Forgotten Iron Companies

[elwhippy]

Caveat Emptor. Sounder Seve Blades were awful quality. Swing weights, lofts and lies were all over the place. A friend of mine used Prima blades. Looked and played great. Daiwa Trypower irons were a very good quality and affordable cavity back popular in the UK. I remember the massive hype around Goldwin and Atrigon. Neither lasted long....the curse of Nick Price....

[bma725]

23 hours ago, Fairway14 said:

Maruman, Square Two,  Founders Club, and Zevo  were iron brands which sponsored a few Tour players, but I never saw theses brands for sale at retail or within amateur players bags.

 

Man, those names bring back memories.  I worked at a country club from the mid-1990s to early 2000s.  The teaching pro was on staff with Zevo (after having been a Langert guy) and the head pro was on staff with Founders Club.  We sold a decent amount of the Zevo Comp Equipe irons, though I can't recall anyone using the Founders besides the pro.  By the time I left both companies were done, though they did make come backs later....Zevo as part of Golfsmith, and Founders a few years later with an oversize titanium version of their popular "The Judge" driver from the early 1990s.

 

[@_the_crook]

3 hours ago, Sean2 said:

They made good equipment. Not sure what happened to them. 

 

did some research on Sounders a few years ago after finding a wonderful Pacer flange style putter of theirs in a secondhand store.  they made really good gear - pro shop quality.

turned out that their factory in Ivoryton, Connecticut was washed away by a dam collapse in a nearby town due to an extreme storm in 1982.

the plant was downhill of the flood and - you can imagine the rest.

quote from a newspaper article stated that the aftermath debris included 'golf clubs from the nearby factory'.

 

 

 

 

[@_the_crook]

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[Hstead]

How about Yonex, Powerbuilt, or the incredible Foxbats?

[Members Only]

On 11/23/2020 at 8:42 AM, cardoustie said:

Diawa had irons for a while

 

Liquidmetal .. 

 

Goldwin AVDP?

 

Browning

 

Prima

 

Head

 

Kennex

 

Langert

 

Hey OP, I would love it if you would post the date of all the ads shown at the beginning of the thread

 

Good thread idea.  There have been many threads like this in the past but not with images from magazines

 

My favorite ugly ones that pop up are L'il David Slingers

 

Those slingers always looked ridiculous!

[stickfish]

11 hours ago, BIG STU said:

I am lucky I have my Old Man's set of FC-4000s and play them from time to time. The FCs I am planning on playing today are not his old ones. They are the one our fellow WRXer Stick Fish sent me 3 years or so ago. I have fell in love with those and they are so pristine. I am also going to play a Penna driver our friend Richard 77 sent me for a get well gift. So it is Thanksgiving week and I am thankful some good friends sent me some great clubs and I am thankful I am healed up to try to swing them again

Hit ‘em well my friend.  I also have a few new flatsticks and irons thanks to Richard 77 and had the chance to meet up with him during a lacrosse tournament for my son.  One of his recent gifts could be the last model designed by an apprentice for Ray Cook that went on to do ok in the putter world.  Actually looks like a prototype for what it’s worth.  Rocked it a bit on the golf carpet and will  game it soon.   Much to be thankful for in a year with so many twists, glad you can get out.

 

cheers.

 

 

[mocokid]

Browning

Jerry barber shankless

Toski

Bullet

Shakespeare

 

 

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

7 hours ago, Hstead said:

How about Yonex, Powerbuilt, or the incredible Foxbats?

 

For the record, Yonex still produce some golf equipment, but they've really scaled down their lineup (and maybe sold in Japan/Asia only). They still use the Ezone name. 

Which reminds me of a lovely set of Ezone blades I had about 5 years ago that I should never have gotten rid of...They made some good stuff, and could be pretty innovative.

