Early 1950s MacGregor M85W

[RobotDoctor]

That driver is a beauty!

[hawk59]

Per Maltby's Identification & Price Guide IV the 653 is "Medium faced, square faced in black finish", while the 693 is "Medium-deep faced heads with slightly pointed toe in mahogany finish/red fiber". Comparing the pictures against my 693T 2-wood, the 693T is a different shape and has one less groove. l agree with previous comments that this is probably a 653.

[RobotDoctor]

Resurrecting an old thread since I own the driver and fairway woods (2-3) that Fred originally posted.  I am resubmitting pictures of the driver and will post my latest driver that was just restored by Dave wood.  All three M85W/M85TW drivers were restored by Dave Wood.

 

The first two pictures were of the condition as Fred received them, the fairway woods remain the same today.  I will restore the fairway woods later this year or early next year.

 

 

 

 

 

1955 M85W (Fred's)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Gloss to Semi-gloss

 

 

 

 

 

 

M85W driver known as Brando (per Dave Wood)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1952 M85TW

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by RobotDoctor

[RobotDoctor]

These are the three M85W/M85TW drivers in my collection.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by RobotDoctor

[Foozle]

1 hour ago, RobotDoctor said:

These are the three M85W/M85TW drivers in my collection.

 

 

 

 

 

They are all stunning but the middle one with the carbon spot just above the crown stamp and the grain bang on 12 o'clock is possibly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! 😍

Don't tell Mrs Foozle!

[RobotDoctor]

43 minutes ago, Foozle said:

They are all stunning but the middle one with the carbon spot just above the crown stamp and the grain bang on 12 o'clock is possibly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! 😍

Don't tell Mrs Foozle!

Thanks for the complement!!!  I, too, love that carbon spot on the crown.  That M85W driver was restored last year by Dave Wood.  He restored it in Ben Crenshaw specs.  It is a solid block M85W, no lead whatsoever, and weighs in around D-6.  It is a beast.  There is a counter balance weight plug in the end of the shaft otherwise the driver would have weighed in at E-0 or E-1.  The overall weight is something like 14.5 oz.  Dave told me this driver is better than Ben's and if he had owned this block the fall of 1983 this driver would have ended up winning the 1984 Masters.  Dave told me this M85W is possibly one of the best M85Ws to ever to be made out of the Cincinnati MacGregor golf club facility and one of the best blocks he has ever worked on.  That is about the highest praise I think could be bestowed on any persimmon wood.  It is certainly a center piece of my collection.  I am grateful to own, not one but, 3 excellent M85 drivers.

 

The picture here shows a few more carbon spots and terrific grain on the toe.

 

 

[RobotDoctor]

A picture just after impact with my M85TW and a Titleist 384 Tour Balata.  I was playing for a draw but ended up double crossing myself with a 15 yard fade.  That is what I should have it in the first place since the hole is a dogleg right.   😁
 

 

[stevehj]

Glad to see you are hitting the links.

[RobotDoctor]

New pictures of my M85W with crown carbon spot (nicknamed Brando by Dave Wood) just for @Swingingk

 

Merry Christmas.  🙂

 

[northplatteriver]

Love the 1952 5 screw model.  When I finally have my set done, I hope they turn out half as nice as the 5 screw you have pictures of.  Beautiful clubs!

[Foozle]

2 hours ago, RobotDoctor said:

New pictures of my M85W with crown carbon spot (nicknamed Brando by Dave Wood) just for @Swingingk

 

Merry Christmas.  🙂

 

I think it was me who requested these pictures in the Persimmon Repair thread but I am sure Swingingk and all others on the forum will also thank you for posting!

This M85W is stunning! As I recall, solid block, no lead and Crenshaw spec? The grain, tones, detail right on the 12 o'clock toe and carbon beauty spots just make this one stand out for me. 😍

Thank you and Merry Xmas!

[ezgoer]

Just stunning!! I don’t know Dave Woods rates, suspect they are high but I don’t know if you could actually put a number on that kind of beauty and craftsmanship, not to mention his sheer knowledge. Thank you for sharing this piece and essentially archiving golf history. 

Edited December 17, 2021 by ezgoer

[ezgoer]

Hmmm imagine if some artists could simulate that wood grain on my modern day Ping driver. Fake carbon spots around the ailerons and turbulators would make it look like a Kool Cat on steroids. 

[RobotDoctor]

27 minutes ago, Foozle said:

I think it was me who requested these pictures in the Persimmon Repair thread but I am sure Swingingk and all others on the forum will also thank you for posting!

This M85W is stunning! As I recall, solid block, no lead and Crenshaw spec? The grain, tones, detail right on the 12 o'clock toe and carbon beauty spots just make this one stand out for me. 😍

Thank you and Merry Xmas!

 

Why, yes it was @Foozle.  Good grief I really needed coffee this morning!  Sheesh!!!  M85W Brando pictures just for you.  Merry Christmas!!!!! 👍

[RobotDoctor]

56 minutes ago, northplatteriver said:

Love the 1952 5 screw model.  When I finally have my set done, I hope they turn out half as nice as the 5 screw you have pictures of.  Beautiful clubs!

