Trevino's Sand Wedge

[Llanonite]

He's been quoted as saying that his sand wedge was a "Hogan Special sand wedge, the kind with green paintfill in the Hogan signature".

Does anyone know which one that was?

[Ol_Pardner]

I've heard both a Hogan Special and, once in an interview, heard him mention a Wilson R-90, a remake of Gene Sarazen's SW. Always been curious about his WITBs, over the years. Understood that he won his first US Open with only 13 clubs--SW but no Pitching Wedge. Later added a 6-wood made by Bert Dargie Golf. I wonder if his set makeup was one of his secrets?

[Ironmaster Oddities]

Trevino won the British Open with a Wilson Helen Hicks Sand iron in his bag. Model R-26 for anyone who cares. I think he chipped in 3 or 4 times with it that week.used it to drive a stake through Nicklaus' heart when he. Chipped in to save par on the 70th or 71st hole earn Hack was closing in.. High drama, that.

[Ol_Pardner]

Thanks IronMaster, it's info like that makes the game interesting to some of club-ho's, as in: Why would one of the game's best ball-strikers pick that particular wedge, when he could have his choice of just about any wedge ever made? Obviously feel and control, but what else are we mere mortal ballstrikers missing here?
A lot of people forget, that for years, one of Freddie Couples's favorite utility woods [pre-hybrid days], was a driver he got from Tom Watson's wife, when he played golf with the 2 of them. [For years, Ladies' Driver Loft could go up to 14*+, weak.]

[rich13]

There's some interesting stuff in this article from June 2013:
[url="http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/us-open/2013-06/us-open-my-shot-lee-trevino"]http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/us-open/2013-06/us-open-my-shot-lee-trevino[/url]

[rich13]

[attachment=2101161:TrevinoHoganSW.jpg]

Open Championship 1971, Royal Birkdale.....looks like a standard Hogan Special SW, maybe the paintfill colour was changed to match the current top range Hogan iron set of the time?

[birly-shirly]

[quote name='rich13' timestamp='1394010277' post='8801611']
There's some interesting stuff in this article from June 2013:
[url="http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/us-open/2013-06/us-open-my-shot-lee-trevino"]http://www.golfdiges...hot-lee-trevino[/url]
[/quote]

Good reading in there for anyone interested in Trevino. See also [url="http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2013/6/7/trevino-on-merion-watching-the-71-us-open-replay-and-a-remin.html"]http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2013/6/7/trevino-on-merion-watching-the-71-us-open-replay-and-a-remin.html[/url] and Mike Clayton's comment for a bit more detail on the mysterious master clubmaker - sounds like Lee won 5 of his 6 majors with proto Aussie Blades.

[rex235]

If anyone has a photo of Trevino's irons from this period, it'd be great to see them 40+ years later-

Teevons probably has a photo of the exact Hogan Special Sand Iron...

The Golf Digest interview with Guy Yocom says Trevino got the special iron heads from a clubmaker in Australia, so it wouldn't be hard to fathom a connection with being called prototype Australian blades.

The closest thing to that particular Australian Blade grind in a LH model was the Dunlop Stainless Steel Bob Charles Model, with the heads stamped Forged in Scotland,and 1949 MacGregor 985s done by Toney Penna for the Ryder Cup. Although the Golf Club Identification and Price Guide III issue says Dunlop made LH Model Australian Blades, if anyone has a set.....

[birly-shirly]

The pictures I've seen of Trevino's clubs back then generally show a fair bit of lead tape on the backs.

I think the Australian Blade name came later - but I have heard tell that various US pros who played abroad in the early '70s were impressed by the irons coming out of Australia, or more particularly the Australian Dunlop-Slazenger (both companies became part of the same group in 1959) custom shop.

