Help Identify - Macgregor Irons

[peterkcc]

Hi Everybody,

I picked these up used and they are beautiful but I don't know anything about them... Any ideas?? 2-SW. Matching Serial Numbers

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[peterkcc]

Possibly VIP customs??

[BIG STU]

Definitely VIP Custom "SO" on the serial number denotes "Special Order" Those look to be a combo of VIP muscle with 985 Tourney Custom "boxed grooves"

[rex235]

Peter-

Your set is a Special Order Custom set of MacGregor Irons, straight from page 4 of the 1980 MacGregor Professional Catalog-

More than likely done via a clubfitting with the MacGregor Representative, and ground by/under Don White's supervision.

"VIP" style Muscleback Design (Blank, with no Golf Club affiliation..hmmm)

Sorry, but MacGregor closed up 10 years ago, and with it, so did their records. This would have been a recorded custom set.

The "P" for Pitching Wedge rather than "10" iron leads me to guess these irons were more '90s than '80s.

 

 

 

 

 

[Shallowface]

The Muirfield irons, first offered in 1983, used a "P" on the Pitching Wedge, as did the Colokrom remakes that came along at the same time.

 

 

[54CW]

I’m looking for help identifying a set too. 2-10. There’s no rust just some wear spots.

[NRJyzr]

 

These look to be the 1980-82 MT blades.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

I think NRJyzr's right. What's the stamping on the hosel? I've read somewhere that if there's "Tour Forged" stamped on the hosel it means it was the first year of their release (i.e. 1980).

I have a set, but without "Tour Forged" on the hosel. Mine are really beaten up, but I like them a lot. They're quite long heel to toe for sure, but they're easy to play and I think they feel great.

[54CW]

How are your grooves compared to these? I’m hoping to get a few rounds of out them. These look beat up but the wear spots are small enough that I don’t think I would notice any problems.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

The browning and wear on the soles is pretty similar, but mine don't have wear spots like yours.

Mine were/are beat-up in other ways: chrome is peeling on the top line of the 4i, the 5i and 7i have a gouge mark or two on the soles, the shafts were really rusty on most of them, and the lofts and lies were all over the place. I put new shafts in and adjusted the lofts and lies to what I wanted (based off a 50* 10i), then took them out as a "beater" set. I was then surprised how well they performed, and how solid they felt.

Unfortunately, I put DGX100 shafts in them, and I'm not sure I can swing these now after a hernia in summer, so they haven't seen any bag time this year.

[54CW]

Luckily these have don't have any rust on the heads or shafts. I'm pretty sure these have a stiff shaft from true temper but I'm not sure of the model. I will be re-gripping them to see if there is any rust I cant see.

 

[CWW]

Anyone know how the serial numbers work for MacGregor. I have refurbished a set of Persimmon woods for my Dad and it would be nice to know how old they are. 
All matched 0919E3

[Brewski_golfs]

12 hours ago, CWW said:

Anyone know how the serial numbers work for MacGregor. I have refurbished a set of Persimmon woods for my Dad and it would be nice to know how old they are. 
All matched 0919E3

Pictures would be very helpful to identify the specific model. 

[rgk5]

On 12/29/2019 at 7:52 AM, NRJyzr said:

 

These look to be the 1980-82 MT blades.

Correct.  I had a set in 1984 and shot 66 (-6) to win an Interclub event. Nice irons and had the old, heavy, pre Gold , Dynamic S shafts.

[LukeTa]

I'm enjoying this thread!!  Can anyone please offer some insight into these irons?  My Dad bought them new.  They have matching "SO" serials so special order from what's posted above.  No "forged" stamping on the hosel.  TT Dynamic S shafts.  Just wanting to confirm what year model they are and what value if any.  I have 1 iron through Sand Iron.  The pw is a 10 iron.  Thanks guys!!

 

 

[LukeTa]

My account is confirmed now!! 🙂  Here are some pics of these.  Appreciate any insight. 

[LukeTa]

[LukeTa]

[LukeTa]

SO 6705 A on all but the Si

[BIG STU]

27 minutes ago, LukeTa said:

I could have told you without the SO serial numbers those were special order. They have the boxed in grooves like Tourney Customs instead of the diamond faces. When I say boxed grooves I do not mean the shape of the grooves like Ping but the lines going Horizontal at the end of the grooves. Also they do not have "By Macgregor or : By Nicklaus" stamped on the back. But what surprises me is that they do not have custom stamped on them either

[LukeTa]

Thanks Stu!  So are these just considered "VIP customs".  Can you tell approximately when they were made? 

