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. Finally, I think a distinction needs to be made between the wackiest looking and worst irons made. spalding executive golf clubs please read DESCRIPTION BEFORE BUYING . Wide sole. Like its sporting goods brother-in-arms MacGregor, Spalding ownership changed hands in 1958. 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). "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjT3UiJflw60ZD31-6yC4mA", Seu lugar para proteger o seu capital. Id like to include the Wilson Reflex irons and PGF Slammer series. Its high point came in 1998 when Mark OMeara won the Masters and the Open Championship for Spalding. } I wonder what Jack thought of them. The plan was to position Hogan as the premium forged line sold through pro shops. But, the #1 weird club goes to the Slingeryour #1 choice. 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. Would you make an iron set out of stone? Perhaps they were a little ahead of their time (3-PW). Again THANK YOU FOR THE GOLF LESSON!!!!! GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, February 13. It was an interesting period to work for Spalding but sad to watch the demise of the brand it should never of happened ! Who knows what might have happened if someone else had gained control, Im 75 and recall that my Dad was a Spalding Dot guy. KKRs $25 billion takeover of RJR Nabisco was chronicled in the book (and tv movie) Barbarians at the Gate. what is spanish colonial music? The company stayed the course, and the result is a thriving, profitable company. Today, Spalding golf clubs still exist, but theyre nowhere near as popular as they once were. Duclos, a former flight engineer worked on the Skylab and S-IVB (third stage of the Saturn V rocket, responsible for getting the Apollo module from the Earth to the moon). Spalding introduced the Vardon Flyer, a golf ball that was popularized by Harry Vardon. Fugly yes looks kinda like a pancake spatula at address but effective. I would like to repay you with mine. Thanks for the history lesson and walk down memory lane. 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. It was the mold makers attempt to make at a hollow head, wooden shape club. Dont be ashamed thoughsome of these designs have actually been pioneering for the industry. Laugh if you must, but the design works. Their original design was a smaller headed Tony Penna model Innovator, they became the n1 and then the Bears came out when oversize irons hit the market. not just the American side , some of Europe and some from Japan makers also wacky !!! President It is the Super Stick. This is the story of Spaldings Final Countdown. You cannot do that with any other club. I would hand stamp #7 on all irons. (Everything To Know). 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. Cliffy2020 I have not 1 but 2 sets of Browning 440 irons. Whats more, KKR continued adding to its golf empire, buying Etonic in 1996 and Ben Hogan a year later. More on the tr600!!!! I am the person that brought the first Metalwoods to the market. I play them still and love them. 2 Iron (21) Spalding EXECUTIVE XE . You can actually play Spalding golf balls again! I dont think I paid more than $300 for all four sets combined- Im a Salvation Army searcher. Could not beleive how well I hit this clubs. FIND A SET! i just hit a 8 iron in that series last night. Oddity? I remember a set called Canon I think, possibly a Spalding brand. Are these considered weird? On top line: OVERSIZE. There are a couple different models of this iron. The shaft collapses to 18 inches so it is great for travelsure beats the cost of checking a golf bag these days. 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. These articles are easily my favorite content any of the golf sites out out. 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. Mr. Adams had just formed Taylor Made Golf in late 1978 and this was their first showing in the market. Windtree Golf is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Really enjoyed them. I cannot find any information on this club, maybe they were a golfsmith thing from early 2000s?? Money put a few of these clubs on touralthough that does not mean they were worth a penny. 1968 Spalding developed the first 2-piece performance golf ball, the Spalding Executive. Inventory available of individual, single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding EXECUTIVE XE Irons. 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. Protactic Golf in Chicago. Callaway had been making balls but never turned a profit. Its pretty clear KKR didnt do its due diligence. I cant believe to Ping Zing 2s are on the list. They definitely arent the prettiest of clubs but I did enjoy playing them. * Note: These irons were designed by Duke Duclos. Peter lived in Ridgefield,Ct. Im surprised that nobody has mentioned the Wilson Fat Shaft irons for ugliness. When I was first introduced to golf in the mid 70s, spoiling was still a player in the recreational market. About half of our sales are with personal names or corporate logos in the back and given as gifts. Every iron ever made is ugly as hell when you hit it off the hosel. I had released it into the foreign market through a network of distributors mid in 1978, where it was well received. I have a set of clubs with Belmont Power on them. I was wondering if anyone had ever tried Slotline Classic Copper golf clubs. Ironfinder has a good selection of individual Spalding Executive MV2 bird over ball golf clubs in stock to help you replace a missing single golf iron. Still have the clubs in my basement. In the early days, golf clubs were hand-forged using a hammer and anvil. 