Slazenger Ben Hogan Stainless Steel Precision Irons

This 2-9 set was recently on the "Bay." A nice example for illustrative purposes.

Shade

Final image.

Forged SS I presume? I believe Kenneth Smith used to do it that way as well. IMO the best combo of feel and durability.

What was the seller asking, and did they sell? I have 1.5 sets in similar condition so curious to know what they are worth. Thanks.

[quote name='slimeone' timestamp='1422706432' post='10855309']
What was the seller asking, and did they sell? I have 1.5 sets in similar condition so curious to know what they are worth. Thanks.
[/quote]

slimeone,

This exact set is currently listed on eBay. The current owner/seller bought it on eBay for $174.99 on November 24th, 2014. He has been trying to sell the set on eBay since January 9th, 2015 for prices ranging from $139.00 to $249.00 - with no takers thus far.

Shade

[quote name='slimeone' timestamp='1422706432' post='10855309']
What was the seller asking, and did they sell? I have 1.5 sets in similar condition so curious to know what they are worth. Thanks.
[/quote]

They're not going to make your fortune for you I'm afraid! I sold a set of 2-9, with a Special Sand iron and two delapidated Slazenger Hogan fairway woods (3&4) in the UK just before Christmas and got £72.50 (AU$140)

I see you are Melbourne area ... where do you play your golf ?

Thanks for the replies Shade Ruff and Blade Junkie. Well I got my two sets for $1 each at the local salvage store so I'm probably gonna just enjoy them and put them into play once in a while. I polished one up and it looks incredible.

Blade Junkie - I usually play a variety of the better public courses on the Northside such as Freeway, Yarrambat, Heidelberg, Yerring Meadows. I've played Moonah Links and there's a few courses down on the Peninsula which I really want to play in the near future. Have you played in Melbourne? What's your impression?

I have the same set 2 - Exploder. They are in pristine condition. Original red leather grips with the gold Slazenger script. I found these in an attic on a house we were demolishing. I've trying to find any information on these. They look like the same design as the 1954' precisions forged in Ft. Worth. However, these are forged in England by Slazenger. I've contacted Callaway, USGA Curator, Steve Elkington (Hogan Freak) and many others over the past two years. No one can tell me the story behind them. I saw a set on eBay last year going for $18,000. I don't think they sold. Mine are in better condition than those on eBay. If anyone has some intel on these irons, I'm all ears.

[quote name='Puddin' timestamp='1425749080' post='11096961']
I have the same set 2 - Exploder. They are in pristine condition. Original red leather grips with the gold Slazenger script. I found these in an attic on a house we were demolishing. I've trying to find any information on these. They look like the same design as the 1954' precisions forged in Ft. Worth. However, these are forged in England by Slazenger. I've contacted Callaway, USGA Curator, Steve Elkington (Hogan Freak) and many others over the past two years. No one can tell me the story behind them. I saw a set on eBay last year going for $18,000. I don't think they sold. Mine are in better condition than those on eBay. If anyone has some intel on these irons, I'm all ears.
[/quote]

What do you want to know?

[quote name='Puddin' timestamp='1425749080' post='11096961']
I have the same set 2 - Exploder. They are in pristine condition. Original red leather grips with the gold Slazenger script. I found these in an attic on a house we were demolishing. I've trying to find any information on these. They look like the same design as the 1954' precisions forged in Ft. Worth. However, these are forged in England by Slazenger. I've contacted Callaway, USGA Curator, Steve Elkington (Hogan Freak) and many others over the past two years. No one can tell me the story behind them. I saw a set on eBay last year going for $18,000. I don't think they sold. Mine are in better condition than those on eBay. If anyone has some intel on these irons, I'm all ears.
[/quote]

There's a couple of threads on here that can help you put some of the info together. So far I don't think there's any confirmation of who forged them (there's also some who believe they were cast), but there's a few newspaper clippings about the Hogan/Slazenger deal etc. Pretty good reading to be had. But one thing that seems to be apparent is that they aren't worth much and they're not all that rare. But still beautiful collector's items!

You'd be surprised. There's a set on eBay in the UK just now that's gone to 360 pounds and hasn't closed yet.

I'd like to know the story behind Slazenger and Hogan. The castings look the same except for the logos in different locations. What are they really worth? Was thinking of sending them to Jim Kronus and having them reshafted, gripped and modern lies adjusted. I don't want to do this if they are super rare or worth a ton. I've seen the price all over the place. The Exploder Wedge sold at Christies Auction years ago for $350 (no shaft) and it was in bad condition. No one seems to know the story behind these irons.

Puddin-

If you can post photos of your set, then you may get the answers you seek.

A few questions...

Are registration numbers stamped on the ferrule/hosels? Do all these numbers on the Slazenger/Hogan irons including the Exploder match?

Teevons is one of the Wrxers who has more than common knowledge about Hogan clubs.

Since most sets were 2-9, the Exploder designation for the wedge is different than the Equalizer.

Now if there's a 1 iron....
.

There are a few threads on here regarding these clubs and their association to the Hogan brand. The newspaper article I posted elsewhere was dated June 1958 with the info that Slazenger had been in partnership to "turn out equipment to Hogan spec" for about a year. Other than that, no other info has come to light.

