OT - A bit of American Golf Industry history, via MacGregor

[Jim_Kennedy]

They must have really liked opening the new Marion Golf Club as they did it twice, once in August of 1925, and again some 13 months later in September of 1926 as Sven's article states.   

[Sven Nilsen]

Jim:


Which Marion are you referring to?  The one in the article was from the Marion near Murphysboro, IL.


Sven

[David_Tepper]

Good write-up on the rise and fall of MacGregor Golf:

https://mygolfspy.com/historys-mysteries-the-demise-of-macgregor-golf/

[Peter Flory]

In the hickory era, the Macgregors ranged in quality.  The best of them were great- the OAs and the Populars were flanged irons that repelled the turf a bit and had a lower center of gravity.  They were better for the lusher turf conditions in the US. 

Here are the Macgregors that I've found over the last few years.  These are examples of what you'd come across a lot in people's garages.  The duralite mashie (3rd down) is the best club of the bunch.  I'd describe them all as solid players, but nothing special. 


These are the better ones.  OA mid iron and mashie on top- notice the flanges.  Macgregor intoduced flanged irons like these as early as 1918, which is hard to believe.  This was even before Maxwell started making flanged irons in the UK. Also below, some examples of bakspin irons.  Usually they were mashie niblicks- about 43-47 degrees loft. 



Also, I would say that the shafts in the Macgregors tended to be a higher quality than other American clubs.  And by the end of the hickory era, they were higher quality shafts than the UK clubs, just due to the hickory supply here and I guess, their investment in the manufacturing process. 

[David_Tepper]

Peter F. -

Thanks for the comments and the pics. Very informative, especially the info on the introduction of flanged sole irons.

DT

[Peter Flory]

I find it interesting how spec focused manufacturers were in that era in the US.  That ad is a good example and there are many other ads like that.  We think of it as a modern tendency, but I don't think anyone now cares how many inches each of their blades is in every direction. 

[BHoover]

Because I find myself playing persimmon woods more frequently, I have been lucky to find several old 1950s-era MacGregor woods. Because those woods used old-growth persimmon blocks, I find that they still feel more solid than more recent versions of persimmon woods.


I also have a set of MacGregor Muirfield blades from the 1980s. They too are super solid and a joy to play.


Hopefully, some day, the MacGregor brand will make a comeback.

[Bret Lawrence]

Here is a link to a Robert White article recalling the early history of golf in the US.  In the last paragraph of page 2, he tells the story of how he learned to make club heads using shoe last equipment.


https://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/golfd/article/1956aug42.pdf


Here is an early Robert White advertisement from June 1898 Golf USGA Bulletin:

[Karl Jensen]

Here is the grave of the somewhat mythical founder John McGregor of the MacGregor Golf Club Company. Such golfing greats as Tommy Armour, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus were on staff, to name just a few. According to “The History of MacGregor, 1829 to 1979” by MacGregor golf executive Robert D. Rickey, John McGregor is said to have been a native of Scotland, and after selling his interest in the early days of the company, returned to St. Andrews. My research proved this to be incorrect. John McGregor was born in Ohio and died in Dayton, Ohio in 1913. He was indeed a partner with the Crawford, McGregor and Canby Co. of Dayton, Ohio which evolved into the MacGregor Golf Co. The early company was a manufacturer of wooden shoe moulds called “Lasts”. John McGregor is described on the 1880, 1900 and 1910 Dayton, OH Federal Censuses as a “Last Finisher and Maker”. He never was truly a golf club craftsman. The company used its machinery that turned out shoe “Lasts” into manufacturing wooden golf clubheads in mass. John McGregor’s name was morphed into MacGregor to sound more Scottish and the legendary golf club company was born. See his Findagrave memorial at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93213568/john-mcgregor.


John McGregor grave, Woodland Cemetery, Dayton, OH

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Other formerly defunct golf companies are trying to make a comeback under new ownership: Penfold and Lynx


https://www.penfoldgolfusa.com/




https://lynxgolfusa.com/

[Steve Lang]

   My first set of clubs in 1965, for my 13th birthday, were MacGregor's, plaid bag and all...  1 & 3 Wood, 3, 5, 7, 9 & P.   My mom got tired of me knicking up her set! 

Dayton only a couple hours down I-75 from Detroit/Toledo had a lot of casting & machining related industry including General Motors, NCR, let alone aircraft parts... no surprise someone took a copying lathe and adopted it to making wood clubs too... crafty toolmakers indeed!

