The Incredible Seve

[teevons]

A set of his irons to share

I was very luck to acquire this set of irons a few years ago that were once owned by Seve. They were given to Sergio ,who traded to a PGA player for a putter. The clubs have been authenticated by Dunlop based on the serial numbers.

They are the same heads as the Limited set of 1000 that you see every now and then on Ebay. These are 1-9 ,the pitching , very thin topline, no offest.I have a used set of Limited Seves that have the x100 shafts in them and they are incredible feeling iron.

wedge is a Wilson
He will be missed,as one of the most creative and dynamic personalities to ever hit a balata ,in IMHO.


if anyone has any pictures of Seves clubs or stories they would like to share I would love to see and hear.

[Nspiel58]

A player's blade for a true player and legend. Thanks for sharing.

[freddiec]

Awesome clubs, thanks for sharing. One of my best friends caddied in a US Open back around the very late 70s or early 80s when Seve 1st hit the scene. This is a first hand story. My buddy was caddying (he's now a class A, and has been for about 22 years, not that it adds to the story), but he is out during a Tuesday practice round and his group is right in front of Seve and Nicklaus' group. Its a great driving hole on this par 4. Most of the long players are hitting driver and getting it to a spot to the top of a hill that looks down at the green. As Eric's group clears the hill and is on their way towards the green a few of them stop and go back up the hill to watch Jack and Seve hit their tee shots. Jack hits 1st and by his reaction he didn't hit his best. My buddy described it as "Jack hit a Neck fade into the rough about 25 yards short of the crest, but still out there pretty good. Seve gets up and the group watching are all giddy and betting how far the drive goes. Seve take a mamouth cut and the solid shot can be heard from the fairway, but nobody sees the ball land, except for one guy that is looking towards the green and saw the ball carry over the hill by about 4 or 5 yards. Eric said it was easily a 290 yard carry that rolled out to about 320. RIP Seve.

[Nspiel58]

Great story Freddie. Really enjoyed that.

[rgolf06]

[b]greensboro, n.c.........around 1979-1980.....saw seve in a bunker ....hitting soft high shots.....with...a bright chrome blade ....it was a....5 iron !!
unreal genius.......![/b]

[PKMillerJr]

[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1304806515' post='3215257']
I was very luck to acquire this set of irons a few years ago that were once owned by Seve. They were given to Sergio ,who traded to a PGA player for a putter. The clubs have been authenticated by Dunlop based on the serial numbers.

They are the same heads as the Limited set of 1000 that you see every now and then on Ebay. These are 1-9 ,the pitching , very thin topline, no offest.I have a used set of Limited Seves that have the x100 shafts in them and they are incredible feeling iron.

wedge is a Wilson
He will be missed,as one of the most creative and dynamic personalities to ever hit a balata ,in IMHO.


if anyone has any pictures of Seves clubs or stories they would like to share I would love to see and hear.
[/quote]

Have a full set of irons and woods -- brand new -- with display case!

[Maxwell]

[quote name='PKMillerJr' timestamp='1308866254' post='3330841']
[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1304806515' post='3215257']
I was very luck to acquire this set of irons a few years ago that were once owned by Seve. They were given to Sergio ,who traded to a PGA player for a putter. The clubs have been authenticated by Dunlop based on the serial numbers.

They are the same heads as the Limited set of 1000 that you see every now and then on Ebay. These are 1-9 ,the pitching , very thin topline, no offest.I have a used set of Limited Seves that have the x100 shafts in them and they are incredible feeling iron.

wedge is a Wilson
He will be missed,as one of the most creative and dynamic personalities to ever hit a balata ,in IMHO.


if anyone has any pictures of Seves clubs or stories they would like to share I would love to see and hear.
[/quote]

Have a full set of irons and woods -- brand new -- with display case!
[/quote]

Oh you lucky pup!

[elwhippy]

In the UK Dunlop Slazenger sold these as Slazenger Seve Blades. They were retail and very popular with low hcp players. Felt great and were very durable to bag dings. I tried a set but they were too much for ball striking skills!! Your set looks superb, as does that Staff wedge. Enjoy.

[GL3L]

Those irons look awsome!
I wish I could play 18 holes with them!


