Man crush on Nicklaus led to this purchase. Terrific article as usual Mr. Barra. * NOTE: Stan Thompson was an interesting guy and a well respected designer. The Top Flite name lives on, however, thanks to the purchase of its namesake via Callaway in the early 2000s. spalding executive golf clubs please read DESCRIPTION BEFORE BUYING . Yes. Weird thing was I could hit the XL-4 long irons better and the Executives better from 7-PW. These were actually a pretty good iron for the time and I think Trevino had something to do with this designbut not sure. The market was changing rapidly, as well. Brings back great memories! 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. 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. What you like is what you like. 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). Upload or insert images from URL. Former Proctor & Gamble chief Edwin Artzt came on as chairman, with former Kraft, Inc executive vice president James Craigie becoming CEO. 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. 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. So we thought if it was as crazy looking as the original it had to be on the list but a little further down. * Note: These irons were designed by Duke Duclos. 2 Iron Spalding . Just got Calloway X20s last week. These skids are tapered from the leading edge toward the rear of the club head, raising the sole above the ground without raising the leading edge off the ground. Just found and bought a set of Lil David Slingers. I believe Robert Molitor was the fellow who developed the Top Flite. 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. You can still buy Top-Flite and Strata branded balls at DICKS and Golf Galaxy. By the Roaring '20s, A.G. Spalding & Brothers was using the process of "drop forging" to manufacture metal club-heads. http://www.geekgolf.com. 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. What about the old Bullet Driver that was hollow in the center (like an inverted U shape)? If so send us some picsdont worry we will keep it 100% anonymous . Would you make an iron set out of stone? Shortly thereafter, Spalding signed him as spokesperson, vice president and director of research. Irons made during that time are distinguished by an anvil cleek mark. 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. Starting in the early 1900s, Spalding started making golf balls before manufacturing clubs. Remember all the other clubs, good to read. In 1938, the USGA passed an edict limiting players to 14 clubs. Its obvious that the maker of the Slingers spent SO much money on R&D that he had to use STICKERS instead of stamped lettering. My Nike Slingshots is the best set I have ever used. PING was still PING, and Tiger was becoming Tiger. Again THANK YOU FOR THE GOLF LESSON!!!!! I was wondering if anyone had ever tried Slotline Classic Copper golf clubs. He struggled quite a bit with the change.. "https://www.pinterest.com/Swingyard/blog/" Knowledgable folk say its all in the mind. Copyright 2023. Does anyone know anything about them? Every iron ever made is ugly as hell when you hit it off the hosel. White says KKR management was hyper-focused on Callaway and TaylorMade, which may explain one of Spaldings biggest gaffes ever. "datePublished": "2022-05-12", Spalding lost $27 million in 2000 and another $20 million in 2001. "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"], [email protected] Spalding, along with Wright and Ditson, was importing golf clubs from Scotland. As a designer, the design is perfect and although they look funny, they were a great club, ask Cory Pavin. Is that so? The products soon disappeared from shelves. During that time, Spalding ownership changed hands a half dozen times, and saw the same fate as MacGregor Irons. In 2001 Spalding launched a $17 million ad campaign for Hogan and Strata. "headline": "Spalding Irons by Year", Iomic Golf Grips: 8 Key Facts Before You Buy. I love it but was told it is no a legal putter. New entries such as Nike and Adams were turning heads as well. The shaft collapses to 18 inches so it is great for travelsure beats the cost of checking a golf bag these days. 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,,,. Im a sucker for the odd things, I also had a Power Pod(big mistake). To maintain the limit of 14 clubs in the bag, I change off now and then. I still have the irons to this day! Press J to jump to the feed. Smooth tempo swingers Ventus Velo isn't working for me other brands/models suggestions? 