The Wilson 8802 Vs. George Low Wizard 600

[EmperorPenguin]

There is another thread praising the 8802 here, but I think this requires a separate thread.  I think the popularity of the 8802 stem from Ben Crenshaw, whose stroke we love watching.  Before that, it was Palmer, who designed the 8802 in the first place.  I had one, but I did not like it so much because the head felt a bit light and I could not start the ball on line.  I sold it and stuck with Anser-style putters.  Then one day I was curious about the Wizard 600 and picked one up.  The Wizard 600 has a much better look at address, and it certainly feels better than the 8802.  The Wizard 600 has a more rectangular look at address, and the 8802 looks like the corners of that rectangle were hacked off.  Looking down a the ball, I feel more confident with the Wizard 600 than with the 8802.  The Wizard 600 simply looks better at address, and it just jives with my stroke better.  After my first day putting with it, it was no wonder to me why Jack won fourteen majors with it.  Ben won two majors, both with copies of Little Ben, and I understand that even with his first green jacket he did not use Little Ben.  The first Wizard 600 I bought used, and it is pretty beat up, with bag chatter all over the top line and face.  Through the years I was looking online and I acquired two brand new Original Wizard 600's (the remakes), both with not a single dent on the head.  My dream putter is an actual Sportsman George Low Wizard 600 in rare mint condition, and I am willing to pay a few grand for it.   My vote is for the Wizard 600 all the time.  To me I just putt better with it than any 8802.

[NRJyzr]

Always been a big fan of the Wizard shape.  Bought a nickel Wizard 610 in the early 2000s, got a stainless replica around 2003 or 2004, when I got a Yes! putter, I went with the Wizard styled Nicky, and eventually picked up a Ram Wizard 600.

 

I tend to believe I do putt slightly better with the Wizards, compared to the 8802 style heel shafted blade.  The visual allows for better aiming, or such is my half baked theory.  😉

 

[weakputt]

I once had a Geo Low Bristle Wizard 600 and it was very similar if not the same as the Sportsman. It putts nice and was a bit easier to square to my eye. The Tad Moore MaxFli TM-6 is more similar to the Sportsman than the 8802's. I also like some of the MacGregor Ironmaster putters with about a 1/2 shaft off set.

[dlygrisse]

The 8802 has a longer blade to my eye.  The toe really wants to swing in an arc.  I have the MacGregor Muirfield model, which is similar, to the George Low.   I putted with great success for several years with it.  I do have a gob of lead tape on the back because it felt too light.  Great putter if you are hitting the sweetspot.  

[weakputt]

1 hour ago, weakputt said:

I once had a Geo Low Bristle Wizard 600 and it was very similar if not the same as the Sportsman. It putts nice and was a bit easier to square to my eye. The Tad Moore MaxFli TM-6 is more similar to the Sportsman than the 8802's. I also like some of the MacGregor Ironmaster putters with about a 1/2 shaft off set.

Actually just came up from the basement after a dozen putts with the 1982-83 pre-Callaway Hickory Sticks USA NAPA style. This putter is as good as any in the 8802/Sportsman's. Soft feel bronze or brass. A little smaller head than the TM-6, but with the heavier hickory over steel shaft the whole weight of the putter feels good.

[Binson]

I've never putted with a Geo Low but have accumulated quite a few 8802s and 8802-like styles. 

 

If I were to look for a Wizard 600 style putter, is there a list we could put together of well-liked models like in the 8802 thread?

 

Might be an odd request but if we could also keep track of which ones you've seen without factory alignment lines, that'd be awesome.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Binson

[EmperorPenguin]

6 hours ago, Binson said:

Might be an odd request but if we could also keep track of which ones you've seen without factory alignment lines, that'd be awesome.

Standard Wizard 600's come with blank toplines.  The venerable one Jack used, the one George gave (or sold?) in Phoenix in 1962, has two sight lines which Jack put on.  The two sight lines make it easier to square up.

