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? As a former pro athlete, Spalding saw the value of using professionals to help promote both the game and his products. The Top-Flite line was to feature investment-cast irons and Strata balls sold through pro shops and off-course retailers, while Spalding was to be the value/recreational line sold pretty much everywhere. Well they made execs for over 20 yearswhich ones do you have? In the early days, golf clubs were hand-forged using a hammer and anvil. An excellent article well researched There are worse things. My friends and I (and Im embarrassed to say this now! Return Policy > WORLDWIDE SHIPPING. The products soon disappeared from shelves. NOW AVAILABLE: GolfWRX G/Fore Hats and Holderness & Bourne Polos! Under Chapter 363, it bid $125 million for Top-Flite. Jeff Sheets had been Director of R&D for Top-Flite since 1995, and his first club for Hogan became a legend. Some crazy lookin clubs, Why didnt you include the 1st set of Ping Irons? Sold them to a guy 30 years younger who also loved them. The Ginty was the first modern Utility club. Starting in the early 1900s, Spalding started making golf balls before manufacturing clubs. marrano patio homes lancaster, ny 9, Juin, 2022. horse property for sale pocatello, idaho; With new sexy companies like Titleist, Callaway, and TaylorMade, and golfers like Tiger and Phil, the new aged golfer wasnt interested in playing their grandpas golf clubs. Sales declined into the 2000s, and Spalding made their last club in 2002. The Top-Flite, Strata, and Hogan brands stayed alive for a while, but Callaway eventually mothballed them all. ], KKR was established in 1976 by partners Jerome Kohlberg, Henry Kravis, and George Roberts. 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. Executives were my first set as wellI thought they were a great starter set. Can you help me find the history of the club? You cannot paste images directly. He would hold up the club so they could see the 7 on the bottom and with a big grin say I hit a 7 iron. Peter lived in Ridgefield,Ct. Model: Tour Pro Offset 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. Amazing how so of the old stuff works better than the hyped up new stuff! You should shoot me some pics of your new set. He traded a set of classic Burke PunchIrons to get the Lynx. Great list of wild clubs. We want you to get the most out of your I have been playing golf over 40 years and have owned many brands of clubs. Too bad. 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. 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. I will let the then Chariman of FILA Golf tell you a little bit about these 1994 released set of ironsand take you back in time like you were there for the original launch: Never before have so many game improvement features been built into one club. we closed and then were just screwing around with some of the rental clubs. Not the first or the last business to be destroyed by KKR. 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. Money put a few of these clubs on touralthough that does not mean they were worth a penny. More on the tr600!!!! 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. Iomic Golf Grips: 8 Key Facts Before You Buy. The Early Years of Spalding Golf Starting in 1900, Spalding opened club-making factories in London and in Fife, Scotland, producing forged iron heads for Spalding clubs sold both in the UK and U.S. Whats more, KKR continued adding to its golf empire, buying Etonic in 1996 and Ben Hogan a year later. Well today is going to be a little bit different. I have a 3-15 wood set that are fun to play with. MyGolfSpy is usually a place you guys come to see the latest and greatest equipment the golf industry has to offer. they were a good iron, that looked good at address, and were easy to hit. My Nike Slingshots is the best set I have ever used. By 1970, the ownership group morphed into the Questor Corporation, and Pyramid Rubber was rechristened Evenflo. The Spalding Top-Flite first came out in 1970. Get10% offat Global Golf with Code:SwingYard. Spalding used to own Top Flite before selling the subsidiary to Callaway. Great article takes me back to nostalgia. Remember all the other clubs, good to read. Spalding no longer makes golf clubs, and hasnt for some time now. My woods are Taylormade Burners 1 & 3, and I have two Mizuno hybrids. It was the mold makers attempt to make at a hollow head, wooden shape club. This one in particular was interesting to me because I grew up in a Spalding family of sorts. Whats more, Spalding Molitor clubs currently retail at $280 for an entire set, which is a price point that is pretty hard to beat. Previously, they manufactured equipment for golf, American football, and baseball, but they have downsized considerably in recent years. the only problem I have had{although the have to be at least 30+ years old},is graphite cracks. Incidentally, Vulcan (Chicago suburb club makers who made some of the earliest hybrids) made a full set of hybrids 3-SW. You have not lived until you hit good hybrid wedges! I just found a set of 10 plops slotz. I don't mind the executives though, don't really know much about them either. I think all the readers as well as the golfspies would love to learn as much about these past designs as possible. As a golfer of a certain age, these history articles are fascinating! The Endo-forged Hogan Apex Plus cavity back irons came soon after, along with a solid-core Hogan Apex ball. 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. 