lol! 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? He could not believe the smoothness of the Driver. is fantastic, but the club is as stiff as an old water pipe and is accordingly harsh. One with the sticker decal and one without. Great collection! Ive seen several of those uglies up close over the years so this was fun to view. One day, I was caddying for him and he crushed a drive, but about 100 yards out, it just fell out of the sky. Alternatively, you can look on a discount site like Rock Bottom Golf. lots of memories here. In the mid to late 80s, my father had Spalding make him a set of custom irons. I have had many pros in proams hit them and fascinated by how the ball comes off the club face so fast,,good distance. Here Im going to date myself a bitBack in the late 70s there was a company called Unique..The iron set design was oversized head with a deep cavity that was covered with a hard plastic. They had fantastic fairway woods that I still take out for a spin every once in a while. Within three years, it would be gone for good. Was a fan of the TopFlite XL. When he would get ready to play, he would hold the club so that the sole was visible to everyone. Spalding hired Tom Bendelow as his designer, and Bendelow went on to develop many courses still in use today. There are worse things. 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. We used to say three-quarters of the golf balls manufactured in the world came out of the state of Massachusetts, says Ben Hogan CEO Scott White, who started his career as a golf ball product manager for Spalding in the early 90s. 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?? 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. Money put a few of these clubs on touralthough that does not mean they were worth a penny. Thanks for the article. Thanks for the history lesson and walk down memory lane. Just got Calloway X20s last week. Bought the Slotlines new. Iomic Golf Grips: 8 Key Facts Before You Buy. They are a blade from the early 80`s. I just picked up 6 thru 9 of the Browning 440 Plus irons at the Goodwillcant wait to try them out. Laugh if you must, but the design works. Upgraded my driver from R7 to Razr Hawk, but will never surrender my Slingshots. "@type": "Article", Titleist has been the Ball King for so long, its hard to remember a time when it wasnt. They had a premium Molitor ball at the then scandalous price of $2. Duke gave me an original solid brass/bronze Greenirons Slotline putter (heel shafted with slot in top line and white dot on lower rear section).. 2 Iron Spalding . Press J to jump to the feed. The Executives were the bomb back in the day. The Ginty was the first modern Utility club. With long-term debt in the neighborhood of $600 million, KKR found itself in a negative equity situation. Spalding also started the Spalding Athletic Library; a series of sports and exercise books published from 1892 through 1941. Any of you still have a set of these beauties laying around? I have a set of clubs with Belmont Power on them. The Spaulding Executive XE for me never looked right They were available in 1-SW (I believe) A friend used to play these and I always suggested using his pitching wood :o) My $.02. So we thought if it was as crazy looking as the original it had to be on the list but a little further down. I recently tried an old Jack Nicklaus 7 iron made by MacGregor many years ago. I really enjoy reading your articles, John. I played a lot of Spaulding equipment as a kid in all kinds of sports. These were great clubs. The biggest of them all, however, may well have been the aforementioned Bobby Jones. Callaway had long wanted Top-Flites ball factory and patents but didnt want to assume any debt. Just make sure to mix in a few lessons with your local PGA pro, and you'll progress nicely. You have any pics of the Samurai irons Neilwould love to see them. 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. If it works for you use it. They kept slashing the pricing. I had never seen the Fila irons before now. and had a driving range there for many years. I bought them new. Started Yesterday at 04:29 AM, By In 1998 Spalding released the Top-Flite System C and System T golf balls which, Spalding claimed, were designed to perform best with two top-selling drivers of that year, the Callaway Big Bertha and the TaylorMade Ti Bubble 2. vicunas. MacGregors ownership carousel started in 1978 when it was sold to lumber conglomerate Wickes. There are still folks around from when Mr. Hogan ran the company and I am sure you can get some keen insights not only of the company but of Mr. Hogan himself. "dateModified": "2022-05-12", 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Do you remember what golf websites you were shopping on back in 1995? As a former professional player, Spalding recognized the need of enlisting the assistance of experts to promote both the game and his merchandise. Spalding, seemingly, was on top of the world. It came with Driver, 3W, 5W and 3-PW. I think this is the web site for me . "@type": "Organization", Is my equipment holding me back? I also had a set of Ping Zings too.. My partner had that set of Cleveland VAS and believe it or not we had a partner that bought a used set of Slingers Colin Montgomerie joined the staff, and Spalding had big plans. I think I actually played one of them 150 holes before I gave up. If so send us some picsdont worry we will keep it 100% anonymous . All are memory refreshing .. have been in golf clubhead design , manufacturing 25 years , familiar with the designs ! The new club are really pretty, but no better than the original slotlines which I used to have. Decent? Ive owned. The company was founded in 1973 and today produces high-quality golf clubs using the . 