Craigslist MacGregor Insanity

[Pocwave]

I went on craigslist and found an ad for milwaukee where the poster said he had 60 sets of vintage clubs @ $10 each. I will post some pics over the weekend. I picked 4-5 sets of MacGregor tourneys, 2 sets of Wilson Staffs, a set of Kenneth Smiths and a set of George Bayers. I did not know anything about Kenneth Smiths until I googled them. Very cool story behind those clubs. Clubs are in beautiful condition. I also got 10 woods, including some MacGregors in great shape. I hope to sell some of the woods to pay the cost of the purchase. $100 total for 9 sets of irons and 10 woods.

 

I shouldn't have bought them all. He had bought a PODS storage unit and got about 90 sets total and 200 woods. He said in two weeks he was selling all the rest to some lady that is going to cut them up and use the heads in craft projects. I felt like I was saving whales or something. He has 40-50 sets left, mostly MacGregor and 6-7 Kenneth Smiths if anyone is interested, pm me and I will give you his phone number. He would be willing to ship them I assume. He mentioned that he was selling other stuff, not the clubs, on ebay. He had 2 sets of Kenneth Smith woods in basically new condition in the house that he is going to try and sell, probably on ebay. He seemed to think these were pretty valuable but when I checked ebay I did not notice that the KM woods were unusually expensive.

 

What is the difference between men's and ladies clubs of that era? There was an immaculate set of Mac Patty Berg's but I didn't know how much the weight difference in the head would be from a men's club.

 

I had never seen aluminum shafts before, interesting. There was a set of Mac TA silver scots and a set of Byron Nelson's with weird shafts. They both had aluminum shafts but the Macs were painted green and the Nelson's a brown color. I would have gotten them but both sets were missing at least one iron.

 

I was hoping he had Hogan but no such luck. I will post the pics to get advice on which sets to try and play. It is a shame that clubs like these aren't in play anymore, just beautiful tools.

 

Bart

[rc1111]

Very cool. I look forward to pictures

[rex235]

[quote name='Pocwave' timestamp='1334946354' post='4758958']
I went on craigslist and found an ad for milwaukee where the poster said he had 60 sets of vintage clubs @ $10 each. I will post some pics over the weekend. I picked 4-5 sets of MacGregor tourneys, 2 sets of Wilson Staffs, a set of Kenneth Smiths and a set of George Bayers. I did not know anything about Kenneth Smiths until I googled them. Very cool story behind those clubs. Clubs are in beautiful condition. I also got 10 woods, including some MacGregors in great shape. I hope to sell some of the woods to pay the cost of the purchase. $100 total for 9 sets of irons and 10 woods.

I shouldn't have bought them all. He had bought a PODS storage unit and got about 90 sets total and 200 woods. He said in two weeks he was selling all the rest to some lady that is going to cut them up and use the heads in craft projects. I felt like I was saving whales or something. He has 40-50 sets left, mostly MacGregor and 6-7 Kenneth Smiths if anyone is interested, pm me and I will give you his phone number. He would be willing to ship them I assume. He mentioned that he was selling other stuff, not the clubs, on ebay. He had 2 sets of Kenneth Smith woods in basically new condition in the house that he is going to try and sell, probably on ebay. He seemed to think these were pretty valuable but when I checked ebay I did not notice that the KM woods were unusually expensive.

What is the difference between men's and ladies clubs of that era? There was an immaculate set of Mac Patty Berg's but I didn't know how much the weight difference in the head would be from a men's club.

I had never seen aluminum shafts before, interesting. There was a set of Mac TA silver scots and a set of Byron Nelson's with weird shafts. They both had aluminum shafts but the Macs were painted green and the Nelson's a brown color. I would have gotten them but both sets were missing at least one iron.

I was hoping he had Hogan but no such luck. I will post the pics to get advice on which sets to try and play. It is a shame that clubs like these aren't in play anymore, just beautiful tools.

Bart
[/quote]


Bart-

Any LH ones?

[Pocwave]

I recall seeing one or two sets of lefty, but don't recall what they were.
Bart

[Pocwave]

Here are the shots of the garage and the irons left that I took as I was leaving the guy's house. Sorry I did not get shots of the woods. I will post the ones I bought later this afternoon.

attachment=1129212:DSCN0919.JPG][attachment=1129210:DSCN0918.JPG][attachment=1129208:DSCN0917.JPG][attachment=1129204:DSCN0915.JPG][attachment=1129202:DSCN0914.JPG][attachment=1129200:DSCN0913.JPG][attachment=1129206:DSCN0916.JPG][attachment=1129198:DSCN0912.JPG]

[LUMA]

I would love to have a set our two, reshaft and regrip. Put in the bag and game em!

Awesome find man.

