Ben Hogen/Slazenger Golf Clubs
P. Lynn Miller
in vain. I just recently moved to Sydney and have come across several nice
sets of blades with the Ben Hogan name combined with Slazenger.
I have a single 7 iron that has Slazenger on the sole, Ben Hogan on the back
along with SWINGWEIGHT plus and capital "H" stamped around the top of the
hosel. It is fitted with a True Temper Rocket shaft and red/black leather
grip with a cap with a capital "H". Quite a nice blade iron, wish I could
have found a full set.
I also just came from looking at a Ben Hogan/Slazenger set with 4 persimmon
woods, 1,2,3,4 and 2 -7 and SW and PW. These had the word "Powerthrust" on
the back, fitted with True Temper Pro-Fit shaft.
Anybody have any input on the quality of vintage Slazenger?
Thank you
Colin Wilson
How old are these clubs do you think?
In the 50s and 60s, Slazenger held much of the market for irons in
Australia. They made blades or musclebacks that were almost the same,
but endorsed by the various top pros of the time ... there were Gary
Player, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Peter Thomson, Bruce Devlin and Arnold
Palmer models. I am sure that for many of them they just forged them
with a different player's stamp!
For instance, I have a half-set of ladies irons that belonged to a
now-deceased aunt. I know she bought them some time after WWII, probably
the early 50s. They are Slazenger "Pre-powered" blades, stamped with
*Norman Von Nida* in fairly small print on the back towards the sole,
and with an "L" on the sole (for ladies). They also have the word
"Swingweight" on the hosel. The shaft is a True Temper Rocket, and the
grip is a Slazenger wrap, in red leather, with a black screw bakelite
cap and black "ferrule" where the wrap meets the shaft.
Probably fairly common from around the time, I'd say.
BTW, all these irons were "mechanically" fitted to the shaft with a
taper fit, and/or pinned. No two-part epoxy in those days!
--
Cheers
Colin Wilson
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P. Lynn Miller
So I am gathering from your reply, that clubmakers or desiners such as
Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus and etc. did not use the same manufacturers here
that htey used in the US. Particularly in the case of Hogan since he was
making his own clubs in the US since the late 50's, but instead of exporting
hisown clubs to Australia, he tacked his name unto Slazenger products
instead.
The primary reason I am interested in knowing more about the history and
quality of older Slazenger products is that I am looking for a set of
blades. And it this particular point in time, I am in no mood to spend in
excess of $1500 for a set.
I have looked at the new Titleist, Hogan, Mizuno, Ping and etc. offerings,
but I cannot see a difference in the design of these new blades and some of
the older blades I have seen. So my take is that I will buy an older set for
arounf the $100 to $150 mark, and have them rebuilt with top of the line
shafts and grips configured especially for me. And the end result will be a
better swinging club for less money.
Just a thought,
P. Lynn Miller
"Colin Wilson" <pub...@kyneton.net.au> wrote in message
news:3E88EB9A...@kyneton.net.au...
Colin Wilson
> So I am gathering from your reply, that clubmakers or desiners such as
> Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus and etc. did not use the same manufacturers here
> that htey used in the US. Particularly in the case of Hogan since he was
> making his own clubs in the US since the late 50's, but instead of exporting
> hisown clubs to Australia, he tacked his name unto Slazenger products
> instead.
I can't answer your question. I just don't know.
Any Slazenger blades stamped with Hogan's name might possibly pre-date
the US clubs in his own name ... certainly even Peter Thomson's name
could also date from the mid-50s.
Maybe Slazenger even brought out a new "signature" model when some
notable player won a major or the Australian Open! I would imagine in
those days such endorsements could be bought for very little, certainly
nothing like the multi-million dollar deals we see now.
Have you thought of writing to Slazenger?
> The primary reason I am interested in knowing more about the history and
> quality of older Slazenger products is that I am looking for a set of
> blades. And at this particular point in time, I am in no mood to spend in
> excess of $1500 for a set.
