Ive got other odd clubs, a clear/see thru 5W, 68 & 73 degree wedge (of course, they may not be considered crazy. I dont think I paid more than $300 for all four sets combined- Im a Salvation Army searcher. I am surprised no one ever mass marketed them. The Spalding Top-Flite first came out in 1970. While the idea of owning a golf company sounds great, the list of companies that tried and failed is long. As the 21st Century dawned, it had impressive sales and deep-pocket owners, but in reality, it was staring down the barrel of a gun. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. as well as honest reporting on the latest issues affecting the game They had fantastic fairway woods that I still take out for a spin every once in a while. Instead, well hit the highlights. It overpaid for Spalding and borrowed heavily to do it. 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. I have a old slotline cigar putter I still use,,no loift at all,looks like a big tootsie roll,but puts great,,friends still get amazed at how it puts,,. In the early days, golf clubs were hand-forged using a hammer and anvil. Kind of reminds one of the Hogan radial but not near as wide on the soul. Golfers have always known that deep-grooved irons produce better control and spin. The old Spaulding Executive set I had back in the early 1980s. The remaining golf company was re-named Top-Flite. Love them oldies. OK MyGolfSpyers, its time to get creative! I believe Robert Molitor was the fellow who developed the Top Flite. It was an interesting period to work for Spalding but sad to watch the demise of the brand it should never of happened ! I still have them and as a matter of fact I still use a copper Zing2 sand wedge 54. 6. At the time of the sale, it was considered the lowest cost and most efficient operation in the industry. 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 The new club are really pretty, but no better than the original slotlines which I used to have. * 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. You can check it out at http://www.adjustablegolfclub.com. I still have several sets of Hogan forged irons, Hogan/Bettinardi putters, several dozen Apex, and Tour Deep balls. 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. I have a left handed set that I got from a guy on the senior tour, Bob Carson, who also owned a golf course in Titusville FLA. As a golfer of a certain age, these history articles are fascinating! You can actually play Spalding golf balls again! Still have the XL-4s in the garage. ), Undersize Golf Grips Explained (8 Key Facts!). Spalding used to own Top Flite before selling the subsidiary to Callaway. 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?? If you are a beginner and are looking for a . 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 Dreadful golf balls! In April, KKR sold the Spalding name and all of Spaldings non-golf businesses to Russell Athletic for just $65 million. Thanks. Well they made execs for over 20 yearswhich ones do you have? is fantastic, but the club is as stiff as an old water pipe and is accordingly harsh. My Uncle had the Executives and my Dad had the XL-4s. The solid core Strata now had competition from the Titleist ProV1. 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. Yes. TaylorMade, by comparison, has been sold twice in the past four years. Havent been able to give them up since my Dad died in 99, Does anyone remember a set of irons made in the 80s (I think) that were actually a bunch of small woods, even the PW was made from wood. Bird on ball was a very popular club. 2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #3. ], 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. Sold them to a guy 30 years younger who also loved them. Its impossible to overstate Albert Spaldings vision and ambition. Its an interesting question to ask about a company that was a factor for over 125 years. Colin Montgomerie joined the staff, and Spalding had big plans. Had 3-PW plus 1, 3, & 5 woods. Nabbed them just for the pure ugliness. Spalding sponsored Vardons 1900 tour of America, culminating in Vardon winning the U.S. Open in Chicago. My only wacky set now are some Macgregor MT Splitsoles in very gd cond which were bought at a Thrift store. Heres one for the booksTommy Armour EQL one length irons. Ive owned. Thanks! Spalding Executive Left Handed Golf Clubs There are several different types of left-handed golf club sets, so which one is the best for you? Now I need some crazy Loudmouth pants and a pink ball. They preceded hybrid irons by 20 years or so. It kept some of those out of my bag Im sure. Callaway wound up suing Spalding for using its imagery on Spalding packaging. I accidentally broke it in the late 1970s the shaft was installed over a milled section of the hosel! unbelieveably so..!! 