The green paintfill on the Hogan wedge would tie in with the colour scheme for the Bounce Sole 1+ irons around that time. I don't know that Special Sand Irons varied that much in head shape through the years (barring the BeCu models). I have a 1979 vintage and a K-grind that's probably 10 years younger - and they don't appear much different at all. Would be curious to hear from anyone with the older models.

[super20dan]

the special stayed the same overe the years at least the 4 that i have .

[BIG STU]

I saw an interview with Trevino a few years back and he was talking about that 6 wood. He stated that he had taken a fairway wood and cut it down like he wanted and could hit it but it was crude. He went to Mr Dargie and shown him what he made and had him custom carve and shape one for him. I knew a guy from Florida back in the day that gambled with my old man and those guys and hit a 6 wood and he could work some magic with that thing. He turned me on to the 6 wood and I ordered me one from Northwestern and carried it for years. I do know one guy who played with the old man and them that carried all woods the only iron in his bag was the putter. I do remember they were Northwestern brand and he had up to a 15 wood. I do know in those days you had some really outstanding craftsmen who could make hand crafted woods out of a block of persimmon. One such guy was Ike Dale from Kannapolis NC and I did at one time have one of his drivers and a 7 wood

[tembolo1284]

Love how simple his clubs are.

[Golfer X]

I heard that Hogan used to send his prototypes to that 'little Mexican in El Paso' for testing. They seemed to have had a special relationship and that may be the source of the club that you are asking about.

[tembolo1284]

Do we know anything about the shaft? I remember in one Golf Channel interview he talked about how the shaft was very soft and it allowed him to swing really lazily out of sand and deep rough and the club just responded. Pretty cool stuff.

[tembolo1284]

Did he ever use a john letters wedge?

[Voltron]

[quote name='Ol_Pardner' timestamp='1393986641' post='8800071']
I've heard both a Hogan Special and, once in an interview, heard him mention a Wilson R-90, a remake of Gene Sarazen's SW. Always been curious about his WITBs, over the years. Understood that he won his first US Open with only 13 clubs--SW but no Pitching Wedge. Later added a 6-wood made by Bert Dargie Golf. I wonder if his set makeup was one of his secrets?
[/quote]]

The R-90 is such a great club... my dad still uses it to this day

[super20dan]

even tho i have several r90,s in my collection-i admit i have never used them. a sand wedge to m e has to be able to play from bare tight lies well and its actual sand escape ability is secondary

[Voltron]

[quote name='super20dan' timestamp='1396562647' post='9014387']
even tho i have several r90,s in my collection-i admit i have never used them. a sand wedge to m e has to be able to play from bare tight lies well and its actual sand escape ability is secondary
[/quote]

I totally hear you there... I would never game an r-90 for that exact reason... but he really only uses it the sand anyway and has other wedges close to 56 for grass lies

[birly-shirly]

It's funny - but at least over this last winter, I've been moving in the opposite direction. I've found a 50* PW with a narrow sole but a bit of bounce and camber that I've been using for the vast majority of pitch shots around the green.

In consequence, my sandwedge has become much more of a speciality club and I've taken the opportunity to play around with some older design sand clubs, including an R90 (albeit one of the re-issues).

It remains to be seen whether I can still get away with less loft when conditions firm up in the summer.

I suppose that technically, with less loft at your disposal, you're going to be short-sided a little more often. On the other hand, I think there's something to be said for acknowledging that you just screwed up your approach shot and taking your medicine, rather than taking out a superlofted wedge and going for the hero-flop. I seem to having fewer train wrecks around the green, even if some par putts are longer than they might have been.

In practice though, it's been surprising to me the delicate shots you can hit with less loft and a flatter, narrower sole than the typical SW.

