Best clubs when you started playing?

Interesting conversation with some members yesterday. One lad started talking about his first really high quality set of clubs. Powerbilt persimmon woods and Maxfli Aussie Blades. Circa 1980. He won two club championships with them and still has them. The younger lads around the table were baffled. One had no idea who Powerbilt were. Another thought Maxfli only made cheap balls.

When I started, in 1978, the UK market was dominated by British companies. John Letters, Ben Sayers, Dunlop/ Slazenger Maxfli, Ryder, Nicol and Bronty. Easily available US companies were MacGregor, Wilson and Spalding. Acushnet only sold balls at that time.The most desired clubs, out of reach of most players and hard to come find were Hogan, Ping, Ram and Powerbilt. Pings were vey rare, Hogan more expensive than anything else. Low handicap players used Wilson Staff, Slazenger, Dunop Maxfli and laminated woods. Persimmon was a rare sight.

There were surprisingly a lot of ball makers. Dunlop, Maxfli, Wilson, Hogan, Haley, Acushnet, Spalding, Uniroyal, Lynx, Penfold, Ram....

What was the market like when you started?

Wilson Staff Tour Blades and Tommy Armour 845 Silver Scots, used to dream about owning a set of both. I finally did get some 845's, because I did not have the game for the blades.

I bought my first set used from a buddy about 30 years ago. It was the beginning of the modern era. Blades and laminates were being phased out in favour of cavity backs and metal woods, although most players were still getting by with older technology.

In many cases, guys were going to club builders to get their sets made from components rather than paying up for the big brand names. There was a college mate of mine that had a set of Pings, but those were few and far between because they were really expensive. Wilson or Spalding were the most common brands that you would run into at a typical public course. The friend that sold me the set had just purchased a set of the new Callaway Big Bertha metal woods -- 1, 3, 5 -- that set him back over $1000 at the time. I was gobsmacked at the price considering my wife had just bought a new Mercury Topaz for $8K. Made the $200 I paid for a set of Spalding Executive woods and component irons seem like a veritable bargain by comparison.

I didn't play much more than once or twice a year back then. It would be almost 20 years before I started to play regularly, so equipment was never front of mind, but I do remember the too-doo when my BIL bought a new set of clubs as a reward for finally breaking 90. Things have changed a bit since then...

My first set was RAM forged blades and laminated woods. Wish I still had them. Ping was the dream setup later on but too pricey for me. Played for years with cheap department store clubs, probably acquired from Came-Apart. (A.K.A. K-Mart) Shiver....

My first set was RAM forged blades and laminated woods. Wish I still had them. Ping was the dream setup later on but too pricey for me. Played for years with cheap department store clubs, probably acquired from Came-Apart. (A.K.A. K-Mart) Shiver....

I started in 80 and can say the same except that my first set was 75 W/S. Wish I'd known then that moving back to 71's would have been better and cheaper at the time.

Remember starting out in Scunthorpe in 1984 and if you were good you played Dunlop, Slazenger, Sayers, Letters or Wilson. You had to be the business to play Hogan or MacGregor or loaded to play Ping and Mizuno. Remember starting witn classy Diawa trypower 3 wood and when the metals started to take over the cost it was Petron TPX forTaylor Made performance and much lower cost. Still think of titleist as a golf ball company and when im coaching my county squad they drool over my Slazenger TPM blades

I took my first junior lessons in about 1976-77 but really started playing around 1980. I started with my late dad's Haig-Ultras, which were excellent clubs, but I wanted my own. So my mom bought me a set of used ~1978 Titleist Tour Model irons for $150 from our local pro. They were his staff clubs, but he preferred PowerBilt. I kept using my dad's Haig-Ultra laminated woods. The Titleists were good clubs but rare in those days. Other top clubs were Hogans, Staffs, MacGregor MTs, Dunlop Maxflis, Rams, Spalding Top-Flites, PowerBilt Citations. A couple of guys had Ping Karstens. I still wonder why in the mid-80s when I could have rounded up a few hundred bucks why I never picked up a set of used Eye 2s but instead kept playing those Titleist blades into the late-90s.

