The Incredible Seve

[stixman]

People forget that he made a lot of birdies too. He was the first 'aggressive player' ('I go for everything and if I make more birdies than bogies. that's good!'), his mentality would have worked well today.

[majic]

I was very lucky starting in 1990 to get to start working with Seve on all aspects of his equipment including his shoes. Yes his shoes. I had a contract with Dunlop Japan and because Seve started using my TM2 putter and he spoke English I became his contact. After the putter I worked on his irons. Every year in November at the Dunlop Phoenix we would give him two iron designs to pick from and then we would make 12 sets. In April at Dunlop Open he would be using the irons, new clothing and shoes. They made fantastic shoes and I would help the Dunlop staff person.
I also made drivers and other persimmon heads for him. He was very specific.
I enjoyed working with him. He was a true pleasure to work with. I walked many practice rounds with him. I was fascinated by his game and in particular his putter. I was a lucky guy to have known him in a special way.

[freddiec]

Here is a great match I watched. Seve vs. Jack. Jack's 1st time in Ireland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEnNPNNHhns

[Bella Woods]

Thanks for the post Fred - I enjoyed watching it (and had never
seen it before).

[HoganApexBlades]

I loved Peter Allis' comment on Seve's tee shot on the Par 3 6th hole, he's a "bit wayward here"...he's left himself in a "classical Seve position". Truer words were never spoken!

[Kathy Marie]

Thank you for the link, Freddiec! I really enjoyed watching their match, and the outcome caught me totally by surprise!!

I also enjoyed the low key, informed commentary--very refreshing!

[astamm8]

[quote name='majic' timestamp='1420119465' post='10669493']
I was very lucky starting in 1990 to get to start working with Seve on all aspects of his equipment including his shoes. Yes his shoes. I had a contract with Dunlop Japan and because Seve started using my TM2 putter and he spoke English I became his contact. After the putter I worked on his irons. Every year in November at the Dunlop Phoenix we would give him two iron designs to pick from and then we would make 12 sets. In April at Dunlop Open he would be using the irons, new clothing and shoes. They made fantastic shoes and I would help the Dunlop staff person.
I also made drivers and other persimmon heads for him. He was very specific.
I enjoyed working with him. He was a true pleasure to work with. I walked many practice rounds with him. I was fascinated by his game and in particular his putter. I was a lucky guy to have known him in a special way.
[/quote]

That's very interesting Tad. What was he looking for in irons? Were there specific shapes he liked? Did he mix and match from the 12 sets to get one set he then used?

Thanks.

[MoaningM]

[quote name='majic' timestamp='1420119465' post='10669493']
I was very lucky starting in 1990 to get to start working with Seve on all aspects of his equipment including his shoes. Yes his shoes. I had a contract with Dunlop Japan and because Seve started using my TM2 putter and he spoke English I became his contact. After the putter I worked on his irons. Every year in November at the Dunlop Phoenix we would give him two iron designs to pick from and then we would make 12 sets. In April at Dunlop Open he would be using the irons, new clothing and shoes. They made fantastic shoes and I would help the Dunlop staff person.
I also made drivers and other persimmon heads for him. He was very specific.
I enjoyed working with him. He was a true pleasure to work with. I walked many practice rounds with him. I was fascinated by his game and in particular his putter. I was a lucky guy to have known him in a special way.
[/quote]

Am intrigued about the putter? What did he look for in a putter, as over the years he used all sorts. Did he used to use an old scottsdale anser back in the day or was it one of the newer later anser models?

Cheers

[majic]

Seve had some very specific likes. His irons were a very basic design or shape. I will take a picture. He was very specific about shape profile, sole bounce and most difficult the scoring lines. The outside border line was tilted 3 degrees towards hosel. This trick made the face look on target to him at address. Being a feel player he would sometimes change shafts looking for shaft match.
His putter from 1991 to 1996-99 was a TM-2 Maxfli. He used an old Ping Anser right before. Specs were 4 degrees loft, 68 degrees lie, 35 inches and Dunlop Japan small grip similar to Ping. Head weight 325 grams.
I miss him and his passion for the game.

[astamm8]

[quote name='majic' timestamp='1420772440' post='10712863']
Seve had some very specific likes. His irons were a very basic design or shape. I will take a picture. He was very specific about shape profile, sole bounce and most difficult the scoring lines. The outside border line was tilted 3 degrees towards hosel. This trick made the face look on target to him at address. Being a feel player he would sometimes change shafts looking for shaft match.
His putter from 1991 to 1996-99 was a TM-2 Maxfli. He used an old Ping Anser right before. Specs were 4 degrees loft, 68 degrees lie, 35 inches and Dunlop Japan small grip similar to Ping. Head weight 325 grams.
I miss him and his passion for the game.
[/quote]

[astamm8]

Thanks Tad, that's very interesting. I would love to see the pics. He was a treasure, for sure. What were his wood preferences?

