RAM Calvin Peete Sand Iron

[lanzador49]

Peete “personal grind”

 

Have had this lying around for years.

 

What did RAM put in the mix for these irons???

 

[NRJyzr]

Apologize for possible density on my part, but not sure what you mean by "what did Ram put in the mix"....

[lanzador49]

Was the iron made with butter? Superball material? Did they melt down cylinders from 1966 Oldsmobiles? Maybe some lead?

 

It just has a distinctive heft and feel...

[rex235]

Calvin Peete was a RAM Tour Staff, as was Tom Watson.

PGA Tour Staffers had the luxury of getting Custom Ground irons. No surprise there.

If one compares the Peete Personal Grind to the Tom Watson Personal Grind, they might find the leading edge, the bounce and the back pad grinds are slightly different. From the photo, Peetes RAM Personal Grind SW appears to have a milled cut in the back pad, eliminating the overall weight rather than by drilling holes. It now appears "custom" ground wedges include drilled holes.

Somewhere in the Sports Illustrated Vault, there is an article written by a well known sports writer that chronicled a conversation between Calvin Peete and one Jack Nicklaus. It is worth reading.

[lanzador49]

Great info! I noticed that the Peete grind was very similar to the Watson grind...seems like the Peete version is also a bit more upright (bit that’s adjustable...).

[SteveNZ]

Hard to imagine Calvin Peete ever hitting it into a bunker.

[BIG STU]

> @lanzador49 said:

> Was the iron made with butter? Superball material? Did they melt down cylinders from 1966 Oldsmobiles? Maybe some lead?

>

> It just has a distinctive heft and feel...

 

LOL I think it was a 65 Olds they had softer metal--- Just saying---- Shocking never heard or seen such a wedge--- Calvin Peete was known for being one of the straightest drivers of the golf ball ever----- He was around the Charlotte area before he went on tour back when I was a kid. I remember in those days he played a battered set of Wilson Staff irons and a Izette driver---- Back in those days we had quite a few good African American golfers in the area thanks to one Mr Charlie Sifford who was born and raised in Charlotte. If you watch the CG Show Uneven Fairways there was one Mr James Black on there who also was from Charlotte. He is the guy who presuaded my old man to change my grip from a interlock to a overlap. My old man used to back several of those guys in big money matches.

[rex235]

STU- Since you started...

Our Dad took photos of Charlie Sifford, Pete Brown, and Lee Elder at the Buick Open (MI)in the '60s.

This was long before the PGA Tour established guidelines for photos and autographs.

Followed Calvin Peete at a Monday Pro Am in June '79, It was the day after '79 US Open in Inverness (irwin). The Pro-Am headliner was 67 years young Sam Snead, who would have shot his age except for a number on 18. Peete had played the final round at Inverness with Gary Player. It was less than a month before his 1st Win at Milwaukee. Peete putted with a Wilson Tour Special (8802) then. The young man who caddied for Peete that day was almost smaller than Peete's Staff bag.

In 2001, we sent Charlie Sifford his book, "Just Let Me Play" and the photo that our Dad took back then. Dr. Sifford autographed them both, and sent them back to us. Lee Elder didn't send any of the his photos "Man to Watch" back.

It will be 18 years in December.

Sifford won both the '67 Hartford Open, and the '69 LA Open. Both these PGA Tour Events are still being played today.

Pete Brown won the '64 Waco Turner Classic, and the 1970 Andy Williams San Diego Open, beating Tony Jacklin in a playoff. Jacklin had made an 18 footer on the 72nd hole to tie Brown, but there was one other golfer in that last group with a chance to tie them, yet... that was when Jack Nicklaus didn't make his 5 footer on the last hole. NBC did the Telecast, and Jim Simpson was in the 18th tower. Brown won the playoff on the 1st extra hole, and it was the day before Brown's birthday. As most know, neither Sifford nor Brown EVER got to Augusta for the Masters, and if there ever was a year they deserved to go,

1970 was it, so...

Later in 1970, Tony Jacklin won the US Open at Haseltine, and Jack Nicklaus won the Open at St. Andrews,

In an 18 hole Playoff with Doug Sanders- Yes where Doug Sanders missed the winning putt- It's been said

Ben Hogan had yelled, "...step away from that putt Sanders!" watching on TV half a world away. Since it was tape delay..

It was 50 plus years this past year for Charlie Siffords last win in LA, and it will be 50 years for Pete Brown in 2020. It will be 35 for Calvin Peete's win at the Players. May they as well as Jimmy Black, Bill Spiller, and all those who Tiger said he "could go on and on" about when he first won the Masters in '97- Rest In Peace. And William Wright, who won the USGA Public Links in 1959-60 years ago, but that is another story for another thread...

