The Death of Spalding Golf

[dlygrisse]

If he just wouldn't have eaten those boogers.....

[dlygrisse]

No company has fallen further than Spalding.

 

MacGregor?

Hogan?

 

But yes, I get your point. :)

[@_the_crook]

my grandad was an active player until the early 1950's. he passed in 1958.

 

amazing to think of the simple equipment used in that era.

 

there is a Wilson Sam Snead eight iron here with a wide fat blade, has very fine grooves, remnants of the TT red label on the shaft.

 

thank you Rex for pointing out that wonderful site for reference.

 

Maltby shows the Spalding clubs I displayed as 41's but they could be anywhere in that decade.

the MPF rating is a minus 7.

can you imagine ?

 

The final score in MPF isn't particularly valuable. It's really just a score showing how close that clubhead is to Ralph Maltby's design principles (low CG some distance from the hosel, with some measure of MOI). The reason for the low score is the CG being higher than the center of a golfball (0.84"), as well as less than an inch from the hosel centerline.

 

What amazes me about this set is the MOI measurement. It's higher than the Ping G400 or G700. And probably almost everything out there today.

 

Maybe they're not so bad, after all. ;)

 

now that is a pep talk....you should be a coach.

[James the Hogan Fan]

Question fot the Spalding guys: since I’m doing those woods, can someone give suggestions for a similar era (50’s) irons for an all-spalding vintage bag? I’m starting to scan ebay for things like RTJ Jr. Kro-Flites. What is the Spalding holy grail of that decade?

[HoldenCornfield]

Question fot the Spalding guys: since I'm doing those woods, can someone give suggestions for a similar era (50's) irons for an all-spalding vintage bag? I'm starting to scan ebay for things like RTJ Jr. Kro-Flites. What is the Spalding holy grail of that decade?

 

https://www.ironfinder.com/Individual-Irons/spalding/top-flite_tournament_model-50.htm

[JShaw]

The Tour Edition irons are VERY good clubs.

[baloo]

 

 

Spalding is alive and well in my bag. I have a buddy who works for Callaway and he lost his mind when I sent him this pic of my gamers.

[Divot License]

Where I grew up Spalding had a factory. As young kids we were often diving into the skip to "retrieve" discarded products then taking them to the local courses pro to "make them good".

 

He was happy to do it as our parents were members but eventually Spalding went bust and they moved out. Not long after Titleist moved in but they never left anything in the skips :-(

[teevons]

define skip?? US Here

[LeoLeo99]

My first set of of clubs were Spaldings. All in one box. 3 to PW, 1, 3, 4, 5 woods, and a bag. Think it came with a putter, too. Probably around 1978 or 1979 when I bought them. The woods were replaced by Hogan Speed-slots and the irons were replaced by FG17s and the putter by an Anser but the bag stayed a few more years until replaced by a Ram carry bag. Golf was much simpler back then.

[Jiggered]

define skip?? US Here

 

A much more complete description than I could supply, with a picture too!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skip_(container)

[BIG STU]

 

 

Spalding is alive and well in my bag. I have a buddy who works for Callaway and he lost his mind when I sent him this pic of my gamers.

Love it---- looks like some of the hustlers bags from back in my teen years------ Your buddy would have a darn heart attack if he would see my Bertha staff bag from in the day. Right now I have a set of Aussie blades in it along with a Keyhole Mac Driver and 4 wood , bullseye putter and Wilson JP wedges. Have not hit the Aussies yet because I have been experimenting with a set of Muirfields I ended up with ( 3rd set total) and another set of forged KZGs. And oh heck yes I have a certain Tourney Custom 1 iron Richard sent me in there too.

