Arnold Palmer Forged Irons: How Good Are/Were They?

[EmperorPenguin]

I am curious about the old-school Arnold Palmer irons, most notably The Standard irons. When I started playing golf in 1990 I did see a few of those sets around, but over time they gradually disappeared. I suppose that Arnie's forgings simply fell through the cracks as people were joining the Mizuno bandwagon? I mean, if the muscleback The Standard irons were so good, word of mouth would have people keep asking for them. My first forged sets were Golden Rams, and those clubs were in the bags of Watson, Price, Floyd, Mize and quite a few other pros simply because they were coveted. Through the 90's I spoke with many golfers who loved MP-14, MP-29, Tour Blade, Tour Grind, Tour Model, Tour Action, Tour Edition, Apex, VIP, and nearly every Japanese forging out there. Arnold Palmer The Standard? I can't recall any golfer saying anything about that club, let alone even mention it. If Arnie's clubs weren't so popular, maybe they didn't feel very good. For those of you who did own a set of muscleback The Standard irons, I ask how they felt when struck in the middle. If you answer that they felt like nirvana, I must ask this follow-up question: why weren't they so popular?

[Blade Junkie]

Good thread - interested to see what develops. I think it was Kirasdad who was playing the Standard 85s last year. From what I can recall, he really rated them.

[rgk5]

Ray Floyd played the Standard in 1981-82 and did very well. I had a set in 1984 and loved them.

[oldschoolrocker]

I don't have The Standard, but do have a set of AP 60ish Tru-Matics. As I have said before, an outstanding iron.

[citizenfore]

I have a set of the Standard '85's and love them. They look like butter knives but are fairly forgiving and feel great. I currently have 3-PW and am searching for the Up and Down wedge and Sand Wedge in decent shape. To be honest I have no idea about the popularity of them (or lack thereof)..

[NRJyzr]

When the Standards were produced, Wilson Staffs were the clubs to have. According to Richard in the Staff thread, over 50% usage at one point. Not a lot of room for anyone else at that point.

 

I'd heard it said the choice of 370 shafts in the Standards was a sticking point for some pros. This was offered by someone who didn't quite seem to understand the actual differences between the two, and was heavily biased, so I was unsure of taking his word. ;)

 

I've owned all three editions, they're all quite excellent IMHO. Fairly sharp leading edge, which can be a problem for some. I found them surprisingly forgiving of toe hits. Feel was quite a bit like Wilson Staffs IMHO.

 

Have given thought to looking for a set for myself, as I've unloaded all three sets I've had.

[teevons]

Here is a set of Palmer Original Limited Edition I dug out, Never hit, they take 370 , not 355 shaft. Beautiful heads

[citizenfore]

Those are gorgeous!

[BIG STU]

Here is a set of Palmer Original Limited Edition I dug out, Never hit, they take 370 , not 355 shaft. Beautiful heads

WOW! Man where do you come up with all of this neat stuff?

[BIG STU]

When the Standards were produced, Wilson Staffs were the clubs to have. According to Richard in the Staff thread, over 50% usage at one point. Not a lot of room for anyone else at that point.

 

I'd heard it said the choice of 370 shafts in the Standards was a sticking point for some pros. This was offered by someone who didn't quite seem to understand the actual differences between the two, and was heavily biased, so I was unsure of taking his word. ;)

 

I've owned all three editions, they're all quite excellent IMHO. Fairly sharp leading edge, which can be a problem for some. I found them surprisingly forgiving of toe hits. Feel was quite a bit like Wilson Staffs IMHO.

 

Have given thought to looking for a set for myself, as I've unloaded all three sets I've had.

The thing about 370 shafts is that they offer so many different tipping options over 355s. I was on the old school of thought that if say Macgregor bored to 355 stock that was good enough. My friend who is a Master Club builder and Miura dealer and builder reversed my way of thinking a couple of years back. Now I will not hesitate in a heartbeat to ream one to 370. And doing as I do using used or takeout 370s are a lot easier to come by

[Texsport]

Those were fine blades!

 

I have set of tour issued/played Arnold Palmer Standard irons, including a 1-iron and a bunch of wedges made for tour pro George Burns.

 

His name, or initials - dont remember which - is stamped on each head.

