No new acquistions...?

[deejaid]

Another set of Top-Flites for me.   I just about have all the 1980’s era Spalding irons now.  This set was owned and played by PGA professional Jerry McGee.  McGee won twice in 1979 but retired from the PGA Tour in 1981.  These irons were produced from 1980-84 so I am not sure if they were used on tour or if he used them after retiring from the tour.

 

Circa 1980-84 Spalding Top-Flite irons.   Custom ground leading edges and a lot of lead tape bringing them up to a D3 swing weight.  These were from the custom shop with the “Custom Made” on the back.   Initials “JM” stamped on the back as well, which just happens to be my first and middle initial so that works for me.  Beautiful shape to the heads.

 

 

[NRJyzr]

1 minute ago, deejaid said:

Another set of Top-Flites for me.   I just about have all the 1980’s era Spalding irons now.  This set was owned and played by PGA professional Jerry McGee.  McGee won twice in 1979 but retired from the PGA Tour in 1981.  These irons were produced from 1980-84 so I am not sure if they were used on tour or if he used them after retiring from the tour.

 

Circa 1980-84 Spalding Top-Flite irons.   Custom ground leading edges and a lot of lead tape bringing them up to a D3 swing weight.  These were from the custom shop with the “Custom Made” on the back.   Initials “JM” stamped on the back as well, which just happens to be my first and middle initial so that works for me.  Beautiful shape to the heads.

 

 

 

Those are in some rather nice condition.

 

You're quite the Spalding Warrior, Brother Deejaid.  <tip cap>  

 

[deejaid]

4 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

Those are in some rather nice condition.

 

You're quite the Spalding Warrior, Brother Deejaid.  <tip cap>  

 

They were a bit rough but the 0000 steel wool with some Bar Keepers Friend  brought them to life.

 

It took me a long time to get into Spalding because they always seemed lower end in my eyes growing up.  I was used to the store line Spalding’s, never knew how great the Tour Editions were.  Once I finally got the Tour Edition’s I saw the light, now I have 4 sets of 1980’s forged Spalding’s and love them all.   

[Woodridge]

You guys are killing it. Those are some beautiful sets of irons. 

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

56 minutes ago, deejaid said:

Another set of Top-Flites for me.   I just about have all the 1980’s era Spalding irons now.  This set was owned and played by PGA professional Jerry McGee.  McGee won twice in 1979 but retired from the PGA Tour in 1981.  These irons were produced from 1980-84 so I am not sure if they were used on tour or if he used them after retiring from the tour.

 

Circa 1980-84 Spalding Top-Flite irons.   Custom ground leading edges and a lot of lead tape bringing them up to a D3 swing weight.  These were from the custom shop with the “Custom Made” on the back.   Initials “JM” stamped on the back as well, which just happens to be my first and middle initial so that works for me.  Beautiful shape to the heads.

 

 

 

Beautiful looking irons. I really like the grind around the toe and trailing edge.

 

This is probably not a question you are able to answer, but do you know why there's no PW? I was just wondering if the Pro used a different PW, or had  couple of speciality wedges in there, but I don't know how widespread that practice was back in the early/mid Eighties.

[deejaid]

7 minutes ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

 

Beautiful looking irons. I really like the grind around the toe and trailing edge.

 

This is probably not a question you are able to answer, but do you know why there's no PW? I was just wondering if the Pro used a different PW, or had  couple of speciality wedges in there, but I don't know how widespread that practice was back in the early/mid Eighties.

 

Good question.  It would make sense that he might have carried some specialty wedges.  
 

I have a Spalding sand wedge from that early 80’s era called the E.V.-A.   What’s funny is in the Golfworks Price and Identification guide it shows that in 1982 Spalding sold the E.V.-A. sand wedge, but also an E.V.-A. pitching wedge.   Maybe the custom department was tinkering with a pitching wedge design separate from the iron set in 1980-81 before they released to the public?   Just a guess.

[Joe S]

I had another bucket list find at an estate sale this morning.  I've passed on two Scotty's at garage sales in the past.  The first time I didn't have enough money in my wallet, the second time I had a sneaking suspicion that it was a fake.  But I wasn't going to let this one get away.  They let me have it for a very fair price.  Original Titleist Grip

 

 

[Swingingk]

19 minutes ago, Joe S said:

I had another bucket list find at an estate sale this morning.  I've passed on two Scotty's at garage sales in the past.  The first time I didn't have enough money in my wallet, the second time I had a sneaking suspicion that it was a fake.  But I wasn't going to let this one get away.  They let me have it for a very fair price.  Original Titleist Grip

 

 

Nice find and great patina.  Perfectly finished SC's are cool but it's hard to beat the cool-factor of a well used but intact original finish.  