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. I accidentally broke it in the late 1970s the shaft was installed over a milled section of the hosel! They are nearly in perfect condition. I gave those up quickly only because they were really odd looking. Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond LS Driver Review, Best Womens Golf Clubs for Intermediate Players, Ned Howard Retired PGA Teaching Professional. The old Spaulding Executive set I had back in the early 1980s. Thanks for doing the digging! Spalding quickly grew, making baseball gloves and uniforms and the first modern baseball bat. Another really well done article. pend. beneath. Reach and the Wright and Ditson sporting goods companies. 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.. I got an incomplete set at the Salvation Army for $15. It felt like a rock but flew like a rocket and weekend warriors bought them by the bushel. In 1984, Questor sold off Spalding/Evenflo to a Venezuelan group headed by Gustavo and Ricardo Cisneros. and they wonder why they went out of business. And although Spalding would show operational profits, debt service kept turning those profits into losses. "author": "Ned Howard", i knew a guy who was a 4 handicap, and he used the spalding executives. I play with several timesa year. I remembered them from this article. Circa 1985-ish if memory serves. "publisher": { Needed a set of clubs to play for a few days and found these. Not quite Bryson-like, but innovative for the day. 6. Those and the Ram Tour Grinds that Watson played were my bucket list irons, but never could afford them. But more trouble was coming for Spalding. Thanks. I have a Simmons Great White Shark putter with a 7 blade. But, the #1 weird club goes to the Slingeryour #1 choice. Corey Pavin says, If I wont paid to play them ugly ass sticks they would have never been heard of ;). However my 6 iron had twice as much offset as any other iron in the set. More than 50 percent of that total came from golf ball sales. That year Albert and his brothers opened the A.G. Spalding & Brothers sporting goods company and started making baseballs. The Top Flite name lives on, however, thanks to the purchase of its namesake via Callaway in the early 2000s. 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. Jones famously retired from golf after winning the 1930 version of the Grand Slam. Recently I bought another set (I keep an eye on E-Bay for them) so I could have extras & other club sets for friends that come into town. Again THANK YOU FOR THE GOLF LESSON!!!!! Remember when pros like Norman and Stadler and others with that bright red Spaulding Tour Bag. I think a list of the craziest irons made should definitely include the Jerry Barber Golden Touch irons made over 40 years ago. No copy for them. I dont want to pay the asking prices for individual 440 Plus irons on eBay, so Ill keep my eye out for them at the thrift shops and G-W. Andyou see the Spaulding Executive irons at the Goodwill stores all the time. The 500s have less offset than the 440s. KKR wanted Spalding to make money the KKR way. 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. Itd take a week to prepare for.. But, they were NOS (New Old Stock) and with Ohio State grips and headcovers; so a diehard Buckeye fan. I cant remember who made them, but I remember reading about an iron that was adjustable so its loft could be wildly altered. made it even more interesting and valuable. Protactic Golf in Chicago. 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. Today, Spalding golf clubs still exist, but theyre nowhere near as popular as they once were. Spalding took off with sales and production with Bobby Jones joining the team. #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. All that creativity has led to the great clubs we have today. I actually travel with it and use it at the driving range, so I dont have to rent clubs. Ironfinder has a good selection of individual Spalding Executive MV2 bird over ball golf clubs in stock to help you replace a missing single golf iron. I still think there were others that deserved some consideration. 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. Basically, the new irons are all the same cavity backed design tweaked for the metal content and painted pretty for your golf bag. The Black Dots were longest (for me) but that cover would smile back at you with the slightest mishit. Not sure if the Black Knight, Gary Players endorsement sucked allot of buyers into buying.LOL. Back in the day (early-60s), I caddied at a CC in so. 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. We (and tour players) figured out it was very stable in the wind and was 2 clubs longer with the irons. Spalding released multiple iterations of its Executive clubs throughout the sixties and seventies, and they became popular with professional golfers and recreational players alike. Jim passed away recentlyhe was a great innovator do you remember the Basakwerd Putter Just found and bought a set of Lil David Slingers. 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. ), shoplifted about four dozen balls each from a failing department store in New York City. They play as well as any other set The remaining golf company was re-named Top-Flite. "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"], Wish the 5 iron would have been there. Spalding stopped making golf clubs in 2002, and their last clubs were branded as Top Flite Oversized irons. Thanks for you4 diligence and reporting. The Ping Zings were the worst! " [We] decided that . Spalding started adding Tour staff during the 90s, with Greg Norman, Lee Trevino, Graig Stadler, and Nick Price all playing Stratas. 1 Iron (18) Spalding EXECUTIVE XE. Great collection! Man crush on Nicklaus led to this purchase. 