when were spalding executive golf clubs made10 marca 2023
spalding executive irons- does anyone remember these? The company's unique "baseball mark" A.G. Spalding had helped put baseball on the map--was stamped on the clubs and below it "Made in Great Britain" appeared. When my father would shot a 215 yard iron into the hole, his fellow golfers wold ask him what club he used. Spalding hired Tom Bendelow as his designer, and Bendelow went on to develop many courses still in use today. My golfing buddy borrowed my old set, including the driver and had one of his best rounds ever. The biggest of them all, however, may well have been the aforementioned Bobby Jones. But they seem to work though. Thanks for the history lesson, truly amazing how fast Spalding unraveled. In 1876 Spalding was the manager and ace pitcher of the Chicago White Stockings. Terrific article as usual Mr. Barra. Spalding spent over 125 years as a sporting goods giant. He also had some copycat Browning irons in the trunk, but I refused I couldnt even look at them with a straight face. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, (your email address will not be published), CONTEST Adams Pro Black Giveaway! I have had many pros in proams hit them and fascinated by how the ball comes off the club face so fast,,good distance. I have one of those! I have a set of both the 440s and the 500s, and there is no difference in face depth. Like previously stated the Slotline Lowpro irons were for the most part an exact copy of the Browning 440 irons. Itd take a week to prepare for.. 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. Written by June 5, 2022 . The 1968 arrival of the Executive MV2 Bird Over Ball clubs are among some of Spalding's most easily recognizable clubs. Mr. Adams had just formed Taylor Made Golf in late 1978 and this was their first showing in the market. Wright was the driving force behind Bostons Franklin Park golf course, the first municipal course in the U.S. Bostons other muni is named after Wright, who donated the land for the Donald Ross design. I actually have a set of 440s I bring them out every year or two when I am hitting the ball poorly. Like its sporting goods brother-in-arms MacGregor, Spalding ownership changed hands in 1958. There are a couple different models of this iron. Ive got a crazy iron set that is one telescoping iron with a blade that changes position to vary the loft. Thank you for your research efforts. Ever hear of Belmont (internal, removable sole weighting)? "description": "List of all the Spalding Irons by the year each set was released", When youre in the market for Spalding clubs, bear in mind that they were branded as Top-Flite clubs for a while, so be sure to broaden your search to include Top-Flite models. Did you forget about Zevo Golf? By The company experimented throughout the 1920s and 1930s with lathe-turned hickory shafts that featured circular ridges spaced at standard intervals down the entire shaft. my 5w distance matches my friends new drivers in distance off tee,,they are amazed. Previously, they manufactured equipment for golf, American football, and baseball, but they have downsized considerably in recent years. Learn how your comment data is processed. I was the Sales Manager of Stan Thompson golf company for several years and worked very close with Stan. Upload or insert images from URL. That might be because Golfsmith acquired them back in 2003. The Ginty, fueron palos adelantados a su poca, las maderas Ginty parecen las antecesoras de las big bertha de callaway, el material del que estaban hechas no poda aguantar las inercias, pero el diseo ya era adelantado a su tiempo. This is the story of Spaldings Final Countdown. But as you can see could cause some serious digging issues. Used to play traditional blades with the odd shank. Callaway had been making balls but never turned a profit. 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. This technology is a shank-proof hosel. Model Summary Color chart indicates best . 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). They are awesome clubs, very well-weighted, with a great center of gravity for high loft shots. It adjusts to every loft in a full bag, plus half lofts. #PowerToThePlayer. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Shank no more, draw, fade, straight, you name it, my Filas do it. I remember a set called Canon I think, possibly a Spalding brand. By 2002, players such as Hal Sutton, Bernhard Langer, and Luke Donald were playing the Hogan Apex ball. "@type": "Organization", This is because Spalding stopped manufacturing golf clubs in 2002, and most of the clubs available online today are vintage sets. Spalding is a big name in American sports, having manufactured equipment for basketball, American football, and golf over the years. My dad has played a set if vicunas for about 40 years! 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. The new club are really pretty, but no better than the original slotlines which I used to have. The Pyramid Rubber Company, a maker of baby bottles, strollers, and other infant products, bought a controlling interest. Today, Spalding focuses nearly all of its commercial interests on basketball, producing balls, hoops, rims, and nets. Great insight! It is the Super Stick. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. The Executive clubs are among the finest pure forged blades ever produced and have certainly stood the test of time. Clare. Also, consider TaylorMade sold last spring for $1.6 billion, while KKR paid nearly $1 billion for Spalding in 1996. Some crazy lookin clubs, Why didnt you include the 1st set of Ping Irons? The Top-Flite acquisition made it a player. (8 Ways To Know) . I tried to hit it oncenot a good idea! The design gave the clubs an exotic bamboo look; the underlying message being that these clubs offered players bamboo's legendary flexibility and whip-like strength. Great article takes me back to nostalgia. I love them but Im mystified with the hex screw in the bottom of every shaft! There is nothing crazy about the Slinger! Circa 1985-ish if memory serves. Display as a link instead, Someone suggested to me they were a prototype club for Johnny Miller, but were never marketed. ENTER NOW! He struggled quite a bit with the change.. !but they had a very proprietary, strange-sized grip. In 1993 Payne Stewart signed a multi-million-dollar deal to go full Top-Flite, a move that sidetracked Stewarts career. i used to work in a golf shop in ohio and we had the worst set i ever saw. 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. The strangest set I play with at the moment is a matching set of 3 through 15 fairway woods made by Protactic Golf in Chicago (part of the remains of Northwestern Golf, I think). The Strata, however, proved to be a gold mine for Spalding. Anybody know anything about them? What the hey. We want your input before testing begins. The 300XXL Driver was so lightawesome clubhead speed ! Non-Tapered Golf Grips: 8 Facts to Know Before You Buy! 1968 Spalding developed the first 2-piece performance golf ball, the Spalding Executive. They had a premium Molitor ball at the then scandalous price of $2. 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. MacGregor Doctor X. I had the Bears. I bought my first set of real golf clubs around 1991 or 1992, the Spalding Executive. 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. With long-term debt in the neighborhood of $600 million, KKR found itself in a negative equity situation. They come as a set and include eleven clubs, a golf bag, and head covers. "@context": "http://schema.org/", Our friends[], Amazing Ryder Cup Contest! New entries such as Nike and Adams were turning heads as well. 5 Testers Needed! 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. With Spalding's mass-market success breeding scores of imitators, players could pick and choose from countless club lines. With a few months of work and some radical design modifications it was turned into the first modern Metalwood. Its an interesting question to ask about a company that was a factor for over 125 years. But just because it was wacky did not mean it was not a hellova seller. You can still buy Top-Flite and Strata branded balls at DICKS and Golf Galaxy. The stickers are silver, but the Slinger logo is a black heavy type face and says pat. Pat Simmons of Tiger Shark fame (and others) is the most underrated club designer of all time! We (and tour players) figured out it was very stable in the wind and was 2 clubs longer with the irons. The shelves are full of the latest and greatest technology (hybrids, woods the size of a frying pan, dozens of shaft offerings), in 20+ years people will be laughing at those funky sticks as well. John is an aging, yet avid golfer, writer, 9-point-something handicapper living back home in New England after a 22-year exile in Minnesota. 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. 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. They owed more to its creditors than Spalding was worth. Ive seen several of those uglies up close over the years so this was fun to view. They are similar to the Nike slingshots as they have a powerbow looking thing on the back of them. I dont think I paid more than $300 for all four sets combined- Im a Salvation Army searcher. they were a good iron, that looked good at address, and were easy to hit. Just remember, Its always the indian and not the arrow. Fascinating how these once great brands essentially disappeared altogether. Yet again, the same fate as MacGregor had. 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. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. I was wondering if anyone had ever tried Slotline Classic Copper golf clubs. Actually, we used to produce more golf balls than Titleist. Great research John with some very interesting history facts about the company and its equipment. 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. When we got out there, his Black Dot was split all the way to the liquid core I played D1 golf in college and we got three Red Dots for every match. 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 Well then so did everyone else. The Executives were the bomb back in the day. When I eventually found a set of Magnums with regular shafts, I bought them but had been addicted to the graphite. I was interested in golf until around 2001 and soon discovered spoiling was on anachronism at that point. Spalding was the big name in women's golf clubs by 1950. John, Jeff Sheets had been Director of R&D for Top-Flite since 1995, and his first club for Hogan became a legend. But, in the rough the club went right underneath the ball. 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. 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. More on the tr600!!!! Im a scratch golfer, and to date have found nothing that is better. i was hitting 8 iron and was suprised how high the ball flight was. Bought the Slotlines new. My Uncle had the Executives and my Dad had the XL-4s. 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. They are for sale. CT. We had a very good amateur player, reputed to be one of the longest hitters in the state. I shoot mid-80s like OP. 