...My own personal take on the stampings being in different places is that they were dependant on the interpretations of the manufacturing departments across the five plants, mixed with the timescales of mid-fifties worldwide communication.

With reference to the stampings on the ferrules.....
Early Slazenger precisions had a 202 number and TT Rocket shafts [There may have also been a 201 number too]
Later Slazenger precisions had a 302 number and TT Rocket shafts. Have also seen some labelled 303 and "made In England". I don't know about the shaft flexes for these.
I know of an American fellow - his father was stationed in Germany with the millitary. He purchased clubs late 1957...Only remaining club he has left is a model 302, TT Rocket shafted "exploder" wedge

Model 451 were '58 model StarBursts. TT ProFit regular shafts and labelled "made In England". Woods had the same number.
Model 452 were '59 model StarBursts. TT ProFit regular shafts
Model 442 were '58 model StarBursts. TT ProFit shafts with a "L" rated flex.
With these, woods were sold in sets of 4. Irons in sets of eight. 2-9. A 1 iron, pitching wedge, bunker wedge and putter could be ordered additionally.

Model 552 were '61 model PowerThrusts. TT shafts with a thin silver label / blue lettering.

Regards
pd

My set has "302" on the ferrules and "Stainless Made In England" on the hosel on all clubs, 2 - 9, Equalizer and Exploder...good to know the chronology of these irons, thanks pd!

For some reason I cannot post the pictures. The ferrules have "202" and "Stainless Made in England" stamped on the hosels.

I assume these have the green banded TT rocket shafts. What is the letter in the square that denotes shaft flex?

Regards
pd

Green "True Temper" band and "Slazenger Rocket" red band. I'm not in front of the irons at the moment so I don't know what flex they are.

Pictures finally!

Puddin-

Thanks for the photos!

Love the combination perforated/ribbed leather grips.....with "Slazenger" embossed in gold.

Agree with '53 Precision- Pdgolferman appears to have covered your questions quite nicely.

Check out the profile of these irons from the '50s with the 2015 Taylor Made Tour Preferred irons used by Dustin Johnson....

[quote name='rex235' timestamp='1426215831' post='11133393']
Puddin-

Thanks for the photos!

Love the combination perforated/ribbed leather grips.....with "Slazenger" embossed in gold.

Agree with '53 Precision- Pdgolferman appears to have covered your questions quite nicely.

Check out the profile of these irons from the '50s with the 2015 Taylor Made Tour Preferred irons used by Dustin Johnson....
[/quote] I saw that. This design looks like it's come full circle. Hogan definitely was on to something.

[quote name='Puddin' timestamp='1426265699' post='11136513']
[quote name='rex235' timestamp='1426215831' post='11133393']
Puddin-

Thanks for the photos!

Love the combination perforated/ribbed leather grips.....with "Slazenger" embossed in gold.

Agree with '53 Precision- Pdgolferman appears to have covered your questions quite nicely.

Check out the profile of these irons from the '50s with the 2015 Taylor Made Tour Preferred irons used by Dustin Johnson....
[/quote] I saw that. This design looks like it's come full circle. Hogan definitely was on to something.
[/quote]All of the grips show no signs of wear. No telling how long these sat in the attic of the house we demolished. The guy that owned the house donated to our local American Legion. He was a Jet Fighter pilot from the end of WWII up until the invasion of Grenada. He was a war hero!

These irons will have been made in Horbury Bridge nr Wakefield,England and my dad and 2 uncles and many of the guys who trained me probably had some part in building them.

Most of the heads were drop forged stainless, the raw castings i believe were done by F&P Castings in Scotland who also did all of the raw castings for the John Letters models

I still have the set my dad used and passed on to me when i first started playing, once i have finished building the last sets of Nike custom product i will pull them out of storage and post some pictures.

Thanks for adding to our knowledge of UK golf production. I hadn't heard of F&P Castings..

The Precision Product foundry at Alston in Cumbria started their production of stainless steel heads using their patented Shaw Process in 1958. They produced heads for John Letters, Slazenger, Dunlop etc, clubs with all the stars names, Arnlod Palmer, Lee Trevino etc.

I have a set of John Letters Fred Daly Master Model, the second version with delafit shaft attachment. The legend on the reverse reads 'styled in Scotland' as distinc from 'made in Scotland.

Do you have info on when were Slazenger using F&P Castings?

I know someone who probably can, my uncle David Womersley . Precision was the other company i couldn't remember

Did you have these from new ? The guy who first taught me how to build clubs was in charge at John Letters an amazing guy called Tom Gamble who then took over at Slazengers from John Reid

No, not from new. My first set were the first Fred Daly's and I won an auction sweepstake with them which gave enough cash to buy a full set of Wilson Fluid Feel Dynapowers, 1963/4 from memory.

I bought the Mk2 s in loving memory of the original set, and boy, do they go well!. I used them at St Annes Old Lnks in a comp. late spring this year and holed out the 16th and 17th, both par5s in 7 shots total.

I've met and talked to Hope Letters about the business and his life. What a lovely man!