First Flight Irons, by Toney Penna

[Coralray]

This Spring I bought two sets of First Flight irons I would like help identifying. They are 1967 Golden Eagle GE 166 and 1967 Golden Arrow. I would like to know if these sets were designed by Toney Penna after he left MacGregor. The GAs are a compact head version of the GEs. The GAs have flat soles and the GEs have major bounce and mini-flanged soles. Both sets coming with pinned, at back of hosel, TT Dynamic shafts. I need to get grips on the GAs but I have played the GEs many times and really like this set. I have long enjoyed Penna's work with MacGregor and was interested to see what he did while briefly with First Flight. Have I got Penna First Flights or just First Flights?

[Coralray]

Photo...

[Titleist87]

My dad has some nice First Flights he bought in the mid 70s. Sold them off except for the SW and the 1, 3, 4, and 5 woods. Played the SW for many years. Recently gave it to me so I am going to send it off to the Iron Factory for a rechrome/regroove and give it back to him.

[Coralray]

I regripped the Golden Arrows with Lamkin cord and played them today with great success. These are some really fine irons.

[rex235]

Perhaps Charley Penna could help with when his uncle Toney was working for First Flight-

It's possible some of the "Golden Eagle" designs came from Toney Penna.

As for my 2 cents, perhaps the included First Flight "Golden Eagle" iron, like the "Original", is
Toney Pennas work...

[attachment=1691860:100_9842.JPG].

the top iron is First Flight- the bottom- Toney Penna original..

[attachment=1691878:100_9843.JPG]

[Coralray]

Cool shot of the two irons. I have a partial set of Originals, which is a cast head that was sopposed to be a throwback to the early 50's MacGregor Armours, kind of like the second coming of 985s from 1967. The back weighting looks like an Armour 945 from 1955.

The First Flight Golden Eagles and Arrows are really high quality irons which came from the factory with pinned Dynamic shafts. You can find some custom Wilson Staffs from the 60's with Dynamic stiff shafts, but they are rare in good condition as they were usually ordered by a pro, who proceeded to wear them out. I grew up playing Dynamic shafts and still prefer them to any other shaft for irons. If you are looking for classic forged irons with dynamic shafts they are rare in Wilson and MacGregor, you might consider First Flights.

[Coralray]

Still curious about this topic. Mr. Penna are you out there, in here?

[xgolfx]

Toney Penna did not have much to do with First Flight clubs. They used his name. His ideas were not put into production

CHARLEY PENNA

[KevCarter]

[quote name='rex235' timestamp='1369102858' post='7073250']
Perhaps Charley Penna could help with when his uncle Toney was working for First Flight-

It's possible some of the "Golden Eagle" designs came from Toney Penna.

As for my 2 cents, perhaps the included First Flight "Golden Eagle" iron, like the "Original", is
Toney Pennas work...

[attachment=1691860:100_9842.JPG].

the top iron is First Flight- the bottom- Toney Penna original..

[attachment=1691878:100_9843.JPG]
[/quote]

WOW, those Penna Originals are gorgeous. Love the squarish toes!!!

[Coralray]

[quote name='kevcarter' timestamp='1426607552' post='11159841']
[quote name='rex235' timestamp='1369102858' post='7073250']
Perhaps Charley Penna could help with when his uncle Toney was working for First Flight-

It's possible some of the "Golden Eagle" designs came from Toney Penna.

As for my 2 cents, perhaps the included First Flight "Golden Eagle" iron, like the "Original", is
Toney Pennas work...

[attachment=1691860:100_9842.JPG].

the top iron is First Flight- the bottom- Toney Penna original..

[attachment=1691878:100_9843.JPG]
[/quote]

WOW, those Penna Originals are gorgeous. Love the squarish toes!!!
[/quote]. They are intriguing, but I am pretty sure they are investment cast irons made to look like old MacGregor 945s. Probably not Toney Penna's highest achievement.

[Coralray]

[quote name='xgolfx' timestamp='1426606837' post='11159779']
Toney Penna did not have much to do with First Flight clubs. They used his name. His ideas were not put into production

CHARLEY PENNA
[/quote]

Thanks for the reply. They are an interesting set all the same.

[KevCarter]

[quote name='Coralray' timestamp='1426730478' post='11170469']
[quote name='kevcarter' timestamp='1426607552' post='11159841']
[quote name='rex235' timestamp='1369102858' post='7073250']
Perhaps Charley Penna could help with when his uncle Toney was working for First Flight-

It's possible some of the "Golden Eagle" designs came from Toney Penna.

As for my 2 cents, perhaps the included First Flight "Golden Eagle" iron, like the "Original", is
Toney Pennas work...

[attachment=1691860:100_9842.JPG].

the top iron is First Flight- the bottom- Toney Penna original..

[attachment=1691878:100_9843.JPG]
[/quote]

WOW, those Penna Originals are gorgeous. Love the squarish toes!!!
[/quote]. They are intriguing, but I am pretty sure they are investment cast irons made to look like old MacGregor 945s. Probably not Toney Penna's highest achievement.
[/quote]

whatever turns your crank

[rex235]

[quote name='kevcarter' timestamp='1426607552' post='11159841']
[quote name='rex235' timestamp='1369102858' post='7073250']
Perhaps Charley Penna could help with when his uncle Toney was working for First Flight-

It's possible some of the "Golden Eagle" designs came from Toney Penna.

