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Golf clubs in 1970s and 1980s

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Arturcel

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Hello everyone, I am new here and I have a couple of questions (if you are willing to answer them, that would be great:joy:). In a word, how much was a good, quality set of woods or a set of irons? What brands were popular, and what brands were considered of top quality? Thanks to everyone who responds.
 
Welcome to THP!

Following are the clubs I remember getting in the late 70's as a teenager and keeping though the 80's:
Driver - MacGregor Persimmon Driver ($75?)
Fairways - Wilson Staff Fairway Woods ($40 each?)
Iron Set - Wilson Staff Forged Blades ($250?)
Wedge - Royal Sand Wedge ($30?)
Putter - Wilson Staff Forged 8802 Blade Putter ($60?)

I do recall Wilson and MacGregor being considered as the top golf brands back in those days.
 
Sox provided some good info - I can't speak to prices at the time, but I started out learning with clubs from my dad's and granddad's bags. One was full Wilson, and the other was full MacGregor.

There were a number of "top" manufacturers, just like now. Wilson Staff, MacGregor, Ping, Lynx, Ben Hogan, Titleist, and others.
 
From what I can remember, most woods came as sets a of 1, 3, 5. I grew up in the late 70's /early 80's and played hand me downs from my father. The first clubs I remember buying was a set of woods (1, 3, 5) when I was in the Army at the Ft Hood golf course pro shop in 1986. It was a set of persimmon Wilson Staffs that I still have today. I think I paid somewhere around $300.
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Back in the 70's and early 80's, I used to see ads in the golf magazines for Kenneth Smith Royal Signet clubs ... they were forged stainless steel irons and persimmon woods that were handmade for each person. Beautiful clubs ... I believe they were played by celebrities like Bob Hope, Errol Flynn, Dwight Eisenhower and others with the ability to pay for these very-high-end clubs. Here's a link to information on Kenneth Smith:

file:///C:/Users/Michael/Downloads/Kenneth%20Smith%20joco%20history.pdf

Mike
MPM1960
 
Since I can't speak to much to clubs in the 70 and 80s I will say Sox Fan has some good info and the other will be to welcome you here to THP.
 
I bought 100% used at the time. My brother and I both worked at Rio Pinar CC in Orlando, and he saved a long time to buy a new set of Hogan Apex II irons in 1981. I believe he paid about $225 for them. I bought the brand new TaylorMade Metal 1 Wood (Pittsburgh Persimmon - lol) when it came out about that time and paid $85 for it I think.

Hogan made great wedges and they were about $40. Bullseye was the popular putter of the day and they were about $35.

Ping had the Eye irons out and I remember they were more expensive, but I don't recall how much.

The persimmon woods that we loved were: MacGregor Eye-O-Matic, Tony Penna and Hogan. I liked the Hogan laminate woods with the speed slot.

The forged irons we loved were Wilson Staff, Wilson Dyna-Power, Hogan Apex, Top-Flite Tour and MacGregor MT

I bought a set of MacGregor MT irons at a garage sale that also had a MT 3-wood; I paid $5 for it all. I worked at the Rio Pinar pro shop, so I refinished the 3-wood and sold it for $35. I used that to buy my Top-Flite Tour irons, a used Tony Penna driver and a bag.

Ah the memories :)
 
pattyboy21 said:
The persimmon woods that we loved were: MacGregor Eye-O-Matic, Tony Penna and Hogan. I liked the Hogan laminate woods with the speed slot.
Click to expand...

Not only is there a Donald Ross avenue in Jupiter....there is a Tony Penna Avenue.
 
JohnBoyNC said:
From what I can remember, most woods came as sets a of 1, 3, 5. I grew up in the late 70's /early 80's and played hand me downs from my father. The first clubs I remember buying was a set of woods (1, 3, 5) when I was in the Army at the Ft Hood golf course pro shop in 1986. It was a set of persimmon Wilson Staffs that I still have today. I think I paid somewhere around $300.
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Click to expand...
That is a beautiful set .. I just purchased the identical driver and 3 wood . Too add to my 1979 set of Hogan blades .. I'm going to game these clubs for a while and see how I do . The thing I enjoy about these older beauties ; is either you hit it flush or you miss it off the map: a great way to judge how your hitting the ball by just using them .
 
Just joined this site. Nice to be here.
I remember (as a much younger person) a full set of clubs cost around $250.00 to $300.00, or close to it. Usually 3 woods, and I mean woods! Persimmon with fiber red inserts and face screws. Full iron set was 2 thru the 9. PW and SW were extra. Spalding, Maxfli, Wilson, Hogan, Hagen (made by Wilson),MacGregor and later Ping were top manufacturers. Mostly forged irons, a little difficult to hit well. Ping got it going with perimeter weighting.
I miss the beautiful look of persimmon woods. Nothing felt better when you hit it, "on the screws".
 