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. "image": { You can buy a set in good condition on eBay for around $100. To maintain the limit of 14 clubs in the bag, I change off now and then. Can you come up with any info on these? Driver to 15 wood. 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. Different, yes, but they are the only ones where you can really aim at the target! I have a set of Lynx Parallax irons that were my fathers. Clear editor. 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. 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 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 completed the set off of eBay for around $100. Upload or insert images from URL. 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 What is it for weight transfer? Its high point came in 1998 when Mark OMeara won the Masters and the Open Championship for Spalding. I am the person that brought the first Metalwoods to the market. 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. The Kro-Flite in 1930 was golfs first liquid center golf ball, while the Spalding DOT was a mid-century icon. Odyssey to Callaway In July 1997, Callaway Golf purchased putter maker Odyssey for $130 million, or nearly four times the company's annual sales of $35 million at the time. Never met a set of strange clubs I didnt want to try. Therefore, the Top Flite clubs produced in the nineties and early naughts are technically Spalding golf clubs. They preceded hybrid irons by 20 years or so. Although they did have issues with the shafts actually wrinkling due to the configuration of the shape of the toe on this ironcrazy little factoid. What about the Porsche irons? If it works for you use it. Somehow they squeezed 492 dimples on them Those balls were rocketships. CT. We had a very good amateur player, reputed to be one of the longest hitters in the state. OK. Ive got some irons sets you have up (Fila, Cleveland, Slotline, and the Tiger Shark). Man, some of my favorites on this list. Still use 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. You cannot do that with any other club. As previously mentioned, you can buy Spalding Molitor clubs at Rock Bottom, and theyre a great option for beginner players. I agree, though it does deserve a deep dive. Bird on ball was a very popular club. Purespin (diamond face)? money, time and performance. And continuity, leadership, and smart decisions matter. If you have any you think we should include or have any additional info about the clubs listed feel free to post your comments. Oversized high center of gravity heads and huge amounts of offset are what killed long irons IMO. I dont know how people could justify any of the others. * 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. In fact, one of Spaldings most popular models was the Bobby Jones collection, selling two million sets between 1932 and 1973. He re-gripped them and beats the Taylormade hand-me-downs of his friends. By reducing our debt and consolidating our operations, we enhance our abilities to drive growth behind our prestigious group of golf brands, CEO Jim Craigie said at the time. 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. Quite honestly, we werent ready for that.. They introduced the Browning 500 Series to counter that effect.But, they waited too long and by that timethe party was over! "description": "List of all the Spalding Irons by the year each set was released", Just came back from the PGA Tour Superstore after reading this site last night. 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. 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. I am on my 2nd set.I used to lovem and had friends that bought as they loved the ball flight and were also a great set of chippers. 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). Make Request. I collect odd golf items. Ugly. Are these considered weird? I think Browning was leaving the golf business then and they were discounted last set in the store. The company was founded in 1973 and today produces high-quality golf clubs using the . Got the 3 PW for 3.99 a club, bought the 5- PW first, played two rounds and went back and bought the 3 & 4. 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?? 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). Insurmountable debt, uncertain management, and stiff competition forced Spalding to stop production. Some deserve to be on the former, but definitely not the latter! Never get tired of reading these types of articles. Who knows what might have happened if someone else had gained control, Im 75 and recall that my Dad was a Spalding Dot guy. Eventually banned because it was too straight. Anyone ever hear of anything like that? lots of memories here. 1 Iron Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize. Like previously stated the Slotline Lowpro irons were for the most part an exact copy of the Browning 440 irons. Had a set of McGregor Irons called Doctor Rx, they felt good hit in the middle, they reminded me of a Pringle potato chip. { Brilliant idea? I owned a set of Nocklaus N1 irons (the pro versions of the bear irons?). The RB880 s by Northwestern are also knockoffs of the Browning 440 s. I have a set of clubs with Belmont Power on them. Maybe it is a good idea or maybe it is not. There are still folks around from when Mr. Hogan ran the company and I am sure you can get some keen insights not only of the company but of Mr. Hogan himself. KKR had been trying to dump Spalding as early as 2000, but no one would take on the debt burden. 