Which Persimmon Drivers Did Greg Norman Use? And Irons?

[xgolfx]

[attachment=2524799:norman86.jpg]

I just found this on Norman

CHARLEY PENNA

[freddiec]

Link to pic of Norman's M43 courtesy of Dave Wood a few years ago

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/uploads/monthly_10_2010/post-2258-025449600%201287492795_thumb.jpg

[Puppetmaster]

 

 

I just found this on Norman

 

CHARLEY PENNA

 

Thanks, very interesting information.

 

Also, I managed this screen grab while watching some highlights of his second Open win:

 

 

Looks like he was using some sort of corded wrap grip for that event.

[HoganApexBlades]

[quote name='freddiec' timestamp='1417895705' post='10553351']
Link to pic of Norman's M43 courtesy of Dave Wood a few years ago

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/uploads/monthly_10_2010/post-2258-025449600%201287492795_thumb.jpg
[/quote]

I guess that proves that an ugly, beat up persimmon head can be transformed into a gorgeous, beautiful work of art with time, effort and money thrown at it.

[BIG STU]

 

 

I just found this on Norman

 

CHARLEY PENNA

 

Thanks, very interesting information.

 

Also, I managed this screen grab while watching some highlights of his second Open win:

 

 

Looks like he was using some sort of corded wrap grip for that event.

I believe that was an early Golf Pride Tour Wrap cords

[rgk5]

I had a set of the Norman Cobra blades made by MacGregor back in 2005. I wish I still had the skill to use them as I did back then. They were DG-S400 with wrap leather grips.

[Pinsplitter59]

Silly me! Took lots of pics of Greg back in 1987-88 at Aus masters tournament, but i don't think i ever took a pic of his clubs.
so true what others have said, his ball striking was other-worldly.
e.g. on practice tee a wag in the crowd says "Greg, hit a draw with a 1 iron", the hardest shot in golf of course, so Greg takes his 1 iron and hits a perfect straight slight draw miles down the fairway.
Directly behind him on the fairway (official photographer so i was able to go anywhere) second shot into 600 yard par 5, driver off the deck just sailed away so long and straight, absolutely amazing. And a driver into the wind off the teeing ground was easy coz you just kick up a bit of turf and sit the ball on it and smack the thing so hard and low dead straight down the fairway.

[neilc]

Amazingly i was there that day!

 

I remember him.a couple of wild ones on the into the wind back nine.

 

I think it was 74 or 75.i was a junior at the time.

[rex235]

The Emperor is definitely pleased with the link to his 1986 driver and thanks Aussie_steeler for the link and freddiec for its content.

 

Now about Greg's sick reverse musclebacks (the ones he lost the 1996 Masters with--ha!). They are copies of which model MagGregors?

 

I'm no MacGregor expert, but of the irons I know, I'll go with these:

 

 

 

guisician-

 

Great set of LH MacGregor TC 985s... does the 10 iron have this grind?

[Aggers]

In 1982 he won the Benson & Hedges International at Fulford in York. I used to be a scoreboard carrier at the event, going round with the groups. I got Greg on one of the days. I got up close to the bags of the players that day, so saw what was in them. In Greg's Slazenger branded bag that day was a Cobra Persimmon Driver, a Toney Penna 3 wood, unmistakable signature on the crown, his irons were Wilson Staff Fg-17's with a Cobra forged 1 iron and Hogan Sure-Out sand wedge. He was using the Wilson Prostaff orange ball and an Acushnet Bullseye putter. Not a Slazenger club to be seen?

[rex235]

Link to pic of Norman's M43 courtesy of Dave Wood a few years ago

 

http://www.golfwrx.c...92795_thumb.jpg

 

I guess that proves that an ugly, beat up persimmon head can be transformed into a gorgeous, beautiful work of art with time, effort and money thrown at it.

 

 

Apex-

 

And Dave Wood's work with Norman's Driver is why he was the choice for "The Black Swan..."

It's on his webpage, so I don't need to post it here.