[Stephen8802]

My son and I had a nice day skiing and I hit a few thrift stores on the way home and I found some irons. The first is a partial set of VIPs by some fella named Nicklaus. The bad news, no 5 or 7; the good news, I hear tell these are nice sticks and I found them in a thrift store. They look all original accept one grip and are in good enough shape to play. I'm surprised at the plain black ferrules and step less shafts, and I'm also surprised how nice they look at address since I'm a Wilson guy. Anyone care to tell me what year these are? Maybe I'll fill in the missing two clubs, maybe I'll play them a few times and then sell them...no need to decide now.

 

Edit: I'm not selling these, who am I kidding. The more I look at them, the more I like them. The factory oversized grips are still soft enough to play and I measured them today and they are factory long with a 39 inch 3 iron. I'm going back to the thrift store to ask someone to look in the back and see if the two missing clubs are there.

 

I also found a mostly good set of '87 Fluid Feels with the right shafts. The 7 iron is worn down, and the wedge was a roached JP Custom Grind I left there, but the rest of the set is good. I need a few sets of shafts, so I might borrow these shafts for a set of '84 Staff heads or my Bullet Backs and put them back together when I find a replacement 7 iron, or perhaps have the 7 iron head refinished. I was a bit surprised on the Fluid Feels; I thought they would look like my '84 Staffs, but they are bigger and look more like my Goosenecks than my '84s,

 

What's with 7 irons anyway? In the last few months, I've found these two sets needing 7 irons plus Bullet Backs and '65 Staffs needing 7s. People must chip with 7 irons and leave them green side.

Edited March 29, 2021 by Stephen8802

[russad]

I've also heard it suggested that 7 irons were often cut down to make a club for a child to start learning the game.

[Shallowface]

On 3/25/2021 at 11:56 PM, deejaid said:

 

Good question.  It would make sense that he might have carried some specialty wedges.  
 

I have a Spalding sand wedge from that early 80’s era called the E.V.-A.   What’s funny is in the Golfworks Price and Identification guide it shows that in 1982 Spalding sold the E.V.-A. sand wedge, but also an E.V.-A. pitching wedge.   Maybe the custom department was tinkering with a pitching wedge design separate from the iron set in 1980-81 before they released to the public?   Just a guess.

Not only was there an E.V.-A. Pitching Wedge, there was an E.V.-A. Driver as well.

 

"EV" was for Ernie Vadersen, who later achieved fame as the designer of the original Snake Eyes products.

[deejaid]

1 hour ago, Shallowface said:

Not only was there an E.V.-A. Pitching Wedge, there was an E.V.-A. Driver as well.

 

"EV" was for Ernie Vadersen, who later achieved fame as the designer of the original Snake Eyes products.

Wow!  Very interesting that it was Ernie Vadersen.  I actually have a set of the Smith & Wesson forged Snake Eyes he designed.  I never knew he worked with Spalding.

 

And look at the prices of those wedges.  $110 in 1982!  That’s $306 in today’s money.  Who knew Spalding Custom Shop was the PXG of their time!

[Bigarch]

12 hours ago, deejaid said:

Wow!  Very interesting that it was Ernie Vadersen.  I actually have a set of the Smith & Wesson forged Snake Eyes he designed.  I never knew he worked with Spalding.

 

And look at the prices of those wedges.  $110 in 1982!  That’s $306 in today’s money.  Who knew Spalding Custom Shop was the PXG of their time!

Really enjoying looking at these old Spaldings.  But the talk of their custom shop reminds me of one of the funniest stories ever.  I had a friend who had a set of custom Spalding Top Flite persimmon woods with his name on them....I think his name was on the sole plates.  Anyway, a friend of his hit them and just loved them.  So the guy wrote down the serial numbers and contacted Spalding about getting a matching set.  They did exactly as he asked and soon he received a set of Spalding Top Flite woods...with my friends name on the soleplates.  🤣

[deejaid]

1 hour ago, Bigarch said:

Really enjoying looking at these old Spaldings.  But the talk of their custom shop reminds me of one of the funniest stories ever.  I had a friend who had a set of custom Spalding Top Flite persimmon woods with his name on them....I think his name was on the sole plates.  Anyway, a friend of his hit them and just loved them.  So the guy wrote down the serial numbers and contacted Spalding about getting a matching set.  They did exactly as he asked and soon he received a set of Spalding Top Flite woods...with my friends name on the soleplates.  🤣

I’ve seen the 1950’s Spalding video showing they kept meticulous records.  I guess you ask for a matching set, you get a matching set, right down to the name on the sole!  😁

[Shallowface]

From 1986

 

[Shallowface]

More from the magazine pictured above.  It says "Premiere Issue," but if there was a second one I never saw it.

