Macgregor VIPs

[wannabepar]

Catchy,

 

I have a set of split soles and Nicklaus Muirfield VIP's.

 

I'd be willing to pass either of them along to you for shipping plus $20.00

 

Let me know,

 

Kurt

 

 

That was an incredibly nice offer. Heck, if I had game, I would take you up on the Muirfield VIP's myself. That's what's so good about this community. You're all such great people, as well as being a wonderful source of knowledge.

[BIG STU]

Apologies, as Maddie informed me that I was wrong on the bend and the lofts on the MTs. As she bends my irons for me she said that she did 3° on the MT's, making my 7i 34° and the others accordingly. Though the modern irons can go to 4°, she recommends no more than 3° on the vintage.

 

It's like I have my own human fact check and she loves me and cooks dinner for me too, HaHa.

 

Have a nice evening/day Gents :)

 

All the Best,

RP

She is entirely correct on those butter knife soles. My PW is bent back to 47* and my 9 I is at 43* and so on

 

Edit: With me I only go 2* on mine because I deloft the club some anyhow and if I go more with those butter knife leading edges I will dig to China and through to the Moon. That is one of the reasons when we did up the prototype grinds on the Infiniti TS-10 irons we had to do a leading edge relief grind because of my forward press delofting. All of that is an interesting story within itself

[BIG STU]

So, I won the auction, and I now have a set of MacGregor VIPs 2i-SW. I hit the PW, 7i, and 2i today at the range. The feel is great, but I really don't like DG s300 shafts! I was planning on getting them reshafted anyway, so it's not a problem. Not sure about distances compared to my other irons. The lofts are obviously weaker (49* PW, and the 7i is 37*, I think), and the shafts are also shorter. I think with the right shafts these will go a bit further, and then I just have to play a half club to a club more.

However, I still don't know exactly what I have. Here's a couple of pictures, including one of the ferrule and serial number. The 2i has a longer serial number (it's not part of the original set, which the buyer mentioned in the description of the set).

You can also see quite a bit of offset in the PW, which surprised me. Special design for the Japanese market?

 

That PW does have a lot more offset than mine does and has a more rounded toe. My VIPs look almost the same except mine have "by Macgregor on the toe. Now my 2 iron has like yours by Nicklaus and I had it before I had that set. That offset on your PW is about like the offset on a VIP 56* SW I have that was given to me by Curtis Strange himself and is one of his personal grinds. You get the right shafts for your game put in them and only jack them 2* hot and you will be amazed!! You will see the light of the Macgregor gospel just ask RP I converted him

[BIG STU]

Just got these custom Tourneys from an incredibly kind Gent from Va.

 

Yep, with Oakmont logo and the ferreles are in their club colors.

 

Thank you :)

 

Maddie just brought em to me. You made my week!!

 

My Best,

Richard

RP those are what us Mac guys call diamond backs or Nicklaus Diamond Backs. Nicklaus played those type of Macs for years in fact there are collector sets in the case with Jack Nicklaus on them that are going for big bucks. The Muirfields are basically the same forging as the VIP just different stampings and the toe on the Muirfields are a little more rounded. In fact we are in the process of rebuilding me a set of Muirfields ( not 20th Anniversary model) for my back up set and eventually my front line set because my short irons in the VIPs are getting worn out. I lucked up on the Muirfields and they had been rechromed and are pristine. If the VIPS make it through the next 2 seasons I think the Muirfields should last the rest of my playing days. Those diamond backs hit solid as heck and do not forgive any and when you flush one pure it will go. VIPs and Muirfields are a little more forgiving. You are really getting to be a dyed in the wool Mac man

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

So, I won the auction, and I now have a set of MacGregor VIPs 2i-SW. I hit the PW, 7i, and 2i today at the range. The feel is great, but I really don't like DG s300 shafts! I was planning on getting them reshafted anyway, so it's not a problem. Not sure about distances compared to my other irons. The lofts are obviously weaker (49* PW, and the 7i is 37*, I think), and the shafts are also shorter. I think with the right shafts these will go a bit further, and then I just have to play a half club to a club more.