[David_Tepper]

"Other formerly defunct golf companies are trying to make a comeback under new ownership"

And of course the Munsingwear penguin logo from the 1960's has returned as a staple of hipster attire.


https://www.originalpenguin.com/

[Peter Pallotta]

Other formerly defunct golf companies are trying to make a comeback under new ownership: Penfold and Lynx
https://www.penfoldgolfusa.com/

Penfold should try to leverage the fact that James Bond played them. He used a Penfold Heart in his match against Goldfinger, and in (the book) Diamonds are Forever smuggled diamonds into the US in hollowed out Penfolds.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Another name from the past: Powerbilt


Although not defunct, it's hanging in there with Hireko as a licensee:


Previously owned by Hillerich & Bradsby, who famously own the Louisville Slugger bat brand, PowerBilt is a golf brand with a rich 100 year history. The brand has been synonymous with excellence and performance since 1916, quickly earning a place at the top of the golf world and establishing a consistent presence on the PGA tour. PowerBilt clubs have been used on the professional level to win 8 major championships and over 140 total tour victories. Most notably, Fuzzy Zoeller famously carried his PowerBilt clubs in the classic PowerBilt orange bag as he won the 1979 Masters and 1984 US Open Championships.
Hilco Streambank acquired the PowerBilt brand from H&B in 2016. Since acquiring the brand, Hilco Streambank is actively expanding the breadth of the Powerbilt brand by adding new regional licensees and expanding the categories under the Powerbilt brand trademark to include soft goods/apparel, and into other areas outside of golf such as fitness and performance apparel and equipment. In addition, Hilco Streambank is working to make the PowerBilt brand more innovative and high tech with options for all skill sets and age groups, while continuing to build upon and enrich the brand’s storied history.

www.powerbilt.com

[David_Tepper]

A similar article on the rise and demise of Spalding golf:

https://mygolfspy.com/historys-mysteries-spalding-golfs-final-countdown/

Hard to remember that Spalding was once a major player in the club and ball business.

[Marty Bonnar]

A similar article on the rise and demise of Spalding golf:

https://mygolfspy.com/historys-mysteries-spalding-golfs-final-countdown/

Hard to remember that Spalding was once a major player in the club and ball business.

AND
Via Tom Bendelow, a major player in early USA Course design…
Cheers,
F.

[David_Tepper]

MacGregor irons return!!!

https://mygolfspy.com/macgregor-mt86-irons-the-greatest-name-in-golf-returns/?utm_source=convertkit&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+Greatest+Name+In+Golf%3F+%E2%9B%B3%EF%B8%8F%20-%2010009285

[Ian Mackenzie]

I started playing golf when I was 11 but played "Lefty" for the first 5 years.


My first set of "righty" clubs were...MacGregor Ben Hogans.

[Bill Shamleffer]

Conner Lewis's TALKING GOLF HISTORY podcast had two very good episodes on the history of MacGregor Golf.


https://talkingolf.com/episode-87-tgh-87-the-rise-demise-of-macgregor-golf-part-1/

https://talkingolf.com/episode-88-tgh-88-the-rise-demise-of-macgregor-golf-part-2/



Also, this is one of my Top 3 podcasts on golf that I NEVER miss an episode.


https://talkingolf.fireside.fm/
https://stateofthegame.fireside.fm/
https://www.mckellarmagazine.com/podcast/

[David_Tepper]

The dominant golf club brands in the U.S. in the 1950's-60's-70's were Wilson, MacGregor, Spalding and Ben Hogan. Globally it was Dunlop and Slazenger. Wilson was pretty much the only brand to survive. 

The same thing, with some of the same brands, happened in tennis.

[archie_struthers]

 


Great stuff Pete , thoroughly enjoyed it.


Interesting side note about Toney Penna


In 1983-84 I was working at Adios Golf Club for the winter. My Buddy Tom was an assistant at Jupiter Hills and I often played there late in the day and got to know the lay of the land pretty good. Working at Pine Valley gave us access to all kinds of people and places which we didn't necessarily deserve but such is life.  I go tit in my head to go see Tony Penna about some of his drivers as I had two outrageously beautiful MacGregor Eye o Matics that somehow I purchased or came into ownership somehow or other. We used George Fazio's. Joe Phillips (JP wedges) name to get thru the front door of Mr Pennas' workshop / factory in Jupiter and lo and behold he was sitting in the back tinkering with some clubs. Got to spend almost an hour with him in the back just talking about how he built the drivers and why some were better than others. I thought he was going to keep one of mine that to this day is the best looking club I had ever seen. In those days quality control was a little different and some were a little hook faced. This one set just a shade open , absolutely perfect . Sorry I digress, thanks Pete

[Anthony Butler]

Other formerly defunct golf companies are trying to make a comeback under new ownership: Penfold and Lynx


https://www.penfoldgolfusa.com/




https://lynxgolfusa.com/

I found a pair of Lynx golf pants a few years ago in a weird little shop in Suwon, Korea right next to Samsung's Headquarters... The cut made me look like Johnny Miller circa the '75 Phoenix Open... I was under 200lbs at the time, so I could pull off the bile green color. If I could fit into them now, I'd just look like a tall, colorblind Lee Trevino.

The Arnold Palmer brand was pretty big there too...