[rgk5]

[quote name='birly-shirly' timestamp='1394056529' post='8805905']
[quote name='rich13' timestamp='1394010277' post='8801611']
There's some interesting stuff in this article from June 2013:
[url="http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/us-open/2013-06/us-open-my-shot-lee-trevino"]http://www.golfdiges...hot-lee-trevino[/url]
[/quote]

Good reading in there for anyone interested in Trevino. See also [url="http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2013/6/7/trevino-on-merion-watching-the-71-us-open-replay-and-a-remin.html"]http://www.geoffshac...nd-a-remin.html[/url] and Mike Clayton's comment for a bit more detail on the mysterious master clubmaker - sounds like Lee won 5 of his 6 majors with proto Aussie Blades.
[/quote]

Almost all of his majors were won with Golden Ram blades given to Lee by Caesar Senudo(sp?). He also used a Power Bilt persimmon driver along with the Hogan SI.

[dbleag]

I remember hearing Trevino saying that your sand wedge should be a flatter lie than the rest of your wedges.

[HoganApexBlades]

[quote name='rgk5' timestamp='1396613636' post='9017719']
[quote name='birly-shirly' timestamp='1394056529' post='8805905']
[quote name='rich13' timestamp='1394010277' post='8801611']
There's some interesting stuff in this article from June 2013:
[url="http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/us-open/2013-06/us-open-my-shot-lee-trevino"]http://www.golfdiges...hot-lee-trevino[/url]
[/quote]

Good reading in there for anyone interested in Trevino. See also [url="http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2013/6/7/trevino-on-merion-watching-the-71-us-open-replay-and-a-remin.html"]http://www.geoffshac...nd-a-remin.html[/url] and Mike Clayton's comment for a bit more detail on the mysterious master clubmaker - sounds like Lee won 5 of his 6 majors with proto Aussie Blades.
[/quote]

Almost all of his majors were won with Golden Ram blades given to Lee by Caesar Senudo(sp?). He also used a Power Bilt persimmon driver along with the Hogan SI.
[/quote]

Cesar Cedano, the former Houston Astros baseball player???

[rgk5]

[quote name='HoganApexBlades' timestamp='1396622117' post='9018689']
[quote name='rgk5' timestamp='1396613636' post='9017719']
[quote name='birly-shirly' timestamp='1394056529' post='8805905']
[quote name='rich13' timestamp='1394010277' post='8801611']
There's some interesting stuff in this article from June 2013:
[url="http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/us-open/2013-06/us-open-my-shot-lee-trevino"]http://www.golfdiges...hot-lee-trevino[/url]
[/quote]

Good reading in there for anyone interested in Trevino. See also [url="http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2013/6/7/trevino-on-merion-watching-the-71-us-open-replay-and-a-remin.html"]http://www.geoffshac...nd-a-remin.html[/url] and Mike Clayton's comment for a bit more detail on the mysterious master clubmaker - sounds like Lee won 5 of his 6 majors with proto Aussie Blades.
[/quote]

Almost all of his majors were won with Golden Ram blades given to Lee by Caesar Senudo(sp?). He also used a Power Bilt persimmon driver along with the Hogan SI.
[/quote]

Cesar Cedano, the former Houston Astros baseball player???
[/quote]

Nope, Caesar Senudo who played the Tour back in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

[farmer]

Remember, he was also playing balata balls, which could be made to dance if you were skilled enough. The times I say him play in his prime, he had Faultless blades, but they could have been made by anyone and had Faultless stamped on them.

[rgk5]

[quote name='farmer' timestamp='1396668697' post='9024291']
Remember, he was also playing balata balls, which could be made to dance if you were skilled enough. The times I say him play in his prime, he had Faultless blades, but they could have been made by anyone and had Faultless stamped on them.
[/quote]

The Faultless came after the Rams.

