Slazenger Stainless Jack Nicklaus

pinnacle384 · February 11, 2017

Curious if anyone has information on this set that I picked up at a garage sale.

Slazenger Stainless Jack Nicklaus U.S. Open. In the set was 2-SW (PW missing), 1.5 & 4 persimmons, and a Spalding TP Mills putter. I've picked them up in Sydney and the shaft bands say Made in Australia. There's a 'serial' on the ferrules CS508, and D3 (swingweight I assume).

Thanks in advance for any insights.

freddiec · February 11, 2017

Beautiful driver ! Great shape. I would think based on the look late 60s model .

rex235 · February 12, 2017

Pinnacle-

Haven't ever seen this Slazenger Jack Nicklaus US Open model, either in Persimmon woods or Stainless Steel irons, with the "Jack Nicklaus " signature, or "Genuine American Persimmon" decals. The Red and Blue Flags are Wilson, while both Spalding and MacGregor also had "1/2" increments for the Driver...

Only 3 insert screws? A drill-thru hosel which doesn't go "thru" the soleplate?

There appear to be a few similarities with other manufacturers, in both woods and irons, shapes and sizes.

Who provided the "Genuine American Persimmon" to Slazenger?

Do know Nicklaus had an overseas contract to Slazenger in the early '60s

That is a totally different "Jack NicklauS" signature decal with large "S" at the end.

Texsport · February 12, 2017

Deep face and a unique insert - sweet!

American pros often had contracts with foreign makers - Europe and Australia.

I recently saw a Slazenger/Ping putter withe Jack Nicklaus stamped in the sole. It sold for a substantial sum, as it is the only known example.

Texsport

rex235 · February 12, 2017

Deep face and a unique insert - sweet!

American pros often had contracts with foreign makers - Europe and Australia.

I recently saw a Slazenger/Ping putter withe Jack Nicklaus stamped in the sole. It sold for a substantial sum, as it is the only known example.

Texsport

Tex-

Didn't Gary Player also have a Slazenger/PING model?

Texsport · February 12, 2017

Yes - I think that one may even be pictured in the Bobby Grace Ping putter book.

Player may have had more than one model, in fact.

Texsport

fluffy265 · February 13, 2017

I have a lone PW for this set, plays nice too .... will check the serial # out...

J

pinnacle384 · February 13, 2017

rex, it sounds like you really know your stuff. Thanks for the details on the woods, but it seems like this set has a few more questions than answers ;).

I think I've read about Jack and others gaming Slazenger's when they came down for the Australian Open.

I've also seen old Slazenger Gary Player and Ben Hogan sets around. I was just wondering if the Nicklaus set was a proshop product or a mass sale department store brand. I'm knew to Australia so don't have any reference as to what's been around over the years.

The grips are totally shot, cracked GP Victory. I'll have to regrip and take them for a hit.

They have True Temper Pro Fit regular shafts; .580 I assume.

Fluffy - nice to hear they play well.

rex235 · February 14, 2017

rex, it sounds like you really know your stuff. Thanks for the details on the woods, but it seems like this set has a few more questions than answers ;).
I think I've read about Jack and others gaming Slazenger's when they came down for the Australian Open.
I've also seen old Slazenger Gary Player and Ben Hogan sets around. I was just wondering if the Nicklaus set was a proshop product or a mass sale department store brand. I'm knew to Australia so don't have any reference as to what's been around over the years.
The grips are totally shot, cracked GP Victory. I'll have to regrip and take them for a hit.
They have True Temper Pro Fit regular shafts; .580 I assume.

Fluffy - nice to hear they play well.

Pinnacle-

First things first...

Nice George Knudson avatar.

Admittedly, my eyes have looked at more than a few MacGregor woods and irons, but not nearly as many as Teevons, Ironmaster, Texsport, Stixman, et al. (Am still in awe of Ironmaster's collection, and the Niles Hoard)

These Slazenger Jack Nicklaus items in Australia are now answering a few of those questions raised about equipment contracts, and Jack wasn't alone when it came to playing different equipment outside the US.

Does anyone have knowledge about Jack Nicklaus using this Slazenger Stainless Steel iron model anywhere outside the US?

Update- Two years ago, someone posted a set of Slazenger Ben Hogan Stainless Championship irons on the Collectors Weekly website.

The profile of these Ben Hogan irons is very similar to the Jack Nicklaus irons you are showing. Granted, the stamps and signatures are different, but there is no mistaking the similarities.

Both iron sets appear to be from the '60s, as Jack Nicklaus didn't win the US Open until 1962.

pinnacle384 · February 15, 2017

Pretty sure this is the article I was remembering:

https://www.australiangolfdigest.com.au/made-in-australia/

A bit of history on the forgings done in Sydney.

pallap · February 21, 2017

here is the proper putter

rex235 · February 21, 2017

here is the proper putter

Pallap-

Great photo of a Slazenger Jack Nicklaus US Open putter!

Would all of these clubs been in a Slazenger ad somewhere?

GulfTrey · September 1, 2023

I have the exact same set and have no idea how to identify these clubs

Jiggered · September 2, 2023

Here's a video on Jack's Slazenger partnership, see from 11.00 for details on the partnership and a timeline for most of the UK made Slazenger Jack Nicklaus clubs plus a few from Australia.