However, I still don't know exactly what I have. Here's a couple of pictures, including one of the ferrule and serial number. The 2i has a longer serial number (it's not part of the original set, which the buyer mentioned in the description of the set).

You can also see quite a bit of offset in the PW, which surprised me. Special design for the Japanese market?

 

That PW does have a lot more offset than mine does and has a more rounded toe. My VIPs look almost the same except mine have "by Macgregor on the toe. Now my 2 iron has like yours by Nicklaus and I had it before I had that set. That offset on your PW is about like the offset on a VIP 56* SW I have that was given to me by Curtis Strange himself and is one of his personal grinds. You get the right shafts for your game put in them and only jack them 2* hot and you will be amazed!! You will see the light of the Macgregor gospel just ask RP I converted him

 

I was surprised by the offset as well, but the PW plays pretty well.

[mocokid]

Just got these custom Tourneys from an incredibly kind Gent from Va.

 

Yep, with Oakmont logo and the ferreles are in their club colors.

 

Thank you :)

 

Maddie just brought em to me. You made my week!!

 

My Best,

Richard

 

gorgeous, any history on them ?

[Ironmaster Oddities]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think I have seen at least a dozen different VIP irons. Each is great in its own way.

[Pepperturbo]

Whenever I see or hear Macgregor VIP's, I think of the one pictured below. I love the looks of them and wish I had game enough to hit them. I have loved the looks of those irons since they first came out.

 

I have a custom made set, 2-LW of the above blades. Flew to MacGregor facility for fitting. Best fitting imaginable, no one does today. I picked all aspects of the club head.

[teevons]

here are some different looking Macgregors, Japan issue Crenshaw

[rex235]

Teevons-

 

Yes, the trophy is still yours...

 

Does the 10 iron (PW) have the same muscleback profile as the 5 iron?

[BIG STU]

here are some different looking Macgregors, Japan issue Crenshaw

Those are different than mine. Now the scoring and design on the faces remind me of a set of Mac blades I have which say Macgregor Tour on the back. Those faces also remind me of a 985. The muscleback on yours is the same as my VIPS

[BIG STU]

Whenever I see or hear Macgregor VIP's, I think of the one pictured below. I love the looks of them and wish I had game enough to hit them. I have loved the looks of those irons since they first came out.

 

I have a custom made set, 2-LW of the above blades. Flew to MacGregor facility for fitting. Best fitting imaginable, no one does today. I picked all aspects of the club head.

Back in the day the Big 3 Macgregor Spalding and Wilson had real custom departments. Popular thing around home was a set of new forgings and grindings 53 Top Flite with like 1970 Stampings

[Pepperturbo]

Whenever I see or hear Macgregor VIP's, I think of the one pictured below. I love the looks of them and wish I had game enough to hit them. I have loved the looks of those irons since they first came out.

 

I have a custom made set, 2-LW of the above blades. Flew to MacGregor facility for fitting. Best fitting imaginable, no one does today. I picked all aspects of the club head.

Back in the day the Big 3 Macgregor Spalding and Wilson had real custom departments. Popular thing around home was a set of new forgings and grindings 53 Top Flite with like 1970 Stampings

 

Yes they did. My fitting was in 1999. Wasn't too many years later they quit offering custom fitting and custom clubs.. Back then, to companies like those 3, attention to detail was #1. Today, OEM's make clubs for the masses, who don't care about detail.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

A slight update. I'm thinking of reshafting these VIPs with Modus 125, probably X flex, maybe S. I'm going to get the 6 or 7 shafted first and try it out. I have never played Modus, but I want to do something different with these as they are very different irons from my other sets. I've hit the Modus 125 (X) in some Bridgestones, and it felt nice and smooth, and should bring out the best in these VIPs, which, when hit right, have a very satisfying feel to them.

