ID these Northwestern Cavalier Forged irons?

[@_the_crook]

On 2/19/2023 at 2:02 PM, dcopp7 said:

Junk or?  Missing the 5i

 

There's a similar set downstairs. Says NW Pro Line. Will look at the shafts labels. I thought the heads looked a bit big for forgings and they've been sitting bagged and unhit. 

[mocokid]

On 2/21/2023 at 11:59 PM, HoganApexBlades said:

The only touring professionals that I recall playing Northwestern clubs were Chi Chi Rodriguez, Tom Weiskopf, Bob Murphy, Bruce Crampton and Hubert Green. I don't recall which of them were playing them in the '90s and thereafter.

They were playing their clubs or had NW on their bags?  NW was the most popular club in the 80-90s driving range barrel.  😆

[@_the_crook]

 

ProForged, not ProLine.

Edited February 25, 2023 by @_the_crook
sp

[@_the_crook]

1 hour ago, mocokid said:

They were playing their clubs or had NW on their bags?  NW was the most popular club in the 80-90s driving range barrel.  😆

NW ProSelect rivaled Wilson quality. 

their pro department could turn out some wonderful gear. I think they forged in-house.

 

might have been the 80's that the low end storeline clubs flooded the market and their name became a punchline.

some were so nasty - plated zinc.

made them a ton of money but they lost any cachet among true golf fans.

 

be like Callaway full sets today at Dick's and GG for $299 and the better ones only at green grass locations.

 

 

 

 

 

[mocokid]

On 2/24/2023 at 10:59 PM, @_the_crook said:

NW ProSelect rivaled Wilson quality. 

their pro department could turn out some wonderful gear. I think they forged in-house.

 

might have been the 80's that the low end storeline clubs flooded the market and their name became a punchline.

some were so nasty - plated zinc.

made them a ton of money but they lost any cachet among true golf fans.

 

be like Callaway full sets today at Dick's and GG for $299 and the better ones only at green grass locations.

 

 

 

 

 

Not that I don't believe you but would like to see bag shots of clubs without lots of lead tape.  Think those guys used their previous clubs for the most part.

[@_the_crook]

7 minutes ago, mocokid said:

Not that I don't believe you but would like to see bag shots of clubs without lots of lead tape.  Think those guys used their previous clubs for the most part.

Some may have, no doubt, but NW did have pro line equipment, and the players were known to visit the factory.

One of the company owners (founder, son and grandson all named Nat) entertained them like royalty, and some played here in local exhibitions.

 

can't remember seeing any of their ancient stuff in any second hand store for decades.

1990 might have been, we found a 30 y/o 2W that had been absolutely abused, beaten into the ground at a range in Lake County IL.

had once been a nice stick, but then looked like an old rounded off ball peen hammer.

 

I played with a guy from the AMA - Chicago office back in the late 80's that still had a NW persimmon 5W from lord knows when.

Timmy took up golf during WWII and ended up in Chicago shortly after.

what stories he told. especially after a few whiskeys.

 

 

 

[bcstones]

On 2/24/2023 at 9:59 PM, @_the_crook said:

... they lost any cachet among true golf fans...

 

 

 

 

 

hopefully you were speaking tongue-in-cheek....

cuz it kinda sorta reminded me of a saying in the motorcycle world: "It ain't what you ride, it's that you ride", so paraphrasing a wee bit "It ain't what you play, it's that you play" 

Edited February 26, 2023 by bcstones

[BIG STU]

I carried a little laminate Northwestern 6 wood for years. A friend of my old mans from Florida carried one and showed me some shots I was hooked. We had a Northwestern account so I ordered one. Carried it for years until it cracked in the mid 90s. I do not remember him ever selling any Northwestern clubs. He had the account because we bought those hard plastic looking drivers for the driving range. Those things were super cheap like between $3 to $5 if you bought in bulk. With the college kids coming out trying to impress their girlfriends they got tore up pretty often but renting for like 50 cents each they paid for them selves usually before dying a cruel death.

In all my years I saw only one set of Thunderbirds and that was in the bag of a traveling Pro/Hustler from the midwest via Florida.

LOL I do own one Northwestern club and that is a "Shot Saver" 1 iron I salvaged off the scrap pile years ago. It is rougher than a night in a county jail but it is a 1 iron after all. Got a kick out of the " Shot Saver" name

Now that I think of it he did sell one set of Northwestern clubs. One of the gamblers who would bet on anything took up golf and could not hit irons period. He ordered a set of the all woods driver up to like a 12 wood or something like that. He also ordered a big old staff bag with his name on it. The only iron in his bag was a rusty hickory shafted Calamity Jane style. This guy was so bad they let him tee up anywhere. He was resurceful though. He had a carpenter friend of his lathe turn tees from 3 inches to like 12 inches no joke. And trust me he was a hustler and knew how to make a game.

 

[@_the_crook]

WRX post from 2012. by@FLORMR

 

'I caddied for Dave Barr in a Canadian Tour event a few years ago and he still uses a mixed bag of Northwestern forged blades...I believe he had bits of 4 different sets in the bag...told me he would just take an iron out of one of his sets if he damaged or wore one out. Northwestern was his club sponsor all through his pro career.'

 

no more on that topic needed.

 

 

 

 

[AdamMH]

20 hours ago, BIG STU said:

LOL I do own one Northwestern club and that is a "Shot Saver" 1 iron I salvaged off the scrap pile years ago. It is rougher than a night in a county jail but it is a 1 iron after all. Got a kick out of the " Shot Saver" name

 

I have three different models of those. You can get them dirt cheap and the older ones are pretty nice ("registered" above the muscle).