 

 

Edited March 30, 2021 by Shallowface
spelling

[NRJyzr]

Once again, Shallowface delivers the goods.   💪

[BIG STU]

On 3/29/2021 at 8:07 AM, Shallowface said:

Not only was there an E.V.-A. Pitching Wedge, there was an E.V.-A. Driver as well.

 

"EV" was for Ernie Vadersen, who later achieved fame as the designer of the original Snake Eyes products.

Yep Spalding along with Macgregor and Wilson had extensive custom departments in those days.

Some of the "Holy Grail" clubs in my area were 53 Top Flites or 53 Tournament Blades. A lot of good players in our area gamed those. The guy who set the course record on our 9 hole regulation course with a -6 played a set of 53 Top Flites. The same guy on our Par 3 course shot a 18 which is -9 with a 53 Dynamiter SW. Later on some of the players switched to the 67 Bird on The Ball Top Flites. One of the guys would play nothing but 53 Top Flites and had worn out several sets. My Old Man got in touch with someone he knew at Spalding ordered him a new set of 53s with the Small Bird on the Ball Stamping. I have seen 3 different stampings of that head including the big Bird on Ball and the Small cursive script like the 66 models. In fact I have a custom 1 iron modeled of the 53 with 66 cursive stampings. I found it on the scrap pile years ago and firmly believe it was from one of those "Charlotte Sets" as I call them.  Spalding in the 80s 90s did come out with a horrid set of cast things called Legacy which had the 53 profile but frankly hit like crap. My first real good set was a set of used Elite 333 customs which were half worn out when I got them so I finished them off. In 72 I had the old man order me a set of Custom Grind Elite 333s. I did the spec sheet on them with sort of a Macgregor leading edge grind. those were stolen from me along with the 69 Vette they were in back in 75. While argueing with the insurance company I ended up playing the old mans CF-4000s ( which I still have today). LOL if those Elites had not been stolen I may not be a Mac man today. I still have the SN# on those and when I see a set for sale I look closely just hoping. 

[BIG STU]

On 3/23/2021 at 4:31 PM, coldwareragolfer said:

Going to keep the MacGregor love going.  I bought these from our very own @GolfNutRiblick.   I thank him for a great deal as to they were in better shape than I imagined.  

1963 M2 Tourney 2-9,11.  Original leather grips. Which I gave a saddle soap cleaning to and then a light polish of the shafts with a steel polish and they are ready to go!

 

Exactly like the set Stickfish gave me--- I love that 11 iron so much it is in the gamer set with the VIPs--- Yep I have 2 sets the ones Stickfish gave me and the ones my old man got new in 62--- The ones my old man had the DS split sole PW which he kept no matter what other irons he gamed and it is the only FC I ever saw wore completely out from the sole to the face--- When I play real vintage golf I play the FCs Stick sent me because they are in better shape. If I am playing vintage I do not use the VIPs because to my warped mind it is cheating because I use them everyday so to speak. 

[BIG STU]

On 3/27/2021 at 3:43 PM, Joe S said:

I had another bucket list find at an estate sale this morning.  I've passed on two Scotty's at garage sales in the past.  The first time I didn't have enough money in my wallet, the second time I had a sneaking suspicion that it was a fake.  But I wasn't going to let this one get away.  They let me have it for a very fair price.  Original Titleist Grip

 

 

Reminds me of my beloved rusty Santa Fe---- Love it--- Keep it as it is it has character

[Joe S]

23 minutes ago, BIG STU said:

Reminds me of my beloved rusty Santa Fe---- Love it--- Keep it as it is it has character

 

This one is a keeper.  It fits me far better than a shiny new one.  

[BIG STU]

3 minutes ago, Joe S said:

 

This one is a keeper.  It fits me far better than a shiny new one.  

There you go exactly what I love to hear--- What I love is on the putting green some of the prim and proper Odyssey and Scotty guys ask "what the hell is that?" I show them and it is "OMG" they are horrified and then I go to canning putts--- the real Scotty guys can not figure out the shaft--- I tell them Scotty did not put that in there I did. Fancy pretty littled bagged weight kit ---- NO WAY just 2 strips of sole wide lead tape on the sole--- And cover forget it "Rusty" gets so hot he has to cool off between putts besides I flat refuse to game a putter I need to use a cover on.

 

Funny one here--- A friend of mine runs a good sized independent golf shop on this end of the beach. One Saturday I was in there and a prim and proper Tourist golfer bought him a new Scotty cover because the velcro on his quit working. He asked the guy at the counter who is a friend of mine to throw the old one away. My friend laughed and flipped it to me and said put that on that Rusty SOB Scotty you call a putter. I did fix the velcro though I took and cut the velcro off an old glove in the box ( I never throw anything away) and gorilla glued it on that cover good as new but I do not use it. 