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? The Sounder irons could be on the list-and are the best irons I ever had (have). I learned the game on a set of used Spalding Execs-still have them today. But, in the rough the club went right underneath the ball. He was a pro at having fun when he played golf! Latitude Irons also give the golfer an added patented design feature of dual skids on the sole. When my father would shot a 215 yard iron into the hole, his fellow golfers wold ask him what club he used. I had a friend who worked for Gary Player and he sent me his brand called iGNITORS Those were fairly strange and not particular long! Welcome back to the latest installment of Historys Mysteries. Corey Pavin says, If I wont paid to play them ugly ass sticks they would have never been heard of ;). Sold them to a guy 30 years younger who also loved them. They also specialized in unique clubs like the Cran Creek. The Kro-Flite in 1930 was golfs first liquid center golf ball, while the Spalding DOT was a mid-century icon. Ive got other odd clubs, a clear/see thru 5W, 68 & 73 degree wedge (of course, they may not be considered crazy. It is called a hollow wedge, but you can putt with it as well. I agree, though it does deserve a deep dive. It was a low loft club used for poor lies and putting. Titleist has been the Ball King for so long, its hard to remember a time when it wasnt. Well done. Any of you still have a set of these beauties laying around? I bought them new. Just bought a set of Nicklaus Linear Dynamics N1 Golf Irons at a thrift shop in Vegas. Spalding, along with Wright and Ditson, was importing golf clubs from Scotland. I just searched eBay right now and saw a set for $139. "@type": "ImageObject", It wasnt very sophisticated back then, and they wanted to add layers of sophistication that they had in their other businesses. Great insight! Just saw a full set of them again today. I played them for years, they were solid, and they looked really good at address for their time period. An excellent article well researched Theyre awesome. "https://www.facebook.com/swingyard/", Was: C $107.89. Turns out it was just 20 years ago. That debt burden, however, finally proved fatal. Thats great. Instead, well hit the highlights. info@pgatradein.com Mon-Fri: 9AM - 5PM EST . marrano patio homes lancaster, ny 9, Juin, 2022. horse property for sale pocatello, idaho; Great list of wild clubs. [email protected] 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. By 1910, the company was selling aluminum fairway clubs and its Gold Medal series (1910 to 1919) featured aluminum bronze. The Strata, however, proved to be a gold mine for Spalding. Jones famously retired from golf after winning the 1930 version of the Grand Slam. Europe was a bit ahead of the United States when it came to golf, and the sport had only just started to explode in the United States. I had some Staff FG-17 and my friends dad had the Executives. 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! 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. I take them out every couple of years and play a round with them just for fun. The solid core Strata now had competition from the Titleist ProV1. The Browning 440s took my game from the 150s (Wilson clubs) to the low 70s. I see that a few from my list made it. Got them for $200.00 which was a really great price other pro shops were asking $450.00 for a set. The top of the club head is horisontal and is easy to set up perpendical to the target. When he would get ready to play, he would hold the club so that the sole was visible to everyone. My golfing buddy borrowed my old set, including the driver and had one of his best rounds ever. Typically about 2 of the three would be OK, but if you hit one thin, you just threw it away on the next tee. The Executives were the bomb back in the day. worst time to visit costa rica; apartments for rent in fort pierce with utilities included; sunshine plaza opening hours sunday; photosynthesis and cellular respiration kahoot Had a set of McGregor Irons called Doctor Rx, they felt good hit in the middle, they reminded me of a Pringle potato chip. As weve discussed before, its extremely difficult for legacy brands to remain relevant, especially when new, fresh brands get aggressive. I actually travel with it and use it at the driving range, so I dont have to rent clubs. 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. These were great clubs. I played a set of Mags for years until I got to where I could not swing fast enough to bend the stiff shafts. Jim also marketed the first Graphite Shafts sold under the Aldila name. I just picked up 6 thru 9 of the Browning 440 Plus irons at the Goodwillcant wait to try them out. My first clubs were Spalding top flites. They say you learn from your mistakes. They introduced the Browning 500 Series to counter that effect.But, they waited too long and by that timethe party was over! Im a scratch golfer, and to date have found nothing that is better. With the help of computers, we designed a unique shape we call the `Bull Nose which extends the toe weight out far enough to balance the head without creating an elongated appearance. I just love them! maybe EVER. Spalding stopped producing golf clubs in 2022, focusing on other sports in the years since. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.You can also visit my Am. Over two million Bobby Jones sets were sold in America. The success of Spalding golf clubs had compelled the USGA to act, but this success was not destined to last forever. Ugly. Written by June 5, 2022 . Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. I have a set of Lynx Parallax irons that were my fathers. MyGolfSpy is jumping into the DeLorean and taking a 1.21 jiggawatt-fueled look at the long life and quick death of Spalding Golf. By then the Cisneros brothers had taken the money and ran. The company was already selling golf balls when, in 1905, it became the first in America to offer its own brand of golf clubs. Our friends[], Amazing Ryder Cup Contest! 