I STILL play with my Spalding Executive set 2 SW. Thats great. I actually travel with it and use it at the driving range, so I dont have to rent clubs. But, they were NOS (New Old Stock) and with Ohio State grips and headcovers; so a diehard Buckeye fan. Taylor Made Golf was my Distributor for the U.S. and Canadian market. Thanks for the article. So, if youre buying or selling Spalding clubs that are in reasonably good shape, you can set your expectations around $100 to begin with. These skids are tapered from the leading edge toward the rear of the club head, raising the sole above the ground without raising the leading edge off the ground. I tried to hit it oncenot a good idea! They are nearly in perfect condition. They play as well as any other set Spalding sold off its majority ownership in Evenflo in August of 1998. Bird on ball was a very popular club. But more trouble was coming for Spalding. By Scott was a highly respected individual in the golf industry during this period and he had the respect of both his staff and golf professionals I recently tried an old Jack Nicklaus 7 iron made by MacGregor many years ago. What you supposed to do, cut your head off!!! If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. I learned the game on a set of used Spalding Execs-still have them today. I had never seen the Fila irons before now. vicunas. 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. Jones famously retired from golf after winning the 1930 version of the Grand Slam. Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond LS Driver Review, Best Womens Golf Clubs for Intermediate Players, Ned Howard Retired PGA Teaching Professional. spalding executive golf clubs please read DESCRIPTION BEFORE BUYING . Oddity? The Browning 440 was a marvelous clubas you say off the fairway!!! 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.. By the Roaring '20s, A.G. Spalding & Brothers was using the process of "drop forging" to manufacture metal club-heads. Still, if youre looking for more information about Spalding golf clubs, youve come to the right place. Jones immediately put his Georgia Tech engineering degree to good use. All are memory refreshing .. have been in golf clubhead design , manufacturing 25 years , familiar with the designs ! It overpaid for Spalding and borrowed heavily to do it. http://www.geekgolf.com. Ive got other odd clubs, a clear/see thru 5W, 68 & 73 degree wedge (of course, they may not be considered crazy. The Pyramid Rubber Company, a maker of baby bottles, strollers, and other infant products, bought a controlling interest. It was in A Disordly Compendium of Golf I cant find my copy (actually havent seen it in a few months) but I know it was in there. Display as a link instead, Thanks. I think a list of the craziest irons made should definitely include the Jerry Barber Golden Touch irons made over 40 years ago. Autore dell'articolo: Articolo pubblicato: 16/06/2022 Categoria dell'articolo: fixed gantry vs moving gantry cnc Commenti dell'articolo: andy's dopey transposition cipher andy's dopey transposition cipher The Executives were the bomb back in the day. 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?? I would appreciate any help you could offer! It is called a hollow wedge, but you can putt with it as well. In 2001 Spalding launched a $17 million ad campaign for Hogan and Strata. I will admit to having a hankering for those slick lookin Zevo Lobs tho. They actually play pretty well. I dont know how people could justify any of the others. Ive owned a set of VAS, Zings, Slingshots and the Spaulding Execs (for vintage golf days). Fugly yes looks kinda like a pancake spatula at address but effective. I have been playing golf over 40 years and have owned many brands of clubs. Now, like Henry Ford's assembly-line Model T's, Spalding craftsmen used a mechanical hammer to craft club-heads, drill sockets in them to attach the shaft and then polish the heads, all of which allowed Spalding to mass produce matching club sets. 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 Windtree Golf is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. . but worth a kings ransom, Great post thanks mgs but i agree with dj ,The doctor rx has to be on the list. We want you to get the most out of your He struggled quite a bit with the change.. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. Im a sucker for the odd things, I also had a Power Pod(big mistake). "logo": { However, the name of their popular brand Top Flite was sold to Callaway, and is used for discount clubs and balls. The Black Dots and Red Dots were equivalent to the Titleist black numerals and red numerals. the only problem I have had{although the have to be at least 30+ years old},is graphite cracks. They are similar to the Nike slingshots as they have a powerbow looking thing on the back of them. 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. I traded in some Titleist Acushnet blades for themI had only paid $99.00 for the set of Acushnets (used)they gave me $139.00 in trade value, and wanted another $100 for the UniquesThey were some of the easiest to hit irons I have ever ownedout of the 40 50 different sets I have had. We (and tour players) figured out it was very stable in the wind and was 2 clubs longer with the irons. 