[NRJyzr]

Catchy, if you don't like DGS as being too soft, Modus 125 in S would also be too soft. I think it's 125X for you. IMHO of course. ;)

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Catchy, if you don't like DGS as being too soft, Modus 125 in S would also be too soft. I think it's 125X for you. IMHO of course. ;)

 

I'm going to try the X-flex first, as I too think it will be the better fit for me. The Modus 125 I tried was X flex and it felt nice. Not so keen on the price, however...

That said, I could always splash out on DG Onyx X100 shafts, which are twice the price of the normal DGs.

[NRJyzr]

That IS the downside of Nippon shafts, they're priced higher. But, they also appear to be better quality. The SPB X I have feel better than DGX, as one example. I've got an 8 iron shafted with 120x, it has pretty good feel.

 

Still, an extra $15-16 per shaft adds up. Especially if you're a bit cheap, like yours truly. ;)

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

That IS the downside of Nippon shafts, they're priced higher. But, they also appear to be better quality. The SPB X I have feel better than DGX, as one example. I've got an 8 iron shafted with 120x, it has pretty good feel.

 

Still, an extra $15-16 per shaft adds up. Especially if you're a bit cheap, like yours truly. ;)

 

They certainly feel a bit different to DGs, which are what I'm used to, but in a good way. Here, the difference in price is more like US$25. Not sure why that should be, though.

[NRJyzr]

That's a bit odd, considering where the Modus shafts come from. Maybe a status premium locally? I'm fishing, of course, but it's odd....

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

That's a bit odd, considering where the Modus shafts come from. Maybe a status premium locally? I'm fishing, of course, but it's odd....

 

No idea! Really, it surprised me too when you said there was (only) a $15-16 difference where you are. In the shop I looked at, the normal DGs were just over 4,000 yen (this includes the cost of the reshafting work) versus 6,000 for the Moduses (again, this includes the reshafting work). Incidentally, neither price includes the 8% sales tax.

 

4,000 yen= $37 (so around $40 with tax)

6,000 yen= $56.5 (around $60 with tax).

[NRJyzr]

That's a bit odd, considering where the Modus shafts come from. Maybe a status premium locally? I'm fishing, of course, but it's odd....

 

No idea! Really, it surprised me too when you said there was (only) a $15-16 difference where you are. In the shop I looked at, the normal DGs were just over 4,000 yen (this includes the cost of the reshafting work) versus 6,000 for the Moduses (again, this includes the reshafting work). Incidentally, neither price includes the 8% sales tax.

 

4,000 yen= $37 (so around $40 with tax)

6,000 yen= $56.5 (around $60 with tax).

 

I should mention I'm talking about shaft component prices, not including any charge for the work. I do my own club work, up to a point, anyway.

 

DG is $21/shaft. All four Modus³ variants are all $37/shaft (pre-tax)

[BIG STU]

That IS the downside of Nippon shafts, they're priced higher. But, they also appear to be better quality. The SPB X I have feel better than DGX, as one example. I've got an 8 iron shafted with 120x, it has pretty good feel.

 

Still, an extra $15-16 per shaft adds up. Especially if you're a bit cheap, like yours truly. ;)

LOL you ain't no cheaper than I am. Most of the time I use pull outs from clubs I find on the yard or at the thrift stores. The few new ones I have came from my buddy when he retired and closed his shop (read freebies) :rofl:

[baloo]

Catchy,

 

I have a set of split soles and Nicklaus Muirfield VIP's.

 

I'd be willing to pass either of them along to you for shipping plus $20.00

 

Let me know,

 

Kurt

 

What shafts in the split soles? I have a good home in mind :)

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

A little update. I finally got around to loosening the ferrule on the 7i as suggested by Fellaheen. It was very easy to do. Anyway, I have taken the 7i to the local second hand golf shop, which also does club repairs and club making, and I am getting a ProjectX 6.0 shaft put in the 7i to try. It's going to be 37.25", 1/2" longer than standard, which is what I have been fitted for. If I like the ProjectX, I will shaft the whole set up like this, or at least the 3i to PW. Not sure if I will really be using the 2i or SW on the course. The 2i because I currently use it to carve the Sunday roast, and the SW because I'm just not sure I'm going to use it instead of my usual wedges.

