Memory Lane of Irons

[NRJyzr]

[quote name='jmck' timestamp='1360617636' post='6408627']
[quote name='dalehead' timestamp='1343767717' post='5385802']
In fact there is a famous story about the argument Ben Hogan had with MacGregor, his equipment sponsor, because he played Titleist instead of the Tourney ball.
[/quote]

I forget who it was.....someone well respected....Venturi? Flick? Rossberg?......Anyhow I remember reading an article where whoever it was said that they were absolutely convinced that Jack would've won another 3 or 4 majors if he hadn't been loyal to the MacGregor ball. They said that the MacGregor ball was very unpredictable in the wind compared to the Titleists everyone else was using at the time.
[/quote]

Every time I see this comment, I feel obliged to bring up this story...

Back in the heyday of 2nd Swing, at one of their locations here in MN, I had occasion to chat with a retired gentleman, who said he'd been a MacGregor rep, back in the day. He still had a box of samples of some heads available through their several thousand dollar Personal Model program (or whatever they called it).

He was touring through the Titleist ball facility, seeing a run of balls being made. Happened to notice they were stamping MacGregor on some balls. He asked about this and was told those particular balls were for Jack Nicklaus. Meaning, this gentleman insisted, he wasn't *really* playing the MacGregor ball.

Not unlike MacGregor forgings made for pros, after they'd left to other companies, I suppose.

He told me a great many things, I never heard him spout BS, so I tend to believe him more than not. FWIW

[guisician]

[quote name='NRJyzr' timestamp='1360876458' post='6429835']
[quote name='jmck' timestamp='1360617636' post='6408627']
[quote name='dalehead' timestamp='1343767717' post='5385802']
In fact there is a famous story about the argument Ben Hogan had with MacGregor, his equipment sponsor, because he played Titleist instead of the Tourney ball.
[/quote]

I forget who it was.....someone well respected....Venturi? Flick? Rossberg?......Anyhow I remember reading an article where whoever it was said that they were absolutely convinced that Jack would've won another 3 or 4 majors if he hadn't been loyal to the MacGregor ball. They said that the MacGregor ball was very unpredictable in the wind compared to the Titleists everyone else was using at the time.
[/quote]

Every time I see this comment, I feel obliged to bring up this story...

Back in the heyday of 2nd Swing, at one of their locations here in MN, I had occasion to chat with a retired gentleman, who said he'd been a MacGregor rep, back in the day. He still had a box of samples of some heads available through their several thousand dollar Personal Model program (or whatever they called it).

He was touring through the Titleist ball facility, seeing a run of balls being made. Happened to notice they were stamping MacGregor on some balls. He asked about this and was told those particular balls were for Jack Nicklaus. Meaning, this gentleman insisted, he wasn't *really* playing the MacGregor ball.

Not unlike MacGregor forgings made for pros, after they'd left to other companies, I suppose.

He told me a great many things, I never heard him spout BS, so I tend to believe him more than not. FWIW
[/quote]

What's in a name, after all?

[strohmoose1]

My first new set was a set of MacGregor Tourneys in 1958. They had the black faces and I got the whole set including 4 persimmon woods for $125.00 new. I just purchased a set of the same clubs last week for $30.00 (no woods) 2-11 irons. They are in great shape other than the shafts are a little wavy! I plan to reshaft them with KBS and see how they feel. The chrome is very, very good!

[Mitchell]

Learned to play with a set of Wilson FG-17, went to a set of Mizuno Grad, then Bridgestone J's professional weapon, realized did not like the Japanese reverse offset styles, back to blades with Cobra Greg Norman tour stamp on hosel, then Founders Club 200 series blades(5 years)Titleist 962b main set for about 12 years, then my current set of 712 mb/cb combo. Favorite irons ever were my Founders Club 200 series, followed very closely by 962b.