[MoaningM]

[quote name='majic' timestamp='1420772440' post='10712863']
Seve had some very specific likes. His irons were a very basic design or shape. I will take a picture. He was very specific about shape profile, sole bounce and most difficult the scoring lines. The outside border line was tilted 3 degrees towards hosel. This trick made the face look on target to him at address. Being a feel player he would sometimes change shafts looking for shaft match.
His putter from 1991 to 1996-99 was a TM-2 Maxfli. He used an old Ping Anser right before. Specs were 4 degrees loft, 68 degrees lie, 35 inches and Dunlop Japan small grip similar to Ping. Head weight 325 grams.
I miss him and his passion for the game.
[/quote]

Am intrigued to see the irons i cant quite picture the border line, did it mean the border line was not parrallel to the score lines? Yes i do remember him using your putter tad, was it a handmade version that he used or a stock one that was altered to his specs.

What exactly was he after with the scoring lines were they not parrallel to the sole?

Without doubt he and obviously woosie were my childhood idols! I was fortunate to get to see him play on numerous occassions, the best seeing him in his pomp at lytham in 1988! That first round of 67 was fantastic it was quite windy that day and he tore it apart!

Sadly missed!

[dbuck47]

I saw him play in Memphis twice. Once at the Danny Thomas at the old Colonial CC in about 1980, and once at the TPC Southwind in about 1992. I got to see some of those famous recovery shots. In 1992 I found myself walking from a green to the next tee with him, and he was very personable.

[majic]

When lookin straight at the face the left edge of the scoring lines were boxed in with a vertical line connecting the grooves. Tilt that line towards the hosel.
Stock putter

[tercoidegw]

In the early 90's , these Seve blades were very popular here in Corrientes, Argentina. All the one digit had them and I've learned to play with them from zero. Best clubs ever; I played untill chrome and cooper layers were peeled!!! They came with DGR400. Did Seve played X100's?

[Texsport]

The great Seve / Pete Alliss interview in Seve's home, club and trophy rooms, for those who have not seen it.

He discusses his Toney Penna 3-wood that Mr Penna made him pay for.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_1bhaazbSeI


Texsport

[Warrick]

Thank all of you for sharing. Seve is the reason I play this game, miss him a lot.

Some of this brought a tear to my eye.

I hate it when the good ones go too soon.

[CD17]

Seve is why I started playing golf, I saw on TV the 1988 Open & started playing a few months later.

I always thought Seve used a Maxfli TM1, I have still got my TM1 that I used for quite a few years, fantastic putter, very much like the Scotty Cameron Studio.

[stevemcgee99]

[quote name='CD17' timestamp='1427053408' post='11192257']very much like the Scotty Cameron Studio.[/quote]

I don't know much about equipment, but I see a lot of stuff on ebay that looks like a Scotty Cameron putter. And costs $100 or more less.

What is the attraction to Scotty Cameron? The angled letters and colors? Was he a great putter or something?

[majic]

Seve used a Tad Moore TM2. I know I made it, fitted it and worked on all his clubs. He got his putter in 1990. Before Scotty
Scotty has millions of dollars marketing his products. It helps.

[Blade Junkie]

[quote name='CD17' timestamp='1427053408' post='11192257']
Seve is why I started playing golf, I saw on TV the 1988 Open & started playing a few months later.

I always thought Seve used a Maxfli TM1, I have still got my TM1 that I used for quite a few years, fantastic putter, very much like the Scotty Cameron Studio.
[/quote]

And made by the man that taught said Mr Cameron how to mill a putter. Always best to admire the organ grinder rather than the monkey

[xgolfx]

TAD,

I have two questions for you

Is milling a marketing ploy or a valid process? I can recall the putter of the man who is , in my opinion the greatest ever, being a knicked up wooden shafted blade.Bobby Locke is the name.

Are putter covers necessary?

CHARLEY PENNA

[rex235]

[quote name='majic' timestamp='1427072279' post='11194059']
Seve used a Tad Moore TM2. I know I made it, fitted it and worked on all his clubs. He got his putter in 1990. Before Scotty
Scotty has millions of dollars marketing his products. It helps.
[/quote]


Tad-

As you already know, it was your LH Maxfli TM-5 putter that was in my bag, perhaps while SC was still doing work for Ray Cook, before heading to Mizuno.

Am also intrigued by Charley Penna's questions.

Didn't Seve use a PING when he won the Open at St Andrews?

