Spalding Golf Clubs: Do Still Make Them & How Much? Two years prior, they sold Spalding and Evenflo to Wall Street investment firm KKR for an estimated and unbelievable 1 billion dollars. So, while Spalding is nowhere near as prevalent as it once was in the world of golf, you can still pick up a set of Molitor clubs for a very reasonable price online. Would you make an iron set out of stone? Looking through eBay listings, you can find a range of vintage Spalding golf clubs in various conditions to suit different budgets. GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment, February 13. I can't imagine them being worth a shit. I take them out every couple of years and play a round with them just for fun. 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. It kept some of those out of my bag Im sure. Happily, I can say that I have seen these over the years, but none of them ever made it into my golf bag. So we thought if it was as crazy looking as the original it had to be on the list but a little further down. Albert Spalding died in 1915, but his company continued to flourish. In 1880, Spaldings League Ball became the official baseball of the National League (and later of the American League), a position it held until 1976. I tried to hit it oncenot a good idea! The 1953 Top-Flite Synchro-Dyned irons were particularly innovative, featuring a matched shaft flex and head weight for each iron in the set. Finally, my number came up along with everyone else in the product management and marketing teams.. The Roaring 20s gave us Babe Ruth, Knute Rockne, Jack Dempsey, and Red Grange. i used to work in a golf shop in ohio and we had the worst set i ever saw. I saw the Cisneros brothers maybe once in my time there, he says. And I remember drooling over those Tour Edition Custom blades in the pro shop. Our mission is #ConsumerFirst. Jim also marketed the first Graphite Shafts sold under the Aldila name. I think you are talking about the Spaulding Executive XE irons,ahead of their time,I played a set for a couple of years then sold them, looking back I wish I hadnt. as well as honest reporting on the latest issues affecting the game Read on to learn more about the history of Spalding clubs and what you can expect from various models. Callaway had long wanted Top-Flites ball factory and patents but didnt want to assume any debt. My Dad had the XL-4s (I still have them), one Uncle had the Executives and another had the Cannons. 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 addition to being a prolific golf club designer and inventor of innumerable gadgets and gizmos, I have led a fascinating life, as you can see by a brief look at a summary of my biography.. Typically about 2 of the three would be OK, but if you hit one thin, you just threw it away on the next tee. I have a set of Lynx Parallax irons that were my fathers. After each sale, however, TaylorMades leadership team remained intact. If it works for you use it. This is because Spalding stopped manufacturing golf clubs in 2002, and most of the clubs available online today are vintage sets. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Eventually banned because it was too straight. Brings back great memories! In the 1920s, Spalding started making irons and innovated an assembly line style forging process that was much cheaper, faster, and more precise than the ole hammer and anvil. I am a self-admitted admirer of Mr. Hogan having owned more than 2 dozen sets of various Hogan iron sets over the years and a former member of the only club to have a Hogan-designed course (actually 27 holes). $86.40 shipping. They looked like a full set of hybrids but only lasted a short period of time. 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. Acushnet has been sold twice since the 1970s, and each time the buyer took the same approach: be profitable, and well leave you alone. I have a full set of Exec XE irons. BogeyPro Golf (T-Shirt Design Contest), RYDER CUP CONTEST! And continuity, leadership, and smart decisions matter. Love to see them. jazzbone, September 4, 2006 in Equipment. Might need to get a full set of Tiger Shark irons to match the wedge!! While the idea of owning a golf company sounds great, the list of companies that tried and failed is long. Spalding is a big name in American sports, having manufactured equipment for basketball, American football, and golf over the years. About half of our sales are with personal names or corporate logos in the back and given as gifts. Wish the 5 iron would have been there. 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational - Discussion and Links to Photos, 2023 The Honda Classic - Discussion and Links to photos, 2023 Genesis Invitational - Discussion and Links to photos, 2023 Waste Management Phoenix Open - Discussion and Links to Photos, 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - Discussion and Links to all photos. I would like to repay you with mine. Thanks for the history lesson, truly amazing how fast Spalding unraveled. I have no ideabut I sure loved my Tommy Armour silver Scotts. 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). They were good at it too, in one year selling off companies for more than $7 billion they had bought for only $1 billion. The original Strata ball was amazing when it came out spin for days! I know that this is a very late reply but I actually knew the designer of these irons and spent time speaking with him. Although the Inertial irons werent so lucky. Why is that I have the Tiger Shark 7 iron and the Spalding Exec XE 5 iron in my golf collection??? * Note: These irons were designed by Karsten Solheimsure most of you knew that though. and they wonder why they went out of business. "logo": { Made from 1989-1994 and originally sold for $680. Copyright 2023. The BIG BOYS missed on this one. 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. 