Oldest irons you game regularly

[NRJyzr]

 

It's similar here for me, Stu. A fair number of my friends find it interesting that I'm playing old stuff, but they've got no interest in doing it themselves. One of my buds, a born and bred Scot, carries a 1 iron and enjoys that I sometimes have one in my bag (I usually get an "atta boy" when I use it), but that's as close as it gets.

Most of the crap they give me is related to the changes I do in the bag, swapping out this or that club. I may do that from time to time. LOL

[Jiggered]

Foozle,

Thanks for the picture of the Argyle, I've seen an older version but that one is new to me, looks to be at the end of the Spalding era.

The end of Stewart golf is a lot harder to trace than I'd have thought, below is the best estimate from what I've found.

The Stewart forge was acquired by Forgan who were in turn acquired by Spalding. Spalding had started making clubs in the UK some time in the early 20th century, they continued to use the Forgan and Stewart names for clubs produced at St Andrews. This is why you'll see Forgan Cash-In putters.

Spalding made another attempt on the UK around 1960 and built a factory in Northern Ireland, still retaining the St Andrews facility and I believe your club is from that second phase, mid to late 1960s.

The Northern Ireland factory wasn't a success and was sold in the mid 1960s. What was left of the St Andrews factory became Swilken, whose clubs also featured the pipe cleek mark for a while. An advert for pipe brand golf clubs by Swilken appears in 1966.

 

Then there's the St Andrews Golf Company.....

St Andrews Golf Company is often confused with St Andrew Golf Co, which was a separate company altogether.

 

St Andrews Golf Co:

This history page from their website summarises the various historic companies who are now under their umbrella but the company itself didn't appear until a lot later.https://www.standrewsgolfco.com/about/history/

 

St Andrew Golf Co:

Were actually in Dunfermline and not St Andrews, they began in 1906 in the hickory era and finally succumbed around the late 1970s. The running stag (ST.A.G.) was their cleek mark, see pics below of a few of their clubs.

The last picture is a Swilken Eric Brown iron with the pipe cleek mark.

[Zen_Golfer]

Mizuno Silver Cup. I believe these are from sometime in the mid to late '80s. Theyre old, theyve got all kinds of bag chatter marks but they still work very well.

[sachdog]

Same

[BIG STU]

^^^^ I catch the same flack you do over the same things. But then again even at my new club some of the guys do ask what I am hitting today? But my bud the GM did tell one of the guys If he saw me with the Blue Burton bag with the lead taped Mac blades then I was serious and kicking a$$ and taking names. If I had the green carry bag or the small Jones bag with persimmon woods then I was messing around

[BIG STU]

Are they organized in any form in the states yet? If so I would like more info please. No one around here plays vintage and I am looked upon as having some kind of screw loose for doing so

[BIG STU]

Hey guys just joined but had to join Face Book first--- But joined and was approved and posted just now. Should not be too hard to figure out who I am

[Jiggered]

Welcome to the group Stu! There's talk of games in the States and occasionally guys will hook up in twos or threes but I'm not aware of a larger group meeting up.

There was a commercial event being organised for later this year but it was quite costly if I remember right.

Unfortunately it seems that your guys are bigger collectors than players, but there are some who go out and play the clubs as it should be.

Trouble is the USA is a big country so finding someone in travelling range is the hard part!

If you're ever over in the UK we'll guarantee you a few games.

[Foozle]

Jiggered,

Thanks for all the info! I was not at all aware of the Spalding connection and had obviously got the detail of Nicoll, Stewart etc ending up under the STAG banner.

Concious we are hi jacking the thread here but, talking of STAG, here is a very special club (to me)!

This was one of the very first clubs I owned as part of a very ramshackle collection assembled from many local lofts, garages and sheds to get me started nearly 50 years ago! Cripps!

It is a 2 iron with wood effect steel shaft. Sadly cut down for me. I still have it as I reverted to using it as, dare I say, a jigger! It returned to my bag on many occasions when my short game tribulations were at their worst. It guaranteed I could maintain some level of scoring and prevented a complete collapse in confidence.

However, wind forward to my collecting days and I recognise it as one of Willie Ogg(mented)'s clubs. The weight ports are visible in the toe - eat your heart out PXG!

The curiosity for me is the running STAG and Wilson cleek marks? Gene Sarazen was signed for Wilson by this time and Wilson produced Ogg-mented irons in their own name so it seems odd that the STAG is also present?

Any thoughts?

[Jiggered]

Foozle,

Ha ha, another coincidence, I'm plagued with short game woes too.

That Oggmented club is a beauty! I've seen them before but didn't realise that they had weight ports in the toe!

Oggmented clubs were I believe first produced by STAG and later by Wilson later as a result of their partnership between the wars.

The use of the flag cleek mark has confused me for some time too, it appears on a few clubs that were made in the UK, my favourite example being the Royal Scott shown below.