[BIG STU]

9 hours ago, stickfish said:

Hit ‘em well my friend.  I also have a few new flatsticks and irons thanks to Richard 77 and had the chance to meet up with him during a lacrosse tournament for my son.  One of his recent gifts could be the last model designed by an apprentice for Ray Cook that went on to do ok in the putter world.  Actually looks like a prototype for what it’s worth.  Rocked it a bit on the golf carpet and will  game it soon.   Much to be thankful for in a year with so many twists, glad you can get out.

 

cheers.

 

 

Glad to hear from you again. Yep played the old FCs yesterday and what is ironic I had a driver in the bag Richard sent me for a get well gift. He also sent me a perfect match for the driver that had the chunk out of the heel that you sent me. In fact I had the 4 wood you sent me in there too and that thing has been a pocket rocket for me

[Jiggered]

Here are a few forgottens I've come across while browsing ebay UK over the years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sean2]

15 hours ago, @_the_crook said:

 

did some research on Sounders a few years ago after finding a wonderful Pacer flange style putter of theirs in a secondhand store.  they made really good gear - pro shop quality.

turned out that their factory in Ivoryton, Connecticut was washed away by a dam collapse in a nearby town due to an extreme storm in 1982.

the plant was downhill of the flood and - you can imagine the rest.

quote from a newspaper article stated that the aftermath debris included 'golf clubs from the nearby factory'.

 

 

 

 

Jeez, that's crazy. 

[Bad9]

10 hours ago, Jiggered said:

Here are a few forgottens I've come across while browsing ebay UK over the years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second pic for Controlled Energy Release is a Golfworks/Maltby model so the company still exists. The Bernard Cooke Custom Made are customizable medallions GW would make for you to cover the weights disks you could buy to adjust swingweight. Its spiritual successor is the KE4 series.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Bad9

[Jiggered]

13 hours ago, Bad9 said:

 

The second pic for Controlled Energy Release is a Golfworks/Maltby model so the company still exists. The Bernard Cooke Custom Made are customizable medallions GW would make for you to cover the weights disks you could buy to adjust swingweight. Its spiritual successor is the KE4 series.

 

Many thanks Bad9, great information.

 

So I assume that the third picture with the same medallion (the "Highest Award" model) is also a Golfworks/Maltby head?

[raggal62]

3 hours ago, Jiggered said:

 

Many thanks Bad9, great information.

 

So I assume that the third picture with the same medallion (the "Highest Award" model) is also a Golfworks/Maltby head?

I think I recall Golfsmith offering those component iron heads. Definitely not Maltby.

[Bad9]

4 hours ago, Jiggered said:

 

Many thanks Bad9, great information.

 

So I assume that the third picture with the same medallion (the "Highest Award" model) is also a Golfworks/Maltby head?

I don't recognize that head from Maltby but it could have been.

[Bad9]

57 minutes ago, raggal62 said:

I think I recall Golfsmith offering those component iron heads. Definitely not Maltby.

 

The Kintetic Controlled Energy Release(CER) with the weight medallions were definitely a Golfworks release. Here is one example currently on eBay  https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Ralph-Maltby-Golfworks-Kinetic-C-E-R-1-Iron-One-RARE-CER/303769672490?hash=item46ba155b2a:g:eowAAOSwEVhfsef7 and there are a couple of the subsequent releases that didn't have the weight ports. I had a set of the 851 and I think 550.

[raggal62]

4 hours ago, Bad9 said:

 

The Kintetic Controlled Energy Release(CER) with the weight medallions were definitely a Golfworks release. Here is one example currently on eBay  https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Ralph-Maltby-Golfworks-Kinetic-C-E-R-1-Iron-One-RARE-CER/303769672490?hash=item46ba155b2a:g:eowAAOSwEVhfsef7 and there are a couple of the subsequent releases that didn't have the weight ports. I had a set of the 851 and I think 550.

I was referring to the "Highest Award" heads. 

 

But speaking of Maltby ... remember these?

Edited November 26, 2020 by raggal62

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

On 11/25/2020 at 5:27 PM, Jiggered said:

Here are a few forgottens I've come across while browsing ebay UK over the years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got to love the catch copy with the Tempo irons: "built in timing!" I seriously doubt that.

