. Hope you find this one interesting!!!! Starting in 1900, Spalding opened club-making factories in London and in Fife, Scotland, producing forged iron heads for Spalding clubs sold both in the UK and U.S. Only until tomorrow until my hybrids come in and boom they're gone. Balata covers. 0 bids. I have not 1 but 2 sets of Browning 440 irons. My Dad's execs from the 70's were blades that had aluminum shafts. He struggled quite a bit with the change.. Albert Spalding died in 1915, but his company continued to flourish. All of the irons were labeled as a 7 iron, with the real number of the club micro stamped on the faces upper toe. I actually travel with it and use it at the driving range, so I dont have to rent clubs. These were actually a pretty good iron for the time and I think Trevino had something to do with this designbut not sure. Those Slinger Irons were the brain child of Jim Flood. Colgate-Palmolive bought RAM and Penfold in the mid-70s to sell more toothpaste but gave up after only five years. 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!! Thanks. But Zevo Golf is one of those on this list that was a pioneering. Purespin (diamond face)? Peter lived in Ridgefield,Ct. Every iron ever made is ugly as hell when you hit it off the hosel. A very easy to hit blade. What a lovely trip down memory lane, nostalgia is a wonderful thing. Just make sure to mix in a few lessons with your local PGA pro, and you'll progress nicely. 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. lol! Lots of wackiness. Former Proctor & Gamble chief Edwin Artzt came on as chairman, with former Kraft, Inc executive vice president James Craigie becoming CEO. As a designer, the design is perfect and although they look funny, they were a great club, ask Cory Pavin. Non-Tapered Golf Grips: 8 Facts to Know Before You Buy! 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. The company also announced an alliance with Bob Bettinardi to create a line of high-end Hogan putters. The only thing a golfer needs is more daylight. - BenHogan. And if the Nicklaus Bear irons were used to win the US Amateur, they shouldnt be on a worst irons list either. Used to play traditional blades with the odd shank. Norman credited the extra spin of the Tour Edition for winning the 1986 British Open. We want your input before testing begins. 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! It means the Son of a Scottish brood that keeps getting into trouble only to easily find his way out of trouble! For more info on Stan Thompson click here. If so send us some picsdont worry we will keep it 100% anonymous . Decent? And Spaldings ace in the hole Strata was old news by the time the Pro V1 and Nike Tour Accuracy hit the scene. By 1910, the company was selling aluminum fairway clubs and its Gold Medal series (1910 to 1919) featured aluminum bronze. Heres a set of Slotline irons currently for sale on EBay, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330561978331&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT, some years ago-I bought a trial 7 iron thru golg digest-some years later a friend of mine bought a used set at a second hand storeany way I think it was made by simmons or slotline?? 6. my Dad is still pulling new 90s & 2000s Top Flights from the closet to play lol. The Executives were the bomb back in the day. We (and tour players) figured out it was very stable in the wind and was 2 clubs longer with the irons. In the 1960s, Spalding introduced the Spalding Executive line of clubs and balls and the Top-Flite Elite Professional irons with the Bird on Ball logo. The greatest golfer at the time plays Spalding? single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize Irons. John, In that year, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) took shape, and many of the fledgling tour's stars already had endorsement deals with Spalding. They kept slashing the pricing. I was wondering if anyone had ever tried Slotline Classic Copper golf clubs. Ive owned. We had hybrids back in the 80s. No. Spalding spent the last half of the 20th-century battling with Titleist for golf ball supremacy. * Note: These irons were designed by Pat Simmons and ex-pilot and engineer which also had a part in the Zebra putter design. The 300XXL Driver was so lightawesome clubhead speed ! But they seem to work though. Anybody know anything? We have been making them since 1992ship them all over the worldto soldiers, traveling execs, private pilots, cyclists, retirees that want to walk but cant lug a full set, and many other categories. Never met a set of strange clubs I didnt want to try. Its an interesting question to ask about a company that was a factor for over 125 years. Sold millions of those over the years. In an effort to keep golf a game of skill, the USGA implemented the 14 club rule that we see today. Geek Golf Learn how your comment data is processed. I still have several sets of Hogan forged irons, Hogan/Bettinardi putters, several dozen Apex, and Tour Deep balls. Was a fan of the TopFlite XL. Can you help me find the history of the club? Executives were my first set as wellI thought they were a