Your First Set of Clubs

[fishgolf]

I was at a garage sale this morning and saw a set of Wilson K-28 irons for sale.  This brought back memories for me as these were the first adult set of golf clubs I had which my Dad bought for me. I'm guessing I was about 14 and thought those were the coolest clubs on planet earth.  Prior to that, I had a set of youth Chi-Chi Rodriguez irons complete with the leather wrapped grip which had a flat edge on the thumb line. The golf bag was a red & black checker pattern; styling!  Do you recall what clubs you had when during the early years? 

[Piz]

My first set was a 3,5,7, and 9 iron, in a white canvas bag.  I only liked the 5 iron and used it, and a short, ambidextrous, putter until I outgrew them.  To this day I prefer fewer clubs to a full set.  

[Vinsk]

My first set was a hand me down of Northwestern Thunderbirds. I mean these clubs were just a potato chip on a stick! I got a Sunday canvas bag for them that would like a young child got his pants pulled down when I set them in the bag rack.

[HJJ003]

I don't remember my very first set of clubs, I am sure they were just a starter set. However, I do remember my first set of clubs that I ever cared about...and that was when my parents bought me a set of Jack Nicklaus "Golden Bears". It was my first full set. I had those clubs for years, until I got to high school and got a set of taylormades. 

[Buckeyebowman]

My first clubs were what I gleaned out of the garage and basement! Those included some hickory shafted clubs with names like "mashie niblick"! When I rifled a crisp 2 iron through the neighbor's garage window, he suggested to my Dad that I might like to play.

My first "real" set of clubs was a set of Sam Snead "Blue Ridge" clubs. I think they were swingweighted at about D76.5! They wanted to make sure that beginners could feel the clubhead!

[Archie Bunker]

Wilson K-28's and Sam Snead Blue Ridge clubs were the best you could buy in department stores back then. Top of the line clubs and balls were sold only through golf course pro shops. You usually bought balls (which were all wound back then) based upon compression ratings - 60 -80- 100 or so. Supposedly the higher the compression, the farther it would go. Of course, today we know better.

My first set was a 'Bruce Crampton Signature" Dunlop model made in Scotland. I then had Ram Fastbacks and Ram Accubars after that. Couldn't afford the stuff being sold in the pro shops, where a Titlelist ball sold for the princely sum of $1.25. You could always step down to the Acushnet "Club Special" for 60 cents, but you would supposedly lose about 10 yards on your drives. How times have changed.

 

[MrGolfguy67]

My grandfather took me to a flea market to buy my first set, Sam Snead Blue Ridge with a bag and a few balls & tees in the pocket. The set had 1,3,5 woods and 3,5,7,9 irons with putter. I'm sure my granddad talked the seller down to about $20 for everything.

[freedirt29]

My first set were some old Kunnan womens clubs that were $20 from a pawn shop. I didn't realize they were womens clubs till I got home but I did get a nice Fila bag out of it. Played with them for like 3 or 4 months 

[Patch]

My very first set had Snead's name on them, and a lot of rust. Grips had electrical tape on them that was peeling off. The three woods were not in much better shape. Clubs, bag, and trolley were only $8 at a swap meet. I was a golfer......lol

[Valleygolfer]

I started with a unknown 1,3, 3i, 5i, 7i, 9i P...probably Northwestern. Those didn't last long and I got a full set of Northwestern clubs that had woods painted to look like persimmons...

They look a lot like these: https://offerup.com/item/detail/356097591/

Edited June 10, 2018 by Valleygolfer

[cooke119]

My first set I purchased in a department store, they were Spauldings (not sure of the spelling), thin blade irons. I still have them someplace in the garage, I looked at them a while ago, can't believe I actually played with them. 

[RickK]

My first set was a Northwestern starter set...3, 5, 7, 9, putter, driver, 3wood...at least I think that was the set makeup.  Played with those for couple of years and then my wife's (at the time) uncle gave me his old set.  They were a full set of Wilson Staff irons (2 thru wedge), Macgregor Tourney driver and 3 wood.  

[RayG]

Same here... Northwestern Chi Chi Rodriguez blades. 3,5,7,9,P, 3w, D and a blade putter. Probably purchased at JCPenney since my Mom would get an employee discount. 1973... but I didn't need a "Junior Set" since I was 5'11" at 12 yo. Played them for 10 years, learned ALL the different shots and developed my short game. Finally shot par with them near the end of their life and decided to retire them since the sweet spot was a 'bit' worn.

Edited June 11, 2018 by RayG

[jsgolfer]

My first set of clubs were a mis-mash of several different manufacturer's that was given to me by my best friends Dad.  Had Wilson, lynx, MacGregor.

My first set of real clubs were PGA emblems which I won with the hole-in-one I got when I was 17.  I was actually the first prize winner for the golf digest hole-in-one sweepstakes back in 1981 or 82, can't remember which year it was when I won them.  Don't have them anymore, sold them when I bought newer clubs.

[fishgolf]

3 minutes ago, jsgolfer said:

My first set of clubs were a mis-mash of several different manufacturer's that was given to me by my best friends Dad.  Had Wilson, lynx, MacGregor.

My first set of real clubs were PGA emblems which I won with the hole-in-one I got when I was 17.  I was actually the first prize winner for the golf digest hole-in-one sweepstakes back in 1981 or 82, can't remember which year it was when I won them.  Don't have them anymore, sold them when I bought newer clubs.

Cool story.  So did you make a hole-in-one or just closest too?

[Fourputt]

1964,  bought a no name starter set at a discount store called Valumart in Great Falls, Montana.   No idea what the name on the clubs might have been.  Came with driver, 3W, 3-5-7-9 irons and putter all in a cheap bag. 

Used them very sporadically until 1974 when I started actually getting interested in playing golf  more than a once or twice a year.  That's when I bought my first actual full set (Golden Ram blades with laminated maple woods) from the pro shop at Overland Golf Course in Denver.  Back then the only way to get brand name clubs and balls was at a course pro shop.  

Edited June 11, 2018 by Fourputt

[mcanadiens]

Dunlop DMT Mass Transfer. Putter, 3I - PW and 1W, 3W and 5W. I bought these from a local guy off Craigslist for $80 when I just started playing the game six or seven years ago. Being a total beginner and an uncoordinated one at that, I put those things through hell. Those clubs probably moved as much earth as the average steam shovel.

I still have most of the original set in the garage. A buddy permanently borrowed the PW (I think he lost it eventually) and the 7I shaft snapped on a fat shot into frozen ground.

It would be somewhat amusing to see how far I'd be able to hit that tiny little driver at this point. 

 

[Kansas King]

My first set of irons that was a truly complete set were the original Ping Eyes Red Dot with the ZZ Lite shafts. However, these were an Ebay purchase in 2007 (These irons would have been considered old when I was born). I liked them though. The set was 1-iron - Sand wedge. On occasion I could hit the 2-iron solid but that 1-iron remained elusive. 

I moved on to a custom fit set of x-20s my sophomore year of high school which were good clubs but I regretted not getting the x-20 pros after a few years. Then in college I purchased a used set of 2007 Callaway X-forged irons and have never considered something that wasn't forged except for some Ping offerings since. Currently I game the Bridgestone J38 Pocket Cavities which are great clubs.