My only wacky set now are some Macgregor MT Splitsoles in very gd cond which were bought at a Thrift store. Jones immediately put his Georgia Tech engineering degree to good use. Of course Drivers and putters are like women. If it works for you use it. Just came back from the PGA Tour Superstore after reading this site last night. when I got my samurais,they were expensive,,but you can get them ocassionally on ebay,,picked up a 6iron for 15$. 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? I cannot find any information on this club, maybe they were a golfsmith thing from early 2000s?? jazzbone, September 4, 2006 in Equipment. ), Takomo Golf Clubs Review: (As Good as Expected? Spalding Executive Golf Clubs for sale | eBay My wife says I never met a strange-looking golf club I did not want to own and play with. Don't let scams get away with fraud. From 1932 until 1973 two years after Jones death Spalding sold over 15 different models and two million sets of Bobby Jones clubs. Forward-face progression creates a hitting surface 20 percent larger than standard and 5 percent larger than over-sized irons. Spalding Executive Registered 3 4 5 Driver Wedge P Golf Clubs Set Made In USA $26.21 Local Pickup or Best Offer SPONSORED Vintage lot of 3 Woods Top Flite Spalding Model 133 Professional 1 3 4 golf Club $29.95 $17.95 shipping or Best Offer SPONSORED PERSIMMON Spalding Robert Jones Jr Percussion Woods Set Golf Clubs Driver & 3 $60.00 $15.00 shipping Spalding led the way with such deep-grooved designs as the "waterfall" and waffle-face irons. But unfortunately for the VASs they were dethroned from their long held position. Bought a used set of 3-SW with a sticker decal some 35 years ago and added a 2-iron with stamped lettering later on a trip to Chicago. 2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #3. 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! we closed and then were just screwing around with some of the rental clubs. Copyright 2023. Would you make an iron set out of stone? Protactic Golf in Chicago. You can buy a set in good condition on eBay for around $100. Weve done a mini-history on the Hogan Company, with input from a couple of longtime Hogan employees. (Everything To Know). when were spalding executive golf clubs made General Albums. Just got Calloway X20s last week. His stuff was marvelous and all original. Seu lugar para proteger o seu capital. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It felt like a rock but flew like a rocket and weekend warriors bought them by the bushel. To maintain the limit of 14 clubs in the bag, I change off now and then. 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. Executives were my first set as wellI thought they were a great starter set. Just saw a full set of them again today. I have a med flex shaft, 1 inch extension on each Exec club, and Golf Pride Velvet jumbo grips. What a lovely trip down memory lane, nostalgia is a wonderful thing. Learn how your comment data is processed. Previously, they manufactured equipment for golf, American football, and baseball, but they have downsized considerably in recent years. Just bought a set of Nicklaus Linear Dynamics N1 Golf Irons at a thrift shop in Vegas. 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. Maybe it is a good idea or maybe it is not. They actually play pretty well. The Kro-Flite in 1930 was golfs first liquid center golf ball, while the Spalding DOT was a mid-century icon. I didnt realize Spalding was still a player as late as 2000. I used to have a set of Ajay Pro Classics that were my dads. Why are Spalding golf balls called Top Flite? 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. and they placed it in the show. The early Top-Flites were juast the opposite; you couldnt cut one of them with an axe. The 1953 Top-Flite Synchro-Dyned irons were particularly innovative, featuring a matched shaft flex and head weight for each iron in the set. I might suggest you also include input from Tom Stites who worked for Hogan in the 1980s before heading up Nikes golf (mis)adventure. 2 Iron Spalding . I have a Simmons Great White Shark putter with a 7 blade. !but they had a very proprietary, strange-sized grip. My dad has played a set if vicunas for about 40 years! Still, if youre looking for more information about Spalding golf clubs, youve come to the right place. I have had many pros in proams hit them and fascinated by how the ball comes off the club face so fast,,good distance. Another great history piece. NOW AVAILABLE: GolfWRX G/Fore Hats and Holderness & Bourne Polos! My Dad's execs from the 70's were blades that had aluminum shafts. They introduced the Browning 500 Series to counter that effect.But, they waited too long and by that timethe party was over! * Note: These irons were designed by Pat Simmons and ex-pilot and engineer which also had a part in the Zebra putter design. I am still playing with my set every week! About half of our sales are with personal names or corporate logos in the back and given as gifts. They also specialized in unique clubs like the Cran Creek. Im 65 and still playing to seven with them. 1-949-642-6484 . It means the Son of a Scottish brood that keeps getting into trouble only to easily find his way out of trouble! For more info on Stan Thompson click here. Im a scratch golfer, and to date have found nothing that is better. There are so many different sets of irons available nowadays, Im happy with my Execs. Spalding introduced many variations of hickory-shafted clubs to bring distance and control to the professional and duffer alike. Our mission is #ConsumerFirst. http://www.geekgolf.com. Hope you find this one interesting!!!! 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. spalding executive golf clubs please read DESCRIPTION BEFORE BUYING . After each sale, however, TaylorMades leadership team remained intact. By 1970, the ownership group morphed into the Questor Corporation, and Pyramid Rubber was rechristened Evenflo. We want your input before testing begins. 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. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, (your email address will not be published), CONTEST Adams Pro Black Giveaway! 