[birly-shirly]

In 1982 he won the Benson & Hedges International at Fulford in York. I used to be a scoreboard carrier at the event, going round with the groups. I got Greg on one of the days. I got up close to the bags of the players that day, so saw what was in them. In Greg's Slazenger branded bag that day was a Cobra Persimmon Driver, a Toney Penna 3 wood, unmistakable signature on the crown, his irons were Wilson Staff Fg-17's with a Cobra forged 1 iron and Hogan Sure-Out sand wedge. He was using the Wilson Prostaff orange ball and an Acushnet Bullseye putter. Not a Slazenger club to be seen?

 

Wow. I'm a wee bit surprised that he had a Sure-Out in there. Great club, but surely not the most versatile wedge for a good player unless it had been subject to a bit of custom grinding. I've seen Norman make sand shots and delicate lob shots with the face wide open, which I'm pretty sure he could not have done with that particular club if it was set up as stock.

[Aggers]

In 1982 he won the Benson & Hedges International at Fulford in York. I used to be a scoreboard carrier at the event, going round with the groups. I got Greg on one of the days. I got up close to the bags of the players that day, so saw what was in them. In Greg's Slazenger branded bag that day was a Cobra Persimmon Driver, a Toney Penna 3 wood, unmistakable signature on the crown, his irons were Wilson Staff Fg-17's with a Cobra forged 1 iron and Hogan Sure-Out sand wedge. He was using the Wilson Prostaff orange ball and an Acushnet Bullseye putter. Not a Slazenger club to be seen?

 

Wow. I'm a wee bit surprised that he had a Sure-Out in there. Great club, but surely not the most versatile wedge for a good player unless it had been subject to a bit of custom grinding. I've seen Norman make sand shots and delicate lob shots with the face wide open, which I'm pretty sure he could not have done with that particular club if it was set up as stock.

 

Oh yes, i can remember thinking, what has he done to that Sand Wedge? The back edge and heel where roughly ground away and it looked "brand new" otherwise, shiny chrome etc. I think the point here is that it is so different from what his "usual" set up was. I had seen his bag at the Car Care tournament and the Lawrence Batley and he had a set of MacGregor irons, I think DX's, the same as Faldo gamed at the time. One thing though was I remember he used to use a 100+ compression, not available for retail, version of the Slazenger B51 ball, that was the talk of the town.

 

Also at the time the Cobra Tour Persimmon woods and forged irons had just hit big and the Driver was hot stuff, he obviously went back to MacGregor driver, as we know. I believe that week at Fulford, there where quite a few with the big orange Cobra bag and their woods and irons. I score boarded for Ewen Murray, Peter Townshend and they certainly "bagged them"

[freddiec]

You guys should watch this. 8:45 in Greg shows his equipment rack with all his persimmons

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r_H5mt43ieY

[rex235]

Freddie-

 

Thanks again for the story on Greg Norman.

 

Haven't ever seen his name on a LH club model......Cobra or Spalding.....

[russad]

Good on you Freddie, I remember watching this doco on TV here in Australia, and when I was reading this thread I remembered it and how he spoke about making the woods himself, I didn't realise it would be available on youtube. Still appreciating how much smaller the world has become with the internet.

[freddiec]

yes Russad... I also agree, lots now available on youtube, which is really great, including some of the 1980's classic Masters footage. The Norman video is really great. Nice close up shots of some of his Wood Bros persimmons. I think the WB Texan was Greg's last persimmon he played before he went to the Cobra driver.

[Texsport]

freddiec

 

Dave Wood and I discussed Greg Norman's club stash once, when I acquired 3 of several V Foil drivers Dave made for him to test before his near victory in the Open a few years ago. V-Foil he chose from Dave's test batch almost won that Open.

 

BTW - Dave says that Norman was practically the only MacGregor staff player who used the V Foil driver because, as Dave described it, "a terrible golf club with excessive low, right bias". Greg liked it for The Open because it brought down his trajectory in the wind + allowed him to release as hard as he could without fearing the dreaded hook.

 

Dave says Greg has every tournament winning club he ever played, save those he donated to courses or Halls of Fame.