The original Fred Daly Master Model by John Letters iwhen I started in 1957. Followed by a set of Wilson Dynapowers + Wilson TopNotch woods funded by an Auction Sweepstakes win for big money.

WITB early 1990s - Tommy Armour Silver Scot 845 2-PW irons, Ping Anser 3 putter, Powerbilt Citation Persimmon Driver and 4 Wood, Cleveland TA 588 SW.

Petron TPX were decent clubs.

Late 60's in my small area, Hogan irons were fairly commons, Hogan woods were disliked, MacGregor was non-existent, the most common was Walter Hagen and Wilson Staff. My first good clubs were Hagen's through the set, but for the sand wedge. Bought them used from a friend, all steel shafts, but the PW had an aluminum shaft. Still have them.

I started playing with my Dad in the late 70s or early 80s and neither of us had a clue about what constituted a good golf club.

We hired half sets at first and then each built up a half set of our own of store-line clubs (bought from Argos), mine were MacGregor Jack Nicklaus laminated woods and blades (most likely bought for the Nicklaus name rather than MacGregor) with a Bronty putter.

I used these until a 15 or 20 year break from golf for family/mortgage when time and money were in short supply.

When I came back to the game I still wasn't really concerned with equipment, it was only when the vintage/classic bug bit me that the great names took on a meaning and I appreciated what a quality club was all about.

Interesting conversation with some members yesterday. One lad started talking about his first really high quality set of clubs. Powerbilt persimmon woods and Maxfli Aussie Blades. Circa 1980. He won two club championships with them and still has them. The younger lads around the table were baffled. One had no idea who Powerbilt were. Another thought Maxfli only made cheap balls.

 

When I started, in 1978, the UK market was dominated by British companies. John Letters, Ben Sayers, Dunlop/ Slazenger Maxfli, Ryder, Nicol and Bronty. Easily available US companies were MacGregor, Wilson and Spalding. Acushnet only sold balls at that time.The most desired clubs, out of reach of most players and hard to come find were Hogan, Ping, Ram and Powerbilt. Pings were vey rare, Hogan more expensive than anything else. Low handicap players used Wilson Staff, Slazenger, Dunop Maxfli and laminated woods. Persimmon was a rare sight.

 

There were surprisingly a lot of ball makers. Dunlop, Maxfli, Wilson, Hogan, Haley, Acushnet, Spalding, Uniroyal, Lynx, Penfold, Ram....

 

What was the market like when you started?

In 1966, Golfcraft made the finest irons followed closely by Wilson and Hogan. MacGregor woods were on the down slide because of mediocre quality control. The Wilson Staff Strata Bloc laminated woods were as good as any persimmon in performance and feel. By the 1970s Toney Penna woods were excellent.

Late 60's in my small area, Hogan irons were fairly commons, Hogan woods were disliked, MacGregor was non-existent, the most common was Walter Hagen and Wilson Staff. My first good clubs were Hagen's through the set, but for the sand wedge. Bought them used from a friend, all steel shafts, but the PW had an aluminum shaft. Still have them.

Petron TPX were decent clubs.

They were. Still have the 1 iron Pure Blade, a proper butter knife.

Stu-

"What is the tie in with Hogans and Farmers?"

As in farming, success in life comes from regular disciplined, daily effort.

The Law of the Farm- "As we sow, so shall we reap."

Hogan- "The Secret is in the Dirt"

When you got a set of Ben Hogan golf clubs, those who bought them felt they were getting a part of Ben Hogan himself.

Golfwrx Podcast earlier this year featured Larry Bobka, and had this strange revelation from him-

When Bobka was with Titleist, he was given instructions that a certain new Titleist signee was "killing this set of Hogan irons" on the range at his FL club, and that "his new set of Titleist irons were to feel as close to this set of Hogans as was possible."

Yes, that player now has 80 PGA Tour Wins. On that podcast, Bobka says he still has that Hogan iron set.

