Help me identify this Wilson Staff Tour Blade pitching wedge

[UCSBManny]

Hello All,

 

This is my first post here. What a great site with tons of information! Anyways, here is my question: I am unable to identify the year or anything about this Wilson staff tour blade pitching wedge. The "wedge" lettering seems to have some kind of flaw where there is double lettering layered over each other. Please help. I have recently purchased a few sets of vintage sets including some Wilson staff fluid feels and some Dunlop Maxfli blades. I may never go back to my new Callaways!!

 

[Titleist87]

Not a flaw. Constant hitting into sand/dirt causes the letter to run.

[Shallowface]

[quote name='UCSBManny' timestamp='1375216571' post='7570916']
Hello All,

This is my first post here. What a great site with tons of information! Anyways, here is my question: [i][b]I am unable to identify the year or anything about this Wilson staff tour blade pitching wedge.[/b][/i] The "wedge" lettering seems to have some kind of flaw where there is double lettering layered over each other. Please help. I have recently purchased a few sets of vintage sets including some Wilson staff fluid feels and some Dunlop Maxfli blades. I may never go back to my new Callaways!!
[/quote]

It's the same stamping as the 1978-80 Tour Blades, so I believe that's the right date for this one. The J.P. stands for Joe Phillips, who was Wilson's tour rep at the time.

There were JP wedges made for years after that (into the 1990s) with different stampings.

[dbuck47]

There is one in my bag. Don't like to play without it.

[UCSBManny]

You guys are awesome! Thank you for the feedback. [size=4] [/size]

[Froth]

Looks nice!, I don't really like that grind on the PW - That's one I've never seen before, I own the SW(JP custom grind) that matches this. The T.K. 60 Tour wedge also looks fairly close but is the Later ('81-82) Stamping, the Grind matches very well visually.

[Fade]

[quote name='Shallowface' timestamp='1375226067' post='7571824']
[quote name='UCSBManny' timestamp='1375216571' post='7570916']
Hello All,

This is my first post here. What a great site with tons of information! Anyways, here is my question: [i][b]I am unable to identify the year or anything about this Wilson staff tour blade pitching wedge.[/b][/i] The "wedge" lettering seems to have some kind of flaw where there is double lettering layered over each other. Please help. I have recently purchased a few sets of vintage sets including some Wilson staff fluid feels and some Dunlop Maxfli blades. I may never go back to my new Callaways!!
[/quote]

It's the same stamping as the 1978-80 Tour Blades, so I believe that's the right date for this one. The J.P. stands for Joe Phillips, who was Wilson's tour rep at the time.

There were JP wedges made for years after that (into the 1990s) with different stampings.
[/quote]

I agree with all of the above, but I will add - for clarity - that the wedge shown is not the pitching wedge that comes in the 1978-80 Tourblade iron-set, and is of different design that was sold as PW and SW only, to add to an iron set.

Some info on JP: [url="http://www.illinoisgolfhof.org/members/member.aspx?id=1dab7f14-4eff-4562-a563-b752cc2c2b43"]http://www.illinoisg...63-b752cc2c2b43[/url]

[Froth]

I believe this is an early stamping of the JP stuff, as stated above this is not a set club but an add-on - Though the ones stamped just J-P seem to be the earliest of this model stamping with the 78-80 Staff lettering(There is also a 81+ Staff lettering version that is stamped J.P. with Custom Grind under it, like the SW as they were part of a 2-club set). Then there is the same 78-80 Staff stamping with J.P. and Custom grind below it, There is a 81+ Staff Stamping with J.P. (and usually a loft after it) with custom grind on the back of the sole, and there is also a JP II version. That is all I am aware of from the JP Custom grind stuff of the Late 70's early 80's.

It is also incredibly off-center(The staff stamp is really far off the toe), which is unusual - The stampings do vary on club to club usually in height by a few MM, the one you posted looks almost shifted in 1/2"

[freddiec]

Made my 1st eagle ever at the age of about 17 with a JP 55 deg. SW. Chip in from off the green on a par 5. Never forget it.

[Froth]

My curiosity is now peaked, I am looking at an 81+ Staff stamping J.P. III Custom Grind 7-Iron on eBay. Perhaps there was indeed a full set of the J.P. stuff... First I've ever seen a J.P. Branding on anything but a wedge.

[url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wilson-Staff-Tour-Blade-7-iron-/290943178504?pt=Vintage_Sports_Memorabilia&hash=item43bd909708"]http://www.ebay.com/...=item43bd909708[/url]

Longer sole, More muscle on the back, Higher chop on the top-line.

I would like a set of those... That's crazy different looking than my 7i.

[oldschoolrocker]

Thanks for the link Mr. Wilson , eh, Froth.

Never seen that before. Uncle Bob, what say you?