I saw Seve in person only once, in 99, when he was 42 and for sure not at the best of his game.

First day of the tournament, he was hitting his driver everywhere but the fairway.
Every time after hitting a quick hook or a high slice into the trees he looked very angry and made some audible curse in spanish...after 10 seconds he was smiling and talking with the other players or the gallery.
Hit a good number of terrific recovery shots from the woods, always chatting and joking with the spectators.
He looked like he was a little bit upset about his game but at the same time he clearly wanted to do his best to amuse the pubblic.

Overall it was a great experience to watch him and his personal karisma is something I have never seen on the course since then.

[mosesgolf]

[quote name='freddiec' timestamp='1305030596' post='3221507']
Awesome clubs, thanks for sharing. One of my best friends caddied in a US Open back around the very late 70s or early 80s when Seve 1st hit the scene. This is a first hand story. My buddy was caddying (he's now a class A, and has been for about 22 years, not that it adds to the story), but he is out during a Tuesday practice round and his group is right in front of Seve and Nicklaus' group. Its a great driving hole on this par 4. Most of the long players are hitting driver and getting it to a spot to the top of a hill that looks down at the green. As Eric's group clears the hill and is on their way towards the green a few of them stop and go back up the hill to watch Jack and Seve hit their tee shots. Jack hits 1st and by his reaction he didn't hit his best. My buddy described it as "Jack hit a Neck fade into the rough about 25 yards short of the crest, but still out there pretty good. Seve gets up and the group watching are all giddy and betting how far the drive goes. Seve take a mamouth cut and the solid shot can be heard from the fairway, but nobody sees the ball land, except for one guy that is looking towards the green and saw the ball carry over the hill by about 4 or 5 yards. Eric said it was easily a 290 yard carry that rolled out to about 320. RIP Seve.
[/quote]

With a Persimmon 150cc driver and balata ball. I wish I could've seen guys like Jack, Arnold, Seve et al play w/ the modern ball and driver.

[LYG]

Watching Seve hit mid irons at the range in Augusta...the best tempo ever!

[PKMillerJr]

[quote name='elwhippy' timestamp='1309330945' post='3344547']
In the UK Dunlop Slazenger sold these as Slazenger Seve Blades. They were retail and very popular with low hcp players. Felt great and were very durable to bag dings. I tried a set but they were too much for ball striking skills!! Your set looks superb, as does that Staff wedge. Enjoy.
[/quote]

Set up on these were:

1 - 15
2 - 18
3 - 21
4 - 24
5 - 28
6 - 32
7 - 36
8 - 40
9 - 44
PW - 50
SW - 55/56 -- forget that one

[bamboobender]

Sweet looking Irons.

[dlygrisse]

[quote name='mosesgolf' timestamp='1309360330' post='3345231']
[quote name='freddiec' timestamp='1305030596' post='3221507']
Awesome clubs, thanks for sharing. One of my best friends caddied in a US Open back around the very late 70s or early 80s when Seve 1st hit the scene. This is a first hand story. My buddy was caddying (he's now a class A, and has been for about 22 years, not that it adds to the story), but he is out during a Tuesday practice round and his group is right in front of Seve and Nicklaus' group. Its a great driving hole on this par 4. Most of the long players are hitting driver and getting it to a spot to the top of a hill that looks down at the green. As Eric's group clears the hill and is on their way towards the green a few of them stop and go back up the hill to watch Jack and Seve hit their tee shots. Jack hits 1st and by his reaction he didn't hit his best. My buddy described it as "Jack hit a Neck fade into the rough about 25 yards short of the crest, but still out there pretty good. Seve gets up and the group watching are all giddy and betting how far the drive goes. Seve take a mamouth cut and the solid shot can be heard from the fairway, but nobody sees the ball land, except for one guy that is looking towards the green and saw the ball carry over the hill by about 4 or 5 yards. Eric said it was easily a 290 yard carry that rolled out to about 320. RIP Seve.
[/quote]

With a Persimmon 150cc driver and balata ball. I wish I could've seen guys like Jack, Arnold, Seve et al play w/ the modern ball and driver.
[/quote]

I wish I could see[b] todays[/b] players play with a 150cc persimmon head and a balata ball. that would be much more fun to watch.