(I've just had a Eureka moment, St Andrew Golf Co produced later models of the Royal Scot, this has got to be one of their early ones!)

It's funny how ideas go in and out of favour, I've got some Nicoll Akurasy irons that are weighted the opposite of the Oggmented irons!

[BIG STU]

I have been on it all afternoon--- I believe me and the Christian fellow would get along fine. He collects and plays Macgregor stuff just like I do.

[Jiggered]

I'm sure of that Stu, he's got the best MacGregor collection I've seen, probably the biggest in the UK.

[Foozle]

Jiggered,

Once again, thanks for the info. I didn't realise there was a formal partnership between STAG and Wilson but did know they had Willie Ogg in common. I assumed that was at different times in Willie's career but it does explain both cleek marks being present.

To hopefully return some info, I have tried to picture the weight ports in the toe of the club and also attach an excerpt from the 1934 Wilson catalogue (courtesy of Kaplan).

It puts them about 85 years ahead of PXG!

Feels slightly odd that I have owned this for more than half its life and that it was actually newer when I got it than most of the clubs I play today! I regret that it was cut down (by about 6 inches) but suppose if it hadn't been it would not have survived at all. The way my short game is it might make a return appearance soon!

[RobotDoctor]

My 1999 Ben Hogan Apex irons (my gamer set). I do have a set of 1987-1989 MacGregor Muirfield 20th irons that have not been hit (mint). I have not taken those out as of yet and currently am not planning to.

[Jiggered]

Thanks for the club description and picture, very interesting, I'm going to have to start searching for an Oggmented iron!

You could probably reshaft your club without too much difficulty. 1930s steel shafted clubs are the least popular area with collectors so there are lots about for no money, sadly in fact they're being dumped more often than sold.

Looking at STAG clubs further, I think all the UK clubs I've seen with the Wilson flag are STAG so that clears up that puzzle, below is a Sweepstakes with the Wilson flags and the running stag, also marked St Andrew Golf Co.

 

[BIG STU]

Virgin Muirfield 20ths huuh? I would build me a nice display case and display those---- And that is heavy coming from me the guy who says play them. I have one virgin club and that is a blonde Toney Penna driver i posted on here a few years back. LOl I have one just like it that has been hit

[RobotDoctor]

The Muirfield 20th irons are in a golf carry bag from my college team (not what we used but a Sun Mountain collegiate carry bag). Once I get my MacGregor collection down to essentials I’ll put the irons in my MacGregor staff bag in my home office.

[BIG STU]

When you do that you gotta post a picture!! Funny thing is last night I messed around ( inspired by Persimmon Golf Society) and made up a set in my Mac Staff bag. Put my complete set of Muirfields 2 thru PW in there along with my JN -100 putter and Penna SW. I also have a vintage Bag Boy pull cart to put them on. Like I said I have 3 sets. The one set is only 4 thru 9 and the other set is beat up some 2 thru PW and I have #3 Hogan Apex shafts in them and are set up exactly as a back up for my MacHogan VIPs. On that set up I have not decided on woods yet but will figure out.

[Soloman1]

 

They're only from the 80's, but older than many of the guys I play with... :)

[Foozle]

Soloman1,

Great bag of clubs!

I also have MS11 2-SW and believe they date to 1989. I have posted elsewhere that they are the softest of my Mizuno blades (also have TP9, MP14 & MP32).

90th anniversary persimmon looks stunning! Any other pics?

 

[raggal62]

Nice set.

I really like your Pro Sonic 4 wood. An ideal fairway wood.

[Gsea]

1965 dynapowers and mid 70 speedslots

[BIG STU]

Yep a 1 iron and WOW! 2 iron also and all of it in a second generation Hoofer bag----- Whats not to like there?

[BIG STU]

Someone posted one of those 90th edition drivers over on Persimmon Golf Society the other night

[fluffy265]

Been a while... what's normally in my bag: Yamaha W-602, Mac PT1W 2W, Spalding Tour Edition 1I, Mac 945 Colokroms 3-9, Cleveland special 47 PW, DW 52, WILSON Staff Fliud Feel SW and Wilson 8802 or Tad Moore of some kind...

Bit eclectic but traditionally I play best with Mac irons from late 50's - early 60's in the bag.

J

 

[Richard 77]

 

I, found these recently at a GW. Disappointed I couldn’t find the rest. I would really like to find the 5,7, 9 someday.these have Rocket shafts a d leather grips..

[Jiggered]

I've not seen this set in the UK, even though it says Gt Britain on the sole.

I wondered if they were made for export only? Or maybe I've just not seen any in the UK yet!

Date wise I'd say early 1960s.

[LeftyMac]

More than a little similar to a late 50's early 1960's Wilson Staff on the back pad.

[Richard 77]

 

How about these for old.. 70-71 . Absolutely 99 percent new..

 

[BIG STU]

That Cleveland 47 is one heck of a wedge. I rotate it out from time to time