[Binson]

8 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

Standard Wizard 600's come with blank toplines.  The venerable one Jack used, the one George gave (or sold?) in Phoenix in 1962, has two sight lines which Jack put on.  The two sight lines make it easier to square up.

Good to know, thanks. Although, "easier to align" can differ from person to person.

 

I've been eyeing a MacGregor Ironmaster VIP Milled Model 600.  Looks like these were a limited run.  Anyone have experience with those? Thanks

[chrisbellaire]

There is a MacGregor/Nicklaus/600 for sale right now in our Classifieds.  Ad is titled "Classic MacGregor putter...........

[weakputt]

On 1/5/2022 at 3:42 AM, EmperorPenguin said:

Standard Wizard 600's come with blank toplines.  The venerable one Jack used, the one George gave (or sold?) in Phoenix in 1962, has two sight lines which Jack put on.  The two sight lines make it easier to square up.

I like the ones without any alignment lines. I love to bring out the 600 styles and practice with them when i am not consistently lining up my gamer(s).

[Wham49]

On 1/4/2022 at 7:34 AM, EmperorPenguin said:

There is another thread praising the 8802 here, but I think this requires a separate thread.  I think the popularity of the 8802 stem from Ben Crenshaw, whose stroke we love watching.  Before that, it was Palmer, who designed the 8802 in the first place.  I had one, but I did not like it so much because the head felt a bit light and I could not start the ball on line.  I sold it and stuck with Anser-style putters.  Then one day I was curious about the Wizard 600 and picked one up.  The Wizard 600 has a much better look at address, and it certainly feels better than the 8802.  The Wizard 600 has a more rectangular look at address, and the 8802 looks like the corners of that rectangle were hacked off.  Looking down a the ball, I feel more confident with the Wizard 600 than with the 8802.  The Wizard 600 simply looks better at address, and it just jives with my stroke better.  After my first day putting with it, it was no wonder to me why Jack won fourteen majors with it.  Ben won two majors, both with copies of Little Ben, and I understand that even with his first green jacket he did not use Little Ben.  The first Wizard 600 I bought used, and it is pretty beat up, with bag chatter all over the top line and face.  Through the years I was looking online and I acquired two brand new Original Wizard 600's (the remakes), both with not a single dent on the head.  My dream putter is an actual Sportsman George Low Wizard 600 in rare mint condition, and I am willing to pay a few grand for it.   My vote is for the Wizard 600 all the time.  To me I just putt better with it than any 8802.

George Low MAster of Putting is the best instruction book ever

[pfgiv81]

On 1/4/2022 at 8:34 AM, EmperorPenguin said:

My dream putter is an actual Sportsman George Low Wizard 600 in rare mint condition, and I am willing to pay a few grand for it.  

There were only 200 of the original putters made. It's unlikely you would find one in mint condition. If you did, it would be much more than a few grand. Poor condition ones over recent years have sold for 7k+. If you were able to find an absolute unicorn of this club in mint condition, I suspect it would sell for multiple 10's of thousands of dollars, as it would be a 1 of 1 of the most sought after putter in history. It likely doesn't exist.

[EmperorPenguin]

On 9/1/2022 at 12:16 PM, pfgiv81 said:

There were only 200 of the original putters made. It's unlikely you would find one in mint condition. If you did, it would be much more than a few grand. Poor condition ones over recent years have sold for 7k+. If you were able to find an absolute unicorn of this club in mint condition, I suspect it would sell for multiple 10's of thousands of dollars, as it would be a 1 of 1 of the most sought after putter in history. It likely doesn't exist.

Yes, and even if I do find one, chances of it being mint are slim because golfers did not start using putter headcovers until the 1990's.  Before that, they just didn't use putter covers.  The picture in the opening post is the unicorn putter you were talking about.  I recall that the picture was taken somewhere in Newport Beach, so whoever had that putter certainly had the resources to buy that venerable putter.