great starter set. Hope you all enjoyed a look back at some of the craziest irons ever made. I wonder what Jack thought of them. The 1953 Top-Flite Synchro-Dyned irons were particularly innovative, featuring a matched shaft flex and head weight for each iron in the set. The Top-Flite acquisition made it a player. Extra weight added to the toe keeps the center of gravity where needed and also keeps the club head square at impact, resulting in straighter shots.. There is nothing crazy about the Slinger! I bought them new. the only problem I have had{although the have to be at least 30+ years old},is graphite cracks. I had a VAS 5 iron. Sold them to a guy 30 years younger who also loved them. Made from 1989-1994 and originally sold for $680. They are similar to the Nike slingshots as they have a powerbow looking thing on the back of them. What you like is what you like. Finally, I think a distinction needs to be made between the wackiest looking and worst irons made. 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). "logo": { Spalding is a big name in American sports, having manufactured equipment for basketball, American football, and golf over the years. single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding Executive MV2 bird over ball Irons. Money put a few of these clubs on touralthough that does not mean they were worth a penny. vicunas. In the meantime, this should hold you over, https://mygolfspy.com/why-does-the-ben-hogan-equipment-company-still-matter/. Today, Spalding Executive clubs arent worth a great deal of money. The Spalding Top-Flite first came out in 1970. The name was acquired by the folks behind Nitro golf balls and they now have a full line you can buy on RockBottomGolf. Ugly. As a former pro athlete, Spalding saw the value of using professionals to help promote both the game and his products. One of the most famous Spalding clubs was the Cran Cleek (club with a narrow face and little loft) for poor fairway lies and even putts. There are worse things. Different, yes, but they are the only ones where you can really aim at the target! By I just picked up 6 thru 9 of the Browning 440 Plus irons at the Goodwillcant wait to try them out. The success of Spalding golf clubs had compelled the USGA to act, but this success was not destined to last forever. He also had a head for business and knew a good opportunity when he saw one. Your previous content has been restored. Callaway wound up suing Spalding for using its imagery on Spalding packaging. I have a med flex shaft, 1 inch extension on each Exec club, and Golf Pride Velvet jumbo grips. This is because Spalding stopped manufacturing golf clubs in 2002, and most of the clubs available online today are vintage sets. Copyright 2023. 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. I played them for years, they were solid, and they looked really good at address for their time period. That year Albert and his brothers opened the A.G. Spalding & Brothers sporting goods company and started making baseballs. Please put any questions or comments here. I still have a set of samurai woods and irons,,and still use them,,had a pro hit my 7 iron once,,it flew his 7iron,,he was amazed,they hit great,,but graphite wears down over years and breaks,and when that happens,,its hard to find a replacement,,,. While the Top Flite was initially scorned by better players as the rock flight, it probably caused a rule change. Met a friend in Costa Mesa at Mile Square Golf Club back in the early 1970s and he was with Duke Duclos., a friend from their McDonald-Douglas days. By the early 1920s, Spalding began using a mechanical hammer to drop-forge heads in an assembly line, making the process faster, more consistent, and considerably less expensive. Spalding, however, never dominated the pro game as Wilson and MacGregor did. Sign In. I have a set of Spalding exec XE love them- I dont play more than 5-6 rounds a year now, but they are so consistant , I could go a year between swings and still play the same- got them back in 1980- ish. Take the Spalding Executive line. What was wacky about the Bears? Not the first or the last business to be destroyed by KKR. I saw a set go for well over $300 (I think it went closer to $500, but I just would not swear to it). Remember when pros like Norman and Stadler and others with that bright red Spaulding Tour Bag. Back in the day (early-60s), I caddied at a CC in so. WITB Albums. The original Strata ball was amazing when it came out spin for days! When he would get ready to play, he would hold the club so that the sole was visible to everyone. Well then so did everyone else. It was a low loft club used for poor lies and putting. Started Thursday at 03:24 PM, Please put and questions or comments here, Please put any questions or comments here, Please put any questions of comments here. 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!!!! 