>
> I have looked at the new Titleist, Hogan, Mizuno, Ping and etc. offerings,
> but I cannot see a difference in the design of these new blades and some of
> the older blades I have seen. So my take is that I will buy an older set for
> arounf the $100 to $150 mark, and have them rebuilt with top of the line
> shafts and grips configured especially for me. And the end result will be a
> better swinging club for less money.
I think this is a reasonable proposition. There are probably plenty of
second-hand blades available.
In regard to old Slazengers though, you would need to find a clubmaker
who can deal with the possible vagaries of the taper fit shafts that
might be required to match these old models. There might not even be
such a thing, or the choice might be severely limited.
Ben Vander Veen
I'd also look at some of the component blades. Dynacraft and Golfsmith both
have excellent blades made out of carbon steel (that'll be the BIG
difference between the old ones and todays ones).
--
Cheers
Ben Vander Veen
www.golfcomponents.com.au
"P. Lynn Miller" <lynnm...@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:3e8a29bd$0$11658$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...
P. Lynn Miller
Since my last post, I have bought a matched set of 1968 Wilson Staff 2 - PW
irons in good condition from the US. I should have them in about 4 weeks.
They cost me $70US or about $125AU delivered to my door.
My Iron List was as followed - listed by order of preference
Titleist Tour Model - 1981 or 1982
Wilson Staff Dynapower - 1967 or1968
Ben Hogan Apex II - 1979 or 1980
Wilson Staff - 1976
Ben Hogan Director - 1982
I just could not find set of Titleist Tours for a reasonable price when this
set of Wilson Staffs turned up at a price to good to resist.
I must reveal my inexperience here and confess that I am completely new to
the entire golf scene. I only picked up a golf club seriously, that is to
used for anything other to wack weeds, about 6 weeks ago. I have retained a
pro for coaching and I am committing a substantial amount of resources to
this sport, especially time. I can see the eyebrows raising as I write, "A
beginner is going for a set of blades?!?!"
I have used "extensively"(if you call six weeks at the practice range
extensive) several sets of loaned clubs, ranging from 1950's blades through
to modern cavity backs, and I am surprised as anyone that I can consistently
shoot better with blades than cavity backs. Yes, I am getting more distance
from a cavity back, but they are sprayed all over the place. With my current
blade of choice, a Slazenger muscle back from the 60's, I believe, I can
consistently keep my shots inside a 3 metre circle. So my rationale is that
I prefer accuracy to being an additional 10 or 20 metres further into the
rough!!
Just a beginners take.
So my next move is, as soon as the clubs arrive, I will be needing find a
very good coach to analyse my swing and then clubmaker to configure these
clubs to the specs layed out by the pro with frequency-matched,
spine-matched, flex-point-matched, and etc, Gold Dynamic shafts, which I
hear are the best steel shafts to date, and regrip with Winn Grips Classic
X-firm in Mahogany color. They should have similar feel to the leather grips
that I have become accustommed to, only many times better.
I have even considered getting the club heads polished and rechromed, but
since I am just starting out, I think that it would be bettter to have that
done after I stop using the clubs as hoe as much.
As you can tell I am jumping in head over heels in this sport, but I am
looking to become competitive within the next six months and possibly even
to the point of joining the tour at some point.
Any recommendations as both reputable pros and clubmakers in the Sydney area
would be appreciated.
Lynn
"Ben Vander Veen" <b...@tpgolf.no.spam.com.au> wrote in message
news:3e8aa7d1$0$16259$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...
Ben Vander Veen
First thing is to work with the coach. Until you are sub 10 a full custom
fit which you have described is a waste of money as you will get no benefit
from it. Spend the money on lessons before equipment :)
Cheers
Ben
"P. Lynn Miller" <lynnm...@optushome.com.au> wrote in message
news:3e8ba851$0$11662$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...