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. PING was still PING, and Tiger was becoming Tiger. I still have them and as a matter of fact I still use a copper Zing2 sand wedge 54. Starting in the early 1900s, Spalding started making golf balls before manufacturing clubs. Well done. when were spalding executive golf clubs made #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. Theyre awesome. I have one of those! (Sponsored by: GolfCircuit.com), CONTEST! Inside cavity: blue/back button; EXECUTIVE x EZ. Really solid clubs. So we thought if it was as crazy looking as the original it had to be on the list but a little further down. 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. 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. Still have the XL-4s in the garage. One day, I was caddying for him and he crushed a drive, but about 100 yards out, it just fell out of the sky. money, time and performance. The chrome I bought my first set of real golf clubs around 1991 or 1992, the Spalding Executive. 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. They looked like a full set of hybrids but only lasted a short period of time. 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. That means providing you with equipment reviews you can trust, Steve Almo The remaining golf company was re-named Top-Flite. But just because it was wacky did not mean it was not a hellova seller. Inventory available of individual, single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding EXECUTIVE XE Irons. "@type": "Article", This one in particular was interesting to me because I grew up in a Spalding family of sorts. An excellent article well researched spalding executive irons- does anyone remember these? I saw a set go for well over $300 (I think it went closer to $500, but I just would not swear to it). Whats fun is to find one of those old sets, regrip them and beat your friends with them! Press J to jump to the feed. 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. Lots of wackiness. I see that a few from my list made it. Thus, the USGA implemented the one ball rule, Thanks John for another great piece of history. By Pasted as rich text. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. I had some Staff FG-17 and my friends dad had the Executives. The company was already selling golf balls when, in 1905, it became the first in America to offer its own brand of golf clubs. Return Policy > WORLDWIDE SHIPPING. Callaway had been making balls but never turned a profit. With a few months of work and some radical design modifications it was turned into the first modern Metalwood. I had a set of Tiger Sharks(the short irons hit the ball miles).The follow up Great Whites I had never seen the Fila irons before now. TaylorMade, by comparison, has been sold twice in the past four years. Spalding used to own Top Flite before selling the subsidiary to Callaway. 1 Iron Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize. I have a 3-15 wood set that are fun to play with. Since you mentioned it in the article, how about doing the history of Ben Hogan golf from its inception in 1953 to itd ultimate demise under Callaway and then its resurrection in 2015. Thanks for you4 diligence and reporting. Ugly. I seem to remember them being pretty wacky. The original Strata ball was amazing when it came out spin for days! It adjusts to every loft in a full bag, plus half lofts. I saw the Cisneros brothers maybe once in my time there, he says. 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 APPLY NOW: Cleveland Frontline Elite Putters! Keep up the great work. Love them oldies. But, the #1 weird club goes to the Slingeryour #1 choice. President He changed from forged blades and balata balls to cavity back, investment cast irons and sold core balls, White tells MyGolfSpy. The companys lead-faced putters also provided better touch for players. FIND A SET! They owed more to its creditors than Spalding was worth. 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. "@context": "http://schema.org/", Im sure Scott White would love to contribute. He also had a head for business and knew a good opportunity when he saw one. It was an interesting period to work for Spalding but sad to watch the demise of the brand it should never of happened ! Those were real whacky.. bent shafts and roughly milled heads. OK. Ive got some irons sets you have up (Fila, Cleveland, Slotline, and the Tiger Shark). Well today is going to be a little bit different. Typically about 2 of the three would be OK, but if you hit one thin, you just threw it away on the next tee. Sold them to a guy 30 years younger who also loved them. The greatest golfer at the time plays Spalding? Spalding also produced the first U.S.-made golf shoes, the first clubs to use numbers instead of names, and the first completely matching set of woods and irons (the Kro-Flite). Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Both were smart, competent leaders but had little golf experience. have a putter,,that comes in a case,,like a pool stick,,on thecourse when its time to put,,i take it out,each piece screws together to form the putter,,,,,,,putts really good,,,. I completed the set off of eBay for around $100. But as you can see could cause some serious digging issues. Shortly thereafter, Spalding signed him as spokesperson, vice president and director of research. It made its mark in the 80s through leveraged buyouts buying undervalued or poorly managed companies with other peoples money, improving their bottom lines, and then spinning them off at a profit. Although lots of factors influence how much golf clubs are worth, you can typically pick up a set of Spalding golf clubs for less than $100. John, I know that this is a very late reply but I actually knew the designer of these irons and spent time speaking with him. Also, consider TaylorMade sold last spring for $1.6 billion, while KKR paid nearly $1 billion for Spalding in 1996. They had a premium Molitor ball at the then scandalous price of $2. Spalding Executive clubs were established in the 1960s, with the Top Flite Executive Synchro-Dyned golf clubs being the first in a super popular series. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.You can also visit my Am. Did you forget about Zevo Golf? Who Makes Dunlop Golf Clubs? 