 

Also, Matchmaker is a funny name for an iron. I associate with the word more with ladies of a certain age who busy themselves in trying to find suitable brides for unsuspecting single males. 

 

Finally, I think I vaguely remember the Stirling brand. That's a nice-looking CB, at any rate.

[Jiggered]

8 hours ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

 

Got to love the catch copy with the Tempo irons: "built in timing!" I seriously doubt that.

 

Also, Matchmaker is a funny name for an iron. I associate with the word more with ladies of a certain age who busy themselves in trying to find suitable brides for unsuspecting single males. 

 

Finally, I think I vaguely remember the Stirling brand. That's a nice-looking CB, at any rate.

 

I don't know if you can make it out from the picture but the Matchmaker was sold by Stylo who were much better known as a shoe provider, their one piece rubber shoes graced many a foot (and gave many a blister) in the wet UK winters , mine included!

 

As far as I know the Matchmaker set (laminate woods) was their only venture into the club market.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

1 hour ago, Jiggered said:

 

I don't know if you can make it out from the picture but the Matchmaker was sold by Stylo who were much better known as a shoe provider, their one piece rubber shoes graced many a foot (and gave many a blister) in the wet UK winters , mine included!

 

As far as I know the Matchmaker set (laminate woods) was their only venture into the club market.

 

I remember Stylo shoes! Those one piece rubber shoes you mentioned were for golf right? I am pretty sure my first ever pair of golf shoes were Stylo all-weather rubber shoes. And as I recall, they were not very comfortable.

[elwhippy]

Stylo shoes. Oh dear. An old wound has reopened. Plastic uppers, spikes would wear through to the lining.....sweaty aching feet after a few holes......Dunlop shoes were just as bad. Cotswold. were a quality shoe maker, almost the UK version of Footjoy. Very well made and far more comfortable. Had several pairs. Dexter and Etonic made inroads into the UK market prior to Adidas, Reebok and Nike. 

[Foozle]

2 hours ago, elwhippy said:

Stylo shoes. Oh dear. An old wound has reopened. Plastic uppers, spikes would wear through to the lining.....sweaty aching feet after a few holes......Dunlop shoes were just as bad. Cotswold. were a quality shoe maker, almost the UK version of Footjoy. Very well made and far more comfortable. Had several pairs. Dexter and Etonic made inroads into the UK market prior to Adidas, Reebok and Nike. 

Stylo's were my first golf shoes! Thanks for the painful memories!

Dexter's were possibly the best shoes I ever had. Very heavy but also supremely comfortable. After a few damp outings, the leather sole moulded precisely to you feet. Lasted for years too! 

[Bogey Bomber]

I agree that i dont hear any mention of Fernquest & Johnson when they are such special clubs... Tony Lema used them and their shape design is so interesting and unique. I've never seen another golf company make an iron which such a shape so i dont know what they were thinking with this one out of a box design?

Anyone know why they are so square, and face is so short with a high toe???

[NRJyzr]

5 minutes ago, Bogey Bomber said:

I agree that i dont hear any mention of Fernquest & Johnson when they are such special clubs... Tony Lema used them and their shape design is so interesting and unique. I've never seen another golf company make an iron which such a shape so i dont know what they were thinking with this one out of a box design?

Anyone know why they are so square, and face is so short with a high toe???

 

Not too dissimilar to the Golden Ram TW Custom Grinds, or TW282 irons.  

 

This is a face pic of the TW282 1 iron

 

[mocokid]

On 11/26/2020 at 12:05 PM, raggal62 said:

I was referring to the "Highest Award" heads. 

 

But speaking of Maltby ... remember these?

I had those, not the one iron.

[Bogey Bomber]

Thanks for the pic NRJyzr, that is maybe the closest ive seen (just a bit more sole radius). It is very short and high profile for a 1iron, WOW incredible!

I also remember the Powerbilt Scotch blades of the 60's & 70's as being square with very short but high faces