 

I have been attempting to collect the classic MacGregor woods for about 30 years now, more actively around the past 15 or so.  The prices these woods commanded back in the early 90s were still a bit too prohibitive for me.  Not until the late 90s when prices really started to drop is when I got back into this with my gamer 945W eom (pictured below from recent restoration).  I wasn't active until around 2003 or 2004 but only slightly.  I had purchased two reproduction classics (M85W and 693).  They were good and I thought I had 50s originals but found out they weren't.  Then this forum and group was taking off and I saw the collections of several GolfWRX persimmon enthusiasts.  One member in particular ( @freddiec ) had such great woods and we quickly became friends.  I ended up buying a couple sets from him (M85W and M43T).  That got me going again and I have found some great woods on ebay and from other members here and on the FB Persimmon Group Society (when I was on FB .... not now).  I have taken chances on several sets of woods and most have paid off well.  I have had some woods not being what I thought they would be once I got them in hand and moved them to people who would put the love into them.  That said, my focus has been the big 4 pro line woods between 1949-1955.  Add in the LFF as well and this is my wheelhouse in terms of MacGregors.  That said, the 1952 M85TW came from @tstephen and he sold it for a very fair price.  He knew I was going to send it to Dave Wood.  Dave transformed that 1952 M85TW into one of the very best woods I own.  Of course most of my collection has been restored by Dave and his attention to history, design, quality, and his incredible craftsmanship is evident.  I am very, very fortunate to have worked with Dave.  Our relationship started as a business relationship but has morphed into a friendship that I value. 

 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by RobotDoctor

[Swingingk]

8 hours ago, RobotDoctor said:

 

Why, yes it was @Foozle.  Good grief I really needed coffee this morning!  Sheesh!!!  M85W Brando pictures just for you.  Merry Christmas!!!!! 👍

Too late!  You already gave them to meee!  They're mine I tell you, MINE!  Bwaaa ha ha ha ha HA!!!  😂

 

All kidding aside I think I speak for all of us here on these forums in saying thank you for sharing all the fantastic high-quality photos of your unparalleled collection of rare and unique persimmons.  I regard these pictures as the ultimate go-to reference on the subject and a gift to vintage golf aficionados everywhere.  Merry Christmas to you too brother RobotDoctor!

 

Ps:  Make a coffee table book already dude!  Dibs on a signed first edition!

[RobotDoctor]

25 minutes ago, Swingingk said:

Too late!  You already gave them to meee!  They're mine I tell you, MINE!  Bwaaa ha ha ha ha HA!!!  😂

 

All kidding aside I think I speak for all of us here on these forums in saying thank you for sharing all the fantastic high-quality photos of your unparalleled collection of rare and unique persimmons.  I regard these pictures as the ultimate go-to reference on the subject and a gift to vintage golf aficionados everywhere.  Merry Christmas to you too brother RobotDoctor!

 

Ps:  Make a coffee table book already dude!  Dibs on a signed first edition!

It would be terrific if a small group of collectors I know were to compile pictures of our collections into a reference book.  I appreciate the kind words.  I’m proof positive anyone can build a nice collection if they know what they want, focus on the foundation of their wanted pieces, have patience and take a few chances.  I’ve benefited from my original club restoration guy and several collectors who shared their knowledge about MacGregor history with me so that I knew what to look for.  My first club guy, Mike Coppola (Wilmington, DE), apprenticed under Toney Penna and was a wealth of knowledge. Plus he always had great MacGregors in his basement shop.  I’d go over just to see what he was working on.  Mike is the one who got me to catch the MacGregor bug, which I obviously still have.  

[hammergolf]

On 12/17/2021 at 8:31 AM, RobotDoctor said:

New pictures of my M85W with crown carbon spot (nicknamed Brando by Dave Wood) just for @Swingingk

 

Merry Christmas.  🙂

 

Perfect grain!

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Both those M85 and 945 drivers are beauties, and I love the carbon spots on the M85😍

 

Does the M85 have a tiny bit of onset, whereas the 945 is more neutral? 

[freddiec]

The newly refinished 5 screw M85s are so superb RobotDr !! Dave did an outstanding job, love the stain color. 

[RobotDoctor]

1 hour ago, freddiec said:

The newly refinished 5 screw M85s are so superb RobotDr !! Dave did an outstanding job, love the stain color. 

Thanks Fred.  Dave is outstanding in how he restores woods, as you know.  👍

[tstephen]

Still can’t believe how nice the 5 screw came out too. Not too shabby from it’s humbling beginnings sitting in old club bag at Haggin Oaks Super Shop.

[RobotDoctor]

23 hours ago, tstephen said:

Still can’t believe how nice the 5 screw came out too. Not too shabby from it’s humbling beginnings sitting in old club bag at Haggin Oaks Super Shop.

Tom, this '52 M85TW is simply terrific.  Bigger block head than a standard M85W and no lead under the plate.  It is definitely one of the corner stone pieces in my collection and completes my quest for M85Ws.  While I don't have a deep face/big block M85W like you do, I believe my trio of M85Ws stacks up against anyone's.  Now if I could only find a corner stone 1954-1955 945W driver!

 

[tstephen]

I have 4 M85 drivers and hit one recently I had 20-30 years ago and they are all as solid as persimmon gets. Wondering what secret ingredient went into them?

[Ken Guck]

I have a set of M85's from 1953 (based on the white/black/white insert and 6 screw pattern). The Kaplan guide references red macgregor grips. Amy idea what those would have looked like?  What the closest modern equivalent would be?  I just have black victorys on there from the 1990s when I last played them,.  

[MizunoMayhem]

15 hours ago, Ken Guck said:

I have a set of M85's from 1953 (based on the white/black/white insert and 6 screw pattern). The Kaplan guide references red macgregor grips. Amy idea what those would have looked like?  What the closest modern equivalent would be?  I just have black victorys on there from the 1990s when I last played them,.  

Maybe something like these? CF4000's from the Bay.

[Stephen8802]

18 hours ago, Ken Guck said:

...Amy idea what those would have looked like?...

They look like this, which is from a contemporaneous M65. I don't know what these grips were like new, but they are awful in every way in 2022. They are ugly, hard as granite, and a bear to remove. They were molded right onto the shaft, which is why they are so hard to remove, so there is no way to duplicate them even if you want to, which you really don't.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Stephen8802