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? Don Wood has the patent for the Plop Slotz Irons. Wilson never really recovered after Pepsi bought it in 1970. In 1993 Payne Stewart signed a multi-million-dollar deal to go full Top-Flite, a move that sidetracked Stewarts career. The RB880 s by Northwestern are also knockoffs of the Browning 440 s. In 1895, Spalding started manufacturing golf balls. I think all the readers as well as the golfspies would love to learn as much about these past designs as possible. They all looked like mini woods. I got balls, well ProV1's anyway. ***GIVEAWAY*** Cleveland CBX ZipCore Wedge! Spalding spent over 125 years as a sporting goods giant. Their president at the time said this about the newly released irons, Titanic irons are the first long irons even God and you can hit. Now that is a bold statement that should of had you guys flocking to purchase these beauties. Look at many of todays hybrids. I became a +2 handicap using those irons, and a lot of people scoffed at them early ontill they saw me hit them. 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. The likes of Callaway, TaylorMade, and PING all enjoyed good commercial success in the late nineties, and Spalding couldnt match the same feats achieved by the biggest brands. Peter F. Stevens is an award-winning author and journalist whose 10 books include "The Voyage of the Catalpa." Not quite Bryson-like, but innovative for the day. They are a blade from the early 80`s. i just hit a 8 iron in that series last night. Wed have monthly meetings at their West 57th Street offices in New York. On top line: OVERSIZE. PING was still PING, and Tiger was becoming Tiger. * Note: These irons were designed by Duke Duclos. BombTech Golf Reviews (These Golf Clubs Any Good? I see that a few from my list made it. Though he is a footnote in the PGA history he was briefly on tour in the 50s. Spalding lost $27 million in 2000 and another $20 million in 2001. Brilliant idea? ), Takomo Golf Clubs Review: (As Good as Expected? Are these considered weird? Haha my dad had a set of these and I ended up bagging the 3 and 4 irons as I hated the hybrids that came with my new set. 1 Iron Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize. 1968 Spalding developed the first 2-piece performance golf ball, the Spalding Executive. The legendary Spalding bird logo appeared on their clubs in the 1960s, with the Top-Flite Elite Professional irons proving popular on Tour. In 1900, Spalding released the Vardon Flyer, the golf ball used by Harry Vardon. Today, Spalding focuses nearly all of its commercial interests on basketball, producing balls, hoops, rims, and nets. Just make sure to mix in a few lessons with your local PGA pro, and you'll progress nicely. No sir, they are in my bag and are still being used after all these years. We are here to help educate and empower golfers. If it works for you use it. A very easy to hit blade. I seem to remember them being pretty wacky. Our friends[], Amazing Ryder Cup Contest! APPLY NOW: Cleveland Frontline Elite Putters! I don't mind the executives though, don't really know much about them either. Spalding sold off its majority ownership in Evenflo in August of 1998. ENTER NOW! This is because Spalding stopped manufacturing golf clubs in 2002, and most of the clubs available online today are vintage sets. A request, could you do Sonartec at some point? Bought the Slotlines new. Yet again, the same fate as MacGregor had. Both were smart, competent leaders but had little golf experience. 2 iron sw. Let me know if anyone is interested. 1977 Spalding Executive Irons - The Vintage Golfers - YouTube The greatest golfer at the time plays Spalding? Top Flite is now synonymous with bargain or cheap instead of being the club of choice for the greatest golfers on tour. If so, are they any good? 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. but fairly forgiving. I still think I deserve to be recognized as the leader in this category and will be appealing your decision. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. Its obvious that the maker of the Slingers spent SO much money on R&D that he had to use STICKERS instead of stamped lettering. The company was already selling golf balls when, in 1905, it became the first in America to offer its own brand of golf clubs. Corey Pavin won the 1996 US Open Shinnecock with a purple set. (Everything To Know). To maintain the limit of 14 clubs in the bag, I change off now and then. My dad has played a set if vicunas for about 40 years! Would you make an iron set out of stone? The BIG BOYS missed on this one. If you have a vintage set of Bobby Jones Spalding irons that are in great shape, you might be able to sell them at a slightly higher price, but theyre not worth a great deal of money in the current market. Make Request. Its factory could only make about six million dozen a year, and it was paying patent royalties. From the 1950s to the 1990s Spalding was in the bag for many major victories, and was played on municipal courses across the country. when were spalding executive golf clubs made The Endo-forged Hogan Apex Plus cavity back irons came soon after, along with a solid-core Hogan Apex ball. MGS can never have too much content regarding the man, his company, or his impact on golf. Yes it has some smoother lines compared to some of the other clubs on the listbut you put that PowerBow as Nike says on any of those other irons and it is a dead ringer for this list of crazies. But Zevo Golf is one of those on this list that was a pioneering. I was interested in golf until around 2001 and soon discovered spoiling was on anachronism at that point. "@type": "Organization", Reach and the Wright and Ditson sporting goods companies. The company stayed the course, and the result is a thriving, profitable company. Happily, I can say that I have seen these over the years, but none of them ever made it into my golf bag. Ive got a crazy iron set that is one telescoping iron with a blade that changes position to vary the loft. 