As we are just getting underway here at Powered by Persimmon I’d like to discuss what new classic players should look for when purchasing their first classic set of irons. Now I’m not talking condition but design elements of irons that will make them easier to play for a newbie.
I found that the 1958 Wilson Dynapowered irons had a wider sole than any other pro line clubs from the 1950’s I‘ve seen. That width along with the rolled leading edge and low center of gravity make them a pretty playable classic iron for a new player.
Wilson X31 would be another. They are plentiful and very inexpensive for a nice set.
How vintage are we talking? I submit Hogan Radials for high launch, forgiving sole blades. The Ping Eye 2’s (that’s cheating though) I don’t have enough experience with older irons to say, but I can say NOT Spalding R. Jones Jr. Kro-Flites. About as forgiving as shaving with an airplane propeller!
Don’t exactly know where the demarcation line is but 25 yrs seems to be generally accepted as vintage.
What a good new thread topic...
It’s funny that up till about 1968 or so all clubs were forged blades. As the game improvers began to show up the word was you need them because you can’t hit a forged blade. So the average golfer bought game improvers. So now we have come full circle and now blades are the hot item everyone needs. And as a long time but marginal player, there never been a club I can’t hit. I just hit some better than others🙂
One thing for players new to classic irons need to consider is club lengths. The industry standard for clubs in the 1950’s was about 1” shorter than modern clubs. Obviously clubs can be extended but that means removing and more than likely destroying the original grips. Now if the clubs came with original rubber grips it’s not a problem, but if the original leather grips are intact it would be a real shame to destroy the original grips while removing to add extensions.
Personally I will only buy irons with the original leather grips and I feel the best way to make them playable is by adjusting the lie more upright but keeping the length stock. The weak lofts make the clubs play a bit shorter per the number on the sole so bending to a more upright lie will just make the classic 8-iron play more like a modern PW which is ok as most sets include a 3-iron and many a 2-iron.
Personally, I concur with the idea of keeping as much as I could with what came with the original set. The finishing, ferrule, shaft and the grip.
But, to make a set of irons more playable from the 50's - 70's is to replace the shaft with similar weight and length to retain the D0-D1 swing weight.
Modern shaft will make the difference.
When I was playing tennis in the 60's, we started with the wooden framed racquets, progress through the bamboo material , aluminum..... graphite composite. The difference was huge ( not only in the size of the racquet head ).
If a golfer learns to hit golf balls with the "classic" set of golf clubs, then, the modern set will amaze them later on.
Anyone looking for a more playable classic set of irons, look for a set that's right around when the cavity back took over the industry. Persimmon /hardwood is the same, look for a set right around the age of changing over to the metal woods. The design was more forgiving in the attempt to compete with the new generation of golf clubs.
I just had a set o KARSTEN II. 5 thru PW reshafted with TT XPS 95 steel, soft stepped twice. Easier on the swing and about 15 yards gained. Works out to about an R100. Sure made an expensive classic set of heads.
That’s great Dick! Glad to hear you got those sorted and are working for you. Maybe expensive for a vintage set but still much more affordable than a brand new set of modern irons.