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. Way ahead of their time in the perimeter weighted genre. 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. It was a low loft club used for poor lies and putting. Yes, it did. Started Yesterday at 04:29 AM, By We want your input before testing begins. I tried to restore them by getting some original Browning grips (brown rubber with the Browning deer logo in gold) and exchanged several e-mails with Browning in Belgium would not sell me any. And if you did not have the exact lie to match your swing could cause issues with the toe or heel diving down at impact. I have a set of Fila Solerno irons/fairway woods that I havent been able to find anything about on the internet. Well these irons which were designed out in LA by Stan Thompson were made to capitalize on that same concept. Can anyone ballpark an estimate on the value of a set of Samurai clubs? About; Blog; Service; Contacts I have no ideabut I sure loved my Tommy Armour silver Scotts. His stuff was marvelous and all original. 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. Do You have any idea? Peter lived in Ridgefield,Ct. Spalding developed the first liquid center golf ball, the Kros-Flite. Cliffy2020 1968 Spalding developed the first 2-piece performance golf ball, the Spalding Executive. The chrome These were actually a pretty good iron for the time and I think Trevino had something to do with this designbut not sure. While the Top Flite was initially scorned by better players as the rock flight, it probably caused a rule change. The pro-shop who had them could not find a buyer. Typically about 2 of the three would be OK, but if you hit one thin, you just threw it away on the next tee. "@type": "ImageObject", Spalding stopped making clubs in 2002. It kept some of those out of my bag Im sure. Reach and the Wright and Ditson sporting goods companies. Used to play traditional blades with the odd shank. The Zing2s were the first set I bought when I started playing golf. I love them so much I have four sets, just a case a club breaks. Ive got a set of graphite Samurai ironwoods years ahead of their time lying around in the basement, I think. With KKR, it was a 180-degree turnaround. They are for sale. Your link has been automatically embedded. Great list! remove head from shaft? Just came back from the PGA Tour Superstore after reading this site last night. You cannot do that with any other club. when I got my samurais,they were expensive,,but you can get them ocassionally on ebay,,picked up a 6iron for 15$. Ugly or unconventional, I felt a more confident with them and Stan Thompson fairway woods. My Dad's execs from the 70's were blades that had aluminum shafts. Jeff Sheets had been Director of R&D for Top-Flite since 1995, and his first club for Hogan became a legend. single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize Irons. After each sale, however, TaylorMades leadership team remained intact. 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. Another great history piece. 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. it was at my range's rental bin. 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. I have a Simmons Great White Shark putter with a 7 blade. Could not beleive how well I hit this clubs. Some crazy lookin clubs, Why didnt you include the 1st set of Ping Irons? Terrific article as usual Mr. Barra. Great nostalgia with the article. It was a close race but in the end we felt like it was finally time for the super-rare and hard to find Lil David Slingers get the recognition they were due. lol! Spalding sponsored Vardons 1900 tour of America, culminating in Vardon winning the U.S. Open in Chicago. The 1953 Top-Flite Synchro-Dyned irons were particularly innovative, featuring a matched shaft flex and head weight for each iron in the set. Thus, the USGA implemented the one ball rule, Thanks John for another great piece of history. Im sure Scott White would love to contribute. Well done. 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! 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. Just saw a full set of them again today. lol..!! In 1895, Spalding started manufacturing golf balls. Alternatively, you can look on a discount site like Rock Bottom Golf. The Roaring 20s gave us Babe Ruth, Knute Rockne, Jack Dempsey, and Red Grange. Throughout America, the affordable Spalding clubs flew off the shelves and reaped huge catalog sales. GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, February 13. (What Exactly Happened?). Whats more, KKR continued adding to its golf empire, buying Etonic in 1996 and Ben Hogan a year later. Ugly. Callaway had long wanted Top-Flites ball factory and patents but didnt want to assume any debt. He re-gripped them and beats the Taylormade hand-me-downs of his friends. Play to a 4 6 cap. No matter what brand of club you pull from your bag, you owe some thanks to one company Spalding. Welcome back to the latest installment of Historys Mysteries. They produced more premium balls, but we used to make 25-, 26-million dozen a year.. Every iron ever made is ugly as hell when you hit it off the hosel. In 1993 Payne Stewart signed a multi-million-dollar deal to go full Top-Flite, a move that sidetracked Stewarts career. What was wacky about the Bears? does ohma have a child [email protected] buy all 6 get free shipping) Let me know by ebay . Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. 2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #1. Over two million Bobby Jones sets were sold in America. 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. I was the Sales Manager of Stan Thompson golf company for several years and worked very close with Stan. The market was changing rapidly, as well. He also was one of the best designers in the golf biz. 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). Its an interesting question to ask about a company that was a factor for over 125 years. The Sounder irons could be on the list-and are the best irons I ever had (have). Still, the Uniques are the best irons I have ever hit! 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. I have a 3-15 wood set that are fun to play with. Im not sure how rare they are, but youd think there would be a trace of them somewhere. 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. Turns out it was just 20 years ago. The solid core Strata now had competition from the Titleist ProV1. The old Spaulding Executive set I had back in the early 1980s. Look at many of todays hybrids. Kind of reminds one of the Hogan radial but not near as wide on the soul. APPLY NOW: Cleveland Frontline Elite Putters! Thanks! Wed have monthly meetings at their West 57th Street offices in New York. The nineties saw the release of the Top Flite Tour Ti irons, which were among the last clubs that the long-standing brand would manufacture. "description": "List of all the Spalding Irons by the year each set was released", I know that this is a very late reply but I actually knew the designer of these irons and spent time speaking with him. There are worse things. So for those of you who own a set and are fellow collectors of the ridiculoustoday is your day to shine. If youre looking to buy or sell vintage Spalding clubs, the best place to do so is on eBay or Craigslist, where you can list the clubs in the condition that they are currently in. 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. The Top-Flite, Strata, and Hogan brands stayed alive for a while, but Callaway eventually mothballed them all. Anyone hear of them? No, while you might be able to find Spalding golf clubs at thrift stores and via used online marketplaces, Spalding no longer manufactures golf clubs. I have a set of Browning 440s and a set of Browning 500s I was in the midst of restoring them but Browning would not sell me original grips! (Cavity back blades???) It is my Go To clubmy favorite. Actually, we used to produce more golf balls than Titleist. General Albums. 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. "@type": "Organization", They also made a set made entirely of woods. Thanks for the history lesson and walk down memory lane. 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).. Its a great story that needs to be told. Is that so? The Spalding brand, however, is still alive under the Russell Athletic umbrella, making basketballs and apparel. Spalding did have high hopes for the Hogan brand. Those are the reasons they work. As a designer, the design is perfect and although they look funny, they were a great club, ask Cory Pavin. I completed the set off of eBay for around $100. Im not talking a couple of degrees, but for one shot you could make it a 5 iron and the next (with a quick adjustment) itd be a PW. He traded a set of classic Burke PunchIrons to get the Lynx. The early Top-Flites were juast the opposite; you couldnt cut one of them with an axe. Did you forget about Zevo Golf? Starting in the early 1900s, Spalding started making golf balls before manufacturing clubs. The Top Flite name lives on, however, thanks to the purchase of its namesake via Callaway in the early 2000s. Say what you will but I own a set of Ray Cook Titanic irons. but fairly forgiving. Like previously stated the Slotline Lowpro irons were for the most part an exact copy of the Browning 440 irons. Or maybe it was just wacky that a German car company decided to start selling $1500 golf clubs that sucked. I just searched eBay right now and saw a set for $139. 1 Iron Spalding Executive MV2 bird over ball . Protactic Golf in Chicago. Just remember, Its always the indian and not the arrow. They also specialized in unique clubs like the Cran Creek. The new club are really pretty, but no better than the original slotlines which I used to have. Take the Spalding Executive line. "width": "645", Wide sole. What about Giant Irons, I remember seeing those on an infomercial a few times. The companys lead-faced putters also provided better touch for players. Those and the Ram Tour Grinds that Watson played were my bucket list irons, but never could afford them. Would you make an iron set out of stone? Copyright 2023. The company was already selling golf balls when, in 1905, it became the first in America to offer its own brand of golf clubs. As a former pro athlete, Spalding saw the value of using professionals to help promote both the game and his products. Really solid clubs. We had small layoffs on an ongoing basis, and people kept looking over their shoulder. About half of our sales are with personal names or corporate logos in the back and given as gifts. Currently play AP2s coming out of the bag for a few rounds and if the linear dynamics keep performing like they did in Vegas the AP2s will be taking a long rest. when were spalding executive golf clubs made. Youve forgotten the worst offender. Keep up the great work. 