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. They had fantastic fairway woods that I still take out for a spin every once in a while. Until the USGA banned deep-grooved irons, Spalding's Stop 'Em and Dedstop clubs brought a smile to countless players' faces. NOW AVAILABLE: GolfWRX G/Fore Hats and Holderness & Bourne Polos! Autore dell'articolo: Articolo pubblicato: 16/06/2022 Categoria dell'articolo: fixed gantry vs moving gantry cnc Commenti dell'articolo: andy's dopey transposition cipher andy's dopey transposition cipher Dreadful golf balls! 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). & Bubba Dickerson won the 2001 US Amatuer with a set of Nicklaus Bears! Ive owned. The latter is notable as the Wright of Wright and Ditson is one George Wright, a Hall of Fame shortstop for the Boston Red Stockings and a major mover and shaker of turn-of-the-century golf. Spalding EXECUTIVE Iron Set. My dad has played a set if vicunas for about 40 years! { In 1895, Spalding started manufacturing golf balls. lots of memories here. Never met a set of strange clubs I didnt want to try. You cannot do that with any other club. Great nostalgia with the article. Also, consider TaylorMade sold last spring for $1.6 billion, while KKR paid nearly $1 billion for Spalding in 1996. 1 Iron Spalding Executive MV2 bird over ball . Could not beleive how well I hit this clubs. Written by June 5, 2022 . So for those of you who own a set and are fellow collectors of the ridiculoustoday is your day to shine. By then the Cisneros brothers had taken the money and ran. Previously, they manufactured equipment for golf, American football, and baseball, but they have downsized considerably in recent years. Bird on ball was a very popular club. Learn how your comment data is processed. They are also said to be legendary Canadian player Moe Normans favorite clubs of all time. Still bagging their wedges. The chrome I think all the readers as well as the golfspies would love to learn as much about these past designs as possible. Balata covers. With long-term debt in the neighborhood of $600 million, KKR found itself in a negative equity situation. 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. worst time to visit costa rica; apartments for rent in fort pierce with utilities included; sunshine plaza opening hours sunday; photosynthesis and cellular respiration kahoot Any of you still have a set of these beauties laying around? I completed the set off of eBay for around $100. Say what you will but I own a set of Ray Cook Titanic irons. 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?? 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. I learned the game on a set of used Spalding Execs-still have them today. In the 1960s, Spalding introduced the Spalding Executive line of clubs and balls and the Top-Flite Elite Professional irons with the Bird on Ball logo. They definitely arent the prettiest of clubs but I did enjoy playing them. ), shoplifted about four dozen balls each from a failing department store in New York City. I wonder how much influence he had on those? It became the most consistent and durable golf ball ever made. I think this is the web site for me . I have one of those! I was the person responsible for introducing urethane prepolymers to Dr Shen Shen Wu, Titleist R&D chemist. but worth a kings ransom, Great post thanks mgs but i agree with dj ,The doctor rx has to be on the list. Smooth tempo swingers Ventus Velo isn't working for me other brands/models suggestions? I was the Sales Manager of Stan Thompson golf company for several years and worked very close with Stan. They kept slashing the pricing. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. About; Blog; Service; Contacts Spalding started adding Tour staff during the 90s, with Greg Norman, Lee Trevino, Graig Stadler, and Nick Price all playing Stratas. Much cheaper than renting. I was told they only made a few hundred sets. Spalding used to own Top Flite before selling the subsidiary to Callaway. Still have the clubs in my basement. I have a set of Ben Hogan AHS Hybrids and the SW is even a hybrid! It is more of a you gotta be kidding me), an Integra 650 cc driver (you have to dig a ditch before you swing), etc. Especially in America. 5 Testers Needed! my Dad is still pulling new 90s & 2000s Top Flights from the closet to play lol. Anyone hear of them? I think I actually played one of them 150 holes before I gave up. Are these considered weird? It was fun to have and I actually hit the thing really really well. Ugly. 6. The RB880 s by Northwestern are also knockoffs of the Browning 440 s. 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. It wasnt very sophisticated back then, and they wanted to add layers of sophistication that they had in their other businesses. He could not believe the smoothness of the Driver. These articles are all outstanding. Spalding, along with Wright and Ditson, was importing golf clubs from Scotland. Executives were my first set as wellI thought they were a great starter set. I still have the samurai irons,2-pw and woods,driver,3w,5w,7w,,and still use them. http://www.geekgolf.com. That debt burden, however, finally proved fatal. Remember when pros like Norman and Stadler and others with that bright red Spaulding Tour Bag. They are a blade from the early 80`s. With a few months of work and some radical design modifications it was turned into the first modern Metalwood. 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 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. 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. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. I bought my first set of real golf clubs around 1991 or 1992, the Spalding Executive. Today its hard to fine a wooden golf club in a bag!!!! Like many of his other unconventional looking but super functional designs for the time this one flew off the shelves. "@type": "Organization", As a designer, the design is perfect and although they look funny, they were a great club, ask Cory Pavin. 