[PKMillerJr]

[quote name='dlygrisse' timestamp='1309758084' post='3362834']
[quote name='mosesgolf' timestamp='1309360330' post='3345231']
[quote name='freddiec' timestamp='1305030596' post='3221507']
Awesome clubs, thanks for sharing. One of my best friends caddied in a US Open back around the very late 70s or early 80s when Seve 1st hit the scene. This is a first hand story. My buddy was caddying (he's now a class A, and has been for about 22 years, not that it adds to the story), but he is out during a Tuesday practice round and his group is right in front of Seve and Nicklaus' group. Its a great driving hole on this par 4. Most of the long players are hitting driver and getting it to a spot to the top of a hill that looks down at the green. As Eric's group clears the hill and is on their way towards the green a few of them stop and go back up the hill to watch Jack and Seve hit their tee shots. Jack hits 1st and by his reaction he didn't hit his best. My buddy described it as "Jack hit a Neck fade into the rough about 25 yards short of the crest, but still out there pretty good. Seve gets up and the group watching are all giddy and betting how far the drive goes. Seve take a mamouth cut and the solid shot can be heard from the fairway, but nobody sees the ball land, except for one guy that is looking towards the green and saw the ball carry over the hill by about 4 or 5 yards. Eric said it was easily a 290 yard carry that rolled out to about 320. RIP Seve.
[/quote]

With a Persimmon 150cc driver and balata ball. I wish I could've seen guys like Jack, Arnold, Seve et al play w/ the modern ball and driver.
[/quote]

I wish I could see[b] todays[/b] players play with a 150cc persimmon head and a balata ball. that would be much more fun to watch.
[/quote]

+1

[highcut28]

I join you Teevons - just couldnt resist these when they came up on ePay.
described as 'Never been hit, a bit mouldy' .
I was the only bidder - didnt cost too much to get the full set of 352/999 of these gorgeous clubs comprising
Irons 1 to SW, Woods 1,3,4 all shafted with X100.
The great man's signature on them is lovely
All shafts have an extra sticker with 639X PGO on them - not sure what that means though.

I only dared take the SW out for 9 holes.
Didnt find the bunker but got up and down 4 times using it ( some were flukes i admit)
Its not the easiest SW to use.
I cant imaging the strength and skill required to hit the skinny 1 iron.
Ah! they are now just for show.
In my shrine - To Seve !

[highcut28]

Hi again, I wanted to also show these cool irons that are quite dear to me.
I picked them up about 20 years ago. They were used and not all the shafts were the same.
I was in my DIY club making days and what I did was re shaft them all with Dynalite Gold R carefully weighing everything and getting the swing weight uniform, and I used them very happily for about five years.
The 3 to 9 of these Mizuno Irons are obviously of the same design, but the PW is a bit weird looking - kinda small unlike like some old Wilson, while the SW, that i especially love, is pretty classic in shape.
They all have the great man's signature on them altho on the 3 to 9 it is S Ballesteros, while on the wedges its 'Seve Ballesteros'.
They almost look from different sets!

I saved 2 original shaft sticker which state in slightly broken English - [b]Seve Ballesteros - World Brightest Superstar[/b] .

The Driver i picked up in a pawn shop.
Nice head with brass back. It also has the Seve Ballesteros -World Brightest Superstar sticker.

Does anyone have or has seen this model?

[weeicemon]

I was in college in West Virginia when the 1979 Ryder Cup matches came to The Greenbriar. Earlier in the year, Nicklaus had a dedication ceremony for the course that he had tweaked. He played with Joe Black, Joe Dimaggio, and another that I don't remember. There were no ropes and you could walk with the foursome during the dedication. Anyway, during the Ryder Cup matches I saw lots of great golf by some of the greatest players, ever. Hands down, the most memorable thing that happened that week was when Seve emerged from the clubhouse and 6-8 groupies latched onto his arms and escorted him to the course. I was 20 years old, I think Seve was 22, and thought this was the greatest thing ever. Playing golf for a living, being one of the most popular guys in your profession, and having drop dead gorgeous ladies waiting for you at every turn.