I gotta throw "First Flite" in the ring. Beautiful persimon woods from the early 80's. I think I still have the 1,3,4, and 5 Wood around here somewhere. My first set of irons: Wilson Crest Gene Sarazan's, followed by Wilson Blue Ridge, followed by Wilson K28's.
 
fracisco said:
Not only is there a Donald Ross avenue in Jupiter....there is a Tony Penna Avenue.
Click to expand...
Fast forward to about 1992 and I was in Williamsburg, VA. I stumbled into a local golf shop and happened to walk out with a full set of Tony Penna forged blades 1-PW. I was told they were owned by the golf coach at William & Mary. I had those irons for about 18 yrs, although I didn't play alot back then, only a few times a yr. I traded them in and didn't get squat and wish now I woulda kept them.
 
Welcome to THP! I had a starter Wilson set from the mid 60 that cost me $50 new. It had driver, 3W, 3-9 irons and a putter. I used those until I got my TA 845 in the mid 80s.
 
My first clubs were a set of 60's era First Flite blades, 1-PW, new and still in the box, that I bought for $25 in a pawn shop in Florence, SC, in 1989. They were beautiful clubs, but not easy for a beginner to hit. Despite that, after all these years, I remember one 4-iron I hit with them, the lie, the course, my fellow golfer--everything. Those beautiful old blades could do that.
 
My first clubs were a set of Faultless Lee Travino Irons/Woods. I found an add that seems to indicate they were originally $199 retail but were on closeout at $139! They featured Chevron grips, True Temper shafts, and what are reputed to be forged heads.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sHkhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4okFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1410,6164990

After regripping them and playing a few rounds with them last summer I'd happily give that for them today. :)


Untitled by Erik, on Flickr


Untitled by Erik, on Flickr


Untitled by Erik, on Flickr
 
My first set of woods was purchased used in the early 70's. MacGregor Tourney woods from the late 60's. I recall the had a metal insert in the face, maybe aluminum. I had 5 woods, 1 through 5. Irons and putter were both Spalding's, irons were 2 through PW and the putter. I do remember the 2 through 4 iron were really tough to elevate.
 
Does anybody know anything about this set of clubs? Been looking everywhere and cannot find a history on them.
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Does anyone know anything about Wilson Pro 3000 clubs

Does anyone know anything about Wilson Pro 3000 clubs

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Does anybody know anything about the Wilson Pro 3000 clubs? I've looked everywhere and cannot find any info on these old clubs. The look like the wood drivers above (can't upload my pics). I'd like to know what year, quality and if they are considered antiques.
 
I just received a set of Wilson Pro 3000 clubs but cannot find any info on them. Do you know anything about these clubs? They look similar to the above in the pics.
 
I used to play a set of MaGregor VIP Irons I got from my teacher in 1970 - they had been given to him by Jack Nicklaus after Jack had played his second exhibition with Arnold Palmer at Lakeview Resort in Morgantown WV. I played those irons until some of the faces began to get too smooth. My wife then bought me a set of Tommy Armour 845 - which I liked but not as well as the MacGregors.
 
Sox_Fan said:
Welcome to THP!

Following are the clubs I remember getting in the late 70's as a teenager and keeping though the 80's:
Driver - MacGregor Persimmon Driver ($75?)
Fairways - Wilson Staff Fairway Woods ($40 each?)
Iron Set - Wilson Staff Forged Blades ($250?)
Wedge - Royal Sand Wedge ($30?)
Putter - Wilson Staff Forged 8802 Blade Putter ($60?)

I do recall Wilson and MacGregor being considered as the top golf brands back in those days.
Click to expand...

Great post Sox Fan.

As a lefty add the Ram Tour Grinds irons back then late 70's early 80's. Probably priced like Wilson Staff plus had to play either the Wilson 8802 or Acushnet Bulls Eye putter.
 
My first set were called DX Tourney, given to me graciously by a golf pro named Jack Koennicker. The first set I bought were mid 1960's, Wilson Staff irons 2-pw.....about$250.00. Still have them! I recently bought a set of Seven irons- each club was about $250!!!
 
Seems to me i remember trying to scrap together 300 for a full set of Spaulding executives, cause my dad had those. Had to still buy a putter. I still have my dad's clubs from when he passed in '91
 
Got my first set of clubs 1982-83? when I was in high school...My grandmother took me to our local golf store and bought me the complete set. MacGregor Tommy Armour's (3 thru 10 iron, 1-3-5 woods, bullseye putter and a big ugly powder blue vinyl monstrosity golf bag. Cant remember the exact price but I believe we were in the $300-400 range
 
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