MERIT golf persimmon woods

[Andy D]

Any idea when MERIT persimmon woods would have been around. Just picked up a driver and 3 wood for next to nothing…looked nice enough, just wondered if they are decent enough quality….they came with Dynamic gold shafts so kinda thinking they may be ok. Just waiting on them arriving …Any help appreciated.

[elwhippy]

Shape and insert look great. If I recall Merit made decent quality mid priced clubs. 

[Andy D]

3 hours ago, elwhippy said:

Shape and insert look great. If I recall Merit made decent quality mid priced clubs. 

Great thank you 😊 

[84425]

These are early 90ies i think. A buddy of mine played these clubs (and Merit Fusion Forged irons). 

[Andy D]

On 5/15/2023 at 11:41 PM, 84425 said:

These are early 90ies i think. A buddy of mine played these clubs (and Merit Fusion Forged irons). 

Fab, thanks for the reply 👍

[ezgoer]

No information for you but have to say they sure are easy on the eyes. Looks Cleveland-ish to me. 

[Terreb]

This is what my Golfworks book says about Merit.

 

Owned by KFC Ltd, of Japan, Merit Golf Company started operating in 1987 in a 15,000 square foot headquarter and warehouse in Kennnesaw, Georgia.

John Pascarella, a former professional baseball player, is president and co-founder of the company and functions as its "commander-in-chief. In 1991 PGA tour professional Larry Nelson came on board as a staff member. Merit's 1992 sales were estimated between $5 and $6 million, primarily with off-course golf shops. Pascarella's has stated that he wants the Merit name "on the lips of professionals and amateurs alike" and plans to have more green grass accounts by means of a stronger marketing effort. 

 

Looks like their first clubs came out in 1989, and it looks like they dissolved the business in 1998. My book only goes up to the year 1993, but the Tour International model was produced every year from 1989 to 1993, maybe right up until they ceased production. 

 

They look pretty nice, and I wouldn't be afraid to give them a try, you might find they fit you pretty well. 

 

Hope this helps........Terre

Edited May 19, 2023 by Terreb

[Andy D]

23 hours ago, ezgoer said:

No information for you but have to say they sure are easy on the eyes. Looks Cleveland-ish to me. 

Out playing with them today, yes definitely nice looking …classic pear shape to the driver..3 wood nice too. Lovely to play with too, S300 Dynamic gold shafts….they we’re £46 off eBay 😊

Edited May 20, 2023 by Andy D

[Andy D]

19 hours ago, Terreb said:

This is what my Golfworks book says about Merit.

 

Owned by KFC Ltd, of Japan, Merit Golf Company started operating in 1987 in a 15,000 square foot headquarter and warehouse in Kennnesaw, Georgia.

John Pascarella, a former professional baseball player, is president and co-founder of the company and functions as its "commander-in-chief. In 1991 PGA tour professional Larry Nelson came on board as a staff member. Merit's 1992 sales were estimated between $5 and $6 million, primarily with off-course golf shops. Pascarella's has stated that he wants the Merit name "on the lips of professionals and amateurs alike" and plans to have more green grass accounts by means of a stronger marketing effort. 

 

Looks like their first clubs came out in 1989, and it looks like they dissolved the business in 1998. My book only goes up to the year 1993, but the Tour International model was produced every year from 1989 to 1993, maybe right up until they ceased production. 

 

They look pretty nice, and I wouldn't be afraid to give them a try, you might find they fit you pretty well. 

 

Hope this helps........Terre

Terre, thank you so much, just what I was looking for, great info. I can see where Larry Nelson’s influence has come into the design…classic shape for the driver and 3 wood.

[ezgoer]

On 5/15/2023 at 10:10 AM, Andy D said:

 

Clean attractive face inset color combination. Think MacGregor used it through early 50’s. Wonder why they went away from it? Mizuno and Honma used it also pretty sure.

[ezgoer]

Oops….Clean attractive face inset color combination. Think MacGregor used it through early 50’s. Wonder why they went away from it? Mizuno and Honma used it also pretty sure.

[NRJyzr]

I have at least one Ram persimmon with that color combo on the insert.  Per the "common wisdom," Louisville Golf made a lot of the Ram persimmons, and several other companies as well.  Perhaps the Merits were also made by Louisville Golf.