 

On another note-- Yesterday saw some strange things among the tourist crowd. One kid had a vintage black and tan leather Taylor Made Staff bag with newer stuff in it. I tried to buy that bag too but he would not sell. Another kid had a vintage white Ping Staff bag with S-56s in it. The one that got me was there was one guy who had a battered torn Ping L-8 bag with a dirty beat up set of Eye2s and a Eye2 wood driver. Had some non descript metal steel shafted fairways too and no headcovers either. The one kid was interested in the fact I had my old Jones bag and the Muirfields in it though. The brief time I talked to him he stated he liked the older stuff but not as old as mine. Well I have to give him a B+ for effort he was gaming the S-56s and old white Ping Staff bag

 

BTW man you did my heart good. Went on your U Tube link and was impressed---- You are much younger than I am and playing vintage stuff too! Just outstanding!!!! And to boot you have a darn good swing----- You other guys need to see this it is impressive worth the time to click on

[Richard 77]

Who do you look for on YouTube to see the video?

[Richard 77]

Also have a set of 68 ball and bird top flites and a set of RTJ synchro dyned irons. I have always liked Spalding equipment from baseball gloves to my first set of golf clubs.

[LeoLeo99]

Love those Elites. They go all the way to 11!

[Richard 77]

Love those Elites. They go all the way to 11!

ijust bought a 3-9set just ton get the 9 iron

[Grason]

I just picked these up. Wish they were lefty so I can play them... not sure on the date but it’s a complete set of Spalding bob goalby clubs.

 

Sorry won’t let me add pics because I’m too new. Somehow pics are up in the vintage club section.

 

 

[teevons]

 

[teevons]

complete set of Custom Top Flites

 

[teevons]

Custom Top Flites unhit

[Bigarch]

Very Sharp!

[Nomad Golfer]

> @Jiggered said:

> teevons wrote:

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> define skip?? US Here

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> A much more complete description than I could supply, with a picture too!

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> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skip_(container)

 

dumpster

[JuliaMuseum]

Hello everybody,

I am so glad that I found this threat! And hopefully you are able to help or guide me in the right direction. I am a research assistant at a German cultural heritage Museum near Frankfurt. Recently we received a donation containing Spalding and Tommy Armour golf clubs. **I did a lot of research but was not able to classify a set of wooden clubs from Spalding.** The set also cincludes Top Flite PROFESSIONAL (spade face) 1963-64 (I assume). I am guessing the wooden clubs are as old? Or maybe not, maybe they where bought later? The last two clubs are from Tommy Armour. One is named Tommy Armour Sand Genie Sand Wedge Butterfly Light Flex with Steel Shaft - so that is obvious. The second one is a black wooden club with no Name, only a Butterfly on it. Is this still a Tommy Armour?

I was going through your conversation and was hoping you guys could help! This collection is supposed to be included in our exhibition... It is very interesting to see how american golf clubs found there way to Germany!!!!

 

Unfortunately, i am not able to upload any pictures because you have to be around for a while :-( Is there any other way to show you the clubs?

 

Many greetings from Germany :-D

 

 

 

[James the Hogan Fan]

Does anyone know when Spalding dropped the ability to order replacement clubs with registration numbers? I'm guessing late 60's but based off nothing.

[MizunoMasterMS9]

Back in the late 80's when Wayne Levi had a run and I think was player of the year with 3 or 4 wins I took peek in is back and they were Top Flite Custom Forged Blades. Lots of players in the 80's were playing Spalding Tour Edition Forged Irons which were a top notch club. Most notably Greg Norman before he got the big money deal and ownership with Cobra played Spalding Tour Edition Irons and the Ball. Some would say that ball which sort of was the Pro V1 of it's day in that it spun lie crazy and didn't cut cost Norman as he often spun it back 15-20 feet with the way he hit the ball.

[MizunoMasterMS9]

Yep that picture above are the Irons I saw Wayne Levi playing. Custom Top Flites. Can still remember it 30 years later. Same tournament some guy and I think it was maybe Hubert Green or JC Snead....Northwestern Bag.

[Shallowface]

I have catalogs that show the Spalding custom shop was still active in the 1980s.

[bripgall3265]

Moe Norman.... No LH

[bripgall3265]

PURE!!!

[bripgall3265]

Or Executives......