I started in 1980 and Wilson , MacGregor and Hogan were the big 3 that I saw a lot. NE Mass is my home

Late 60's in my small area, Hogan irons were fairly commons, Hogan woods were disliked, MacGregor was non-existent, the most common was Walter Hagen and Wilson Staff. My first good clubs were Hagen's through the set, but for the sand wedge. Bought them used from a friend, all steel shafts, but the PW had an aluminum shaft. Still have them.

My area in the same time frame was opposite of yours. Our area it was Wilson Spalding and Macgregor. Now if you went East in NC past the Triad area Hogan was the dominate club. Funny thing is Eastern NC was and still is farm country and Hogan was the major brand. I know where you are from and makes me wonder-- What is the tie in with Hogans and Farmers?

I started playing in 1965 and played with hand-me-downs that I don't even recall. My first full purchased set of irons was some Wilson Blue Ridge (Sam Snead). I think that was about 1974-ish.....

My Dad was getting into PING about that time, so I guess his Karsten I irons were the bomb.

I grew up around Tulsa in the 60's and 70's. Hogan's were the most popular followed by Wilson Staff. The majority of "good" players had Hogan irons and a Penna driver in the 70's. A variety of fairway woods were used. A few guys were lucky and had an old MacGregor driver. Back then a good 693 would cost you close to $700.

I grew up around Tulsa in the 60's and 70's. Hogan's were the most popular followed by Wilson Staff. The majority of "good" players had Hogan irons and a Penna driver in the 70's. A variety of fairway woods were used. A few guys were lucky and had an old MacGregor driver. Back then a good 693 would cost you close to $700.

Did you see the recent renovation on the Par-3 course at Lafortune? I may have to make a trip to play. I practically lived on that course from 84-91.

My first set of great clubs that i had were a set of Hogan Apex Grinds that it seemed like I save for years for, but i honestly didn't have the game for at the time so I bought a set of Wilson staff midsize (the ones with the 45* cavity). Foolishly i sold the Grinds about 10 years ago when i thought I would never have time for golf again because of family and kids...who know low and behold I became a HS golf coach and can golf for free whenever i want...oh well...there is always the "bay" i suppose

I started playing golf right around 1999. You guys likely have shirts older than me but nevertheless...

My first real clubs were TaylorMade "Midsize" foamed to weight irons 2-pw and Callaway big bertha woods, 1, 3 and 7, the "Heaven Wood." Putter I think was a odyssey #5. The woods all had steel shafts until I broke the driver shaft right above the "short straight hollow hosel" at a driving range. I had it re-shafted by our neighbor with a graphite shaft. He built clubs for folks from the golfsmith heads and components. Wish I had had the interest in club making then that I do now and paid more attention to what he was up to.

I didn't play golf in HS and only after I was out of school and my first year of college did I actually start to play regularly. Or as regularly as a cash-strapped college kid could get out.

Late 60's in my small area, Hogan irons were fairly commons, Hogan woods were disliked, MacGregor was non-existent, the most common was Walter Hagen and Wilson Staff. My first good clubs were Hagen's through the set, but for the sand wedge. Bought them used from a friend, all steel shafts, but the PW had an aluminum shaft. Still have them.

My area in the same time frame was opposite of yours. Our area it was Wilson Spalding and Macgregor. Now if you went East in NC past the Triad area Hogan was the dominate club. Funny thing is Eastern NC was and still is farm country and Hogan was the major brand. I know where you are from and makes me wonder-- What is the tie in with Hogans and Farmers?

I grew up and still live in eastern NC. I worked at the pro shop from the time I was 11 until I was 14 and cleaned every set of clubs in the bag room at least once every 10 days or so and put about every other players' set on a golf cart at least once. I remember three sets of Hogans in there, a white cameo Apex II (owned by a tobacco buyer), a set of '73 Apexes (probably owned by a farmer) and set of '80 Directors (owned by a physician). A couple of high school players had Hogans, and another older gentleman had Hogans. I know because he opened a driving range behind his tobacco warehouse and the local sign painter painted an image of his Hogan driver with the speed slot on the wooden sign by the road.

