Left Handed persimmon

[PingGuy123]

I have recently started playing a laminated driver and am interested in getting a persimmon.  Does anyone have any insight as to what to look for?  I’m left handed so that makes it a little tough.  I’m not sure whether to look for an older one or look for a new one at somewhere like Louisville Golf.  I saw a Louisville golf personal model for sale, does anyone know if they are any good? It is in good shape, I just don’t know much about persimmons.  Thanks!

[MattM97]

You might get better answers in the Classic Golf section here, there is a persimmon section.

 

But also following cause lefty as well. 

[golfheaven69]

Buy a sleeve of balata’s. Be careful with the full wedge. 

[skraly]

Lefty persimmons are a little hard to get a hold of in decent condition.  Ebay is probably your best bet.  I have 4 persimmon drivers I found over the years.  The following have all been available in LH and are very good- Palmer Peerless, MacGregor, Cleveland, Powerbilt Citation, Kenneth Smith and Tony Pena.  That’s certainly not the entire list but you won’t be disappointed in any if those.  But honestly, laminated drivers perform just as well as the persimmon.  The persimmons sound and feel a little different but performance is the same.  Laminated drivers are more durable than persimmon.  I started playing in the 60’s and before metal drivers came on the scene I cracked 3 persimmon drivers.  When that happens they can’t be reliably repaired.  I’ve never cracked a laminated driver.  But I freely admit the persimmon woods have more cache’.

[dokex]

36 minutes ago, skraly said:

Lefty persimmons are a little hard to get a hold of in decent condition.  Ebay is probably your best bet.  I have 4 persimmon drivers I found over the years.  The following have all been available in LH and are very good- Palmer Peerless, MacGregor, Cleveland, Powerbilt Citation, Kenneth Smith and Tony Pena.  That’s certainly not the entire list but you won’t be disappointed in any if those.  But honestly, laminated drivers perform just as well as the persimmon.  The persimmons sound and feel a little different but performance is the same.  Laminated drivers are more durable than persimmon.  I started playing in the 60’s and before metal drivers came on the scene I cracked 3 persimmon drivers.  When that happens they can’t be reliably repaired.  I’ve never cracked a laminated driver.  But I freely admit the persimmon woods have more cache’.

Nicklaus broke his vintage McGregor several times over his career; it was always reliably repaired by Jack Wulcotte, the top club tech at the company.

[sheepdawg]

33 minutes ago, dokex said:

Nicklaus broke his vintage McGregor several times over his career; it was always reliably repaired by Jack Wulcotte, the top club tech at the company.

Nicklaus broke the insert in the face which is was an easy fix most of the time. Cracks in the hosel were also common and fixable. If you ever see the Tommy Armour Jack won the 86 Masters with it's got a fixed hosel crack.

 

If I remember look for tight concentric grain and inserts and soleplates that fit well when looking for persimmon.  Look for tiny cracks in the face.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

11 hours ago, PingGuy123 said:

I have recently started playing a laminated driver and am interested in getting a persimmon.  Does anyone have any insight as to what to look for?  I’m left handed so that makes it a little tough.  I’m not sure whether to look for an older one or look for a new one at somewhere like Louisville Golf.  I saw a Louisville golf personal model for sale, does anyone know if they are any good? It is in good shape, I just don’t know much about persimmons.  Thanks!

 

Post it here, as you'll get far more answers.

 

I'd look for older persimmons, just because they'll be cheaper. 

 

Honma also made left-handed persimmons. I see a few come up for sale here, but I'm in Japan. If you are in North America or Europe, Honma woods will be harder to find.

[dokex]

1 minute ago, sheepdawg said:

Nicklaus broke the insert in the face which is was an easy fix most of the time. Cracks in the hosel were also common and fixable. If you ever see the Tommy Armour Jack won the 86 Masters with it's got a fixed hosel crack.

 

If I remember look for tight concentric grain and inserts and soleplates that fit well when looking for persimmon.  Look for tiny cracks in the face.

He also broke the head into separate pieces, and it was always epoxied back together.

[st1800e]

Finding “good” left handed drivers and clubs in that era was difficult , as Bob Charles experienced, and a few others.   

Edited December 19, 2023 by st1800e

[golfluvzme]

I just sent you a PM.   If you're local to me, I can hook you up.