 

I'll find 'em and take some pics.

 

Texsport

[Nessism]

My first ever set of new clubs was a set of Palmer Peerless blades, 1-SW. They were being phased out of production at that time, 1985 or 1986, and I got a great deal. I had just graduated college that year and was thrilled with the pickup.

 

They used Accels and Pollack (Apollo) shafts, with a "D" flex, which means they were half way between R and S. I loved those clubs, particularly the 1-iron. For some reason that club and I just plain got along.

 

For some reason I thought they were cast, but most info I've found on the internet say forged. There was no "forged" reference imprinted on the heads.

 

At any rate, I've got a soft spot in my heart for Palmer/First Flight/Pro Group clubs and I've got my radar up just in case the right set comes along.

[Nessism]

Oh, and those Arnold Palmer Limited Edition heads were Chinese made. They are beautiful but in my view they are not part of the "real" Palmer club heritage. Sort of an extension of the "Peerless" brand of components that carried on for several years after Palmer's club company folded up shop. The original "Peerless" clubs were those blades mentioned above, but he carried the name forward into CB designs. At some point Arnold sold the rights to the Peerless brand, and to a few head designs that were popular in his last few years. The new owners continued to sell Peerless brand components, including some newer designs even, but they eventually went out of business and I think Hireko wound up with the Peerless name.

 

 

[stage1350]

I thought most of APs clubs were done at Hoffman in TN?

[Texsport]

Here are some Arnold Palmer wedges and a 1-iron made for tour pro George Burns - GB on every sole.

 

Some clubs have Standard logo, but most don't.

 

 

Up And Down Wedges (60* wide sole, low bounce)- Sand Wedges (56* DynaPower grind) - Strong Sand Wedge/ Gap Wedges (52-54* narrower sole high bounce, cavity backs) - 1-iron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though it's not obvious from my amateurish photos, the grinds on these are distinctive. All the wedges have been ground to minimize the hosel thickness where they meet the club heads. This is thought to let the hosels cut thru rough more easily. The soles on the UpAndDown 60*s are the widest with 6-8* bounce, I estimate. The SWs are just like DynaPowers. The GAP SWs have narrow soles and maybe 12* bounce. Each example of each loft is virtually exactly the same, again indicating they were made to a specific order from the pro. I should also mention that all are slightly upright and 1/2" long, as G Burns was about 6'4". All have Green Victory grips and one of my favorite shafts ever - Dynamic Gold S-500.

 

Texsport

[EKELLY]

Unfortunately Palmer's manufacturing company was sub-standard, as was Players, and Hogan wasn't worth a hoot after Callaway bought them. Not even sure Y Callaway made the purchase as they weren't interested in forgings.......That's why it'll be interesting to see what happens with Taylor Made and Titleist in the near future.......

[birly-shirly]

What happened with Hogan is no secret. Callaway bought Spalding for their technology and market share in balls, Hogan was just a sub-brand within the Spalding portfolio.

 

Just the opposite of what happened with me the other week. I saw a beautiful leather bag sitting outside an antique shop, full of Slazenger Hogan Precision irons. For £10, I bought the lot, and when I got home discovered a pocket in the bag was full of vintage golf balls. 1.62 Dunlop 65s to be precise, several of which were wrapped in a pair of very worn and holey knee-length woollen socks which I think were intended to complement tweed britches.

 

Whilst I'm sure you're right that the Callaway purchase finished off that incarnation of Hogan, I wouldn't discount the quality of the clubs from that time. The Apex blades put out by Callaway, basically a re-issue of the classic '73 Apex, are apparently very good.

[rex235]

Spoke my piece on The Standard Irons from ProGroup/ First Flight/Palmer on another thread.

 

Great RH irons, but very few LH ones, and even those weren't as good translation as others like Hogan and Golden Ram.

Have Arnold Palmer's signature on my LH Standard 1 iron.

 

Stu-

 

You must know by now Teevons retired the trophy...... :taunt:

 

 

And since someone asked.....

 

To my knowledge, Pro Group/First Flight/Palmer did NOT make any LH Standard Forged Cavity Back iron models.

 

In his early PGA Tour days, Steve Stricker was a FF/Palmer Standard staffer who played the Clay Long designed PHD irons.

