UK Classic Club Thread - John Letters, Ben Sayers, Slazenger, Dunlop, George Nicoll, Swilken, Petron

[stixman]

......or the recently departed Nick Turnbull, an independant and creative writer of the old school trying to maintain a voice in an increasingly discordant golfing arena.

 

 

Is the R&A self serving? You bet it is, and no longer fit for purpose. In the UK most of our courses are an equipment threatened 6500 yards or less and facing either extinction or a castrating modification to 9 holes. I should love to see a grass roots governing body spring from the turf to safe-guard their interests and future.

 

On the subject of your 'twerp alert', McIlroy came to our attention as a golfing prodigy, an artist in the mold of a new Seve. He leaves us, and make no mistake, he has, as a test bed for industrial scale pseudo-science anchored in the false promise that you can buy a golf game.

.

[Jiggered]

Very enjoyable day at Clitheroe in the Historic Golf Open.

 

A good mix of hickory and persimmons and blades competitors (plus a few who used moderns) and the weather was kind to us.

 

I played my Gradidge set but added a MacGregor Synchrolite driver and a Uniroyal 4 wood.

 

Scoring was Stableford and I played okay for 30 points apart from three blobs, two of which were very annoying:

The par 4 11th where I ballooned my drive into trees left, tried to punch out but hit a tree and almost took my head off with the rebound, ended up 20 yards further back and took two more to get out the trees.

Then the par 5 13th, I was in good position after two but pushed my approach into the bunker where I had a bit of a meltdown, taking four to get out.... (I had shots on both holes as well)

 

Also good to catch up with Stixman & Blade Junkie and to meet ChristianMc, who i don't think has posted for a while.

[Chris122]

Great stuff and thanks for posting,I only logged on tonight to see how you boys had done!

C'mon Blade,your match reports are always lively and entertaining,fill us in with the gory details please.

[skajaquada77]

Hi fellows, do you happened to have any info/specs on these shafts? Slazenger SeveBallesteros... weight, flex, etc...

Thanks!

[stixman]

Google search shows a Golfwrx thread + other contributions

[elwhippy]

The Seve's were a cheap model. Available through Argos, various catalogues and as open sale in sports shops. Cast heads. A perfectly decent low cost club. Not to be compared to the excellent forged Seve blades.

[skajaquada77]

The Seve's were a cheap model. Available through Argos, various catalogues and as open sale in sports shops. Cast heads. A perfectly decent low cost club. Not to be compared to the excellent forged Seve blades.

 

I've seen some Dunlop Seve models on ebay, Cast Heads. Like you said, they seem decent starter clubs. The shaft I was asking about is on this set (see picture) of Slazengers... So not sure if you are referring to these as Seve blades or others. I have heard of some blades he used to play, Supremo Blades, but I have to yet see them on ebay or anywahere else...I don't even know who made them, Mizuno?

[stixman]

Jet step shafts, Here you go....

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1099993-tt-jet-step-shafts/

[Jiggered]

Had my eye on these beauties but all of a sudden they've jumped out of my price range, anyone else care for a punt on them?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pinseeker-Pro-Model-Irons-Pro-Tour-Woods-Dunlop-Driver-Putter-Bag-Trolley/122643691203?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

[Chris122]

Amazing!Those were real bargain basement clubs bought from mail order catalogues like Littlewoods,my gran used to have it and I spent happy hours looking at sporting goods and ladies underwear.

No,not for me to wear but as a young hetero adolescent I found both sections interesting.

I'm pretty sure you could buy airguns too like the old Relum Tornado.

Nostalgia eh?

Not what it used to be.

[elwhippy]

Pinseeker stuff is dire quality. Avoid.

[oldschoolrocker]

Chris,

Glad to know I'm not the only one that viewed the catalogues with an eye towards the feminine underwear models.

Maybe that's why they called them "Wish books."

[nolixul]

Had my eye on these beauties but all of a sudden they've jumped out of my price range, anyone else care for a punt on them?

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...353.m1438.l2649

 

Eh? How on earth did this lot go for that price? A collection only item, which usually severely restricts your market and potential bidders. Extremely budget clubs. TBH you'd be doing very well to get £20 for that lot.

 

I see that there were essentially two competing bidders who went bonkers. Something fishy here.

[stixman]

Had my eye on these beauties but all of a sudden they've jumped out of my price range, anyone else care for a punt on them?

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...353.m1438.l2649

 

Eh? How on earth did this lot go for that price? A collection only item, which usually severely restricts your market and potential bidders. Extremely budget clubs. TBH you'd be doing very well to get £20 for that lot.

 

I see that there were essentially two competing bidders who went bonkers. Something fishy here.

 

Wot he said !

[Jiggered]

 

Eh? How on earth did this lot go for that price? A collection only item, which usually severely restricts your market and potential bidders. Extremely budget clubs. TBH you'd be doing very well to get £20 for that lot.

 

I see that there were essentially two competing bidders who went bonkers. Something fishy here.

 

Agreed that they went crazy but they did take my fancy (especially with the matching early metal woods of which I've seen very few by UK manufacturers, even if only badged) and I'd have gone to £40,

[skajaquada77]

Fellows, I just picked up new set that I am really excited about, Slazenger Forged Crown Sterling blades. Gorgeous! I believe late 80's UK top drawer stuff... not bad for this side of the pond. Cant wait to get this babies re-gripped and out to the course!

