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. He traded a set of classic Burke PunchIrons to get the Lynx. We had small layoffs on an ongoing basis, and people kept looking over their shoulder. 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. Thanks, http://www.clubsofdistinction.com/cod3/ucir5177.htm. . Anybody know anything about them? But more trouble was coming for Spalding. The Strata, however, proved to be a gold mine for Spalding. It is my Go To clubmy favorite. White says the KKR leadership team was much more hands-on than the Cisneros brothers had ever been, which is understandable if you just shelled out a billion simoleons for a sporting goods company. Like previously stated the Slotline Lowpro irons were for the most part an exact copy of the Browning 440 irons. 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. What is it for weight transfer? You find them on eBay Gary? It wasnt very sophisticated back then, and they wanted to add layers of sophistication that they had in their other businesses. He loves telling stories, writing about golf and golf travel, and enjoys classic golf equipment. Within three years, it would be gone for good. One day, I was caddying for him and he crushed a drive, but about 100 yards out, it just fell out of the sky. Its pretty clear KKR didnt do its due diligence. As a former pro athlete, Spalding saw the value of using professionals to help promote both the game and his products. "https://www.pinterest.com/Swingyard/blog/" Never met a set of strange clubs I didnt want to try. I got an incomplete set at the Salvation Army for $15. MyGolfSpy is jumping into the DeLorean and taking a 1.21 jiggawatt-fueled look at the long life and quick death of Spalding Golf. Written by June 5, 2022 . 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. remove head from shaft? I just picked up 6 thru 9 of the Browning 440 Plus irons at the Goodwillcant wait to try them out. They are nearly in perfect condition. But as you can see could cause some serious digging issues. The remaining golf company was re-named Top-Flite. he is a cleveland iron man now, but he still owns the spalding executives. Couldnt decide between the Slotlines emax and the 845s. Copyright 2023. Men's Right Handed. Is my equipment holding me back? 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. He has provided some keen insights from his time with Mr. Hogan in other articles and podcasts. } * Note: These irons were designed by Jim Flood and were considered a controversial design and are often times very hard to find. In 1910 Spalding started making fairway clubs made of aluminum, and heavier lead face putters. Spalding took off with sales and production with Bobby Jones joining the team. as well as honest reporting on the latest issues affecting the game As previously mentioned, you can buy Spalding Molitor clubs at Rock Bottom, and theyre a great option for beginner players. Spalding stopped making golf clubs in 2002, and their last clubs were branded as Top Flite Oversized irons. These were actually a pretty good iron for the time and I think Trevino had something to do with this designbut not sure. My Dad's execs from the 70's were blades that had aluminum shafts. What about Goldwin?? and I firmly believe the demise of Spalding was because a number of CEOs with little or no knowledge of the golf industry were appointed 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). My wife says I never met a strange-looking golf club I did not want to own and play with. The player would then conveniently cover the top of his bag with a towel so that no one would see the length of the irons. Fantastic article John! 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. TaylorMade, by comparison, has been sold twice in the past four years. Still, the Uniques are the best irons I have ever hit! when I got my samurais,they were expensive,,but you can get them ocassionally on ebay,,picked up a 6iron for 15$. In an effort to keep golf a game of skill, the USGA implemented the 14 club rule that we see today. 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. The 1999 Hogan Apex, forged by Endo Manufacturing in Japan, remains a sought-after collectible, and a very playable blade, to this day. any info on this garbage?lol. single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize Irons. The success of Spalding golf clubs had compelled the USGA to act, but this success was not destined to last forever. The "New York Times" frequently syndicates his work. "description": "List of all the Spalding Irons by the year each set was released", I owned two sets of Unique ironsstarting in 1976. I was interested in golf until around 2001 and soon discovered spoiling was on anachronism at that point. Among Jones innovations: the first matched set of steel-shafted irons, the first set of irons with the sweet spot in the center of each club (denoted by a circle of dots on the clubface), and an iron set where the scoring irons were one length, the mid irons were one length, and the long irons were one length. 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. Not quite Bryson-like, but innovative for the day. 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. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, (your email address will not be published), CONTEST Adams Pro Black Giveaway! After each sale, however, TaylorMades leadership team remained intact. 