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. In 2001 Spalding launched a $17 million ad campaign for Hogan and Strata. Goldwin was a San Diego company, years ahead of its time. 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. Heres one for the booksTommy Armour EQL one length irons. I would appreciate any help you could offer! How about Hogan Magnums and Magnum Plus irons big cavity backs from the 1970s. Was: C $107.89. Thanks. Spalding led the way with such deep-grooved designs as the "waterfall" and waffle-face irons. I didnt realize Spalding was still a player as late as 2000. My first set of irons were the Tiger Sharks.The ball seemed to jump off the face.I still have them.My second set,still in play,are the Vas+.I love them.I hit them a mile high and they feel great.When I hear them calledthe worst irons ever it makes me wonder what the heck Im missing out on. Great list! Tommy Armours ownership circus eventually turned it into the Sports Authority (and now DICKS) house brand. Had a set of McGregor Irons called Doctor Rx, they felt good hit in the middle, they reminded me of a Pringle potato chip. I became a +2 handicap using those irons, and a lot of people scoffed at them early ontill they saw me hit them. http://www.geekgolf.com. 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. Many of which might have even found there way into a few of your bagseven if you dont want to admit it. We had small layoffs on an ongoing basis, and people kept looking over their shoulder. werent as good. 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. The "New York Times" frequently syndicates his work. These were actually a pretty good iron for the time and I think Trevino had something to do with this designbut not sure. Even tho I play with graphic shafts I really like the way those play. The market was changing rapidly, as well. * Note: These irons were designed by Duke Duclos. With KKR, it was a 180-degree turnaround. 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). any info on this garbage?lol. That means providing you with equipment reviews you can trust, pend. beneath. Long irons with shallow faces, little offset and perhaps slightly softer shafts can be quite playable. Men's Right Handed. * Note: These irons were designed in Belgium by the Belgium-Browning company. The Kro-Flite in 1930 was golfs first liquid center golf ball, while the Spalding DOT was a mid-century icon. What you supposed to do, cut your head off!!! The Spalding Top-Flite first came out in 1970. Reach and the Wright and Ditson sporting goods companies. You had to turn those over to see the ugly, but the cone in the bottom was down right wacky! They got so popular at the time that it scared club makers badly (Every set was pretty much custom built then), and Golfing associations banned the club from play. I have a set of clubs with Belmont Power on them. Your link has been automatically embedded. What a lovely trip down memory lane, nostalgia is a wonderful thing. Does Spalding make golf balls? Dont be ashamed thoughsome of these designs have actually been pioneering for the industry. Purespin (diamond face)? is fantastic, but the club is as stiff as an old water pipe and is accordingly harsh. Spalding released multiple iterations of its Executive clubs throughout the sixties and seventies, and they became popular with professional golfers and recreational players alike. It was first shown at the PGA dealers show at Disney World, Orlando, Florida 1979. What about Giant Irons, I remember seeing those on an infomercial a few times. I have a set of Lynx Parallax irons that were my fathers. (What Exactly Happened?). Im surprised that nobody has mentioned the Wilson Fat Shaft irons for ugliness. He was a pro at having fun when he played golf! "dateModified": "2022-05-12", That debt burden, however, finally proved fatal. Geek Golf Oddity? today. Did KKR overpay? Both are really great. They definitely arent the prettiest of clubs but I did enjoy playing them. "https://www.facebook.com/swingyard/", Another really well done article. Regardless, both are great sets. OK. Ive got some irons sets you have up (Fila, Cleveland, Slotline, and the Tiger Shark). If it works for you use it. "@type": "Article", CA License # A-588676-HAZ / DIR Contractor Registration #1000009744 My high school graduation present from my parents back in 1973 was a set of Executive clubs (back when the irons were forged before they were cast). when I got my samurais,they were expensive,,but you can get them ocassionally on ebay,,picked up a 6iron for 15$. TaylorMade, by comparison, has been sold twice in the past four years. 1 Iron Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize. my Dad is still pulling new 90s & 2000s Top Flights from the closet to play lol. Windtree Golf is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. In 1900, Spalding released the Vardon Flyer, the golf ball used by Harry Vardon. But, they were NOS (New Old Stock) and with Ohio State grips and headcovers; so a diehard Buckeye fan. However my 6 iron had twice as much offset as any other iron in the set. 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. 