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. "https://www.facebook.com/swingyard/", } Bird on ball was a very popular club. TaylorMade then entered the bidding but, after 30 rounds, Callaway wound up buying Top-Flite free and clear for $175 million. Spalding used to own Top Flite before selling the subsidiary to Callaway. Remember all the other clubs, good to read. In 1938, the USGA passed an edict limiting players to 14 clubs. Id like to include the Wilson Reflex irons and PGF Slammer series. Tom Farrell. I use them in Central Texas when the fairways are hard and the greens harder (late summer and all winter). And Spalding predated Mizuno by at least 60 years with a copper undercoating for its forged blades in the mid-50s. "url": "https://swingyard.com/wp-content/uploads/Spalding-Irons-by-Year.jpg" I had some Staff FG-17 and my friends dad had the Executives. The Titleist were a bit longer lasting but I (a poor college student) could afford the Spaulding balls. "publisher": { 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.. You can actually play Spalding golf balls again! I got balls, well ProV1's anyway. ***GIVEAWAY*** Cleveland CBX ZipCore Wedge! My dad has played a set if vicunas for about 40 years! For more than 25 years, he has contributed to a wide array of publications including "American Heritage," "American History," "Yankee," "VFW," "Golf," and "Golf News." I really enjoy reading your articles, John. 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? I had a few customers back in the 1970s who ordered custom irons and would request the same number on the sole of their heads. Right now Ive been with the Execs 2 then 5 SW, Ram 64 wedge, 1 & 3 wood, both hybrids and putter. Great list! OK. Ive got some irons sets you have up (Fila, Cleveland, Slotline, and the Tiger Shark). Much cheaper than renting. Throughout America, the affordable Spalding clubs flew off the shelves and reaped huge catalog sales. And I remember drooling over those Tour Edition Custom blades in the pro shop. The VAS irons have finally been dethroned from their previous top spot as Worst Iron Ever Made! Although from a phone-in interview Mr. VAS told us, I feel robbed. Would the F2 wedges still be legal if the crank were a few inches further up but still keeping the same angle please. Don't let scams get away with fraud. In 1962, Pyramid merged with Dunhill International and the AP Parts Corporation. A set of wedges were introduced several years ago claiming to be New and the best thing since sliced bread, but they looked strangely similar to the Golden Touch irons. I play them still and love them. And continuity, leadership, and smart decisions matter. I wonder how much influence he had on those? He also had some copycat Browning irons in the trunk, but I refused I couldnt even look at them with a straight face. Happily, I can say that I have seen these over the years, but none of them ever made it into my golf bag. Especially in America. Great insight! 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). I dont think I paid more than $300 for all four sets combined- Im a Salvation Army searcher. Thanks for the article. Why are Spalding golf balls called Top Flite? The range is for form anyway. If you have any you think we should include or have any additional info about the clubs listed feel free to post your comments. $86.40 shipping. 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. CA License # A-588676-HAZ / DIR Contractor Registration #1000009744 "https://www.instagram.com/_swingyard_/", Taylor Made Golf was my Distributor for the U.S. and Canadian market. . Im surprised that nobody has mentioned the Wilson Fat Shaft irons for ugliness. but worth a kings ransom, Great post thanks mgs but i agree with dj ,The doctor rx has to be on the list. ENTER NOW! The legendary Spalding bird logo appeared on their clubs in the 1960s, with the Top-Flite Elite Professional irons proving popular on Tour. Knowledgable folk say its all in the mind. Win a bunch of BogeyPro swag! Its a great story that needs to be told. The Browning 440s took my game from the 150s (Wilson clubs) to the low 70s. Got them for $200.00 which was a really great price other pro shops were asking $450.00 for a set. Weird thing was I could hit the XL-4 long irons better and the Executives better from 7-PW. (Cavity back blades???) Those were first made around the end of the 19th century during the hickory era. I accidentally broke it in the late 1970s the shaft was installed over a milled section of the hosel! 2 Iron Spalding . Jim passed away recentlyhe was a great innovator do you remember the Basakwerd Putter Say what you will but I own a set of Ray Cook Titanic irons. Zevo was a great brand and I played a Zevo Zv2 hybrid for almost 6 years because it was so easy to hit and had incredible feel. ), Takomo Golf Clubs Review: (As Good as Expected? Matched them to Wilson Pro Staff low compressions and I was a happy camper. This technology is a shank-proof hosel. Spalding manufactured golf clubs for some of the leading players in the game, including the legendary American player Bobby Jones. With KKR, it was a 180-degree turnaround. I still have the irons to this day! Today we are going to be spotlighting the crazy, the absurd, and some of the wackiest irons the golf world has ever seen. They are for sale. He would hold up the club so they could see the 7 