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." I had read your original 2018 article about why Hogan still mattered. You can still buy Top-Flite and Strata branded balls at DICKS and Golf Galaxy. Thanks. The success of Spalding golf clubs had compelled the USGA to act, but this success was not destined to last forever. Spaldings contributions to modern golf are considerable. I take them out every couple of years and play a round with them just for fun. it was at my range's rental bin. The woods were the strangest looking things. Anybody know anything about them? Started Yesterday at 04:29 AM, By Was a fan of the TopFlite XL. The Start Of Spalding Golf Clubs In 1905, a sporting goods company saw that golf was starting to become quite popular in the United States. There was a time that Spalding golf clubs were among the best in the business. Shortly thereafter, Spalding signed him as spokesperson, vice president and director of research. They owed more to its creditors than Spalding was worth. The greatest golfer at the time plays Spalding? 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. This stuff is really interesting.. The nineties saw the release of the Top Flite Tour Ti irons, which were among the last clubs that the long-standing brand would manufacture. Please put any questions or comments here. But under Section 363 of Chapter 11, a seller can sell assets without having to negotiate with its creditors. but fairly forgiving. 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. Spalding Top-Flite In 1995 Spalding Sporting Goods reorganized its golf club division by forming the Top-Flight golf company as its premium club brand. Still have the clubs in my basement. 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. ), Finn Scooter Golf Reviews (Are These the Real Deal? 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. And add on Sweet Spot Golf Drivers and the Mac/Burrows Driver. * Note: These irons were designed in Belgium by the Belgium-Browning company. 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 spent the last half of the 20th-century battling with Titleist for golf ball supremacy. They dropped the Tour Edition moniker and focused on the expansion of their touring staff on the PGA, Senior PGA and LPGA tours. The real prize for Callaway was the Chicopee ball plant. It was a time-consuming, costly and inconsistent process. 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 Someone suggested to me they were a prototype club for Johnny Miller, but were never marketed. Slotline Inertial E-Max irons laying around ? "@context": "http://schema.org/", I think this is the web site for me . No sir, they are in my bag and are still being used after all these years. With Spalding's mass-market success breeding scores of imitators, players could pick and choose from countless club lines. Still, if youre looking for more information about Spalding golf clubs, youve come to the right place. Spalding, along with Wright and Ditson, was importing golf clubs from Scotland. The market was changing rapidly, as well. One day, I was caddying for him and he crushed a drive, but about 100 yards out, it just fell out of the sky. Had 3-PW plus 1, 3, & 5 woods. My Uncle had the Executives and my Dad had the XL-4s. Pretty sure that was the first major won for a solid core ball. By Thanks, http://www.clubsofdistinction.com/cod3/ucir5177.htm. Heres one for the booksTommy Armour EQL one length irons. Pretty or not (thats the clubs), I have played Fila Latitude irons since they came out. Spalding got so inventive with their clubmaking, they had golf bags around America sporting 20-30 clubs. What about Pax (Paul Goydos promoted them)? 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. 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. So what did his famous Ginty patent actually mean? Press J to jump to the feed. Your email address will not be published. "https://www.facebook.com/swingyard/", The set I found is 2-9, but the 5 iron is gone. The company stayed the course, and the result is a thriving, profitable company. (What Exactly Happened?). That means providing you with equipment reviews you can trust, Its pretty clear KKR didnt do its due diligence. They come as a set and include eleven clubs, a golf bag, and head covers. Established in Caracas in 1929 as a small material transport business, the Cisneros Group had its fingers in everything from soft drinks, ice cream, and beauty products to banking and a burgeoning telecommunications business. Callaway wound up suing Spalding for using its imagery on Spalding packaging. Sign In. The stickers are silver, but the Slinger logo is a black heavy type face and says pat. I cant believe to Ping Zing 2s are on the list. Its impossible to overstate Albert Spaldings vision and ambition. I have not 1 but 2 sets of Browning 440 irons. KKRs $25 billion takeover of RJR Nabisco was chronicled in the book (and tv movie) Barbarians at the Gate. By then the Cisneros brothers had taken the money and ran. Couldnt decide between the Slotlines emax and the 845s. $86.40 shipping. When I was first introduced to golf in the mid 70s, spoiling was still a player in the recreational market. I bought a set of blue-backed Uniques back in the early 80s. 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. Thank you for your research efforts. 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. Still have the XL-4s in the garage. So we thought if it was as crazy looking as the original it had to be on the list but a little further down. I would appreciate any help you could offer! Any of you still have a set of these beauties laying around? Inside cavity: blue/back button; EXECUTIVE x EZ. Hope you find this one interesting!!!!