 

Texsport

[Kathy Marie]

Freddie-

 

Thanks again for the story on Greg Norman.

 

Haven't ever seen his name on a LH club model......Cobra or Spalding.....

 

Rex--

 

Here you go! If you really want them, you can have them! You'll need to reshaft though, NO DOUBT you swing harder than I do...!

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/...7-/371580395074

 

 

:wave:

 

 

Kathy Marie

[rex235]

Freddie-

 

Thanks again for the story on Greg Norman.

 

Haven't ever seen his name on a LH club model......Cobra or Spalding.....

 

Rex--

 

Here you go! If you really want them, you can have them! You'll need to reshaft though, NO DOUBT you swing harder than I do...!

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/...7-/371580395074

 

 

:wave:

 

 

Kathy Marie

 

Kathy-

 

Like they used to say on "The Flintstones.. It Figures!"

 

Greg Norman's signature...... is on a set of Left handed Ladies Cavity Back irons in Australia....

 

Thanks for the almost unbelievable update!

 

Have you ever....?

 

No- I never!

 

PS..... they're sold.

[Classic 59]

You guys should watch this. 8:45 in Greg shows his equipment rack with all his persimmons

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=r_H5mt43ieY

 

Here is another video of that room....

http://shark.com/sharkwatch/videos/cnn-inside-gregs-golf-room/

[Thayneil]

I watched Greg Norman play in his first tour event in the UK. It was at Royal Aberdeen GC, sometime around 1976 I think. Everybody hit Persimmon. Norman hit it differently; miles dead straight with a slow climb and a vertical drop and stop. Quite astonishing. I have vague memories of him using Macgregor's.

 

I was there too!

 

small world.

 

remember a few long ones down wind and couple crooked ones back into the breeze

[rangersgoalie]

Were all the Cobra Norman blades actually macGregors?

I actually have a set of those in storage somewhere!

They were pretty used gamers, I loved them.

[Chris122]

In 1982 he won the Benson & Hedges International at Fulford in York. I used to be a scoreboard carrier at the event, going round with the groups. I got Greg on one of the days. I got up close to the bags of the players that day, so saw what was in them. In Greg's Slazenger branded bag that day was a Cobra Persimmon Driver, a Toney Penna 3 wood, unmistakable signature on the crown, his irons were Wilson Staff Fg-17's with a Cobra forged 1 iron and Hogan Sure-Out sand wedge. He was using the Wilson Prostaff orange ball and an Acushnet Bullseye putter. Not a Slazenger club to be seen?

Those were the days!

The B&H was one of the best televised events in the UK and Fulford a very fair course which encouraged competitive scoring (Peter Baker eagling 18th to tie and then beat Nick Faldo),I moved to York in the late '90's and was fortunate enough to play there a number of times in York Union events.

I thought at that time that Norman was the mutts nuts and had a set of lefty FG-17's special ordered from Wilson in Irvine and shortly after got to know and play with the new assistant Scot Gilmour whose dad was Norman's caddy.

Scotty had a practice bag full of Norman's old balls and happily gave me a couple which gave rise to the frequently used joke about having Norman's balls in the palm of my hand (pre Crissy Evert!)

Illusions were soon shattered when Scot told me what had gone on between his dad and tight-wad Norman who having promised to send Scotty Snr. his air fare to the US discovered that it was cheaper to hire a local caddy so reneged and at their next meeting sacked Scotty for not having turned up.

Great post Aggers.

[jonnygrouville]

Never meet your heroes. Or really ever find out anything else about them. Can turn out to be distinctly mortal and flawed. Just like the rest of us. And, apparently, the Cambridge boat. Bah!

 

Always thought Norman had a mad swing. Not many good golfers stand up that much through the ball. Especially any who dominate the golfing world like the shark.

 

Also dressed like an Australian's nightmare.

 

Spawned a great nickname though as a mate ended up being called "The Black Mackerel".

 

 

 

 

[Chris122]

Well we should have had Greg 'The Lobster' Norman and Ben 'The Crab' Crenshaw as two of the biggest 'nippers' the game has seen.