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!! BogeyPro Golf (T-Shirt Design Contest), RYDER CUP CONTEST! We stand behind our clubs and want you to be satisfied with them. 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. We have a new #1 For Craziest Iron Ever Made! For years the #1 spot for craziest iron ever made was held by the infamous Cleveland VAS irons (now #2). LOL. These gentlemen used them to win large amounts of money on the course from unsuspecting victims. I really enjoy reading your articles, John. Knowledgable folk say its all in the mind. Since you mentioned it in the article, how about doing the history of Ben Hogan golf from its inception in 1953 to itd ultimate demise under Callaway and then its resurrection in 2015. Read on to learn more about the history of Spalding clubs and what you can expect from various models. I am surprised no one ever mass marketed them. Nice article John! By then the Cisneros brothers had taken the money and ran. Clear editor. That might be because Golfsmith acquired them back in 2003. Also, consider TaylorMade sold last spring for $1.6 billion, while KKR paid nearly $1 billion for Spalding in 1996. Spalding quickly grew, making baseball gloves and uniforms and the first modern baseball bat. I accidentally broke it in the late 1970s the shaft was installed over a milled section of the hosel! Spalding manufactured golf clubs for some of the leading players in the game, including the legendary American player Bobby Jones. 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. Finally, I think a distinction needs to be made between the wackiest looking and worst irons made. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. . Placing the hosel behind the face eliminates the occasional `shank, creating forward-face progression. The Endo-forged Hogan Apex Plus cavity back irons came soon after, along with a solid-core Hogan Apex ball. 2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #2. It was if I walked into the store from a time machine. #PowerToThePlayer. He also worked at Zevo when the LoB Irons were developed. Still have the clubs in my basement. All Irons for men were 37. No. Remember when pros like Norman and Stadler and others with that bright red Spaulding Tour Bag. Id like to include the Wilson Reflex irons and PGF Slammer series. 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. Somehow they squeezed 492 dimples on them Those balls were rocketships. KKRs $25 billion takeover of RJR Nabisco was chronicled in the book (and tv movie) Barbarians at the Gate. Heres one for the booksTommy Armour EQL one length irons. when were spalding executive golf clubs made. Every time I take it out of my bag for some new modern wedge, I go back to it a few weeks later. 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. Buyers can still find Spalding clubs on some secondary sites. SPALDING EXECUTIVE 3-PW Iron Set Golf Clubs R/H Jet Step Stiff Flex Steel. With long-term debt in the neighborhood of $600 million, KKR found itself in a negative equity situation. Spalding decided it would be good business to provide golf course design services free of charge to anyone with the money and inclination to build one. Seemed like big headed design with half the head chopped off to produce a bigger face!!! Forward-face progression creates a hitting surface 20 percent larger than standard and 5 percent larger than over-sized irons. ), Finn Scooter Golf Reviews (Are These the Real Deal? I bought them new. I cant believe to Ping Zing 2s are on the list. 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.. 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). "@context": "http://schema.org/", I bought my first set of real golf clubs around 1991 or 1992, the Spalding Executive. jazzbone, September 4, 2006 in Equipment. I speak with Nat Rosassco, former owner, of NorthWestern golf at least every 7 to 10 days and he holds Pat Simmons as one of the best club designers of all time as well. Jim passed away recentlyhe was a great innovator do you remember the Basakwerd Putter 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. Golfers have always known that deep-grooved irons produce better control and spin. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Upload or insert images from URL. 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! "datePublished": "2022-05-12", At the time of the sale, it was considered the lowest cost and most efficient operation in the industry. Amazing how so of the old stuff works better than the hyped up new stuff! Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. spalding golf clubs any good. I was interested in golf until around 2001 and soon discovered spoiling was on anachronism at that point. Spalding led the way with such deep-grooved designs as the "waterfall" and waffle-face irons. Spalding, like its old school brethren Wilson and MacGregor, simply wasnt sexy to a new generation of golfers. Theyre awesome. 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. 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. I became a +2 handicap using those irons, and a lot of people scoffed at them early ontill they saw me hit them.