Anyone notice a link between tobacco and owning Hogans? I guess after earning a thousand or so dollars as a teen working in tobacco during the summer, selling a few hundred thousand pounds at your warehouse or buying that much for the companies you represent, you bought a set of Hogan golf clubs.

BrianMcG, I did see that. I get back to Tulsa every now and then. Next time I go I'm going to drive over to LaFortune and take a look. I use to play quite a few tournaments on the championship course. After a round we would get something to eat then go back and play 18 on the par three course at night. Playing at night under the lights was always fun. It's great that the city spent the money to fix the course up.

I can remember in the early 70s that Titleist introduced one of the first heel-and-toe weighted irons, when the ONLY choice was a blade of some kind. I got my first set of decent clubs in about 1973, they were Golden Ram, a kind of muscle-back iron at the time when Tom Watson was starting to get big, and was playing Ram. A few years later I got a set of Titleist laminated woods, and thought I was in hog heaven. In the early 80's I bought a Cleveland Classic Driver and 3-wood, those were really state of the art.

I started playing golf right around 1999. You guys likely have shirts older than me but nevertheless...

 

My first real clubs were TaylorMade "Midsize" foamed to weight irons 2-pw and Callaway big bertha woods, 1, 3 and 7, the "Heaven Wood." Putter I think was a odyssey #5. The woods all had steel shafts until I broke the driver shaft right above the "short straight hollow hosel" at a driving range. I had it re-shafted by our neighbor with a graphite shaft. He built clubs for folks from the golfsmith heads and components. Wish I had had the interest in club making then that I do now and paid more attention to what he was up to.

 

I didn't play golf in HS and only after I was out of school and my first year of college did I actually start to play regularly. Or as regularly as a cash-strapped college kid could get out.

To finish this thought that work interrupted, when I first started Ping irons were the popular irons. TM ti Bubble Shafts and Callaway Steelheads were the hot drivers and woods. I live in the town that a long time TM sponsored tour player lives in. The amount of people who switched over to TM everything sky-rocketed. If you were a real stick you played Titleist dci irons of some vintage.

At my time and place I do not recall many folks gaming true blades who had a legitimate claim to have a good enough game to use them. Plenty of posers with muscle backs though.

With experience perceptions change,I thought my Dunlop Bob Charles were fantastic until I started mixing with proper golfers who understood a great deal more about golf equipment than I did.

Fortunately I had an almost insatiable curiosity about clubs,how they were made,how to repair them and an inquisitive nature that made me inspect other people's golf bags to see what they were using.

I soon twigged that almost all the better players I knew were using forged blades so I ditched the BC's and bought Titleist Tour Model blades,£189 from a mail order golf shop in Brighton,that was either late '81 or early '82.

Pings were becoming a big deal,Hogans were,as elwhippy has already stated,the most expensive,about that time Apex II were about £260 for a set of irons 3-E,the only person I saw play with them was Andy Dunbar,watched him win the club championship at Stratford golf club before he turned professional(now a top UK coach).

I loved the Titleists and played well with them but had a thing about FG-17's,I had to have some!

I had a set brought in from the States,cost £225,never played as well with them as the Titleists which I tracked down some time later and bought back!

Somehow I was never really bothered about woods,iron sets I could look at all day long unless they were Ping!

Here is a picture of the Golfcraft Continental I mentioned.

Stu-

 

"What is the tie in with Hogans and Farmers?"

 

As in farming, success in life comes from regular disciplined, daily effort.

 

The Law of the Farm- "As we sow, so shall we reap."

 

Hogan- "The Secret is in the Dirt"

 

When you got a set of Ben Hogan golf clubs, those who bought them felt they were getting a part of Ben Hogan himself.

 

Golfwrx Podcast earlier this year featured Larry Bobka, and had this strange revelation from him-

 

When Bobka was with Titleist, he was given instructions that a certain new Titleist signee was "killing this set of Hogan irons" on the range at his FL club, and that "his new set of Titleist irons were to feel as close to this set of Hogans as was possible."

 

Yes, that player now has 80 PGA Tour Wins. On that podcast, Bobka says he still has that Hogan iron set.