As for my 2 cents, perhaps the included First Flight "Golden Eagle" iron, like the "Original", is
Toney Pennas work...

[attachment=1691860:100_9842.JPG].

the top iron is First Flight- the bottom- Toney Penna original..

[attachment=1691878:100_9843.JPG]
[/quote]

WOW, those Penna Originals are gorgeous. Love the squarish toes!!!
[/quote]


Kev-

Glad you like them.

Haven't ever seen another RH set of First Flight Golden Eagle irons like these-

According to the Golf Club Identification and Price Guides, they supposed infer there are First Flight by Toney Penna woods out there.

If anyone has photos of a set that match the description, then please step right on up ...

Note- Already posted the Left Hand First Flight Golden Eagle model, with the "NALG Approved" stamp, in another thread.

[Coralray]

[quote name='kevcarter' timestamp='1426731406' post='11170593']
[quote name='Coralray' timestamp='1426730478' post='11170469']
[quote name='kevcarter' timestamp='1426607552' post='11159841']
[quote name='rex235' timestamp='1369102858' post='7073250']
Perhaps Charley Penna could help with when his uncle Toney was working for First Flight-

It's possible some of the "Golden Eagle" designs came from Toney Penna.

As for my 2 cents, perhaps the included First Flight "Golden Eagle" iron, like the "Original", is
Toney Pennas work...

[attachment=1691860:100_9842.JPG].

the top iron is First Flight- the bottom- Toney Penna original..

[attachment=1691878:100_9843.JPG]
[/quote]

WOW, those Penna Originals are gorgeous. Love the squarish toes!!!
[/quote]. They are intriguing, but I am pretty sure they are investment cast irons made to look like old MacGregor 945s. Probably not Toney Penna's highest achievement.
[/quote]

whatever turns your crank
[/quote]

Perhaps I could clarify. I too liked the shape of the Toney Penna Originals and so bought a set on eBay only to learn later that they are investment cast, which to a fan of Penna's lifelong work is something of a let down. They don't turn my crank at all. They are unplayed and the heads are perfect. When I got the (short) set the shafts had all been monkeyed with by a previous owner. Not a classic, but a cheap attempt at cashing in on the classics popular at the time.

[bullrambler]

Great looking set of irons... Generally speaking - up here in Canada we are in North America but sometimes I feel we are on the fringe... In the USA there is a longer golf season and a larger population. So availability and diversity of vintage clubs is better. However, when one finds a vintage set in Canada they can be in real good shape because of the shorter season. There are not too many older club "doctors" in Canada anymore so when I had the chance I spoke with many of them well over 20 years ago now.

Since that time I have had to resort to a few written publications (Maltby's) or have found some useful information on the net, here at WRX, or the odd library... I've studied club design and tested so many models that I can't remember most of them. Back in the day I was a scratch golfer so I can hit a club. While working for a golf shop (about a decade ago doing club repairs) I could take various clubs out to the range and could tell within 3 strikes of the ball if the clubs were going to make the grade. Sometimes I'd find a gem - Like a Cleveland Driver that would stand out over other brands and let the owner of the shop know that this club is the best of the group. I've found this with Mizuno's too. Sometimes they would work and perform better then the Titleists and the Pings... Of course I am referring to OEM Stuff. Shafts make a difference too and it's always best to try before one buys.

The older steel shafts were quite good and one does not need to worry about whether the older steel shafts will make the grade. What really surprised me is that a lot of the older stuff has tight Swing Weighting throughout the set. Sometimes the 3 iron will be a bit heavier and this makes sense to me because it provides more feel of a longer club - like a 3 iron.

I steered a little off topic here but my comments are mostly in reference to the older irons and bit on some of the newer drivers.

Swing on, swing smooth and hit hard...!

[Coralray]

I played a quick nine today in Omaha at 50 degrees and brown grass conditions and really enjoyed the FF Golden Arrows. Like 1960 SS1s they sit flat to the ground throughout the set, no bounce, have little camber and are slightly low profile. But they have the typical First Flight slightly long blades more common to modern forged irons, and with the Dynamic Stiff shafts are really a nice iron. They have a really soft feel and for the lower profile would be great on thin turf conditions, better for bent grass fairways than for Bermuda. They are rare, but not valuable, so are uncommon but if you see a set cheap, I say buy. I am glad to have a set in my collection.

[golfnut1964]

I have a set of the left handed NALG would they be same quality as the golden eagle or a dept store entry level model

[rex235]

[quote name='golfnut1964' timestamp='1426824995' post='11177927']
I have a set of the left handed NALG would they be same quality as the golden eagle or a dept store entry level model
[/quote]

The National Association of Lefthanded Golfers (NALG) gave their "Approved" stamp to First Flight irons with the Golden Eagle
single milled cut, Both the 1973 and 1974 models have the stamp.

Under close scrutiny, these NALG irons are pretty much the same forged left hand iron heads that Titleist came out with in the '80s.
There wasn't very much in comparison with any of the RH Titleist Tour Model irons.