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. One of my favorite balls back in the late 80s was the Top-Flite Plus. What about the old Bullet Driver that was hollow in the center (like an inverted U shape)? One day, I was caddying for him and he crushed a drive, but about 100 yards out, it just fell out of the sky. Colgate-Palmolive bought RAM and Penfold in the mid-70s to sell more toothpaste but gave up after only five years. "url": "https://swingyard.com/wp-content/uploads/Spalding-Irons-by-Year.jpg" In the meantime, this should hold you over, https://mygolfspy.com/why-does-the-ben-hogan-equipment-company-still-matter/. Jones immediately put his Georgia Tech engineering degree to good use. I have a 3-15 wood set that are fun to play with. Still have the XL-4s in the garage. i was pretty impressed with the club. Right now Ive been with the Execs 2 then 5 SW, Ram 64 wedge, 1 & 3 wood, both hybrids and putter. Case in point: The article makes the statement that The (Cleveland) VAS irons have finally been dethroned from their previous top spot as Worst Iron Ever Made! I dont think Cory Pavin would have won PGA tour events and endorsed them if this had been true. You have any pics of the Samurai irons Neilwould love to see them. And I remember drooling over those Tour Edition Custom blades in the pro shop. 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. ], 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. 2 Iron Spalding . The Ping Zings were the worst! 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. Anyone hear of them? 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). Brilliant idea? Get the best deals on Spalding Executive Irons when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. 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).. He could not believe the smoothness of the Driver. Those were first made around the end of the 19th century during the hickory era. Knowledgable folk say its all in the mind. Really solid clubs. I wonder what Jack thought of them. It felt like a rock but flew like a rocket and weekend warriors bought them by the bushel. * Note: These irons were designed by Karsten Solheimsure most of you knew that though. He actually manufactured a set of irons whose heads were literally upside down take an iron, turn in upside down, your top edge now hits the turf, the sole having a hosel. As previously mentioned, you can buy Spalding Molitor clubs at Rock Bottom, and theyre a great option for beginner players. I still have the irons to this day! You find them on eBay Gary? It was an excellent article and some of the follow-on comments from industry stalwarts like Jack Wullkotte, David Hueber, Tom Wishon, etc. single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize Irons. His stuff was marvelous and all original. Throughout America, the affordable Spalding clubs flew off the shelves and reaped huge catalog sales. Turns out it was just 20 years ago. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Do you remember what golf websites you were shopping on back in 1995? Ive owned a set of VAS, Zings, Slingshots and the Spaulding Execs (for vintage golf days). My only wacky set now are some Macgregor MT Splitsoles in very gd cond which were bought at a Thrift store. It wasnt very sophisticated back then, and they wanted to add layers of sophistication that they had in their other businesses. I actually have these clubs. He traded a set of classic Burke PunchIrons to get the Lynx. Still, if youre looking for more information about Spalding golf clubs, youve come to the right place. I had some Staff FG-17 and my friends dad had the Executives. What you like is what you like. Jim also marketed the first Graphite Shafts sold under the Aldila name. ), Finn Scooter Golf Reviews (Are These the Real Deal? Spalding developed the first liquid center golf ball, the Kros-Flite. I saw the Cisneros brothers maybe once in my time there, he says. Though he is a footnote in the PGA history he was briefly on tour in the 50s. Who Makes Dunlop Golf Clubs? as well as honest reporting on the latest issues affecting the game Within weeks, Top-Flite filed Chapter 11. Author: Ned Howard Retired PGA Teaching Professionalif(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'swingyard_com-box-3','ezslot_6',194,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-swingyard_com-box-3-0'); Spalding has one of the most storied histories in sports, and a major impact on golf. As a former pro athlete, Spalding saw the value of using professionals to help promote both the game and his products. 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. It was the mold makers attempt to make at a hollow head, wooden shape club. One with the sticker decal and one without. 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. Amazing how so of the old stuff works better than the hyped up new stuff! About half of our sales are with personal names or corporate logos in the back and given as gifts. I just searched eBay right now and saw a set for $139. My friends and I (and Im embarrassed to say this now! I cant remember who made them, but I remember reading about an iron that was adjustable so its loft could be wildly altered. ), shoplifted about four dozen balls each from a failing department store in New York City. It overpaid for Spalding and borrowed heavily to do it. Great nostalgia with the article. "headline": "Spalding Irons by Year", Inside cavity: blue/back button; EXECUTIVE x EZ. Or maybe it was just wacky that a German car company decided to start selling $1500 golf clubs that sucked. Spalding, however, never dominated the pro game as Wilson and MacGregor did. The Endo-forged Hogan Apex Plus cavity back irons came soon after, along with a solid-core Hogan Apex ball. I cannot find any information on this club, maybe they were a golfsmith thing from early 2000s?? Just came back from the PGA Tour Superstore after reading this site last night. Design the future of bad golf! Made from 1989-1994 and originally sold for $680. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
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