[cardoustie]

Let me dig a pic off the wall in my man cave

It is a shot of Seve at the 1996 Masters hitting practice shots out of the bunker on 15. It was poetry

We were six feet away, then Crenshaw stepped in

[cardoustie]

A pic of a pic, sorry for the quality level[attachment=2082138:image.jpg]

[xgolfx]

The Ryder Cup in 1983 at Palm Beach Gardens was before it became a media circus. My wife and I were the total gallery for Seve, Paul Way, and a young Nick Faldo for a practice round.I was fortunate to see Seve hit the greatest single shot I have witnessed in person later in the event. On the 18th hole, in casual water conditions, his ball was in a pot bunker 243 yards from the green. He did not move a grain of sand with his Toney Penna 3 wood and hit the green.

At the PGA in 1989, I watched him practice in a bunker. I introduced myself to Baldo, his brother and caddie. Seve took a break and Baldo told him I was Toney.s nephew. We shook hands and he said he would show me a shot. He took a 3iron, buried a ball under the lip of the bunker about 24 inches above his feet. He buried the head in the sand, the ball hit the pin and hung on the lip. For my money , he was the best in bunkers, followed by Lee and Gary. Trevino says he was the best on UTUBE videos

CHARLEY PENNA

[okesa]

[size=5]Seve was probably the most natural golfer that we've ever seen,at his best he was poetry in motion,I can't think of anybody (maybe Sam Snead?) who looked as good.[/size]
[size=5]Billy Foster's story about Seve in Switzerland is one of my fav's along with Justin Rose's,they are both on YouTube and are both funny and typical of the man he was,[/size]
[size=5]I was lucky enough to spend some time with Ian Wright who was on the bag when Seve triumphed in the '88 Open,after they had parted company he made yardage books for pro events and came to the course where I worked,we took on a couple of local pro's who were having a 9-hole practice,on the par 5 1st he put his second into the greenside bunker,difficult spot with the pin just beyond the lip,played it to 6" by putting from the sand,we all stood amazed and he just shrugged and said "I've seen Seve do that 100's of times."![/size]
[size=5]Even though they didn't have a happy parting he wouldn't slag Seve off even when one of the lads tried to draw him out on the topic,his comment was that Seve could sometimes 'be a bit difficult',which no doubt would be echoed by a number of US Ryder Cup players![/size]
[size=5]Gone but never forgotten.[/size]

[astamm8]

[quote name='xgolfx' timestamp='1393169536' post='8727662']
The Ryder Cup in 1983 at Palm Beach Gardens was before it became a media circus. My wife and I were the total gallery for Seve, Paul Way, and a young Nick Faldo for a practice round.I was fortunate to see Seve hit the greatest single shot I have witnessed in person later in the event. On the 18th hole, in casual water conditions, his ball was in a pot bunker 243 yards from the green. He did not move a grain of sand with his Toney Penna 3 wood and hit the green.

At the PGA in 1989, I watched him practice in a bunker. I introduced myself to Baldo, his brother and caddie. Seve took a break and Baldo told him I was Toney.s nephew. We shook hands and he said he would show me a shot. He took a 3iron, buried a ball under the lip of the bunker about 24 inches above his feet. He buried the head in the sand, the ball hit the pin and hung on the lip. For my money , he was the best in bunkers, followed by Lee and Gary. Trevino says he was the best on UTUBE videos

CHARLEY PENNA
[/quote]

Hey Charley,

Do you have an insight as to the model/specs for Seve's Penna 3 wood?

Thanks.

[Shallowface]

[quote name='xgolfx' timestamp='1393169536' post='8727662']
The Ryder Cup in 1983 at Palm Beach Gardens was before it became a media circus. My wife and I were the total gallery for Seve, Paul Way, and a young Nick Faldo for a practice round.I was fortunate to see Seve hit the greatest single shot I have witnessed in person later in the event. On the 18th hole, in casual water conditions, his ball was in a pot bunker 243 yards from the green. He did not move a grain of sand with his Toney Penna 3 wood and hit the green.