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. You can post now and register later. I was the person responsible for introducing urethane prepolymers to Dr Shen Shen Wu, Titleist R&D chemist. He also was one of the best designers in the golf biz. Wed have monthly meetings at their West 57th Street offices in New York. No. So I sent it in and got the iron. The 300XXL Driver was so lightawesome clubhead speed ! 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. The "New York Times" frequently syndicates his work. All that creativity has led to the great clubs we have today. Nabbed them just for the pure ugliness. 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. is fantastic, but the club is as stiff as an old water pipe and is accordingly harsh. Finally, my number came up along with everyone else in the product management and marketing teams.. KKRs $25 billion takeover of RJR Nabisco was chronicled in the book (and tv movie) Barbarians at the Gate. Thanks for the history lesson and walk down memory lane. I actually have these clubs. "https://www.linkedin.com/in/swingyard/", What you like is what you like. * NOTE: Stan Thompson was an interesting guy and a well respected designer. Our friends[], Amazing Ryder Cup Contest! Bought a set for $25 as to help out a young lady with cancer. $77.83. It was made by Salt Lake City Specialties. Jim also marketed the first Graphite Shafts sold under the Aldila name. As weve discussed before, its extremely difficult for legacy brands to remain relevant, especially when new, fresh brands get aggressive. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. Spalding Executive Irons for sale | eBay Great stuff. The woods were the strangest looking things. I traded in some Titleist Acushnet blades for themI had only paid $99.00 for the set of Acushnets (used)they gave me $139.00 in trade value, and wanted another $100 for the UniquesThey were some of the easiest to hit irons I have ever ownedout of the 40 50 different sets I have had. We have been making them since 1992ship them all over the worldto soldiers, traveling execs, private pilots, cyclists, retirees that want to walk but cant lug a full set, and many other categories. It wasnt the shank that bothered me, it was waiting for it to happen that was the problem. (ENTER TO WIN) Super cool contest we have for you fellow GolfSpies today! what is spanish colonial music? If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Spalding spent the last half of the 20th-century battling with Titleist for golf ball supremacy. It was fun to have and I actually hit the thing really really well. MyGolfSpy, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Brilliant writing! Spalding, however, never dominated the pro game as Wilson and MacGregor did. 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). Can you come up with any info on these? Each has a special place in my personal golf journey and is still some of the best equipment Ive ever used. 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. In 1895, Spalding started manufacturing golf balls. GolfWRX_Official The Endo-forged Hogan Apex Plus cavity back irons came soon after, along with a solid-core Hogan Apex ball. When I eventually found a set of Magnums with regular shafts, I bought them but had been addicted to the graphite. Spalding no longer makes golf clubs, and hasnt for some time now. But, they were NOS (New Old Stock) and with Ohio State grips and headcovers; so a diehard Buckeye fan. Dynamiter wedges featured deep grooves, often in unusual shapes, that ultimately prompted the USGA to outlaw them. Long irons with shallow faces, little offset and perhaps slightly softer shafts can be quite playable. The stickers are silver, but the Slinger logo is a black heavy type face and says pat. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. You had to turn those over to see the ugly, but the cone in the bottom was down right wacky! Latitude Irons also give the golfer an added patented design feature of dual skids on the sole. It is the Super Stick. Tommy Armour TI 100 need to be on the list, they were twice the size of any other iron produced ever. Is that so? Not to belittle them because KKR is incredibly successful, but they didnt know the golf business the way we did, says White. On top line: OVERSIZE. He re-gripped them and beats the Taylormade hand-me-downs of his friends. GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, February 13. Still have the clubs in my basement. Can you help me find the history of the club? 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. 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. When he would get ready to play, he would hold the club so that the sole was visible to everyone. 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. I was the Sales Manager of Stan Thompson golf company for several years and worked very close with Stan. Went back 10 years and got the 845s used. 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. You might remember the popular Stan Thompson woods with the unique sole design. 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. Almost , http://www.intheholegolf.com/store/f2is.html. Seemed like big headed design with half the head chopped off to produce a bigger face!!! One with the sticker decal and one without. A very interesting stroll down golf history. 15 Craziest Golf Club (Irons) Ever Made! - MyGolfSpy While the idea of owning a golf company sounds great, the list of companies that tried and failed is long. Therefore, the Top Flite clubs produced in the nineties and early naughts are technically Spalding golf clubs. Theres even premium urethane cover options (Pro V1 and X styles) for ~$15 a dozen. I love these old clubs. Anyone hear of them? Any of you still have a set of these beauties laying around? I think this is the web site for me . 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). Both are really great. Today its hard to fine a wooden golf club in a bag!!!! In one sense, Spalding suffered the same fate irrelevance as did fellow legacy golf brands Wilson Staff and MacGregor. In 1892 Spalding went into acquisition mode, buying up two key competitors: the A.J. Anybody know anything? 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The result is the easiest-to-hit long irons ever. Hmmmare you wondering why all irons arent made out of titanium then?