If I don't like the ProjectX shafts, I will probably look at PXi or DG X100s, or possibly NSPRO 1150GH TOURS.

After the new shafts are put in, I'm going to get some idea of distances. The lofts are almost a full club weaker than my Mizuno Mp-4s. I'm actually tempted to weaken the VIPs by a degree to give them a touch more bounce.

[birly-shirly]

A little weaker won't hurt, IMO. Those soles are so thin that I don't think it's possible for any realistic increase in bounce to hurt their playability, and, so long as you're philosophical about the number stamped on the sole of the iron you hit to the green, I don't think anything improves the playability of blades so much as a little extra loft. Even your 2 iron might be more playable than you think, if you set it to a historically authentic 20* - 22*. Especially at the low end of the set, every degree makes a difference.

[justasgood]

Catchy,

 

I have a set of split soles and Nicklaus Muirfield VIP's.

 

I'd be willing to pass either of them along to you for shipping plus $20.00

 

Let me know,

 

Kurt

 

What shafts in the split soles? I have a good home in mind :)

 

I'll check.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

A little weaker won't hurt, IMO. Those soles are so thin that I don't think it's possible for any realistic increase in bounce to hurt their playability, and, so long as you're philosophical about the number stamped on the sole of the iron you hit to the green, I don't think anything improves the playability of blades so much as a little extra loft. Even your 2 iron might be more playable than you think, if you set it to a historically authentic 20* - 22*. Especially at the low end of the set, every degree makes a difference.

 

I agree. I'm quite happy with a 50* PW, and I would much prefer to have a 22* 2i that I could hit that a 21* 3i that I can't. I want to see how the 7i plays on the course before I decide about altering lofts, though. If the turf interaction is OK as is, that I will probably stick with the original lofts. Another factor is distance. If I am hitting nice round numbers with my key irons (PW, 7i, and maybe 5i), then I will stick with what I have. I am worried that strengthening the lofts on these irons will give them negative bounce and make them dig. That's not a fear I have with weakening them.

[Forged4ever]

No catchy,

Just remember that if you decrease the loft, you will also decrease the bounce accordingly.

Uncle Bob

True, though I have never found it to be of consequence for a 2-3° bend, and I've bent every iron since my 14's in the early 90's(14's, 33's, 68's & Staff 59's).

 

My reasoning was to flatten my trajectory-

 

It's an individual thing, like anything else in this game.

 

Have a great week :)

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever My Friends,

Richard

[oldschoolrocker]

Wanna,

Those are exceptionally forgiving for there design. Pick up a set, or find a single club and give it a go.

The wedges are real sleepers and have tremendous feel.

[nikegal]

Just got these custom Tourneys from an incredibly kind Gent from Va.

 

Yep, with Oakmont logo and the ferreles are in their club colors.

 

Thank you :)

 

Maddie just brought em to me. You made my week!!

 

My Best,

Richard

 

gorgeous, any history on them ?

Hi Moc, I am Maddie, Richard's fiance. The gentleman/member who sent these to us is from VA, is a collector and has hundreds of sets in his barn, of which this was one. Being unable to get through to Richard in his message system(Richard blames the system though I think it's him, lol, and his technological limitations), he messaged me and said that he would like to send them up to Richard. He is a real sweetheart.

 

Richard checked out the member who's name was on the shaft band however he passed some time ago with no family currently in the club so Richard is going to give them to his father's retired partner who is still a Mac Man, was the #2-3 Player on Penn State's team, is a member at Richard's club along with Oakmont and was Jack's doc before Richard's father took over his care. I hit them and they have a very nice feel though I would change the shafts. They are in fantastic condition. Have a nice day :) Maddie