Having been around the game of golf all my life which
includes the last 20 years (give or take
a year or 2) as a professional, a lot of things have changed over in that time;
some good and some not so good. And like any stretch of time in ones life that
was enjoyable, we often miss those days and look back with fond memories. But if you're a golfer whose taken the game up in the last 10 years, you might not
even realize that clubs were once made of metal…yes metal…. let alone wood.
Wood was way back in the day although the name “woods” has kind of stuck
when referring to our driver and fairway clubs, however in many circles they’re
starting to be referred to as “metals” so maybe “woods” is slowly on its way
out (no pun intended). For the newer golfers reading this article, there
was once a time when hybrids didn’t make up half your set of clubs…that’s because hybrids
didn’t exist. But like all things, change is inevitable and we can either roll
with it or get left behind.
And I will admit change can be good….sometimes, but I do
still like to muse over the days when you had a plethora of golf equipment to
choose from; when going to pick out your next set of sticks was an event; at
least for me it was; it was better than Christmas! Many of the club manufacturers
I grew up with are either exclusively produced overseas or are no longer in
existence. Many of which were extremely well built, high end stuff. To me, this
is a piece of golf’s history I truly wish had never changed. Again, for most,
you won’t recognize the names on the following list if you’re a golf newcomer,
and by newcomer I mean new in the last 10 - 15 years. Sure the 5 or so big name manufacturers
we get bombarded with were around back in the day, but they just didn’t
dominate like today. There were too many other choices, good quality choices.
I thought it would be fun to take you on a trip back in time
to do some shopping for your next set of clubs. You go to your local club or
golf course, oh ya, I didn’t mention? That’s where a majority of golfers bought
their stuff, especially if you were any kind of golfer at all. Buying your
clubs at a retailer, um….no. Maybe a few select locally owned off course shops
but that’s about it.
Let’s take a look at the brands you would be pondering over
in your quest for the perfect set:
- Yamaha: Awesome clubs! They were ahead of their time. One of their best sets was the “Secret” which had a shallow cavity with a carbon fiber insert within the cavity with a gunmetalish finish. Yamaha now exclusively manufactured overseas.
- Head: Yes the tennis and ski company. Another great set of clubs. High quality visually appealing higher end clubs. One of memorable sets the “Head Pro.” Currently: No longer manufactured to the best of my knowledge.
- Prince: Once again best known for their tennis, these clubs were hot sellers. Grips made out of the same material as their tennis rackets, shock absorbers in the shafts and known for having an over sized sweet spot on both woods and irons. Currently: No longer manufacturing to the best of my knowledge.
- Cubic Balance: Another quality product. As I remember, many of the better players played this brand. Most of their clubs were forged and they were also known for having a groove less driver. Just a smooth face! Currently: No longer manufactured to the best of my knowledge.
- Daiwa: You might know them for their fishing gear but they once made very nice golf clubs. Some were even on the higher end at a cost of 8 to 9 hundred for a 3-pw set. Currently: Daiwa now manufactures under the name “On|Off”. More prominent oversees but I believe they are available in the US as well.
- Founders Club: Another club manufacturer that appealed to the better players. Their most notable line was the “Fresh Metal” line and had a solid loyal following. Currently: Still manufacturing but I believe they are much scaled back.
- Zevo: You might know this brand if you are a frequent shopper in any Golfsmith as they are the companies low end house brand. But what you might not know is Zevo was once a well respected brand that was not uncommon on the PGA Tour. Currently: Part of the Golfsmith brand.
Oh how things have changed! And
this is just a sampling of what was once available and it wasn’t that long ago
relatively speaking. Early to mid 90’s in most cases. But, as in life, all good
things must come to an end and who knows what we’ll be swinging in another 15 years or so. But it’s always nice to take a trip down memory lane in golf, or
life in general and share with others what it was like “back in the day”. I
think the next time I go out to play 18 I’ll break out the Yamaha’s or maybe
the Head’s; I’m a sucker for golf nostalgia!
Blog written
by Vince-Director of Instruction at VJF Golf Academy
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