Anyone have a close up view of the Toney Penna 3 wood Seve used?

[NRJyzr]

[quote name='stevemcgee99' timestamp='1427064325' post='11193251']
[quote name='CD17' timestamp='1427053408' post='11192257']very much like the Scotty Cameron Studio.[/quote]

I don't know much about equipment, but I see a lot of stuff on ebay that looks like a Scotty Cameron putter. And costs $100 or more less.

What is the attraction to Scotty Cameron? The angled letters and colors? Was he a great putter or something?
[/quote]


The Cameron Effect can almost 100% be attributed to Tiger Woods. When Tiger went Titleist in his early days, and started playing his Cameron putter, fanbois around the world swooned with delight, and mad-scrambled their way to the nearest Golf Emporium to purchase a similar putter.

As was stated earlier, a lot of marketing money is being spent to point people in that direction. Titleist pays, or used to pay, tee money for use of a Cameron putter, similar to the famous driver tee money. I don't know if it's still in place, but at one time, there was also a deal with the networks to show ground level close ups of Titleist balls and Cameron putters on the greens, during tournament telecasts.


Personally, if I want a putter that looks like a TM-2, or a TPM-3, or a Ping Anser, I'll acquire one of those, not something that looks like it, costing considerably more than the original does, or would in today's dollars, with someone else's name stamped on it.

[majic]

Charlie milling is both. It give me quality control for shape, weight and loft. A head cover protects the milled putter that is made by milling. Softer material.
Yes Seve won there with a Ping Anser. He got mine in 1990-1991 at the Dunlop Open in April.
Sorry saw the wood but I was more interested in the woods I was making and getting him to use those.

[majic]

The Titelist pay very large $$$ to players using a Cameron. Don't kid yourself they are dead serious about this 50 mil per year business. $50,000 to average guy

[bullrambler]

Awesome set of irons. I can only say that he was great to watch on TV in any tournament. I always marveled at how he was able to perform recovery shots from almost anywhere he landed. That part of his game instilled the thought that if I end up a similar situation I'm gonna have to take my licks and try and pull off a decent recovery shot of my own...

[birly-shirly]

[quote name='NRJyzr' timestamp='1427135190' post='11198589']
[quote name='stevemcgee99' timestamp='1427064325' post='11193251']
[quote name='CD17' timestamp='1427053408' post='11192257']very much like the Scotty Cameron Studio.[/quote]

I don't know much about equipment, but I see a lot of stuff on ebay that looks like a Scotty Cameron putter. And costs $100 or more less.

What is the attraction to Scotty Cameron? The angled letters and colors? Was he a great putter or something?
[/quote]


The Cameron Effect can almost 100% be attributed to Tiger Woods. When Tiger went Titleist in his early days, and started playing his Cameron putter, fanbois around the world swooned with delight, and mad-scrambled their way to the nearest Golf Emporium to purchase a similar putter.

As was stated earlier, a lot of marketing money is being spent to point people in that direction. Titleist pays, or used to pay, tee money for use of a Cameron putter, similar to the famous driver tee money. I don't know if it's still in place, but at one time, there was also a deal with the networks to show ground level close ups of Titleist balls and Cameron putters on the greens, during tournament telecasts.


Personally, if I want a putter that looks like a TM-2, or a TPM-3, or a Ping Anser, I'll acquire one of those, not something that looks like it, costing considerably more than the original does, or would in today's dollars, with someone else's name stamped on it.
[/quote]

My sentiments exactly. I was PMSL reading Utley's putting book, as he described how he started out with a Ping Anser but graduated to a Scotty. The Scotty didn't feel quite right until Scotty cut a "feel slot" in the sole, just behind the face. In other words, exactly like the original!

I am however a shameless hypocrite, in that I'm happy to own several copies of the Wilson 8802 - including a TM6, a TPM9 and even a couple of copies by Wilson itself. As if that weren't enough, I could cheerfully stretch to the Yes! version and even the Ping rendition.

[rex235]

[quote name='majic' timestamp='1427146323' post='11200119']
The Titelist pay very large $$$ to players using a Cameron. Don't kid yourself they are dead serious about this 50 mil per year business. $50,000 to average guy
[/quote]

Tad-

It was so nice watching Seve and Trevino on the YouTube 1 club challenge at St Andrews from the '90s against Isao Aoki and Nick Faldo.

Was that one of your clubs Seve was using....and putting left handed?

Outstanding...Magnificent.

PS- Long ago - I asked Titleist about LH equipment...

To be brief- their answer wasn't very kind.

[majic]

Soon I will have a couple of new lefty putters. I am working on them right now.
I have always felt that you must have a good lefty and the TM5 Maxfli was pretty good.