First Flight The Standard irons

[Titleist87]

Just picked up a 3-sw set at a local thrift for $45. Headcovers included which the previous owner used so the heads are in great shape. My dad had a set of these but sold them without asking me if I wanted them. He did keep the persimmon, though. He played those irons from the mid 70s to mid 80s.

 

[oldschoolrocker]

A very good pickup. They look in great condition.

[Par-net-birdie]

They look fantastic , sweet find

I've always wanted a set of these and I've wondered why he named them the "standard" presumptuous I suppose

I'd be interested in your thoughts on how they feel and perform

Who forged them as well

Again they look sweet

[Guia]

They are a good set of irons. I believe touted by Arnold Palmer at one time.

[BIG STU]

Looks like they are in pristine shape good find and good price. Mr Palmer did endorse First Flight for a while after his contract with Wilson expired. As I understood it he ended up buying the company and it became The Arnold Palmer Golf Company better known as Palmer Peerless and I think later on as just "AP" clubs

[citizenfore]

Excellent find! I have a set of the Standard 85 and really enjoy them. Hit 'em well!

[Corgi]

Got a set of these for a HS graduation present from my Dad in 1981. Later I played a set of the "Palmer" branded Standards which had a very slight offset and more rounded toe but otherwise the same head. If you've ever wondered what the Titleist 681's were modeled after. Look no further. :-)

[EmperorPenguin]

So how do they feel? I have never swung one of them before, and I am curious. My assumption is that they would feel like the Titleist Tour Model irons.

[NRJyzr]

Personally, I always felt the Palmers were akin to Wilson Staff blades, largely soft with a hint of crisp added.

 

This isn't popular with the Titleist fans, but the Tour Models were not well regarded until Tiger started playing Titleist blades. Most of the comments I'd seen talk of their less than ideal feel, etc. The 681s were indeed almost dead on copies of Palmer Standards, especially the Original Standards (or Standard Originals, if you prefer), but didn't match the feel of the Palmers.

 

First Flight Standards and Palmer Standards are the same clubs, with different stampings. Professionial Golf, aka Pro Group, produced both together, before dropping the First Flight name entirely, in favor of that of Palmer.

 

edited to add: For those interested in working with the clubs, the Palmers are pinned, and take parallel tip shafts. The Original Standards do, for sure, I'm not entirely positive about the 1978-1984 models of Standards. I'm nearly positive the 85 Standards are parallel, also.

[vernon]

Had three sets of those in the day. Have never hit anything better before or since. Still have one of the 1 irons. Talk about a butter knife! Was actually on staff with Pro Group and played the Peerless woods and the Palmer wedges and putter as part of the deal.

 

Even won two trips in the 80's to Bay Hill as Arnold's guest for reaching sales goals as an assistant pro. After organized morning events I remember spending about three hours by myself playing Bay Hill on a Saturday afternoon when there was no one else playing. Later in the day Arnold and Gay Brewer landed in Arnold's helicopter on the first tee (after buzzing the clubhouse of course) coming back from a Senior event in Melbourne, Fla. That was shortly after the Axiom irons came out. Great times those were.

 

Congratulations on the purchase! Nice to see those heads again - especially looking like new.

[Shallowface]

[oldschoolrocker]

That is one nice looking head.

[NRJyzr]

That is awesome to read

 

Funny how there's a subtle jab at Wilson, regarding the toe profile being the same for every clubhead. :)

[birly-shirly]

Interesting reading, but how do you square "no lead weight poured into the hosel for swing weight correction" with a final check of swing weight once the head and shaft have been assembled?

 

There's no point in checking swing weight unless you have the means to adjust it if it's out.

[NRJyzr]

Birly, it's marketing speak for post-production weighing of the clubheads, sorting them, and using them in builds to target specific swingweights at specific lengths. ;)

[birly-shirly]

Aye but how does that work when you're checking swing weight once you've glued the shaft? That's what they say they're doing.

 

I suppose, if you have weight sorted grips across a wide enough range (and I have no idea what the weight tolerance on grips is) you could maybe, just maybe, select a grip to complement a particular swing weight for a head and shaft - but all in all I think I'd rather have the lead down the shaft in that scenario.

[rex235]

Great ProGroup Catalog! Arnold Palmer/First Flight, Tony Trabert Tennis, Hot-Z golf bags, and Duckster sportswear

 

The Standard irons were used by a number of PGA Tour professionals in the '80s, and Arnold Palmer had done a lot of promotional ads.

 

"The best players play forged clubs, and the best forged club is "The Standard"

 

Unfortunately, their LH Standard models were NOT this good in translation, and I took a few photos for reference..

 

Do have a LH First Flight Standard 1 iron head...... which Arnold Palmer signed.......

[Texman1]

rex235-

 

[deejaid]

> @Texman1 said:

> rex235-

>

 

Nice clubs. I’d say they are worth around $200. I’ve seen a few NOS sets from that era recently on eBay and they usually sell for around $200.

 

If I had those I’d list them on eBay with a higher buy-it-now and accept offers and let the buyers decide.

 

[Nessism]

Those Standards are nice. I'd love a set. I played some Peerless blades for a number of years and loved them, particularly the 1 iron. I'm not sure what the deal was but I could just kill that thing. Selling them is one my greatest equipment regrets.

[M0ss84]

Does anyone know where I can find the loft degrees of each iron in a set of First Flight "The Standard" irons?

[bcstones]

9 hours ago, M0ss84 said:

Does anyone know where I can find the loft degrees of each iron in a set of First Flight "The Standard" irons?

First Flight purchased Northwestern last year ago or so....so try https://firstflightgolf.net & see if they still have records that might go back to the 70's & '80s

[Swingingk]

On 6/29/2023 at 7:07 PM, bcstones said:

First Flight purchased Northwestern last year ago or so....so try https://firstflightgolf.net & see if they still have records that might go back to the 70's & '80s

That's interesting: First Flight, Northwestern, AND Pal Joey - three brands I thought were long gone.  I wonder what this will bring?

 

[Mike_C]

I have a set of Palmer "the Standard", I believe they are identical except mine say Palmer where First Flight is on these.  Got mine in 1982 and still have them.  Haven't hit them in 20 years though.....

[bcstones]

22 minutes ago, Mike_C said:

I have a set of Palmer "the Standard", I believe they are identical except mine say Palmer where First Flight is on these.  Got mine in 1982 and still have them.  Haven't hit them in 20 years though.....

If you have access to a Maltby's guide, check out the ProGroup Inc site...excellent info there. When Palmer first finished his contract w/MacGregor (?), he set up shop at First Flight's address & somewhere I got the idea that the first Tru-Matic club heads used First Flight blanks...then there is a whole lot of Palmer Golf sales to different company's & First Flight bought Palmer Golf & produced clubs under both names....
That's all from memory, Maltby's is a far better resource...and I think there was a whole discussion of Palmer Golf Co. somewhere here 

[Hale607]

First set of clubs were First Flights bought in Pro Shop, great memories with those clubs, still have 3,5 wood and some of the irons, ill have to go look at them!