 

LaMont in AZ

[lefthack]

https://louisvillegolf.com/collections/lefties/persimmon

 

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by lefthack

[Ri_Redneck]

Yeah, Louisville Golf would be your best bet since it would be new and you know it's solid. Just have to bide your time till they're back in stock. But, in the mean time, cruise the Bay to see what's there.

 

BT

[skraly]

On 12/18/2023 at 9:29 PM, dokex said:

Nicklaus broke his vintage McGregor several times over his career; it was always reliably repaired by Jack Wulcotte, the top club tech at the company.

So if he broke the same driver several times and each time it was repaired, I can’t really say it was reliably repaired.  The drivers I broke cracked right down the middle of the club head.  If I could have had them repaired, I would  have.

Edited December 21, 2023 by skraly

[braincramp52]

I used to have a driver and woods from Louisville. Quality stuff.

[dokex]

11 hours ago, skraly said:

So if he broke the same driver several times and each time it was repaired, I can’t really say it was reliably repaired.  The drives I broke cracked right down the middle of the club head.  If I could have had them repaired, I would  have.

I doubt that the GOAT would have used a driver that wasn't reliably repaired.

[bigred90gt]

1 hour ago, dokex said:

I doubt that the GOAT would have used a driver that wasn't reliably repaired.

and I doubt the average Joe has access to the kind of craftsmanship it must have taken to work on Jack Niklaus's clubs. 

[MattM97]

I was bored yesterday and checked ebay there are a few decent LH ones right now based on suggestions above. 

[skraly]

2 hours ago, dokex said:

I doubt that the GOAT would have used a driver that wasn't reliably repaired.

Well, if it kept cracking, how reliable was it?

[dokex]

7 minutes ago, skraly said:

Well, if it kept cracking, how reliable was it?

Reliable enough to win or come in second in THIRTY SEVEN majors.

[PJE]

Persimmon woods are different than today’s clubs. Each club had slightly different characteristics or feel.  If you found one you liked, you kept it. It was trial and error. 
All the brands mentioned by the OP were good and I’d  add Hogan. 
People used to say to look for tight grained wood in the head. 

Edited December 21, 2023 by PJE

[PingGuy123]

Thanks everyone for the responses. 

[skraly]

4 hours ago, PJE said:

Persimmon woods are different than today’s clubs. Each club had slightly different characteristics or feel.  If you found one you liked, you kept it. It was trial and error. 
All the brands mentioned by the OP were good and I’d  add Hogan. 
People used to say to look for tight grained wood in the head. 

I don't recall Hogan ever having a persimmon driver or fairways in LH.  But my memory is not that great.

[PJE]

23 minutes ago, skraly said:

I don't recall Hogan ever having a persimmon driver or fairways in LH.  But my memory is not that great.

Oh, sorry. Maybe they didn’t. I apologize, I overlooked  the LH specification. 
I remember a lot of good players with Hogans but now that you mention they were all RH.
I had an Orlimar ( which was big local brand , long before their Tri Metal, and then a used MacGregor. I didn’t have the money for a Hogan.) 

[skraly]

I know that, for a while at least, Arnold Palmer used a Hogan driver.  I've seen several pics of him with a Hogan driver and the speed slot on the toe is very distinctive.

[Milfordlefty]

I found a left hand Powerbilt laminate driver with an unknown steel shaft and Tour Series 1 & 2 iron (Ping clone) with Rapport graphite shafts at a church white elephant sale, bought all for $5. I tried the 2 iron at the range once, damn small head for a cavity back.

[Milfordlefty]

On 12/20/2023 at 10:08 PM, PingGuy123 said:

Thanks everyone for the responses. 

This popped in today's ebay, not sure if you are still looking

LH Persimmon Driver

[LeftyMac]

On 12/21/2023 at 3:02 PM, skraly said:

I don't recall Hogan ever having a persimmon driver or fairways in LH.  But my memory is not that great.

 

Hogan in the US only made laminates in lefthand although I did see photos of one set of persimmon lefty heads which were evidently made for a Hogan employee.  Slazenger made the Hogan heads in Australia and they did come in persimmon.

 

  

[WipeyFade]

I’m a lefty also and it seems like eBay is a lot of hit or miss, mostly miss. If you are looking to get a new one I would highly suggest Todd Demsey. He built

me a driver last year and the experience was great. He custom makes every club so the custom options are vast. 

Edited January 21, 2024 by WipeyFade