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 Oh I didnt forget about thosethey almost made the list. and had a driving range there for many years. Men's Right Handed. It became the most consistent and durable golf ball ever made. I owned a set of Nocklaus N1 irons (the pro versions of the bear irons?). Both are really great. The Executives were the bomb back in the day. Current owner FILA Korea Ltd took Acushnet public, and the company has thrived ever since. Windtree Golf is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. He was a pro at having fun when he played golf! Any Spalding clubs that are still in circulation can be regarded as vintage, thats for sure! Ive got a crazy iron set that is one telescoping iron with a blade that changes position to vary the loft. Well today is going to be a little bit different. Callaway had been making balls but never turned a profit. Well they made execs for over 20 yearswhich ones do you have? I still think I deserve to be recognized as the leader in this category and will be appealing your decision. Jeff Sheets - Spalding - Past Designs If you are a beginner and are looking for a . No. I don't mind the executives though, don't really know much about them either. Every time I take it out of my bag for some new modern wedge, I go back to it a few weeks later. When my father would shot a 215 yard iron into the hole, his fellow golfers wold ask him what club he used. We had hybrids back in the 80s. i used to work in a golf shop in ohio and we had the worst set i ever saw. Bird on ball was a very popular club. Somehow they squeezed 492 dimples on them Those balls were rocketships. 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. 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. 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. Spalding Golf Clubs: Do Still Make Them & How Much? Get the best deals on Spalding Executive Irons when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. MacGregors ownership carousel started in 1978 when it was sold to lumber conglomerate Wickes. The woods were the strangest looking things. I became a +2 handicap using those irons, and a lot of people scoffed at them early ontill they saw me hit them. when were spalding executive golf clubs made With Spalding's mass-market success breeding scores of imitators, players could pick and choose from countless club lines. Of course Drivers and putters are like women. Although the Inertial irons werent so lucky. I played a set of Mags for years until I got to where I could not swing fast enough to bend the stiff shafts. I have a full set of Exec XE irons. 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. Paste as plain text instead, I actually have a set of 440s I bring them out every year or two when I am hitting the ball poorly. I was interested in golf until around 2001 and soon discovered spoiling was on anachronism at that point. I collect odd golf items. The companys lead-faced putters also provided better touch for players. The early Top-Flites were juast the opposite; you couldnt cut one of them with an axe. OK. Ive got some irons sets you have up (Fila, Cleveland, Slotline, and the Tiger Shark). All are memory refreshing .. have been in golf clubhead design , manufacturing 25 years , familiar with the designs ! " [We] decided that . Wed have monthly meetings at their West 57th Street offices in New York. 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. 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. 1 Iron Spalding Executive x EZ Oversize. Finally, I think a distinction needs to be made between the wackiest looking and worst irons made. The Zing2s were the first set I bought when I started playing golf. In 1993 Payne Stewart signed a multi-million-dollar deal to go full Top-Flite, a move that sidetracked Stewarts career. * Note: These irons were designed in Belgium by the Belgium-Browning company. 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. They are nearly in perfect condition. 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. 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. From 1932 until 1973 two years after Jones death Spalding sold over 15 different models and two million sets of Bobby Jones clubs. What is it for weight transfer? It was a popular cavity back iron and Spalding decided to sell it through general sporting goods stores, eschewing the golf pro. I have a set of Spalding exec XE love them- I dont play more than 5-6 rounds a year now, but they are so consistant , I could go a year between swings and still play the same- got them back in 1980- ish. Spalding had a long history, terrific heritage, and healthy topline sales of over $500 million. the only problem I have had{although the have to be at least 30+ years old},is graphite cracks. Like previously stated the Slotline Lowpro irons were for the most part an exact copy of the Browning 440 irons. My wife says I never met a strange-looking golf club I did not want to own and play with. I had read your original 2018 article about why Hogan still mattered. it was at my range's rental bin. The Top-Flite acquisition made it a