 

[BIG STU]

18 minutes ago, LukeTa said:

Thanks Stu!  So are these just considered "VIP customs".  Can you tell approximately when they were made? 

 

Can not decipher the year made from the SN. But yeah definetely VIP Customs

[Bigarch]

6 hours ago, BIG STU said:

I could have told you without the SO serial numbers those were special order. They have the boxed in grooves like Tourney Customs instead of the diamond faces. When I say boxed grooves I do not mean the shape of the grooves like Ping but the lines going Horizontal at the end of the grooves. Also they do not have "By Macgregor or : By Nicklaus" stamped on the back. But what surprises me is that they do not have custom stamped on them either

That's a funky set isn't it Stu?  I'm no MAC expert but initially I would think maybe early 80's before the JNP's came out.  And maybe they were made for a player that just didn't want the Nicklaus signature on the back.  But you just didn't see very many without some kind of other stamp on the back, back then. So then you think (because of no serial number) maybe late 80's or near the end of the run....  but then there's those boxed grooves which point to a set that was very, very early.  Boxed grooves were more of a 60's-70's kinda thing weren't they???  Hell who knows?  Cool set of blades though!

Edited January 29, 2022 by Bigarch
Spelling

[BIG STU]

3 hours ago, Bigarch said:

That's a funky set isn't it Stu?  I'm no MAC expert but initially I would think maybe early 80's before the JNP's came out.  And maybe they were made for a player that just didn't want the Nicklaus signature on the back.  But you just didn't see very many without some kind of other stamp on the back, back then. So then you think (because of no serial number) maybe late 80's or near the end of the run....  but then there's those boxed grooves which point to a set that was very, very early.  Boxed grooves were more of a 60's-70's kinda thing weren't they???  Hell who knows?  Cool set of blades though!

They have the SO denotation serial numbers. I was just saying that even if they had just the heads I knew they were Special Order. No telling what year they were made unless one can trace the serial numbers. I do not know for sure when Mac started the boxed groove thing I know Hogan did it in the early 50s. And yes I agree with you evidently who ever ordered them did not want any more stampings on the back besides VIP. And yes they are cool

[LukeTa]

Stu & Arch, I really appreciate the feedback guys!  I could definitely see my Dad asking them to keep them simple with only "VIP" and no other stampings.  So, these have been in the family ever since, and have been sitting in my closet collecting dust for about 10 years now.  I'm thinking about letting them go to someone who would enjoy them and appreciate them.  What would you guys reckon would be a fair asking price for them?  They're in great shape, no rust, and grooves are still solid.  A bit of wear on the 8i but not bad at all.  Thanks again!

[Swingingk]

If they were my own Dad's clubs and I knew he was into them enough to custom order then I'd definitely keep them in the family.  Each to their own though.  Ebay would get them to someone who wants them.  Actual dollar value on vintage golf equipment tends to be so low that it's hardly worth even bothering to sell them.

[LukeTa]

I hear ya.  By "enjoy and appreciate" I mean actually play with them.  I know there are purists out there who would love a set of classic muscle backs like these

[Forged Hack]

On 1/30/2022 at 2:16 PM, Swingingk said:

If they were my own Dad's clubs and I knew he was into them enough to custom order then I'd definitely keep them in the family.  Each to their own though.  Ebay would get them to someone who wants them.  Actual dollar value on vintage golf equipment tends to be so low that it's hardly worth even bothering to sell them.

+1 to keeping them in the family. I occasionally use my Dad’s old putter and all the memories come back.

[stimpmeterp]

Can anyone ID these “MT by MacGregor” irons that belonged to my Dad?  He played them in the early 80s.  They have MacGregor MT Lite shafts.  Serials 2L1H37.

@Brewski_golfs @NRJyzr @No_Catchy_Nickname @rex235 @BIG STU

 

Edited February 24, 2022 by stimpmeterp

[NRJyzr]

They look similar to the VIP Limited set from 73 or 74.  I dimly remember there also being an MT set around this time with the same, or similar, muscle shape.  

 

Hoping Brother Stu, MacGregorologist, will chime in....