[Guest]

I recently acquired a set of arnol palmer

clubs with signature on the sole and pg on thetip. They have a very pure nothin fancy design and they hit extremely consistent

they were in a closet for ten years and look almost unplayed and i bought them

i cant find out if they were forged or cast or what year they were made but it would tak 5

bills to get them from me i love them

the first blades i have ever hit consistently

there are old bargains out there golf clubs are one step away from only lasting a short while

before these new diapragm faces fail

so if you want what was the accepted standard

and can stull outperform ( shot shaping) you better act quick these old clubs are going to get valuable unless you can afford a nee set every year

[Guest]

 

I recently acquired a set of arnol palmer

clubs with signature on the sole and pg on thetip. They have a very pure nothin fancy design and they hit extremely consistent

they were in a closet for ten years and look almost unplayed and i bought them

i cant find out if they were forged or cast or what year they were made but it would tak 5

bills to get them from me i love them

the first blades i have ever hit consistently

there are old bargains out there golf clubs are one step away from only lasting a short while

before these new diapragm faces fail

so if you want what was the accepted standard

and can stull outperform ( shot shaping) you better act quick these old clubs are going to get valuable unless you can afford a nee set every year

[raggal62]

Forged and likely from the 1970's.

[Bigarch]

PG was "Pro Group"....Arnold Palmer's company. Had Palmer clubs and Hot-Z bags back in the day.

[Guest]

Thx for the information folks

sometimes old things are still pretty good

say big arch whos that good looking guy

in your photo id?

[mocokid]

Hot Z was a very good bag to carry as a young HS caddy. I found out fast never go near a Wilson and Haig staff bag with 2 inch razor strap weighing 40 lbs with the umbrella. Also beware the Spalding leather staff bags with the S stitched in on the side.

 

[Jbeeson]

Does anyone know anything about what years Wilson made Arnold Palmer Shot Maker irons?  Picked a set up at a thrift store 3-9 irons with original leather reminder grips in great shape.  Minimal wear on the faces and original rust free reflex shafts and leather grips still have some tackiness to them and no cracks.   Just trying to find out some more information on them.  Haven’t had much luck thus far.

[raggal62]

16 hours ago, Jbeeson said:

Does anyone know anything about what years Wilson made Arnold Palmer Shot Maker irons?  Picked a set up at a thrift store 3-9 irons with original leather reminder grips in great shape.  Minimal wear on the faces and original rust free reflex shafts and leather grips still have some tackiness to them and no cracks.   Just trying to find out some more information on them.  Haven’t had much luck thus far.

I'm thinking these were offered in retail stores and not sold in pro shops. Most likely 60's vintage.

[cold_war_era_golfer]

Yeah the Palmer Shot Makers from Wilson were a retail line.  I think the Sneads were the same.

Nothing wrong with that I steered away from those as to I could get similar vintage pro lines for not much more in today's dollar/market.

 

Quick story though about store line clubs.  I ran into two golfers at the local par 3 last fall.  The group ahead of me was real slow and these two guys caught up to me at a tee box, they were actually playing solo as well to give you an idea of how backed up we were.  One was a guy in his 40s with a brand new bag of Callaways.  The other was a guy closer to my age in his 30s or late 20s.  He had a old bag with a shopping cart as a cart.  He pulled out a few Sam Snead clubs at the next two tees and hit the greens each time.  Won't tell you where Mr. Callaway's balls went.  But I will say that was serious moment for me in realizing the power of a well struck vintage blade and with skill behind it.

[cold_war_era_golfer]

My favorite putter is the Arnold Palmer Personal.  I think they date to 1964-1966ish.  I'd love a set of the Tru Matics with the similar "charger" shafts.  

[@_the_crook]

8 hours ago, coldwareragolfer said:

He had a old bag with a shopping cart as a cart.

 

were you at a Cook County park district course?

not uncommon -

[cold_war_era_golfer]

8 minutes ago, @_the_crook said:

 

were you at a Cook County park district course?

not uncommon -

Yeah but this was the Cook County North Suburbs.   Not a common sight on the Northshore.  The high school kids have pricier gear than me!

Edited February 10, 2021 by coldwareragolfer