What Exactly Is The Wilson Tour Special Forged Putter?

[EmperorPenguin]

We have seen them around from time to time, those putters that look like 8802 copies.  Does anyone know the story behind these putters?  I can only recall maybe finding them at Kmart, Big 5 Sporting Goods, and other stores that sell cheap golf clubs.  For those of you who bought this putter, how does it compare side by side against an original 8802?

[bcstones]

any chance of a picture?

[Maine Golfer]

Sam Burns would cry about water on the public courses i play 

[EmperorPenguin]

4 hours ago, bcstones said:

any chance of a picture?

 

[Beenerpro]

I remember carrying them in our pro shop, but don’t remember exact years. Early 80s maybe. They were the Wilson top end offering at the time. Wilson at the time sold clubs to every retailer, not just pro shops. Around here, Gibsons Department store and Western Auto carried Wilson. I also remember rolling one when we got them in. Didn’t feel nearly as good as my 60s Designed by Arnold Palmer or first year 8802. Harsher feel than the originals. But that probably had a lot to do with the original Head Speed shafts in the early models which were superior than the later, stiffer shafts in the remakes. I still think the 8802 design is one of the best slow green putters ever made. Also great for distance control on longer putts. I still game my Designed by Palmer every once in a while. I pull it out just after the greens have been aerified and I can make everything!

[@_the_crook]

On 6/20/2025 at 11:12 PM, Beenerpro said:

I remember carrying them in our pro shop, but don’t remember exact years. Early 80s maybe. They were the Wilson top end offering at the time. Wilson at the time sold clubs to every retailer, not just pro shops. Around here, Gibsons Department store and Western Auto carried Wilson. I also remember rolling one when we got them in. Didn’t feel nearly as good as my 60s Designed by Arnold Palmer or first year 8802. Harsher feel than the originals. But that probably had a lot to do with the original Head Speed shafts in the early models which were superior than the later, stiffer shafts in the remakes. I still think the 8802 design is one of the best slow green putters ever made. Also great for distance control on longer putts. I still game my Designed by Palmer every once in a while. I pull it out just after the greens have been aerified and I can make everything!

Harsher feel - good description.

my Tour Special II feels that way, compared to an older Cleveland Designed By.

[Wilsonian]

I just acquired a tour special II from a thrift store and think it's wonderful. Like mine much better than any Ping I've ever owned. Imo, this one and the Dunlop Seve Ballesteros putter, which has a very similar feel, fit my putting style the best. I have also seen hickory and pyratone putters that have a very very similar head shape that essentially feel the same to me. I believe it's a fairly old design, blade with a flange. I had an 8802 at one time but it didn't leave a huge impression on me like I couldn't live without it. If I see another tour special, or ts II, I will definitely grab it. You can never have too many putters.

[bcstones]

34 minutes ago, Tumbleweed_1968 said:

I believe it's a fairly old design, blade with a flange.

Totally agree - flanged blade putters have been available for over 125 years - yeah, prior to 1900. The hoopla about the 8802 is pure golf business pr that wants the oridnary golfer to think if they use the same equipment as the pro, their game will improve - PURE BALONEY!

 

[mocokid]

Looks like 8813 Wilson staff.

[craigeyb]

On 7/4/2025 at 6:11 PM, Wilsonian said:

I just acquired a tour special II from a thrift store and think it's wonderful. Like mine much better than any Ping I've ever owned. Imo, this one and the Dunlop Seve Ballesteros putter, which has a very similar feel, fit my putting style the best. I have also seen hickory and pyratone putters that have a very very similar head shape that essentially feel the same to me. I believe it's a fairly old design, blade with a flange. I had an 8802 at one time but it didn't leave a huge impression on me like I couldn't live without it. If I see another tour special, or ts II, I will definitely grab it. You can never have too many putters.

I have exactly the same putter. Mine really has no offset on it. Often in the bag!

[NRJyzr]

Have a Tour Special I picked up from 2nd Swing, the first version of that company.  Got it for a rather low price, someone with less experience had apparently played around with reshafting it, and looks to have done it with solder.  In spite of that, it actually has an excellent feel.

 

I've been slowly moving to the idea of playing putters lighter than the modern.  Formerly had lead tape on a Golden Ram 8802-a-like, a Ram Wizard 600, etc, and find I'm doing better these days with that tape removed.  Which brings me back to the Tour Special...

 

I'd not played it due to its lighter weight, and that I'd cut it down to 33" or 33¼".  Decided today to extend it to 34¼" and take it to the course this upcoming weekend.  Gripped it with a midsize Royal pistol grip, hit a couple putts on the carpet, still has that sweet feel I remember.

 

I guess some of the stories around the Wilson blades may be true; stories out there about how they varied a bit due to Wilson making changes in the metal used for the clubheads.  Several mentions of a harsh feel, this one is definitely isn't.  I also have a Cleveland Designed By, and would say the Tour Special has a better feel.  Go figure.

 

[James the Hogan Fan]

The whole Wilson 8802 think kind of drives me nuts, because Wilson is still extant and still makes 8802's in some variation or another. I realize there are so-called "originals" that are more valuable than others, but really if it's made by Wilson and has an 8802 stamp on it somewhere, technically it's "original", isn't it?

[bcstones]

5 hours ago, James the Hogan Fan said:

The whole Wilson 8802 think kind of drives me nuts,

agree, tho what drives me kinda sorta - the 8802 is just another flanged putter. What makes it "special" is that some Pro's have used it successfully. However, perhaps a challenge to go and find a 'non-flanged' putter of any design that FEELS the same & putt them against each other.

For example, my H&B Mrrs 70 putter vs my Ping DOC 17....there is no comparison between the "Calamity Jane" style putter & the massive "D" putter, however the FEEL is  EXACTLY the same

 

 

[EmperorPenguin]

For me, I do not like the look of the 8802 or the Tour Special because I prefer the more square look of the George Low Wizard 600.  The lack of corners on the former are far less attractive than the Wizard 600.  I putt very well with the Wizard.

[Wilsonian]

On 7/4/2025 at 8:49 PM, bcstones said:

Totally agree - flanged blade putters have been available for over 125 years - yeah, prior to 1900. The hoopla about the 8802 is pure golf business PR that wants the ordinary golfer to think if they use the same equipment as the pro, their game will improve - PURE BALONEY!

 

"Hoopla". Good word. Pretty much sums up the modern tour if you ask me. A lot of hoopla designed to sell merch, playing a completely different game that is unattainable to the ordinary golfer. The sooner we realize that, the sooner that the fun switch goes on and we can create the game to fit our own desires.

 

Its more fun to take the road less travelled.