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. As a designer, the design is perfect and although they look funny, they were a great club, ask Cory Pavin. He also had a head for business and knew a good opportunity when he saw one. By This technology is a shank-proof hosel. MacGregor Doctor X. I had the Bears. 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. Spalding quickly grew, making baseball gloves and uniforms and the first modern baseball bat. i knew a guy who was a 4 handicap, and he used the spalding executives. Look at many of todays hybrids. 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. That means providing you with equipment reviews you can trust, "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjT3UiJflw60ZD31-6yC4mA", I had some Staff FG-17 and my friends dad had the Executives. Great list! But they seem to work though. He changed from forged blades and balata balls to cavity back, investment cast irons and sold core balls, White tells MyGolfSpy. 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. What the hey. and they wonder why they went out of business. GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, Tuesday at 04:47 PM, GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, February 20, GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, February 13, GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, February 6, GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, January 31, By As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you are a beginner and are looking for a . Started Yesterday at 04:29 AM, By Yes, it did. When my father would shot a 215 yard iron into the hole, his fellow golfers wold ask him what club he used. Spalding introduced many variations of hickory-shafted clubs to bring distance and control to the professional and duffer alike. i was pretty impressed with the club. I had released it into the foreign market through a network of distributors mid in 1978, where it was well received. I have a Simmons Great White Shark putter with a 7 blade. The products soon disappeared from shelves. Former Proctor & Gamble chief Edwin Artzt came on as chairman, with former Kraft, Inc executive vice president James Craigie becoming CEO. He also worked at Zevo when the LoB Irons were developed. BogeyPro Golf (T-Shirt Design Contest), RYDER CUP CONTEST! I think I actually played one of them 150 holes before I gave up. . Oddity? Both were smart, competent leaders but had little golf experience. Spalding, seemingly, was on top of the world. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. Jim also marketed the first Graphite Shafts sold under the Aldila name. what is spanish colonial music? They are also said to be legendary Canadian player Moe Normans favorite clubs of all time. I actually like the looks of those babies! Spalding spent the last half of the 20th-century battling with Titleist for golf ball supremacy. A request, could you do Sonartec at some point? John is an aging, yet avid golfer, writer, 9-point-something handicapper living back home in New England after a 22-year exile in Minnesota. The woods were the strangest looking things. Its a great story that needs to be told. Great list of wild clubs. Jim passed away recentlyhe was a great innovator do you remember the Basakwerd Putter unbelieveably so..!! "@context": "http://schema.org/", NOW AVAILABLE: GolfWRX G/Fore Hats and Holderness & Bourne Polos! Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. All are memory refreshing .. have been in golf clubhead design , manufacturing 25 years , familiar with the designs ! Spalding developed the first liquid center golf ball, the Kros-Flite. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I still have several sets of Hogan forged irons, Hogan/Bettinardi putters, several dozen Apex, and Tour Deep balls. Titleist has been the Ball King for so long, its hard to remember a time when it wasnt. In 1900, Spalding released the Vardon Flyer, the golf ball used by Harry Vardon. The reason why Spalding clubs arent particularly valuable is that they have been widely available for so many years. Upload or insert images from URL. The biggest of them all, however, may well have been the aforementioned Bobby Jones. Pat Simmons first wanted to say thanks and also that, You may not know the Pat Simmons name, but if youre a golfer, you know of several of my inventions. In 1900, Spalding released the Vardon Flyer, the golf ball used by Harry Vardon. They had fantastic fairway woods that I still take out for a spin every once in a while. Return Policy > WORLDWIDE SHIPPING. *chuckles* Maybe its a good thing I took a 30 year golf hiatus. I shoot mid-80s like OP. It was made by Salt Lake City Specialties. Turns out it was just 20 years ago. I agree, though it does deserve a deep dive. 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. Iomic Golf Grips: 8 Key Facts Before You Buy. 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? During the time of the KKR takeover I was employed as the Managing Director in Australia/ NZ The pro-shop who had them could not find a buyer. They actually play pretty well. BombTech Golf Reviews (These Golf Clubs Any Good? 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. 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. Thanks for the memories, John Barba. The Browning 440s took my game from the 150s (Wilson clubs) to the low 70s. OVERSIZED Spalding Golf Clubs Lady set Woods Driver 3 5 w New Black Widow Grips $30.00 $15.00 shipping or Best Offer Spalding Executive MV2 2-9 Iron, PW set Bird Over Ball $69.99 $31.53 shipping or Best Offer Spalding Executive XE Irons Set 7-PW Medium Steel Shafts Left Handed LH $95.00 Free shipping or Best Offer More than 50 percent of that total came from golf ball sales. Throughout America, the affordable Spalding clubs flew off the shelves and reaped huge catalog sales. 