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. 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. What a lovely trip down memory lane, nostalgia is a wonderful thing. The 1953 Top-Flite Synchro-Dyned irons were particularly innovative, featuring a matched shaft flex and head weight for each iron in the set. This stuff is really interesting.. Now I need some crazy Loudmouth pants and a pink ball. These were actually a pretty good iron for the time and I think Trevino had something to do with this designbut not sure. But since the early 2000s, Spalding has practically disappeared from the golf landscape. I have a set of Fila Solerno irons/fairway woods that I havent been able to find anything about on the internet. today. Each has a special place in my personal golf journey and is still some of the best equipment Ive ever used. Spalding released multiple iterations of its Executive clubs throughout the sixties and seventies, and they became popular with professional golfers and recreational players alike. These gentlemen used them to win large amounts of money on the course from unsuspecting victims. I would appreciate any help you could offer! Finally, my number came up along with everyone else in the product management and marketing teams.. He struggled quite a bit with the change.. Thanks. "description": "List of all the Spalding Irons by the year each set was released", The old Spaulding Executive set I had back in the early 1980s. Seemed like big headed design with half the head chopped off to produce a bigger face!!! 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. $86.40 shipping. The set I found is 2-9, but the 5 iron is gone. I have had many pros in proams hit them and fascinated by how the ball comes off the club face so fast,,good distance. On sole: club# + SPALDING. I have a full set of Exec XE irons. These articles are all outstanding. Those were real whacky.. bent shafts and roughly milled heads. money, time and performance. Although they wont win any awards for innovation, Spaldings Molitor clubs are a decent game improvement set and a good option for beginners. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. I think I actually played one of them 150 holes before I gave up. I still have the irons to this day! 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! I used to have a set of Ajay Pro Classics that were my dads. We stand behind our clubs and want you to be satisfied with them. I dont know how people could justify any of the others. The greatest golfer at the time plays Spalding? I gave the set to my nephew, and he loves them. In 1895, Spalding started manufacturing golf balls. 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. Brilliant writing! I still have the samurai irons,2-pw and woods,driver,3w,5w,7w,,and still use them. Men's Right Handed. In 1984, Questor sold off Spalding/Evenflo to a Venezuelan group headed by Gustavo and Ricardo Cisneros. Started Yesterday at 04:29 AM, By The 300XXL Driver was so lightawesome clubhead speed ! 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). I finally gave it to a friend of mine who is a beginner and he says it is the only club he can hit reliably. They also said this, Because titanium is 40% lighter than steel, yet incredibly strong, the Ray Cook design team was able to create club heads substantially larger than standard oversize irons and add significantly more mass in the heel and toe. Learn how your comment data is processed. In 1876 Spalding was the manager and ace pitcher of the Chicago White Stockings. I recently tried an old Jack Nicklaus 7 iron made by MacGregor many years ago. 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. 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. Win a bunch of BogeyPro swag! But Zevo Golf is one of those on this list that was a pioneering. Ive got a crazy iron set that is one telescoping iron with a blade that changes position to vary the loft. MGS can never have too much content regarding the man, his company, or his impact on golf. But as you can see could cause some serious digging issues. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. What a great list! Decided it was time for me to get some cavity back irons. Spalding sold off its majority ownership in Evenflo in August of 1998. 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!! 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. Press J to jump to the feed. It was a time-consuming, costly and inconsistent process. Insurmountable debt, uncertain management, and stiff competition forced Spalding to stop production. Im sure Scott White would love to contribute. You have any pics of the Samurai irons Neilwould love to see them. 2 iron sw. Let me know if anyone is interested. Is my equipment holding me back? Anyone ever hear of anything like that? 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 had a set of Tiger Sharks(the short irons hit the ball miles).The follow up Great Whites Overall, Spalding clubs arent worth a great deal of money today, but theyre a good option if youre hoping to pick up an affordable set of clubs to get started with. Just came back from the PGA Tour Superstore after reading this site last night. Spalding was the big name in women's golf clubs by 1950. Purespin (diamond face)? Paste as plain text instead, Please put any questions or comments here. Peter F. Stevens is an award-winning author and journalist whose 10 books include "The Voyage of the Catalpa." I played Spaulding Black Dots back in late 60s. Spalding got so inventive with their clubmaking, they had golf bags around America sporting 20-30 clubs. Great research John with some very interesting history facts about the company and its equipment. Thanks for the memories, John Barba. Sign In. If so, are they any good? Take the Spalding Executive line. Golf bags bulged with 20 to 25 clubs, and the USGA, fearing too many specialty clubs had watered down the skill required in golf, took action. Still use them. Amazing how so of the old stuff works better than the hyped up new stuff! Norman credited the extra spin of the Tour Edition for winning the 1986 British Open. I remembered them from this article. Especially in America. My Dad had the XL-4s (I still have them), one Uncle had the Executives and another had the Cannons. The Top-Flite line was to feature investment-cast irons and Strata balls sold through pro shops and off-course retailers, while Spalding was to be the value/recreational line sold pretty much everywhere. Pretty or not (thats the clubs), I have played Fila Latitude irons since they came out. Anyone hear of them? werent as good. I have a 3-15 wood set that are fun to play with. 