M85’s with Tourny C shaft. Wow!

[tstephen]

WB All American, unhit WB Masters, Jumbo M85TW, and unhit RC85 crown and neck shots.

 

[RobotDoctor]

That RC85 is really close to perfection. In terms of grain and splitting the 12 and 6.

[tstephen]

Talking perfection my all time favorite 693 I played in the 90’s and it used to just rammy cackle drives. It’s been refinished at least twice and you can still see neck numbers.

 

 

[RobotDoctor]

Tom, we need to see the face and soleplate!!!

[tstephen]

Ok, it’s showtime

 

[tstephen]

A couple pictures several years ago with my jumbo 693 and first LFF.

 

[Foozle]

Fantastic thread! Thanks to everyone who has posted here, for the pictures and sharing your knowledge. Very interesting info on grain patterns and a record of the very best persimmons out there!

Some simply stunning clubs. I wish I could say I am not jealous but I would be lying!

 

[stevehj]

After seeing my friend Sam's (RobotDoctor) comments about his M85 having no back weights or lead under that soleplate, I was curious. So I pulled out my collection to see if any of them were built like that. Lo and behold, the driver in my 693 set has no lead anywhere. I don't have beautiful refinished heads like Sam's because someone had sprayed some urethane or something over the original finish, but the heads are in mint condition. Maybe someday if I get ambitious, I will get down to refinishing them, but its fun to know they are even more special. Hope you like the pictures.

[RobotDoctor]

Or maybe that 693 driver might want to make it's way back to Fort Collins???!!! Hmmmmmm Hmmmmmm Hmmmmmmmmm!!!

 

Steve, seriously, that is a beautiful 693! Awesome specimen. You have a terrific driver and it would look tremendous refinished!!!! Very nice!

 

If you ever feel the need to move it call me!!!

[freddiec]

RobotDr, that's the best M85 I've seen, maybe the best MacGregor from the 50s I've seen. The grain is perfection and face profile looks like one a Major winner like Crenshaw or Faldo would love to pick up and hit. Just amazing. Dave did a great job like he always does.

[RobotDoctor]

Thanks Fred! We are all on the quest to find the perfect specimen. I happened to be the lucky one this time. We all will have our day. I know you have special clubs I certainly love!!! The thrill of the search is what I suppose we are seeking and when we find that special club ....... happiness!

[tstephen]

Fred - Don’t sell your 693 recently restored by Dave Wood short. That one is definitely a contender too. Maybe throw us a few pictures of that beauty with the most incredible carbon marking.

Anybody got an Iron Byron? We could then find the best looking and best hitting combined driver. I agree Sam’s definitely got the perfect 10 looker. It would be cool to find the perfect 10 hitter.

[RobotDoctor]

Tom, I believe your 1950 LFF would rank right up there with anybody's woods. Your WW Special is simply the Unicorn!!!! ??

[tstephen]

The WB All-American was the inspiration for my input to Dave Wood when he was restoring my WW Special with the 2 different colored face lines. The LFF and WW Special are the only 2 clubs Dave has restored for me and he spent an unbelievable amount of time for both.

 

[RobotDoctor]

Nice woods, putter and Cat!

[Foozle]

It is clear to me that amongst the contributors here, we have the finest examples of many of the most iconic woods ever made. These are not just fabulous to look at and, I am sure, to play but important artefacts in the history of our glorious game. Is there a register or archive these could be recorded in as a source of reference or for people like me to drool over?

This thread is a great record in itself but would take a bit of finding in years to come.

[tstephen]

I agree we need a separate website. My thought would be a site where we start with the main categories of different manufacturers like MacGregor, Wood Bros, Cleveland, Hogan. Then subcategories of the different models.

[freddiec]

 

Here is my 1951 MacGregor 693T. When I got this club about 4 years ago, it had a good refinish on it with a nice Poly finish. I think the refinish was done in the mid 1980s. When I hit it for the 1st time I was with my son and hit the 1st few shots absolutely great. Its the best MacGregor I've ever hit. Last Winter (Feb 2019) Dave Wood did a full restoration on this beauty. He pulled the shaft and reset it and also installed new face screws.

Dave said it’s one of the best 693’s he has seen. The head under the sole plate is solid, with weight on the back of the skirt. Amazing tight horseshoe shape grain and carbon on the toe. Often times you would see

carbon like this in great old growth persimmon blocks. I love the finish Dave used on this club, after Dave applied dye to the head he used his G Norman rose walnut blend and natural paste grain filler. Dave sprayed it with a semi gloss poly. The club has a 1980s Dynamic S shaft , 43”, leather grips. It’s wicked bad ass. Dave and I named the club "Christine" after the Stephen King film because its so amazing and bad ass.

[RobotDoctor]

Christine is such a tremendous example of a 693. Pure in every sense of the word. I have seen and held Christine and I have to say it is probably the finest 693 I have ever seen. Of course I called first dibs on her over a year ago but something tells me Fred isn't going to ever part with her! Wise choice.

[RobotDoctor]

edited

 

Edited December 25, 2023 by RobotDoctor

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

I think that Brando's will always be a contender.

[tstephen]

Or at least a somebody instead of a bum.

My #1 M85 came out of retirement this past weekend and just pummeled some drives. Such a solid club maybe I’ll name it Rocky.

[deejaid]

I happen to own a website and would be interested in working with you fine collectors on building a database of classic woods.

www.poweredbypersimmon.com

[Richard 77]

[Richard 77]

What happened? I think I’m the first member on Powered by Persimmon.

[deejaid]

It’s up and running and I’ve reformatted the forum to be more photo-centric for people to show their clubs. I’ve invited many people but it is hard to build a forum community when you are mostly talking to yourself. ?

[Stephen8802]

deejaid,

Why don't you set up a section on your site and try a trial. Pick two or three of the top models, say 693, M85, and 945, and see if people populate it. Make the first entry in each thread a master description that you can edit with pertinent details (years, shafts, colors, variations, etc.) and the let people add pictures, comments, and facts. I, for one, would love a place to go to scroll through pages of pictures and comments on a particular club rather than google my way around various threads and countless ebay listings.

One request, don't limit it to woods. I'd like to see some pages on classic putters and irons eventually also.

[deejaid]

Please join and start a thread or two Stephen. I like your ideas and the platform is there to be utilized by members. I’d love to see more conversations.

[Stephen8802]

OK, I gave it a shot, starting with the M85 model. Take a look and see what you think. I started with the first post with info that comes from the catalog.