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. Model Summary Color chart indicates best . 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!!!! "@type": "Article", OK. Ive got some irons sets you have up (Fila, Cleveland, Slotline, and the Tiger Shark). 2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #1. If so send us some picsdont worry we will keep it 100% anonymous . 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. 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. Make sense as I do have a Johnny Miller PW which looks just like an X 70. Theyre awesome. What about the old Bullet Driver that was hollow in the center (like an inverted U shape)? The Spalding Top-Flite first came out in 1970. Remember all the other clubs, good to read. I still think I deserve to be recognized as the leader in this category and will be appealing your decision. The set I found is 2-9, but the 5 iron is gone. I love them so much I have four sets, just a case a club breaks. The company was founded in 1973 and today produces high-quality golf clubs using the . That was a great history lesson!!!!! They owed more to its creditors than Spalding was worth. Quite honestly, we werent ready for that.. Spaldings buddy Wright had been doing the same thing since 1892. The Spalding brand, however, is still alive under the Russell Athletic umbrella, making basketballs and apparel. * Note: These irons were designed by Duke Duclos. In 1895, Spalding started making golf balls. We want you to get the most out of your It was a popular cavity back iron and Spalding decided to sell it through general sporting goods stores, eschewing the golf pro. I really enjoy reading your articles, John. They had a premium Molitor ball at the then scandalous price of $2. Spalding hired Tom Bendelow as his designer, and Bendelow went on to develop many courses still in use today. Today we are going to be spotlighting the crazy, the absurd, and some of the wackiest irons the golf world has ever seen. Youve forgotten the worst offender. Bought the Slotlines new. They produced more premium balls, but we used to make 25-, 26-million dozen a year.. What about Giant Irons, I remember seeing those on an infomercial a few times. There was a time that Spalding golf clubs were among the best in the business. Model: Tour Pro Offset These irons which I dont know who actually designed were called the Ray Cook Titanic irons and were made back when Scotty Cameron was a putter designer for the company. These articles are easily my favorite content any of the golf sites out out. ), Takomo Golf Clubs Review: (As Good as Expected? 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. Getting sold doesnt have to be the end of the world, but it can be if the buyer doesnt do their homework and pays too much. That year Albert and his brothers opened the A.G. Spalding & Brothers sporting goods company and started making baseballs. Various . These irons actually performed quite well and had many copy cats of it down the road to prove itincluding another iron that made the list at #12 Slotline Lowpro iron and the Titleist Super Slim irons. "@type": "ImageObject", These gentlemen used them to win large amounts of money on the course from unsuspecting victims. There are a couple different models of this iron. 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 are similar to the Nike slingshots as they have a powerbow looking thing on the back of them. Until the USGA banned deep-grooved irons, Spalding's Stop 'Em and Dedstop clubs brought a smile to countless players' faces. I demand a re-count!, He went on to say, and as owner of MyGolfSpy you should feel ashamed since you were given a set as a gift 15 years ago and I remember you putting me in play for a few rounds, how could you do this to me?, Slotline had a hit on their hands with their Slotline Inertial puttersthey sold over 2 Million of those flatsticks. I saw the Cisneros brothers maybe once in my time there, he says. Fila Golf has developed this new iron using a patented design feature. I also have a set of Browning TR600s. In 1876 Spalding was the manager and ace pitcher of the Chicago White Stockings. Great article takes me back to nostalgia. Got the 3 PW for 3.99 a club, bought the 5- PW first, played two rounds and went back and bought the 3 & 4. Some crazy lookin clubs, Why didnt you include the 1st set of Ping Irons? Great looking blade and the low COG really lets one hit it high. }, does ohma have a child [email protected] buy all 6 get free shipping) Let me know by ebay . maybe EVER. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. In 1893, Spalding bought the Lamb Knitting Machine Company in Chicopee, Mass which made, obviously, knitting machines and, less obviously, eggbeaters, bicycle wheels, and rifles. However, the name of their popular brand Top Flite was sold to Callaway, and is used for discount clubs and balls. 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. It wasnt long until Spaldings Executive golf clubs were launched, which were prevalent at all levels of the game. Spalding introduced the Vardon Flyer, a golf ball that was popularized by Harry Vardon. i just hit a 8 iron in that series last night. Clear editor. Image: Central Press/Hulton Archive via Getty Images. But the funky look kept me from ever thinking about buying a whole set.
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