OT - Golf Brands NLE

[David_Tepper]

Walking thru the Presidio yesterday afternoon (along way from the golf course), I found an old Macgregor golf ball. It got me thinking about all the golf brands that have gone away over the years. Some of them were quite prominent, where their equipment was used to win major championships.

Macgregor (Hogan, Nelson, Nicklaus)
Spalding (Miller, Norman)
Ram (Watson)
Tommy Armour (remember when the 845's were so popular, even with tour pros?)
Ben Hogan (Wadkins, Kite, now a shadow of its former self)
Slazenger (Seve!)
Dunlop (Thomson, Player)
Lynx (Couples)
Confidence
First Flight (Arnie)
Powerbuilt/Hillerich & Bradsby (Zoeller, Mize)

What British brands are gone? Ben Sayers? John Letters? Hippo?


 

[John Kavanaugh]

https://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/golfd/article/1971sep33.pdf


I loved these balls.

[Tim Martin]

Sounder-Hawked and played at one time by Seve Ballesteros. They had a proprietary weight matching system for the irons. It’s offices were in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

[Pete_Pittock]

Browning irons - found them in Albany, Or on the wall. Tried them out and shot first sub-par round. Joined up with John Fought on an afternoon round and coerced him into trying them, once along with his regular club. Nearly identical ball flight. 
Bullet .444 golf balls
They are still being made but I have a box of Penfold 1.62"ers
Added" my first set of clubs were Northwesterns.

Did anyone else fall for the extreme offset Cleveland irons?


Added: Was on the way to play Eugene CC and stopped off to try out Orlimars and Adams Tight Lies. Orlimars sucked but the Tight Lie was at least 25 yards longer and 15 yards higher than what was in my bag, until then.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Ryder were very popular in the 1980s and possibly early 90s; not sure if they still make clubs.


I remember Fred Smyth clubs still being made in Ireland in the 80s as well.

[David_Tepper]

Forgot to mention:

Nike (Woods, Fleetwood, Molinari)
Nicklaus (the man himself)

[MCirba]

Plymouth (Grey Goose, Tom Cat, Mustang)

[Mark Pritchett]

Nickent

[David_Tepper]

Nickent and Sonartec specialized in fairwoods and hybrids. Did they every make a full line of clubs? Irons? Wedges? Putters?

I have a Nickent hybrid some where in my garage.

[Mark Pritchett]

Scratch-amazing wedges! 

[Marty Bonnar]

MacGregor, Slazenger and Dunlop are still on sale over here.
Edit: so is Ben Sayers.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Accuform, a Canadian aircraft parts maker that also made golf clubs. DLIII used their clubs until they couldn’t afford him anymore. They also made the very popular circular rake.

[JLahrman]

Is Molitor around anymore?

[JMEvensky]

Nickent and Sonartec specialized in fairwoods and hybrids. Did they every make a full line of clubs? Irons? Wedges? Putters?

I have a Nickent hybrid some where in my garage.

I don't remember Sonartec hybrids but they made a driver. Their fairway woods were the best I ever hit.

[Stewart Abramson]

Orlimar - After their success with fairway woods they marketed a full line. There is an article about Orlimar in one of the recent golf mags. According to Google, they were played by Johnny Miller, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Weiskopf and Hale Irwin,

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Scor.... they only made wedges


Adams... acquired by Taylor Made and disappeared.


Lynx, MacGregor ...were acquired by Golfsmith. New Lynx clubs are made in England

[John Kirk]

Orlimar - After their success with fairway woods they marketed a full line. There is an article about Orlimar in one of the recent golf mags. According to Google, they were played by Johnny Miller, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Weiskopf and Hale Irwin,

I played Orlimar Diamond fairway woods for a few years, and the Orlimar Trimetal was one of the first metal woods.  The metal woods were small but if you caught it right it would go a long way.  It looks like these products may be available again.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/orlimar-trimetal-fairway-back-with-update-to-1990s-super-club-adds-revolutionary-driver-to-mix-too

[David_Tepper]

MacGregor, Slazenger and Dunlop are still on sale over here.

Marty B. -

Are those brands actually making pro shop line clubs or are they making the kind of mass market clubs sold in general sporting goods stores?


the Orlimar Trimetal was one of the first metal woods.  The metal woods were small but if you caught it right it would go a long way.

John K. -

How could I forget Orlimar? They were located here in the SF Bay Area. I had a Tri-Metal 5-wood that I really liked. I loved the sound it made when you hit the ball in the center of the clubface.

DT

 

[Mark Mammel]

I remember my persimmon First Flight woods, and how great it was when I got them refinished, rewhipped and regripped.

[Philip Gordillo]

Ping two-tone balls....loved them when I was a kid.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I have a small collection of those Ping balls. Great for putting practice. Many are for sale on EBay.

[Jim Sherma]

For this conversation it’s important to weed out zombie brands that are revived but have no linkage to the glory days.


Molitor balls were “high end” top-flite’s made by Spalding.


Thinking through some of the stuff in my cellar:


Tony Penna has to be high on anyone’s list of great persimmon heads.


Otey Chrisman hickory shafted putters.


Orizaba - maker of the Basackward putter made by the guy who also made the Power Pod.


Sportsman’s out of Chicago - of the Iron Master putter.

[JLahrman]

Molitor balls were “high end” top-flite’s made by Spalding.

As I understand it the Top-Flite brand was eventually sold to Dick's and is still alive. I don't know about Molitors though.

[Pat Burke]

Wood Bros
Unbelievable persimmon craftsmanship


But I have a like new set of blades that are stunning.  Japanese forged by Endo I believe


Great people and great equipment

[Jim Sherma]

Never hit them but always though Kenneth Smith clubs out of Kansas City were beautiful.


George Izett also made some nice stuff out of Philly.