[teevons]

I have a friend collector who has 2 Mint Geo Low with original milling marks on face   ,they look never used, not remakes, mint do exist

Edited September 8, 2022 by teevons

[pfgiv81]

On 9/8/2022 at 4:22 PM, teevons said:

I have a friend collector who has 2 Mint Geo Low with original milling marks on face   ,they look never used, not remakes, mint do exist

Ask your friend for a few photos of these. My guess is that these are not the original ones, but some sort of a remake. I could be wrong though, and hopefully I am. Would be cool to see one of these that are still new.

[EmperorPenguin]

On 9/8/2022 at 1:22 PM, teevons said:

I have a friend collector who has 2 Mint Geo Low with original milling marks on face   ,they look never used, not remakes, mint do exist

The one I attached in the beginning of this thread is a mint Geo Low Sportsman.  I don't know how many of these exist.

Edited October 4, 2022 by EmperorPenguin

[dokex]

On 1/4/2022 at 8:34 AM, EmperorPenguin said:

There is another thread praising the 8802 here, but I think this requires a separate thread.  I think the popularity of the 8802 stem from Ben Crenshaw, whose stroke we love watching.  Before that, it was Palmer, who designed the 8802 in the first place.  I had one, but I did not like it so much because the head felt a bit light and I could not start the ball on line.  I sold it and stuck with Anser-style putters.  Then one day I was curious about the Wizard 600 and picked one up.  The Wizard 600 has a much better look at address, and it certainly feels better than the 8802.  The Wizard 600 has a more rectangular look at address, and the 8802 looks like the corners of that rectangle were hacked off.  Looking down a the ball, I feel more confident with the Wizard 600 than with the 8802.  The Wizard 600 simply looks better at address, and it just jives with my stroke better.  After my first day putting with it, it was no wonder to me why Jack won fourteen majors with it.  Ben won two majors, both with copies of Little Ben, and I understand that even with his first green jacket he did not use Little Ben.  The first Wizard 600 I bought used, and it is pretty beat up, with bag chatter all over the top line and face.  Through the years I was looking online and I acquired two brand new Original Wizard 600's (the remakes), both with not a single dent on the head.  My dream putter is an actual Sportsman George Low Wizard 600 in rare mint condition, and I am willing to pay a few grand for it.   My vote is for the Wizard 600 all the time.  To me I just putt better with it than any 8802.

Do you really think that their putters had anything to do with the successes of Crenshaw, Palmer, and Nicklaus? They could have putted with broomsticks and done just as well. It is the Indian, not the arrow. And that applies to all the golf nerds here as well.

[cold_war_era_golfer]

11 hours ago, dokex said:

Do you really think that their putters had anything to do with the successes of Crenshaw, Palmer, and Nicklaus? They could have putted with broomsticks and done just as well. It is the Indian, not the arrow. And that applies to all the golf nerds here as well.

I like to think it was their own skill and not the putter.  
 

That’s what keeps me hacking away at cheaper Iron Masters, Bullseyes, and Cash-ins.  I want to use only vintage gear and I’d like an original Geo Low or Palmer 8802 but the cost sort of keeps me away. 
 

That said I have struggled putting this year.  My game has improved much the past year but my putting has gotten worse. 
 

 

[Jeff Lysek]

George Low was a great putter and Bill Mehlhorn taught us, as an assistant coach at FIU under Coach Bobby Shave, his putting exercise.  Just push the ball in the hole, push the ball with the left hand only and than the right hand only, than both hands as it is a perfect stroke. No backswing and not legal on the course, but will give you the proper distance, if you imagine the ball dying at the hole so it can fall in from any side.

It will give you the speed of the greens on any course if you push a few balls in the hole before you play.

I discussed this exercise with Jack Connelly, head pro a Huntingdon Valley CC on the putting green one day when warming up for a tournament. He said, George was the head pro at Huntingdon Valley back in the 20's or 30's.  

 

[greenlight]

Didn't it start with the Spalding HB?

[tatertot]

The 8802 always felt like a blade ... The 600 felt like more of a mini mallet.

Edited July 28, 2023 by tatertot