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. I also have a set of Browning TR600s. 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. The Sounder irons could be on the list-and are the best irons I ever had (have). Under Chapter 363, it bid $125 million for Top-Flite. Throughout America, the affordable Spalding clubs flew off the shelves and reaped huge catalog sales. However my 6 iron had twice as much offset as any other iron in the set. Theyre awesome. Instead, well hit the highlights. Spalding manufactured golf clubs for some of the leading players in the game, including the legendary American player Bobby Jones. C $75.53. 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. They produced more premium balls, but we used to make 25-, 26-million dozen a year.. Shallow faces (not as shallow as the 440 of course) and less offset than many of the long irons they replace. I was the person responsible for introducing urethane prepolymers to Dr Shen Shen Wu, Titleist R&D chemist. Scott Stallings - WITB - 2023 Genesis Invitational. 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. * Note: These irons were designed by Dave (cant remember last name) which was considered a very good designer by others in the business at the time and one that some felt did not get as much credit as he deserved. Why are Spalding golf balls called Top Flite? Today, collectors prize the narrow-faced Cran Cleek. Those were first made around the end of the 19th century during the hickory era. It was the mold makers attempt to make at a hollow head, wooden shape club. 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. As a golfer of a certain age, these history articles are fascinating! I may be way off they had a a plain face -but the back was a series of round holes -like a honey comb design does any one remember these what were they called and who made themmy friend died so I cant ask himanyway thanks. His company quickly expanded into making equipment for every sport imaginable. I agree, though it does deserve a deep dive. What you like is what you like. What a mess that design was! So what did his famous Ginty patent actually mean? They were good at it too, in one year selling off companies for more than $7 billion they had bought for only $1 billion. When I eventually found a set of Magnums with regular shafts, I bought them but had been addicted to the graphite. Great insight! have a putter,,that comes in a case,,like a pool stick,,on thecourse when its time to put,,i take it out,each piece screws together to form the putter,,,,,,,putts really good,,,. But just because it was wacky did not mean it was not a hellova seller. Purespin (diamond face)? 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. 1968 Spalding developed the first 2-piece performance golf ball, the Spalding Executive. What about the old Bullet Driver that was hollow in the center (like an inverted U shape)? I wonder what Jack thought of them. I accidentally broke it in the late 1970s the shaft was installed over a milled section of the hosel! New entries such as Nike and Adams were turning heads as well. I got an incomplete set at the Salvation Army for $15. With new sexy companies like Titleist, Callaway, and TaylorMade, and golfers like Tiger and Phil, the new aged golfer wasnt interested in playing their grandpas golf clubs. Sales declined into the 2000s, and Spalding made their last club in 2002. I played Spaulding Black Dots back in late 60s. any info on this garbage?lol. Spalding no longer makes golf clubs, and hasnt for some time now. CT. We had a very good amateur player, reputed to be one of the longest hitters in the state. 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. But, the #1 weird club goes to the Slingeryour #1 choice. Remember all the other clubs, good to read. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. 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. Steve Almo Thanks, John. The shelves are full of the latest and greatest technology (hybrids, woods the size of a frying pan, dozens of shaft offerings), in 20+ years people will be laughing at those funky sticks as well. John, I actually travel with it and use it at the driving range, so I dont have to rent clubs. 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. We will miss Jim and his innovation ! !but they had a very proprietary, strange-sized grip. 2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #1. Great list! General Albums. But, they were NOS (New Old Stock) and with Ohio State grips and headcovers; so a diehard Buckeye fan. Executives were my first set as wellI thought they were a great starter set. Do You have any idea? Latitude Irons also give the golfer an added patented design feature of dual skids on the sole. Matched them to Wilson Pro Staff low compressions and I was a happy camper. The early Top-Flites were juast the opposite; you couldnt cut one of them with an axe. But unfortunately for the VASs they were dethroned from their long held position. jazzbone, September 4, 2006 in Equipment. Thanks for doing the digging! Does anyone know anything about them? He was a pro at having fun when he played golf! * Note: These irons were designed by Duke Duclos. 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. Used them for about 10-15 years before I switch to 845s. That was a great history lesson!!!!! You might remember the popular Stan Thompson woods with the unique sole design. Club-makers traditional method had been to shape metal heads with an anvil and forge. It was an interesting period to work for Spalding but sad to watch the demise of the brand it should never of happened ! 