[Fellaheen51]

@rex235. Thanks for sharing your recollections of Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder, Calvin Peete, et. al. Had never heard of William Wright before. Perhaps the first to announce that "a change is gonna come" by the excellence of his golf game. A great history lesson for us all. Spent the better part of the last two hours reading about these men. Their contributions to golf, but more importantly, how they began to break down societal barriers.

 

Especially enjoyed your comment about the Buick Open. As it brought back a flood of memories shared with my Father attending that tournament. He worked for GM, getting free tickets was never a problem. Warwick was 15 minutes up the road from home. He always wanted to attend on cut day (Friday), so we could roam around watching everyone. He was a big fan of Arnold Palmer and would follow in the "army" for a few holes before breaking away from the hoards.

 

We were standing along a fairway as Charlie Sifford walked by. Not ten feet away. With his ever present clenched cigar, focusing on his next shot. For whatever reason, we made eye contact. Gave him a spontaneous nod, he returned the nod. Thought to myself that guy has some serious swagger. Can't remember what far distant year this was. Thinking it may have been '68 or '69, was still in high school is the only reference point. But that singular instance still resonates. FWIW. Many good times spent attending the Buick over the years. I'm missing my Dad in this early morning hour.

 

Pardon the digression. Please return to the topic at hand.

[mocokid]

strangely enough or maybe not, lot more diversity on the PGA tour back in the "bad ole" days, then today.

[BIG STU]

> @rex235 said:

> STU- Since you started...

> Our Dad took photos of Charlie Sifford, Pete Brown, and Lee Elder at the Buick Open (MI)in the '60s.

> This was long before the PGA Tour established guidelines for photos and autographs.

> Followed Calvin Peete at a Monday Pro Am in June '79, It was the day after '79 US Open in Inverness (irwin). The Pro-Am headliner was 67 years young Sam Snead, who would have shot his age except for a number on 18. Peete had played the final round at Inverness with Gary Player. It was less than a month before his 1st Win at Milwaukee. Peete putted with a Wilson Tour Special (8802) then. The young man who caddied for Peete that day was almost smaller than Peete's Staff bag.

> In 2001, we sent Charlie Sifford his book, "Just Let Me Play" and the photo that our Dad took back then. Dr. Sifford autographed them both, and sent them back to us. Lee Elder didn't send any of the his photos "Man to Watch" back.

> It will be 18 years in December.

> Sifford won both the '67 Hartford Open, and the '69 LA Open. Both these PGA Tour Events are still being played today.

> Pete Brown won the '64 Waco Turner Classic, and the 1970 Andy Williams San Diego Open, beating Tony Jacklin in a playoff. Jacklin had made an 18 footer on the 72nd hole to tie Brown, but there was one other golfer in that last group with a chance to tie them, yet... that was when Jack Nicklaus didn't make his 5 footer on the last hole. NBC did the Telecast, and Jim Simpson was in the 18th tower. Brown won the playoff on the 1st extra hole, and it was the day before Brown's birthday. As most know, neither Sifford nor Brown EVER got to Augusta for the Masters, and if there ever was a year they deserved to go,

> 1970 was it, so...

> Later in 1970, Tony Jacklin won the US Open at Haseltine, and Jack Nicklaus won the Open at St. Andrews,

> In an 18 hole Playoff with Doug Sanders- Yes where Doug Sanders missed the winning putt- It's been said

> Ben Hogan had yelled, "...step away from that putt Sanders!" watching on TV half a world away. Since it was tape delay..

> It was 50 plus years this past year for Charlie Siffords last win in LA, and it will be 50 years for Pete Brown in 2020. It will be 35 for Calvin Peete's win at the Players. May they as well as Jimmy Black, Bill Spiller, and all those who Tiger said he "could go on and on" about when he first won the Masters in '97- Rest In Peace. And William Wright, who won the USGA Public Links in 1959-60 years ago, but that is another story for another thread...

 

Around the Charlotte area Charlie Sifford was known as "Cigar Charlie" But my old man knew him well and made me call him Mr Sifford. I was in Charlotte quite a few years back and went by Revolution Park ( now Dr Charles Sifford golf club) to see if any of the old guys were there. James Black was there and told Charlie who was getting old who I was. Of course I called him Mr Sifford and he asked how old I was. I think I was in my 40s then and he told me call him "Cigar" like my daddy did. Yep I knew a lot of those guys like Nate Starks and Pete Mcdowell. Yeah I could go on too all of them good players and great guys