[stixman]

Now that is the 'real McCoy'!

[skajaquada77]

Now that is the 'real McCoy'!

 

The shafts are awesome too, Stiff "made in England" Apollos... took them out to the range and they feel great

[elwhippy]

Never saw the Sterling Crown in the UK and all our local stores stocked forged Slazenger irons back then. Japanese or perhaps US green grass only? Apollo shafts were top quality. The Masterflex was an absolute match for anything Brunswick or TT made.

[skajaquada77]

Never saw the Sterling Crown in the UK and all our local stores stocked forged Slazenger irons back then. Japanese or perhaps US green grass only? Apollo shafts were top quality. The Masterflex was an absolute match for anything Brunswick or TT made.

That's a great question, I will try to find out where this model came from and where were they sold. It is shocking that Slazenger was able to produce such beautiful high end irons back then and their quality went downhill so quickly in the late 80s/early 90s... Shame, I love their products from way back then

[nolixul]

elwhippy, on 26 August 2017 - 03:35 AM, said:

 

Never saw the Sterling Crown in the UK and all our local stores stocked forged Slazenger irons back then. Japanese or perhaps US green grass only? Apollo shafts were top quality. The Masterflex was an absolute match for anything Brunswick or TT made.

That's a great question, I will try to find out where this model came from and where were they sold. It is shocking that Slazenger was able to produce such beautiful high end irons back then and their quality went downhill so quickly in the late 80s/early 90s... Shame, I love their products from way back then

---------------------------------------------------------

 

Price might have been a factor in where these were sold. I suspect there were limited production runs too.

 

Worth linking these threads:

 

http://www.golfwrx.c...g-forged-irons/

http://www.golfwrx.c...d-forged-irons/

http://www.golfwrx.c...vintage-blades/

 

If anyone still has Dec 1989 Golf Digest, there is a reference on patent stuff on the net that there might be something on the Crown Sterlings on p124!

 

Mid 80s to mid 90s is about when Dunlop/Slazenger's best stuff came out through the Maxfli brand - Australian blades, Pro Specials, various DP models, Tour Ltd Forged, Revolutions, A10 Tour Ltd etc.

[elwhippy]

The DP30s were gorgeous but not very forgiving. Our assistant used them and he was fine ball striker. Maxfli Pro Specials were also great. Short irons were a lovely shape. And along with the Revolutions the set sand iron was excellent and many people carried 3-sw. So sad Slazenger is now making £5 for 18 balls that are an insult to their once world class, major winning product.

[Chris122]

Ditto Dunlop and John Letters now on a par with that awesome club designer Don Nay.

[elwhippy]

Are John Letters still going? I know they tried going more up market with the forged models a few years ago but stood no chance when people carrying their staff bags were using none of their clubs...

[nolixul]

Are John Letters still going? I know they tried going more up market with the forged models a few years ago but stood no chance when people carrying their staff bags were using none of their clubs...

 

As far as I know, Letters were unfortunately taken down in that Direct Golf collapse. Pulled under by the sinking ship.

 

Before they went under, Letters offered Japanese forged blades and "players" cavity backs in their MM line. They were customised from Kyoei blanks. As far as the cavities go, Letters was getting them bent a couple of degrees strong by Kyoei and with JL cosmetics put on (The JL MM Forged Prototypes):

 

The KRC half cavity is the blank from which the MM Prototype cavity was produced:

http://www.kyoeigolf...s/regular_irons

 

The JL MM Protos now go relatively cheaply in the second hand markets. An easy way to pick up some Japanese Kyoei forgings if you wish. They have some offset though, exacerbated by Letters getting them bent strong, so be prepared to get them tweaked to suit.

 

There were some MM Black wedges too. Stunning to look at and I'd be pretty sure that they had Japanese heritage too.

 

Torrance was using the MM Proto cavities and the MM Black wedges - saw them in his bag a couple of years ago.

[Chris122]

And not just a few years ago but decades ago my pro buddy had a Letters Staff bag with 'Golden Goose' logo which in fairness he did use but woods and irons were Wilson Staff '73 Fluid Feel.

[DM70]

I got paired up with an older gentleman today, he was using a John Letters Golden Goose flanged putter which, in his words, "I bought new and while I've tried many other putters I've always come back to this one, there's none to beat it. I even bought my father a similar one 40 years ago, but he somehow misplaced it". The last bit with a sigh and shake of his head...

[Jiggered]

I won a set of Ben Sayers on ebay this evening, Silver Crest irons (3 to 9 plus PW & SW) and three laminated woods.

 

They have the look of the Wilson Staff Tourblade Fluid Feels I won recently, I'll post more pics when I get them.

 

Anybody got any idea on dates for these?

[elwhippy]

Great looking set of Ben Sayers. Mid to late 80s as a guess. What make and model of shaft do they have?

[Jiggered]

Great looking set of Ben Sayers. Mid to late 80s as a guess. What make and model of shaft do they have?

 

Thanks, hopefully they'll still have the shaft bands on them but I won't know until I have them in my hands which will be next week.