At the PGA in 1989, I watched him practice in a bunker. I introduced myself to Baldo, his brother and caddie. Seve took a break and Baldo told him I was Toney.s nephew. We shook hands and he said he would show me a shot. He took a 3iron, buried a ball under the lip of the bunker about 24 inches above his feet. He buried the head in the sand, the ball hit the pin and hung on the lip. For my money , he was the best in bunkers, followed by Lee and Gary. Trevino says he was the best on UTUBE videos

CHARLEY PENNA
[/quote]

I have heard about this shot for years and have never been able to find a video of it. What a shame! If it happened today, we would have seen it in super slow mo from multiple angles.

You're not the only one who called that the greatest shot they ever saw. A number of others expressed that as well.

As you said, the Ryder Cup was almost an afterthought in those days. Hardly anyone cared. I have to wonder if there was even any TV coverage of it, considering that I could never find that video. It has been a while since I searched.

[xgolfx]

If you go to UTUBE and enter 1983 Ryder cup, u will not find a picture of the shot. However you will see a line

"That is the best shot I have ever seen", JACK NICKLAUS. There are still photos of Seve in the bunker and the yardage is stated as 245.

SEVE liked a four wood head with a three wood loft, finished in black.

CHARLEY PENNA

[rex235]

+1 with Charley

Only watched Severiano Ballesteros in person a handful of times.

the consummate bunker player....edging one Gary Player.......

Sadly, the first was during a practice round of the 1980 US Open at Baltusrol, and Seve had won the '80 Masters ...
We know how that turned out.... (DQ'd for missed tee time, and his playing partners had hit their second shots...."Jack was back)

The most gripping memories?
'84 at St. Andrews..(any wonder the Euros had that silhouette stitched on their shirts in the Ryder Cup at Medinah?)
'97 Ryder Cup at Valderrama...
As Captain, Seve yelled "Give eet to heem" to Colin Montgomerie on conceding Brad Faxon's putt on 18, when the Euros had clinched the Cup...and we know how Monty felt about Ryder Cup matches...

[i]After watching Dubuisson in today's WGC Match Play Final at Tucson, I thought I might have seen Seve's ghost ....again.[/i]

[Caddie4JT]

In 1990 I took my then four year old son out to Shoal Creek to watch practice rounds for the PGA Championship. We were following Seve and Lee Trevino and I don't remember who else was in their group that day. We were on the 14th tee, which is elevated and back in a chute. There are maybe 50-60 people standing around and sitting on a small bleacher that had been brought in. My son and I are standing against the ropes and have a face on view of the players as they hit their tee shots. We are watching Seve waggle his club, look down the fairway, waggle, look, waggle, look and then suddenly my four year old clears his throat like, "come on already"! Not that he meant it that way but that is how it came out! Seve locks in on him like, "the nerve, don't you now who I am?" until he realized it was a kid. At that point he starts laughing and the whole area joins in. Talk about one of those "dad sweating bullets" moments!

[Texsport]

I'm fortunate enough to have 3 drivers which Dave Wood/ Wood Bros made for Seve.

I ll try to post a picture.

Texsport

[MoaningM]

So what woods did seve use? Did he use wood bros driver?

As for stories i remember watching at the 1988 or 89 epsom grand prix whichever one he won and there was only me and a mate watching him chippng on the practice green it was just before his tee off time, and he had about 10 balls with a wedge on the green and was chipping to various holes, he must have holed about 5 of them and the others close enoigh to brush in. As he finished he turned to me and smiled and just said

"Not bad eh"!

Me:

"Yeah it was ok"

He had a bit of a chuckle and walked off to the tee. I was in awe!

[BIG STU]

I know this is an old thread glad someone bumped it. In fact it was started long before I was on WRX. I was a big Seve fan because I could relate to him. I was all over the course those days with the driver and I loved how he could get out of trouble and invent recovery shots. I remember that one British Open when he got up and down from the parking lot (or car park as they refer to it) made me an instant fan. I also liked his style hit it find it and hit it again. My Dad could not stand him because the old man was a fairways and GIR man and that one British Open my old man lost a bunch of money betting on someone else and really hated Seve with a passion after that. I really liked how he could unnerve an opponent with a great recovery shot just when you thought he was out of it. I would say he was probably the best scrambler in golf ever! I can remember how torn I was watching the 86 Masters because I was a Nicklaus fan also but gutted it out and pulled for them both. I still practice trick get out of trouble shots today for fun and with me that is still very useful.