Wilson Julius Boros PW 80776

[RMach]

Hi all, so I bought the Maltby through 1998.

I have read every Wilson page at least twice and I cannot find any irons that claim to have Julius Boros stamped on the blades. I see Boros putters but no irons. I would assume that they are made after 1998 but I have no idea.

Here are the pictures.

As always, thanks a ton!

[SnowbirdTom]

Probably retail line and not in the Maltby.  I have a full set of retail Wilson Julius Boros also, different from yours, that date to 1972.  I’ve venture a WAG yours are mid/late 70s.

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by SnowbirdTom

[SnowbirdTom]

[Maine Golfer]

I have a putter with his name on it, 60s is my guess. 

[bcstones]

On 10/25/2023 at 2:44 PM, RMach said:

Hi all, so I bought the Maltby through 1998.

I have read every Wilson page at least twice and I cannot find any irons that claim to have Julius Boros stamped on the blades. I see Boros putters but no irons. I would assume that they are made after 1998 but I have no idea.

Here are the pictures.

As always, thanks a ton!

 

like an idiot, I put my comment just below your pics...not where I should have, like here, here is what I did post an hour ago :

 

can't tell from this pic, if there is shaft thru hosel....I checked Kaplan't guide - Julius Boros was one of their "advisory staff", by his picture is "...He was considered the best wedge player of the 1950's..." And, thanks to @SnowbirdTom his pic does date to 1972.....and the Julius Boros Professional woods & irons show up for 1979. So looks like you have a nice '79 iron.

Kaplan's guides for Wilson, MacGregor, & H&B/PowerBilt are good sources of info (try to find a publishing date later than 1980...the Wilson guide I have had 2nd printing 2000)

Edited November 10, 2023 by bcstones

[The Aspidistra in the Hall]

Julius Boros, was he known as the 'Arkansas Traveller'?

[mocokid]

No Julius was from Connecticut. 

[bcstones]

6 hours ago, The Aspidistra in the Hall said:

Julius Boros, was he known as the 'Arkansas Traveller'?

"Dutch" Harrison was the "Arkansas Traveller":

https://www.where2golf.com/whos-who/dutch-harrison/

[The Aspidistra in the Hall]

10 hours ago, bcstones said:

"Dutch" Harrison was the "Arkansas Traveller":

https://www.where2golf.com/whos-who/dutch-harrison/

 

10 hours ago, bcstones said:

"Dutch" Harrison was the "Arkansas Traveller":

https://www.where2golf.com/whos-who/dutch-harrison/

Thank you, something I vaguely thought I remembered.

[Shallowface]

Late 70s/Early 80s on these.  Looks like the same head as the Snead Blue Ridge or Berg Cup Defender from the same era.  Definitely store line but not bad at all quality wise.  My wife played the Berg version for years and played very well with them.  We still have them, and occasionally she threatens to bring them out of retirement.

 

I always liked the ones like SnowbirdTom has.  A store line club with the Wilson Staff shield.  Boros was a big favorite of mine.    

 

When I tried out for my high school golf team in 1976 they had us pick a club out of a barrel that the school had and took us to a nearby field.  I picked a Wilson Black Heather 5 iron that was from the early 70s.  Flushed every shot with it and made the team with ease, even though it wasn't anything like the clubs I was using at the time.  Maybe that was the point of how they did the tryout, but I doubt if the thought process was that sophisticated.  Years later I found one of those 5 irons for my collection.  I still hit it every now and then and marvel at what a solid feeling club it is.        

[bcstones]

6 hours ago, Shallowface said:

Late 70s/Early 80s on these.  Looks like the same head as the Snead Blue Ridge or Berg Cup Defender from the same era.  Definitely store line but not bad at all quality wise

This very set is in Kaplan's guide - 1979....in the Professional section

[Shallowface]

17 hours ago, bcstones said:

This very set is in Kaplan's guide - 1979....in the Professional section

What is the suggested retail price versus the Staff or X-31 offerings?

 

My books and catalogs are in the basement, so I'm working from memory here.

 

But at this time it's probably safe to say Wilson was running three lines at the time.  Pro line (Staff/X-31/1200).  A mid level line such as K-28 and perhaps the Boros Pros would fall here.  Perhaps still labeled as available only through pro shops but by this time the off course stores were in full swing and one could see anything anywhere.  Probably meant mostly for the sporting goods stores of that day.  Then there would be the retail line with the Sneads and Bergs and a cast of thousands of those semi flat back blades with any number of Wilson Staff pros names on them and often weren't in any of the catalogs (one of my catalogs has nothing but Wilson offerings from below the top of the line).  The lines between the last two categories were somewhat blurred at this point and you might well see a set of K-28s in a department store depending on what the area Wilson rep worked out with the sporting goods department manager.

 

Back then even stores like K-Mart had dedicated department managers in the sporting goods department.  When I started playing in 1973 the one we shopped at the most had one of those deals where tees were something like 49 cents a handful.  The manager saw me attempting to grab a handful with my decidedly undersized hands (the same size as the Nicklaus drawings in Golf My Way so I thought they were big enough), took pity on me and came over and used his large meat hooks to scoop about three real handfuls into my bag.  50 years have passed and I'm still grateful.    

 

 

Edited November 12, 2023 by Shallowface

[bcstones]

5 hours ago, Shallowface said:

What is the suggested retail price versus the Staff or X-31 offerings?

Don't know....the Kaplan's guide for Wilson doesn't mention any prices for any of their set/singles. Julius Boros clubs also show up in '72 in the Professional section

The last time, in Kaplan's, retail is shown as "Gateway to Golf" was 1962, same page as the K-28.....every page there after was Professional.  I agree w/you that Wilson, for whatever reason, seemed to put all Pro-advisors into the retail line & just kept the Pro-shop line for Staff (tho, I do have a set of Wilson Staff Patty Berg, never been played), Tour Staff etc lines...Interestingly, Maltby's shows "Lady K-28" irons & woods in the '70s, only the Lady's. And they show the Wilson Staff Berg lines also in ther '70s...Where is Scotty when you need him!