player. Great research John with some very interesting history facts about the company and its equipment. He re-gripped them and beats the Taylormade hand-me-downs of his friends. Thanks for the memories, John Barba. The Strata, however, proved to be a gold mine for Spalding. I have the entire set of samurai woods and irons,,,driver,3wood,5wood,7wood,,irons,,2-pw,dont believe they ever made a sw,,,,and I still use them,,,my fellow golfers are still amazed at the distance I get,,if you want a picture of the set,,let me know,,ill take one and send to you,,, I have the whole set of samurai irons,2-pw and woods1,3,5,7,,still use them,,i have had pros hit them,,and be amazed at the distances over their irons,,,i would like to find another 5wood,if anyone knows where or who has 1,,i, neil,,do you have a samuarai 5 wood,,,hard to find,,,id like one. info@pgatradein.com Mon-Fri: 9AM - 5PM EST . I have a med flex shaft, 1 inch extension on each Exec club, and Golf Pride Velvet jumbo grips. Europe was a bit ahead of the United States when it came to golf, and the sport had only just started to explode in the United States. It wasnt long until Spaldings Executive golf clubs were launched, which were prevalent at all levels of the game. is fantastic, but the club is as stiff as an old water pipe and is accordingly harsh. Don't let scams get away with fraud. I have a set of Lynx Parallax irons that were my fathers. Would the F2 wedges still be legal if the crank were a few inches further up but still keeping the same angle please. Another really well done article. 1-949-642-6484 . The History of Spalding Golf Clubs - Hickory Golfers 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 closed and then were just screwing around with some of the rental clubs. He has provided some keen insights from his time with Mr. Hogan in other articles and podcasts. He also worked at Zevo when the LoB Irons were developed. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, (your email address will not be published), Acushnet 2022 Financials: $2.27 Billion and Counting, Penfold Ace Golf Balls: Whats Old Is New Again, Four Testers Wanted Inesis Spikeless Shoe. Nice article John! Here's what happened with 10 equipment company acquistions - The Loop but worth a kings ransom, Great post thanks mgs but i agree with dj ,The doctor rx has to be on the list. He traded a set of classic Burke PunchIrons to get the Lynx. I still have several sets of Hogan forged irons, Hogan/Bettinardi putters, several dozen Apex, and Tour Deep balls. as well as honest reporting on the latest issues affecting the game 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 1968 arrival of the Executive MV2 Bird Over Ball clubs are among some of Spalding's most easily recognizable clubs. The Browning 440 was a marvelous clubas you say off the fairway!!! Seu lugar para proteger o seu capital. You can check it out at http://www.adjustablegolfclub.com. The Black Dots and Red Dots were equivalent to the Titleist black numerals and red numerals. Just saw a full set of them again today. 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).. 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 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 dropped the Tour Edition moniker and focused on the expansion of their touring staff on the PGA, Senior PGA and LPGA tours. Throughout America, the affordable Spalding clubs flew off the shelves and reaped huge catalog sales. It was if I walked into the store from a time machine. Started Thursday at 03:24 PM, Please put and questions or comments here, Please put any questions or comments here, Please put any questions of comments here. Did you forget about Zevo Golf? Goldwin was a San Diego company, years ahead of its time. He could not believe the smoothness of the Driver. "https://www.facebook.com/swingyard/", I asked him about it and he said he had shown it to Spaulding, Wilson and MacGregor and their response was It will never sell!!!! Jackie Gleason also owned a set. I cant believe to Ping Zing 2s are on the list. Golfers may also like: PGX Offset Golf Driver Review: is it any Good? What about Pax (Paul Goydos promoted them)? So I sent it in and got the iron. When I eventually found a set of Magnums with regular shafts, I bought them but had been addicted to the graphite. Love it or hate it the Nike Slingshot irons made the list. By 1970, the ownership group morphed into the Questor Corporation, and Pyramid Rubber was rechristened Evenflo. 5 Testers Needed! Couldnt decide between the Slotlines emax and the 845s. Spalding did have high hopes for the Hogan brand. Until the USGA banned deep-grooved irons, Spalding's Stop 'Em and Dedstop clubs brought a smile to countless players' faces. 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.
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