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. what is spanish colonial music? 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. You had to turn those over to see the ugly, but the cone in the bottom was down right wacky! "image": { Some scumbag broke into my vehicle and stole the set about 25 years ago. He also had a head for business and knew a good opportunity when he saw one. Titleist and PING were established competitors, while TaylorMade and Callaway were flexing their muscles. From the 1950s to the 1990s Spalding was in the bag for many major victories, and was played on municipal courses across the country. 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). I may be way off they had a a plain face -but the back was a series of round holes -like a honey comb design does any one remember these what were they called and who made themmy friend died so I cant ask himanyway thanks. White says KKR management was hyper-focused on Callaway and TaylorMade, which may explain one of Spaldings biggest gaffes ever. 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. I have a set of both the 440s and the 500s, and there is no difference in face depth. All of the irons were labeled as a 7 iron, with the real number of the club micro stamped on the faces upper toe. I am surprised no one ever mass marketed them. It was a time-consuming, costly and inconsistent process. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. 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. Alternatively, you can look on a discount site like Rock Bottom Golf. The company was already selling golf balls when, in 1905, it became the first in America to offer its own brand of golf clubs. Titleist has been the Ball King for so long, its hard to remember a time when it wasnt. Spalding club-makers paid as much scrutiny to shafts as heads. Circa 1985-ish if memory serves. Lots of wackiness. The company stayed the course, and the result is a thriving, profitable company. Thats great. I recently tried an old Jack Nicklaus 7 iron made by MacGregor many years ago. I just picked up 6 thru 9 of the Browning 440 Plus irons at the Goodwillcant wait to try them out. I just found a set of 10 plops slotz. Did KKR overpay? The Zing2s were the first set I bought when I started playing golf. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They owed more to its creditors than Spalding was worth. It was just crazy how many golf balls we would sell through Wal-Mart in 18-ball pack, adds White Wed get orders on the fax machine for 50,000 18-ball packs, and theyd want them in two weeks.. and they placed it in the show. Love them oldies. Men's Right Handed. I had some Staff FG-17 and my friends dad had the Executives. WITB Albums. spalding executive golf clubs please read DESCRIPTION BEFORE BUYING . In an effort to keep golf a game of skill, the USGA implemented the 14 club rule that we see today. The shaft collapses to 18 inches so it is great for travelsure beats the cost of checking a golf bag these days. Top Flite is now synonymous with bargain or cheap instead of being the club of choice for the greatest golfers on tour. Bought the Slotlines new. Great list! 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 any info on this garbage?lol. I actually travel with it and use it at the driving range, so I dont have to rent clubs. In the mid to late 80s, my father had Spalding make him a set of custom irons. 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! At the 2003 PGA Show, Hogan introduced the Apex 50 blade commemorating its 50th anniversary, the game improvement CFT irons, and the Carnoustie and Riviera wedges. I used to have a set of Ajay Pro Classics that were my dads. With the help of computers, we designed a unique shape we call the `Bull Nose which extends the toe weight out far enough to balance the head without creating an elongated appearance. I played a set of Mags for years until I got to where I could not swing fast enough to bend the stiff shafts. Not the first or the last business to be destroyed by KKR. Nice article John! Driver to 15 wood. Peter F. Stevens is an award-winning author and journalist whose 10 books include "The Voyage of the Catalpa." Steve Almo The early Top-Flites were juast the opposite; you couldnt cut one of them with an axe. With Spalding's mass-market success breeding scores of imitators, players could pick and choose from countless club lines. 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. TaylorMade then entered the bidding but, after 30 rounds, Callaway wound up buying Top-Flite free and clear for $175 million. 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. Now I need some crazy Loudmouth pants and a pink ball. I seem to remember them being pretty wacky. Its on the list! Display as a link instead, "keywords": ["spalding irons by year","when did spalding stop making golf clubs","does spalding still make golf clubs","spalding golf clubs history","spalding executive golf clubs history"], 1983 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. The solid core Strata now had competition from the Titleist ProV1. One of my favorite balls back in the late 80s was the Top-Flite Plus. 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. No. The only thing a golfer needs is more daylight. - BenHogan. You might remember the popular Stan Thompson woods with the unique sole design. OK. Ive got some irons sets you have up (Fila, Cleveland, Slotline, and the Tiger Shark). Get the best deals on Spalding Executive Irons when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. And in 1930, it hit the jackpot. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 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. Slotline Inertial E-Max irons laying around ? 