[birly-shirly]

[quote name='rgk5' timestamp='1396613636' post='9017719']
[quote name='birly-shirly' timestamp='1394056529' post='8805905']
[quote name='rich13' timestamp='1394010277' post='8801611']
There's some interesting stuff in this article from June 2013:
[url="http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/us-open/2013-06/us-open-my-shot-lee-trevino"]http://www.golfdiges...hot-lee-trevino[/url]
[/quote]

Good reading in there for anyone interested in Trevino. See also [url="http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2013/6/7/trevino-on-merion-watching-the-71-us-open-replay-and-a-remin.html"]http://www.geoffshac...nd-a-remin.html[/url] and Mike Clayton's comment for a bit more detail on the mysterious master clubmaker - sounds like Lee won 5 of his 6 majors with proto Aussie Blades.
[/quote]

Almost all of his majors were won with Golden Ram blades given to Lee by Caesar Senudo(sp?). He also used a Power Bilt persimmon driver along with the Hogan SI.
[/quote]

Just curious what you base that on. The info about the Rams is directly at odds with that first Golf Digest interview with Lee.

Assuming he did play Golden Rams at some point, I'd guess that was after his days endorsing Faultless. His ball ads for Faultless were circa '69/'70.

[rgk5]

[quote name='birly-shirly' timestamp='1396725334' post='9027209']
[quote name='rgk5' timestamp='1396613636' post='9017719']
[quote name='birly-shirly' timestamp='1394056529' post='8805905']
[quote name='rich13' timestamp='1394010277' post='8801611']
There's some interesting stuff in this article from June 2013:
[url="http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/us-open/2013-06/us-open-my-shot-lee-trevino"]http://www.golfdiges...hot-lee-trevino[/url]
[/quote]

Good reading in there for anyone interested in Trevino. See also [url="http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2013/6/7/trevino-on-merion-watching-the-71-us-open-replay-and-a-remin.html"]http://www.geoffshac...nd-a-remin.html[/url] and Mike Clayton's comment for a bit more detail on the mysterious master clubmaker - sounds like Lee won 5 of his 6 majors with proto Aussie Blades.
[/quote]

Almost all of his majors were won with Golden Ram blades given to Lee by Caesar Senudo(sp?). He also used a Power Bilt persimmon driver along with the Hogan SI.
[/quote]

Just curious what you base that on. The info about the Rams is directly at odds with that first Golf Digest interview with Lee.

Assuming he did play Golden Rams at some point, I'd guess that was after his days endorsing Faultless. His ball ads for Faultless were circa '69/'70.
[/quote]

I may have it backwards. I know both of his Canadian Open wins in the late '70s were with Ram irons.

[NRJyzr]

mmmmmm.... Golden Rams.....

 

[jmcf1949]

On 4/4/2014 at 4:13 AM, rgk5 said:

[quote name='birly-shirly' timestamp='1394056529' post='8805905']
[quote name='rich13' timestamp='1394010277' post='8801611']
There's some interesting stuff in this article from June 2013:
[url="http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/us-open/2013-06/us-open-my-shot-lee-trevino"]http://www.golfdiges...hot-lee-trevino[/url]
[/quote]

Good reading in there for anyone interested in Trevino. See also [url="http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2013/6/7/trevino-on-merion-watching-the-71-us-open-replay-and-a-remin.html"]http://www.geoffshac...nd-a-remin.html[/url] and Mike Clayton's comment for a bit more detail on the mysterious master clubmaker - sounds like Lee won 5 of his 6 majors with proto Aussie Blades.
[/quote]

Almost all of his majors were won with Golden Ram blades given to Lee by Caesar Senudo(sp?). He also used a Power Bilt persimmon driver along with the Hogan SI.

According to Lee, in this article, he won five of his majors with clubs made by a fellow in Australia. Not trying to flame anyone just stating what I've read.Lee Trevino — Journal — Old School Golfer.pdf

[LeftyMac]

17 hours ago, jmcf1949 said:

According to Lee, in this article, he won five of his majors with clubs made by a fellow in Australia. Not trying to flame anyone just stating what I've read.Lee Trevino — Journal — Old School Golfer.pdf

More information on "Sandy"

 

https://www.australiangolfdigest.com.au/made-in-australia/