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. Spalding stopped making clubs in 2002. I still have them and as a matter of fact I still use a copper Zing2 sand wedge 54. Recently I bought another set (I keep an eye on E-Bay for them) so I could have extras & other club sets for friends that come into town. Really solid clubs. 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. Spalding developed the first liquid center golf ball, the Kros-Flite. 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. 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. Buyers can still find Spalding clubs on some secondary sites. TaylorMade, now owned by adidas, was rising, and Callaway was a major force. And I remember drooling over those Tour Edition Custom blades in the pro shop. Just make sure to mix in a few lessons with your local PGA pro, and you'll progress nicely. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. Thanks for you4 diligence and reporting. The 15 wood is only a little longer than an 8 iron (in my 70 yr old hands) so I put a 9 iron through sand wedge in the bag and away we go They are straight and land incredibly soft. *chuckles* Maybe its a good thing I took a 30 year golf hiatus. At the same time, the Spalding Top-Flite Syncrho-Dyned irons (released in 1953) were well received, thanks to their flex shaft and copper undercoating. Sold millions of those over the years. 1 Iron Spalding Executive MV2 bird over ball . We knew something was up, recalls White. It wasnt long until Spaldings Executive golf clubs were launched, which were prevalent at all levels of the game. General Albums. . Men's Right Handed. 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 TaylorMade, by comparison, has been sold twice in the past four years. But $1 billion is a lot of cabbage, and KKR borrowed heavily to make the deal. I am surprised no one ever mass marketed them. What the hey. 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. Itd take a week to prepare for.. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Do you remember what golf websites you were shopping on back in 1995? Get10% offat Global Golf with Code:SwingYard. single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize Irons. Anybody know anything about them? Hope you find this one interesting!!!! I think a list of the craziest irons made should definitely include the Jerry Barber Golden Touch irons made over 40 years ago. Love them oldies. 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 He changed from forged blades and balata balls to cavity back, investment cast irons and sold core balls, White tells MyGolfSpy. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. I gave those up quickly only because they were really odd looking. We had hybrids back in the 80s. Spalding stopped making golf clubs in 2002, and their last clubs were branded as Top Flite Oversized irons. They are also said to be legendary Canadian player Moe Normans favorite clubs of all time. The real prize for Callaway was the Chicopee ball plant. They looked like a full set of hybrids but only lasted a short period of time. Those are the reasons they work. In 1892 Spalding went into acquisition mode, buying up two key competitors: the A.J. They are awesome clubs, very well-weighted, with a great center of gravity for high loft shots. They are similar to the Nike slingshots as they have a powerbow looking thing on the back of them. My dad has played a set if vicunas for about 40 years! But unfortunately for the VASs they were dethroned from their long held position. * Note: These irons were designed by Jim Flood and were considered a controversial design and are often times very hard to find. He also had some copycat Browning irons in the trunk, but I refused I couldnt even look at them with a straight face. The pro-shop who had them could not find a buyer. They were good at it too, in one year selling off companies for more than $7 billion they had bought for only $1 billion. With KKR, it was a 180-degree turnaround. 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. "image": { The Browning 440 was a marvelous clubas you say off the fairway!!! That means providing you with equipment reviews you can trust, 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. If you are a beginner and are looking for a . Heres one for the booksTommy Armour EQL one length irons. Within weeks, Top-Flite filed Chapter 11. They kept slashing the pricing. Acushnet has been sold twice since the 1970s, and each time the buyer took the same approach: be profitable, and well leave you alone. "name": "Swing Yard", #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. 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. 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 think Browning was leaving the golf business then and they were discounted last set in the store. Great set. It overpaid for Spalding and borrowed heavily to do it. Just terribleand never sold thruas well it shouldnt. I have a set of both the 440s and the 500s, and there is no difference in face depth.