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! Thanks. Much cheaper than renting. Spalding, along with Wright and Ditson, was importing golf clubs from Scotland. 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. The Browning 440 was a marvelous clubas you say off the fairway!!! Why are Spalding golf balls called Top Flite? They come as a set and include eleven clubs, a golf bag, and head covers. my Dad is still pulling new 90s & 2000s Top Flights from the closet to play lol. when were spalding executive golf clubs made I have a set of both the 440s and the 500s, and there is no difference in face depth. a beginner could really benifit from the Nike slingshot, they are easy to hit. 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. Terrific article as usual Mr. Barra. Within weeks, Top-Flite filed Chapter 11. What about Goldwin?? I have a med flex shaft, 1 inch extension on each Exec club, and Golf Pride Velvet jumbo grips. In 1977 while having molds made for my new line of Irons at a mold makers in Oxnard California, I spotted a very interesting club in a bag at the rear of the shop. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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). The VAS are ugly, but they work. History's Mysteries: Spalding Golf's Final Countdown money, time and performance. 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. Anybody know anything about them? By 2002, players such as Hal Sutton, Bernhard Langer, and Luke Donald were playing the Hogan Apex ball. not just the American side , some of Europe and some from Japan makers also wacky !!! Albert Spalding died in 1915, but his company continued to flourish. Your previous content has been restored. Another really well done article. We had hybrids back in the 80s. What a great list! Some of the most popular Spalding Club models were: At one time, Greg Norman used the Spalding Tour Edition irons, now a collectors item, on Tour. Thanks. The Strata, however, proved to be a gold mine for Spalding. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. They play as well as any other set I have a 3-15 wood set that are fun to play with. These gentlemen used them to win large amounts of money on the course from unsuspecting victims. FIND A SET! You have any pics of the Samurai irons Neilwould love to see them. "datePublished": "2022-05-12", This technology is a shank-proof hosel. In 1876 Spalding was the manager and ace pitcher of the Chicago White Stockings. Oversized high center of gravity heads and huge amounts of offset are what killed long irons IMO. Fila Golf has developed this new iron using a patented design feature. I have a set of Lynx Parallax irons that were my fathers. I know this is coming way after the article was published but I have a set of irons that are branded Fairway and the model I believe is Spider. All Irons for men were 37. When Did Spalding Stop Making Golf Clubs. In 1910 Spalding started making fairway clubs made of aluminum, and heavier lead face putters. Fantastic article John! The set I found is 2-9, but the 5 iron is gone. I had a set of Tiger Sharks(the short irons hit the ball miles).The follow up Great Whites Slotline Inertial E-Max irons laying around ? NOW AVAILABLE: GolfWRX G/Fore Hats and Holderness & Bourne Polos! The Ping Zings were the worst! "height": "342", I tried to hit it oncenot a good idea! I had never seen the Fila irons before now. Non-Tapered Golf Grips: 8 Facts to Know Before You Buy! It is the Super Stick. Almost , http://www.intheholegolf.com/store/f2is.html. 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. CT. We had a very good amateur player, reputed to be one of the longest hitters in the state. What a lovely trip down memory lane, nostalgia is a wonderful thing. (What Exactly Happened?). They dropped the Tour Edition moniker and focused on the expansion of their touring staff on the PGA, Senior PGA and LPGA tours. White says KKR management was hyper-focused on Callaway and TaylorMade, which may explain one of Spaldings biggest gaffes ever. Still use them. when were spalding executive golf clubs made 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. Spalding led the way with such deep-grooved designs as the "waterfall" and waffle-face irons. Like previously stated the Slotline Lowpro irons were for the most part an exact copy of the Browning 440 irons. About; Blog; Service; Contacts I would appreciate any help you could offer! i think special t golf was the only people dumb enuff to handle these. . It was an excellent article and some of the follow-on comments from industry stalwarts like Jack Wullkotte, David Hueber, Tom Wishon, etc. Today, Spalding golf clubs still exist, but theyre nowhere near as popular as they once were. Here's what happened with 10 equipment company acquistions - The Loop I still think there were others that deserved some consideration. Man, some of my favorites on this list. The ball was introduced in 1900. Great looking blade and the low COG really lets one hit it high. Finally, my number came up along with everyone else in the product management and marketing teams.. Long irons with shallow faces, little offset and perhaps slightly softer shafts can be quite playable. If so send us some picsdont worry we will keep it 100% anonymous . Great collection I remember many of them in the past 30 years often thought of buying some of them, but luckily, I didnt, Ive purchased dozens of iron sets in the last few years (Big Bertha,FTI, Taylor Made, Cobra, Nike V series) NOne of these work as well as my Ping Zings, Hey, what about Shakespeare and fiberglass. They also made a set made entirely of woods. werent as good. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You can buy a set in good condition on eBay for around $100. Spalding is a big name in American sports, having manufactured equipment for basketball, American football, and golf over the years. Any Spalding clubs that are still in circulation can be regarded as vintage, thats for sure! In the mid-80s, Spalding introduced the solid core Tour Edition, and in 1996 it came out with Strata, a true game-changer for Spalding and the first multi-layer solid core ball used on Tour. "https://www.facebook.com/swingyard/", marrano patio homes lancaster, ny 9, Juin, 2022. horse property for sale pocatello, idaho; One of my buddies gave me a Tiger Shark wedge the one with 3 different alignment lines, concave dimples on the face instead of grooves, and a funky dual bounce sole configuration. General Albums. Dont be ashamed thoughsome of these designs have actually been pioneering for the industry. We want you to get the most out of your I would like to repay you with mine. the only problem I have had{although the have to be at least 30+ years old},is graphite cracks. 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." Spaldings buddy Wright had been doing the same thing since 1892. Your link has been automatically embedded. Ive seen several of those uglies up close over the years so this was fun to view. 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. 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. And Spaldings ace in the hole Strata was old news by the time the Pro V1 and Nike Tour Accuracy hit the scene. Really enjoyed them. "url": "https://swingyard.com/wp-content/uploads/Logo-1.svg" Too bad. More on the tr600!!!! Right now Ive been with the Execs 2 then 5 SW, Ram 64 wedge, 1 & 3 wood, both hybrids and putter. Sign In. Brings back great memories! 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 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. Spalding developed the first liquid center golf ball, the Kros-Flite. Shallow faces (not as shallow as the 440 of course) and less offset than many of the long irons they replace. And although Spalding would show operational profits, debt service kept turning those profits into losses. He has provided some keen insights from his time with Mr. Hogan in other articles and podcasts. During his time with Spalding, Stewart dropped from 6th to 123rd on the money list, with his only win coming at the 1995 Houston Open. Starting in the early 1900s, Spalding started making golf balls before manufacturing clubs. 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. I use them in Central Texas when the fairways are hard and the greens harder (late summer and all winter). But just because it was wacky did not mean it was not a hellova seller. As a former pro athlete, Spalding saw the value of using professionals to help promote both the game and his products. He could not believe the smoothness of the Driver. The Browning 440s took my game from the 150s (Wilson clubs) to the low 70s. By this time, Spalding was making everything from barbells, dumbells, punching bags, and rowing machines to fencing blades, whistles, shot puts, javelins, and golf clubs. The shaft collapses to 18 inches so it is great for travelsure beats the cost of checking a golf bag these days. I played Spaulding Black Dots back in late 60s. Upgraded my driver from R7 to Razr Hawk, but will never surrender my Slingshots. So I sent it in and got the iron. Spalding was the big name in women's golf clubs by 1950. Titleist has been the Ball King for so long, its hard to remember a time when it wasnt. Thus, the USGA implemented the one ball rule, Thanks John for another great piece of history. Do You have any idea? Just terribleand never sold thruas well it shouldnt. 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. Tom Farrell. This putter is a remake of the model Bobby Jones used in the 1930s and features a head made from nickel plating over copper plating over forged carbon steel. The "New York Times" frequently syndicates his work. OK. Ive got some irons sets you have up (Fila, Cleveland, Slotline, and the Tiger Shark). Various . They produced more premium balls, but we used to make 25-, 26-million dozen a year.. Spalding also started the Spalding Athletic Library; a series of sports and exercise books published from 1892 through 1941. You can post now and register later. Different, yes, but they are the only ones where you can really aim at the target! "width": "645", Titleist and PING were established competitors, while TaylorMade and Callaway were flexing their muscles. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. My woods are Taylormade Burners 1 & 3, and I have two Mizuno hybrids. Each has a special place in my personal golf journey and is still some of the best equipment Ive ever used.

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