[deejaid]

3 hours ago, Shallowface said:

From 1986

 

 

Very cool, thanks for sharing!

[Divot License]

1 hour ago, BIG STU said:

There you go exactly what I love to hear--- What I love is on the putting green some of the prim and proper Odyssey and Scotty guys ask "what the hell is that?" I show them and it is "OMG" they are horrified and then I go to canning putts--- the real Scotty guys can not figure out the shaft--- I tell them Scotty did not put that in there I did. Fancy pretty littled bagged weight kit ---- NO WAY just 2 strips of sole wide lead tape on the sole--- And cover forget it "Rusty" gets so hot he has to cool off between putts besides I flat refuse to game a putter I need to use a cover on.

 

Funny one here--- A friend of mine runs a good sized independent golf shop on this end of the beach. One Saturday I was in there and a prim and proper Tourist golfer bought him a new Scotty cover because the velcro on his quit working. He asked the guy at the counter who is a friend of mine to throw the old one away. My friend laughed and flipped it to me and said put that on that Rusty SOB Scotty you call a putter. I did fix the velcro though I took and cut the velcro off an old glove in the box ( I never throw anything away) and gorilla glued it on that cover good as new but I do not use it. 

 

2 hours ago, BIG STU said:

Reminds me of my beloved rusty Santa Fe---- Love it--- Keep it as it is it has character

Is this the Santa Fe you found in the scrap pile a few years back Stu?

Edited March 30, 2021 by Divot License

[elwhippy]

Spalding has to be one of the saddest tales in Golf. I loved the Strata balls and their forged irons were fantastic. They had a great stable of pros like Ram and Powerbilt. Now reduced to selling junk golf balls. 

[BIG STU]

6 hours ago, Divot License said:

 

Is this the Santa Fe you found in the scrap pile a few years back Stu?

Yep the same one--- My Bud the Miura dealer ( retired now) calls it a junk pile refugee---- Others down on this end not so friendly call it "That Rusty SOB Scotty"---- Now that thing was rougher than a night in the county jail. When I found it I took it out to my course just as I found it. The grip was so rotted I taped it with electrical tape. I used it on the putting green and the rust literally flew. Turned a couple of balls brown in a few putts. The Miura dealer was always cooking up something and said I did not have a hair on my arse If I did not putt with it that day as it was. I never shy away from a challenge. The one thing I did was scrounge the lost and found and got a putter cover the reason I did not want to get rust on the inside of my brand new TEE bag which was white. Ran the tables on those guys in a 9 hole match. We did check on the price of restoration and it was high--- besides I do not like shiny putters. I did soak it in PB Blaster and clean it up some. The Miura guy and myself theorized that someone found it in a lake because the sole was so pitted and it had been there a while. they saw it was a Cameron and were going to have it restored but found out the price which would have resuted in milling the sole all the way down and restamping and scrapped it. Like I said I did clean it up some and paintfilled the Scotty Cameron on the face not too bright but with a mix of white paint and rust. I did have to put lead tape on the sole to get it to feel exactly like I wanted it too

Edited March 30, 2021 by BIG STU

[Soloman1]

Look at this little beauty someone gave me yesterday. Has a FM6.5. It's in perfect condition with the original full cord grip.

 

 

 

 

[cold_war_era_golfer]

Continuing on my Spring 2021 MacGregor love affair.  These are more abused that the ‘63s I posted earlier.   But seeing that they came with rotten grips they were the perfect candidate for regripping and having little concern about throwing them into my Jones bag.

 

1962 M Tourney V.F.Q.  Check those Brunswick ferrules! 2-11, D.S.

[Stephen8802]

I'm closing in on the bullseye.

 

I got my first Bullseye, the traditional model, last year when it showed up in a box with a set M43s. It was too light for me and didn't work. Then I found a standard flange model at a thrift about 4 months ago and putted well with it; but I wondered, would a wide flange be the right one? I found a wide flange today at the half price sale and it is, indeed, the one. I like both the flanges, but the wide flange works the best and I have my Bullseye. Not that I needed another putter, but now I have another one I can knock them down with...this baby is sweet.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2021 by Stephen8802

[@_the_crook]

On 3/30/2021 at 9:18 AM, BIG STU said:

I did fix the velcro though I took and cut the velcro off an old glove in the box ( I never throw anything away) and gorilla glued it on that cover good as new

 

great idea @BIG STU,

we had some equipment arrive a while back with about three feet of black velcro , really good quality stuff. .

none of it was used on the job, so it made it into my tool bag.

at one inch per cover repair, it will outlast me.