2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #2. } Quite honestly, we werent ready for that.. Decent? I am still playing with my set every week! It is the Super Stick. Cleveland was giving them away for free if you send in some coupon from golf digest. Matched them to Wilson Pro Staff low compressions and I was a happy camper. Those were real whacky.. bent shafts and roughly milled heads. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There was a time that Spalding golf clubs were among the best in the business. Im 65 and still playing to seven with them. 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. I had never seen the Fila irons before now. Spalding led the way with such deep-grooved designs as the "waterfall" and waffle-face irons. Leather Golf Grips Review: Should I Use Them? Needed a set of clubs to play for a few days and found these. " [We] decided that . 2023 Genesis Invitational - Monday #3. Today, Spalding Executive clubs arent worth a great deal of money. KKR wanted Spalding to make money the KKR way. Well then so did everyone else. 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 Jerry Barber Golden Touch shank-proof irons (BeCu, ideally), Powerbilt TPS with the Goalpost Alignment System, And I agree with a previous posters suggestion of the Spalding Cannon ADVANCE. All that creativity has led to the great clubs we have today. Whats more, Spalding Molitor clubs currently retail at $280 for an entire set, which is a price point that is pretty hard to beat. We want you to get the most out of your I still have several sets of Hogan forged irons, Hogan/Bettinardi putters, several dozen Apex, and Tour Deep balls. 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. They play as well as any other set 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). We stand behind our clubs and want you to be satisfied with them. single, replacement or add-on golf irons and wedges for Spalding Executive MV2 bird over ball Irons. 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. Just remember, Its always the indian and not the arrow. The plan was to position Hogan as the premium forged line sold through pro shops. Who Makes Dunlop Golf Clubs? #PowerToThePlayer. Did you forget about Zevo Golf? Win a bunch of BogeyPro swag! Colgate-Palmolive bought RAM and Penfold in the mid-70s to sell more toothpaste but gave up after only five years. I had a few customers back in the 1970s who ordered custom irons and would request the same number on the sole of their heads. Upload or insert images from URL. Sold them to a guy 30 years younger who also loved them. 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. We are here to help educate and empower golfers. * NOTE: Stan Thompson was an interesting guy and a well respected designer. I just found a set of Slingers at the thrift store for $10. } 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. Was: C $107.89. When my father would shot a 215 yard iron into the hole, his fellow golfers wold ask him what club he used. Throughout the 90s and into the early 2000s, Spalding and Titleist were running neck and neck in golf ball production. Used to play traditional blades with the odd shank. money, time and performance. Its pretty clear KKR didnt do its due diligence. I owned two sets of Unique ironsstarting in 1976. The Ginty was the first modern Utility club. Tom Farrell. "mainEntityOfPage": "https://swingyard.com/spalding-irons-by-year/", As a golfer of a certain age, these history articles are fascinating! In one sense, Spalding suffered the same fate irrelevance as did fellow legacy golf brands Wilson Staff and MacGregor. does ohma have a child [email protected] buy all 6 get free shipping) Let me know by ebay . *We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. You have any pics of the Samurai irons Neilwould love to see them. 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. In the early days, golf clubs were hand-forged using a hammer and anvil. Clear editor. 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. With this in mind, this article looks at why Spalding golf clubs are no longer popular and how much some of their most popular sets are worth. I am the person that brought the first Metalwoods to the market. I still think I deserve to be recognized as the leader in this category and will be appealing your decision. or Best Offer. Never get tired of reading these types of articles. Man, some of my favorites on this list. In 1876 Spalding was the manager and ace pitcher of the Chicago White Stockings. With KKR, it was a 180-degree turnaround. Yes. They also specialized in unique clubs like the Cran Creek. Starting in the early 1900s, Spalding started making golf balls before manufacturing clubs. i just hit a 8 iron in that series last night. 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). Someone suggested to me they were a prototype club for Johnny Miller, but were never marketed. 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). This one in particular was interesting to me because I grew up in a Spalding family of sorts. When Did Spalding Stop Making Golf Clubs. "@context": "http://schema.org/", "headline": "Spalding Irons by Year", words that have to do with clay P.O. Started Yesterday at 04:29 AM, By I wonder what Jack thought of them. You should shoot me some pics of your new set. I had read your original 2018 article about why Hogan still mattered. 1 Iron (18) Spalding EXECUTIVE XE. If you have any you think we should include or have any additional info about the clubs listed feel free to post your comments. made it even more interesting and valuable. That year Albert and his brothers opened the A.G. Spalding & Brothers sporting goods company and started making baseballs. Pat Simmons of Tiger Shark fame (and others) is the most underrated club designer of all time! Its impossible to overstate Albert Spaldings vision and ambition. Thanks, John. 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! when were spalding executive golf clubs made.
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