on the bottom and with a big grin say I hit a 7 iron. Jackie Gleason also owned a set. Any Spalding clubs that are still in circulation can be regarded as vintage, thats for sure! We want you to get the most out of your Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond LS Driver Review, Best Womens Golf Clubs for Intermediate Players, Ned Howard Retired PGA Teaching Professional. Cleveland was giving them away for free if you send in some coupon from golf digest. Itd take a week to prepare for.. You cannot do that with any other club. It came with Driver, 3W, 5W and 3-PW. It is called a hollow wedge, but you can putt with it as well. The woods were the strangest looking things. A very interesting stroll down golf history. " [We] decided that . Im a sucker for the odd things, I also had a Power Pod(big mistake). The Executive clubs are among the finest pure forged blades ever produced and have certainly stood the test of time. The Endo-forged Hogan Apex Plus cavity back irons came soon after, along with a solid-core Hogan Apex ball. So for those of you who own a set and are fellow collectors of the ridiculoustoday is your day to shine. Inventory available of individual, single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding EXECUTIVE XE Irons. The likes of Callaway, TaylorMade, and PING all enjoyed good commercial success in the late nineties, and Spalding couldnt match the same feats achieved by the biggest brands. The company was already selling golf balls when, in 1905, it became the first in America to offer its own brand of golf clubs. From 1932 until 1973 two years after Jones death Spalding sold over 15 different models and two million sets of Bobby Jones clubs. Im sure Scott White would love to contribute. 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. Model Summary Color chart indicates best . Still have the XL-4s in the garage. When I eventually found a set of Magnums with regular shafts, I bought them but had been addicted to the graphite. Perhaps they were a little ahead of their time (3-PW). Tommy Armours ownership circus eventually turned it into the Sports Authority (and now DICKS) house brand. Shallow faces (not as shallow as the 440 of course) and less offset than many of the long irons they replace. Thus, the USGA implemented the one ball rule, Thanks John for another great piece of history. The new club are really pretty, but no better than the original slotlines which I used to have. Thanks for you4 diligence and reporting. Incidentally, Vulcan (Chicago suburb club makers who made some of the earliest hybrids) made a full set of hybrids 3-SW. You have not lived until you hit good hybrid wedges! Keep up the great work. Titleist and PING were established competitors, while TaylorMade and Callaway were flexing their muscles. Finally, my number came up along with everyone else in the product management and marketing teams.. 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. 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). The plan was to position Hogan as the premium forged line sold through pro shops. Great collection! If it works for you use it. I bought my first set of real golf clubs around 1991 or 1992, the Spalding Executive. "https://twitter.com/_swingyard_", Titleist has been the Ball King for so long, its hard to remember a time when it wasnt. Club-makers traditional method had been to shape metal heads with an anvil and forge. }. Any of you still have a set of these beauties laying around? They are exactly like the Cleveland Ironwood set you see now, but it was made y..e..a..r..s ago. They preceded hybrid irons by 20 years or so. Youve forgotten the worst offender. Slotline Inertial E-Max irons laying around ? APPLY NOW: Cleveland Frontline Elite Putters! If you are a beginner and are looking for a . That debt burden, however, finally proved fatal. These irons were designed in Belgium by the Belgium-Browning company. These were great clubs. What about the old Bullet Driver that was hollow in the center (like an inverted U shape)? Don Wood has the patent for the Plop Slotz Irons. During that time, Spalding ownership changed hands a half dozen times, and saw the same fate as MacGregor Irons. That means providing you with equipment reviews you can trust, Its impossible to overstate Albert Spaldings vision and ambition. Brilliant writing! } #14 - Spalding Executive Irons These were actually a pretty good iron for the time and I think Trevino had something to do with this designbut not sure. as well as honest reporting on the latest issues affecting the game Thanks, John. I can't imagine them being worth a shit. Is my equipment holding me back? Our mission is #ConsumerFirst. I remember a set called Canon I think, possibly a Spalding brand. we closed and then were just screwing around with some of the rental clubs. The Roaring 20s gave us Babe Ruth, Knute Rockne, Jack Dempsey, and Red Grange. Previously, they manufactured equipment for golf, American football, and baseball, but they have downsized considerably in recent years. About; Blog; Service; Contacts They definitely arent the prettiest of clubs but I did enjoy playing them. It wasnt long until Spaldings Executive golf clubs were launched, which were prevalent at all levels of the game. Still, if youre looking for more information about Spalding golf clubs, youve come to the right place. I have a 3-15 wood set that are fun to play with. I have a left handed set that I got from a guy on the senior tour, Bob Carson, who also owned a golf course in Titusville FLA. You can still buy Top-Flite and Strata branded balls at DICKS and Golf Galaxy. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Great list of wild clubs. Anybody know anything about them? 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. When I was first introduced to golf in the mid 70s, spoiling was still a player in the recreational market. It was a popular cavity back iron and Spalding decided to sell it through general sporting goods stores, eschewing the golf pro. Perception-wise that made Spalding a second-tier, big-box company compared to Titleist. What about Pax (Paul Goydos promoted them)? As a golfer of a certain age, these history articles are fascinating! 1968 Spalding developed the first 2-piece performance golf ball, the Spalding Executive. The VAS are ugly, but they work. Today its hard to fine a wooden golf club in a bag!!!! The strangest set I play with at the moment is a matching set of 3 through 15 fairway woods made by Protactic Golf in Chicago (part of the remains of Northwestern Golf, I think). Spalding no longer makes golf clubs, and hasnt for some time now. In one sense, Spalding suffered the same fate irrelevance as did fellow legacy golf brands Wilson Staff and MacGregor. I have a set of Lynx Parallax irons that were my fathers. Looking through eBay listings, you can find a range of vintage Spalding golf clubs in various conditions to suit different budgets. I still have them and as a matter of fact I still use a copper Zing2 sand wedge 54. As a former professional player, Spalding recognized the need of enlisting the assistance of experts to promote both the game and his merchandise. Make sense as I do have a Johnny Miller PW which looks just like an X 70. The Early Years of Spalding Golf Starting in 1900, Spalding opened club-making factories in London and in Fife, Scotland, producing forged iron heads for Spalding clubs sold both in the UK and U.S. I will admit to having a hankering for those slick lookin Zevo Lobs tho. Buyers can still find Spalding clubs on some secondary sites. What a mess that design was! In 1892 Spalding went into acquisition mode, buying up two key competitors: the A.J. 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. Although they did have issues with the shafts actually wrinkling due to the configuration of the shape of the toe on this ironcrazy little factoid. 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. The pro-shop who had them could not find a buyer. The Top Flite name lives on, however, thanks to the purchase of its namesake via Callaway in the early 2000s. In the mid to late 80s, my father had Spalding make him a set of custom irons. Play to a 4 6 cap. I still think there were others that deserved some consideration. Placing the hosel behind the face eliminates the occasional `shank, creating forward-face progression. It is my Go To clubmy favorite. Does anyone know anything about them? I bought a set of blue-backed Uniques back in the early 80s. All Irons for men were 37. Today, collectors prize the narrow-faced Cran Cleek. I actually have a set of 440s I bring them out every year or two when I am hitting the ball poorly. In the 1920s, Spalding started making irons and innovated an assembly line style forging process that was much cheaper, faster, and more precise than the ole hammer and anvil. In 1900, Spalding released the Vardon Flyer, the golf ball used by Harry Vardon. Spalding did have high hopes for the Hogan brand. This is the story of Spaldings Final Countdown. Press J to jump to the feed. I completed the set off of eBay for around $100. These articles are all outstanding. Spalding stopped making clubs in 2002. Just saw a full set of them again today. Spaldings buddy Wright had been doing the same thing since 1892. Still playing my cook titanics with the 1 iron. They owed more to its creditors than Spalding was worth. I dont know how people could justify any of the others. I think a list of the craziest irons made should definitely include the Jerry Barber Golden Touch irons made over 40 years ago. With this in mind, this article looks at why Spalding golf clubs are no longer popular and how much some of their most popular sets are worth. Im a scratch golfer, and to date have found nothing that is better. 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! You cannot paste images directly. #PowerToThePlayer. It was an interesting period to work for Spalding but sad to watch the demise of the brand it should never of happened ! "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"], They also made a set made entirely of woods. #15 - Stan Thompson Ginty Irons You might remember the popular Stan Thompson woods with the unique sole design.
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