[strohmoose1]

[quote name='Ironmaster Oddities' timestamp='1334457303' post='4723376']
[quote name='rc1111' timestamp='1334456074' post='4723244']
Yes of course... Hogans and Kenneth Smiths. I am not claiming completeness, just musing. For example, as a kid, my favorite wood was (gulp) a Patty Berg. It is hard to just name them all off when jotting a post (and not doing any research,) I was trying to remember, were there actual Kroflight (or something like that) clubs? Now I do remember a ball that was not regarded with any respect: the PoDo. The good ones I remember were Spaulding Dots, Maxfli, and Achunet/Titleist. I am sure there were others.
[/quote]
Po-do was sold by either Walgreen or maybe Woolworth. .it seems like there was a pro who endorsed them and who supposedly played the ball on tour?! Maybe late 1940's. Yet another useless bit of golf trivia from my dusty cranial archives.
[/quote]And the "zippo"!

[xgolfx]

[quote name='strohmoose1' timestamp='1384265644' post='8136672']
[quote name='Ironmaster Oddities' timestamp='1334457303' post='4723376']
[quote name='rc1111' timestamp='1334456074' post='4723244']
Yes of course... Hogans and Kenneth Smiths. I am not claiming completeness, just musing. For example, as a kid, my favorite wood was (gulp) a Patty Berg. It is hard to just name them all off when jotting a post (and not doing any research,) I was trying to remember, were there actual Kroflight (or something like that) clubs? Now I do remember a ball that was not regarded with any respect: the PoDo. The good ones I remember were Spaulding Dots, Maxfli, and Achunet/Titleist. I am sure there were others.
[/quote]
Po-do was sold by either Walgreen or maybe Woolworth. .it seems like there was a pro who endorsed them and who supposedly played the ball on tour?! Maybe late 1940's. Yet another useless bit of golf trivia from my dusty cranial archives.

Po do was sold by
Walgreens. It was named after Charley Walgreen's poodle. Johnny (bobo) Bulla was married to a Walgreen and played the ball. He would bet he could out drive anyone with any ball and won most of the time

CHARLEY PENNA
[/quote]And the "zippo"!
[/quote]

[Ironmaster Oddities]

[quote name='xgolfx' timestamp='1384293560' post='8139230']
[quote name='strohmoose1' timestamp='1384265644' post='8136672']
[quote name='Ironmaster Oddities' timestamp='1334457303' post='4723376']
[quote name='rc1111' timestamp='1334456074' post='4723244']
Yes of course... Hogans and Kenneth Smiths. I am not claiming completeness, just musing. For example, as a kid, my favorite wood was (gulp) a Patty Berg. It is hard to just name them all off when jotting a post (and not doing any research,) I was trying to remember, were there actual Kroflight (or something like that) clubs? Now I do remember a ball that was not regarded with any respect: the PoDo. The good ones I remember were Spaulding Dots, Maxfli, and Achunet/Titleist. I am sure there were others.
[/quote]
Po-do was sold by either Walgreen or maybe Woolworth. .it seems like there was a pro who endorsed them and who supposedly played the ball on tour?! Maybe late 1940's. Yet another useless bit of golf trivia from my dusty cranial archives.

Po do was sold by
Walgreens. It was named after Charley Walgreen's poodle. Johnny (bobo) Bulla was married to a Walgreen and played the ball. He would bet he could out drive anyone with any ball and won most of the time

CHARLEY PENNA
[/quote]And the "zippo"!
[/quote]
[/quote]
zippo SD may have been a solid ball.

[BIG STU]

Well being new to this forum I will add Spalding Top-Flites and Spalding Elite irons. I played them for years until I switched to Power Bilt Citations and then to MacGregor. I played MacGregor VIPs until about 4 months ago when I went to more modern irons

[Skip Castaneda]

[quote name='dalehead' timestamp='1334511048' post='4726042']
Speaking of old golf ball brands it was interesting that on the Feherty show with Ken Venturi, Venturi showed the ball he used in winning the 1964 US Open. It was a Royal from the Uniroyal rubber company. I had forgotten that Venturi had an endorsement deal with them.

In the early 70's Royal came out with a pro line ball, what were called "buck and a quarter" balls then, with a hexagonal dimple, the start of the golf ball dimple wars which persist today.
[/quote]
I found a set of US Royal golf clubs at a Goodwill. I really enjoy them. I only bought them because I discovered Venturi endorsed them.