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. FS - Fiberbuilt Flight Deck / GripMaster Roo pulls, New Vokey SM8 52 & 56 wedge set / New Titleist Caps (for bigger heads) / New Cobra RadSpeed 10.5* Driver, Peacoat, with premium, upgraded shaft, TSR3 ub-6x, cobra radspeed, TEE pro 721 driver and 3w, Ventus Black TR Folds of Honor 6x w/ TM Adapter, Ventus Red TR 6x w/ TM Adapter, Adidas Tour 360 22 Size 13, MyStealth2 Driver Headcover. TaylorMade, now owned by adidas, was rising, and Callaway was a major force. They are for sale. Ive owned a set of VAS, Zings, Slingshots and the Spaulding Execs (for vintage golf days). Had 3-PW plus 1, 3, & 5 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. The old Spaulding Executive set I had back in the early 1980s. The stickers are silver, but the Slinger logo is a black heavy type face and says pat. By the following year, Spalding began making clubs in the U.S. The woods were the strangest looking things. . The range is for form anyway. Circa 1985-ish if memory serves. I saw a set go for well over $300 (I think it went closer to $500, but I just would not swear to it). I had some Staff FG-17 and my friends dad had the Executives. I will admit to having a hankering for those slick lookin Zevo Lobs tho. It was made by Salt Lake City Specialties. I cannot find any information on this club, maybe they were a golfsmith thing from early 2000s?? Just found and bought a set of Lil David Slingers. Is that so? Spalding released multiple iterations of its Executive clubs throughout the sixties and seventies, and they became popular with professional golfers and recreational players alike. The success of Spalding golf clubs had compelled the USGA to act, but this success was not destined to last forever. Thanks for the memories, John Barba. pend. beneath. The pro-shop who had them could not find a buyer. Don Wood has the patent for the Plop Slotz Irons. That year Albert and his brothers opened the A.G. Spalding & Brothers sporting goods company and started making baseballs. 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. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. 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. Its an interesting question to ask about a company that was a factor for over 125 years. It was if I walked into the store from a time machine. He also worked at Zevo when the LoB Irons were developed. And Spalding predated Mizuno by at least 60 years with a copper undercoating for its forged blades in the mid-50s. 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. Executives were my first real set of golf clubs. I was told they only made a few hundred sets. The 1968 arrival of the Executive MV2 Bird Over Ball clubs are among some of Spaldings most easily recognizable clubs. Somehow they squeezed 492 dimples on them Those balls were rocketships. 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. Weve done a mini-history on the Hogan Company, with input from a couple of longtime Hogan employees. Various . Display as a link instead, I am still playing with my set every week! No sir, they are in my bag and are still being used after all these years. 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. CA License # A-588676-HAZ / DIR Contractor Registration #1000009744 Im surprised that nobody has mentioned the Wilson Fat Shaft irons for ugliness. I was the Sales Manager of Stan Thompson golf company for several years and worked very close with Stan. Yes, it sold a ton of golf balls, but as one former employee told us, the brand was decidedly blue-collar and not focused on the golf professional. Spalding club-makers paid as much scrutiny to shafts as heads. The chrome Great article takes me back to nostalgia. 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. It became the most consistent and durable golf ball ever made. But Zevo Golf is one of those on this list that was a pioneering. By then the Cisneros brothers had taken the money and ran. This is because Spalding stopped manufacturing golf clubs in 2002, and most of the clubs available online today are vintage sets. Youve forgotten the worst offender. maybe EVER. Just bought a set of Nicklaus Linear Dynamics N1 Golf Irons at a thrift shop in Vegas. it was at my range's rental bin. Players would switch balls during a round as conditions warranted. Jeff Sheets had been Director of R&D for Top-Flite since 1995, and his first club for Hogan became a legend. Windtree Golf is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. What about Goldwin?? My Nike Slingshots is the best set I have ever used. It was a low loft club used for poor lies and putting. Im 65 and still playing to seven with them. Could not beleive how well I hit this clubs. At the turn of the 20th Century, golf had stirred mild interest in the United States, and A.G. Spalding & Brothers sporting goods saw an opportunity. It is my Go To clubmy favorite. No. Throughout the 90s and into the early 2000s, Spalding and Titleist were running neck and neck in golf ball production. Can anyone ballpark an estimate on the value of a set of Samurai clubs? Brings back great memories! In 1910 Spalding started making fairway clubs made of aluminum, and heavier lead face putters. I see that a few from my list made it. Taylor Made Golf was my Distributor for the U.S. and Canadian market.
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