[Ironmaster Oddities]

Great find, Bart. I thought that only Teevons ran across finds like this
Bob

[Pocwave]

Here are the sets that I bought. One of the sets of irons is Crest, hand forged in Scotland, stainless steel, with hand engraved "George Layers" or Layes on the heads. I could not find any info on these. I don't have a copy of Kaplan's book. Could one of you Mac experts let me know the years of the Macs. There is a guy nearby who is an expert clubmaker, moi matching and the whole shebang. My plan is to take a 6 iron from a set and get it perfect and then make 2-3 other test clubs of 6 irons from the other sets and then make a set or two to play. What would you guys recommend for the sets to play out of those pictured? Also, I love the leather grips, where can you buy that to regrip a club.
Thanks. Bart



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[Pocwave]

A couple of sets did not attach for some reason. Here are the others. I have a set of staff dynapower fluid feel that I must have missed as well.

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[Nspiel58]

Blade heaven! Great find.

[teevons]

At least he has the common sense to get just 10 sets ,I would have had everything in the truck, without blinking





[quote name='Ironmaster Oddities' timestamp='1335044106' post='4764544']
Great find, Bart. I thought that only Teevons ran across finds like this
Bob
[/quote]

[rich13]

Hi Bart, the "Crest" irons look very much as if they were made by George Sayers, son of the famous Scottish Professional and Clubmaker Ben Sayers, from North Berwick. I would imagine that the heads would have been made in Scotland at the ben Sayers factory, then shipped over and assembled in the US. I found this extract from a North Berwick website (note the George Izett connection!):

 

George Thomson Sayers the youngest son of Ben Sayers was born 19th October 1887 in Musselburgh. He worked in the family business at North Berwick and taught the game on the West Links to the rich and famous including Lord Kitchener in 1910. At the age of 25, George emigrated with his wife Agnes to the USA.

 

They sailed from Liverpool on the S.S. Baltic arriving in New York on 10th May 1913. George Sayers contact in America was Rodman E Griscom of Berton, Griscom & Co. Stockbrokers, 40 Wall Street, New York. Rodman Griscom was a founder member of Merion Golf Club in Philadelphia and his sister Francis C. Griscom was US Woman's Amateur Champion in 1900. Francis came to Scotland in 1902 and was tutored all summer at North Berwick by Ben Sayers Snr. Rodman and Francis visited North Berwick again in 1906 and 1911 and were both under the supervision of Old Ben.

 

George and his family lived at 321 Walnut Street, in the historic district of Philadelphia. Within days 19 year old James Kelly Thomson from North Berwick arrived to take up the position of assistant pro. He was followed in 1914 by James Gullane. In 1921 George Sayers sponsored the passage of Jimmy Richardson a clubmaker with Ben Sayers & Sons, who arrived in New York on 19th February and was employed at Merion. Richardson was followed in 1929 by another Sayers apprentice George Izett who remained at Merion until 1932. He started the Izett Custom Golf Club Company which is still in business on Haverford Road, Ardmore, PA. George Sayers became a US citizen on 22 September 1922 at Philadelphia District Court.

 

In 1931, Jimmy Richardson was golf instructor at Sunnybrook G.C, Flourton (PA) and lived with his wife Florence Stokes and daughters Mary and Alice in Philadelphia. His brother John Richardson (above) also emigrated to the USA.

 

North Berwick golfers have had a long association with Merion Golf Club. Robert M Thomson (1898-1904) was followed as pro by his brother James R Thomson (1905-1909), before George Sayers arrived in 1913 and a long line of clubmakers sent out from Ben Sayers & Son passed through the club. Merion Golf Club was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1992. In the 1950s George Sayers left Merion and began making clubs exclusively at his business located in Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA. He made customised clubs for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, comedian Jackie Gleason, Reverend Billy Graham and Amelia Earhart the famous pilot. George Sayers died January 1977 at Montgomery, PA.

 

 

[super20dan]

the smith irons are well made but very hard to hit. i played a set for years . the smith woods are VERY fragil and every one i had broke. good for display only. did you get a ken smith 99 sand wedge? this is an execellent sw and is totally playable. smith clubs were all custom made to fit the buyer so find a set that fits you can be an issue.

[rex235]

Bart-

Congratulaions on some outstanding finds!

Those MacGregor persimmons....M75s....MT Tourneys with Aluminum insert. That "Winged MT" stamp.....

Even the Joe Powell blond custom M43 brings back some memories of my custom club order to JP over 25 years ago.

Though I like the MT muscleback irons, one of the great sleeper iron sets are those Wilson Staff "Adjustaback" Dynapower irons...

And the individuals name is stamped on all the Kenneth Smith clubs "hand made to fit" them...

The one set you do not feature up close photos appears to be the pyratone shafted MacGregor Tommy Armour Silver Scot 985 model irons.

You could hold your own classic club events with these.....

Will call the number you gave about the LH clubs.

[Blade Junkie]

Awesome find - congratulations!

I'd bet good money that my own garage will look that in 25 years or so - lol

[Scully13]

Bart.

Great find . I would keep all those classics on display. They are probably worth a lot more than the 90 that you invested.

The Kenneth smiths are incredible pieces of equipment.

Thanks for sharing the info.

[Woodridge]

Wow, great find! Thanks for sharing the pictures. The Eye O Matic woods reminded me that I once had a 4 wood of that model, loved that club. And the K Smith's look to be in great shape. Very cool thread.

[super20dan]

no iron is more durable than the kennith smith made from stainless steel for goodness sake. they last forever