History’s Mysteries: The Demise of MacGregor Golf

[thechrisgibbs]

Today marks the First Installment of a new series to the MyGolfSpy catalog of series, History's Mysteries. In this first chapter, we look at MacGregor Golf, one of the early premier brands next to the then giant, Wilson Staff. The brand exploded from what we would consider a start-up through the late 1800s to a burgeoning golf brand in the 1930s just after the great depression. How did they make the transition in such a turbulent time? Tommy Armour and Toney Penna joined the ranks to promote and play MacGregor clubs. A few highlights of the MacGregor brand:

• 2nd Most PGA Tour Major Wins 59 
• In the late 30s, they signed and produced clubs for Tommy Armour which put them on the map
• By 1950, MacGregor had the most tour players 
• They introduced some of the first "forgiving" irons with large top lines and low center of gravity
• MacGregor's tour players (and often owners) included the likes of Tommy Armour, Jack Nicklaus, Toney Penna, and Ben Hogan

A few questions for the forum:

1. Is there a player (or couple of players) out there right now that could put a golf brand at the top of the Most Wanted list?
2. Have you played or ever seen MacGregor branded clubs out in the wild?
3. What could Schneider's Parkside Group do to put MacGregor back on the map?

[russtopherb]

This was a fantastic read. Any time @GolfSpy Barbajo writes a longform article, especially on OEM history, it's a great one. 

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

11 hours ago, russtopherb said:

This was a fantastic read. Any time @GolfSpy Barbajo writes a longform article, especially on OEM history, it's a great one. 

Thanks for the kind words @russtopherb. This was a fun article to research and write. And something interesting happened last night to indicate the final chapter of this story has yet to be written. If that isn't a teaser, I don't know what is...

[JeremyD]

This was a great article, and while I remember playing in high school with a kid who had some MacGregors, I never really knew any history. I'm not sure any current pro could get people to buy these again. It may be more of a nostalgic purchaser interested in these. 

Did the article say that the putter used in 1986 was their biggest seller? I'm not sure something that looks like that is where they would need to go, but maybe some other putter that tries to compete with some of the favorites in the market

[thechrisgibbs]

3 hours ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Thanks for the kind words @russtopherb. This was a fun article to research and write. And something interesting happened last night to indicate the final chapter of this story has yet to be written. If that isn't a teaser, I don't know what is...

Well that's a savage teaser if I've ever seen one (he says as he starts obsessively Googling MacGregor news).

[Shankster]

MacGregor is buying Taylormade? 

[bens197]

The single set of irons that I always wanted but never pulled the trigger on were the 1025M's.  Of all the irons ever sent to retail, these were some of the most gorgeous forgings I have ever seen, held and swung.  The demo 6 iron at the range was my go-to on clean/pick days from the woods and bunkers.  These were an absolute gem from a legendary company.  Great write up @GolfSpy Barbajo

 

[thechrisgibbs]

6 minutes ago, bens197 said:

The single set of irons that I always wanted but never pulled the trigger on were the 1025M's.  Of all the irons ever sent to retail, these were some of the most gorgeous forgings I have ever seen, held and swung.  The demo 6 iron at the range was my go-to on clean/pick days from the woods and bunkers.  These were an absolute gem from a legendary company.  Great write up @GolfSpy Barbajo

 

Those still look VERY clean. Not many manufacturers have stuck with the shiny chrome due to glint from the sun, but those are good looking irons.

[MGoBlue100]

3 hours ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Thanks for the kind words @russtopherb. This was a fun article to research and write. And something interesting happened last night to indicate the final chapter of this story has yet to be written. If that isn't a teaser, I don't know what is...

Awesome job and a great read, @GolfSpy Barbajo Keep 'em coming!! 

[Berg Ryman]

So my memories of MacGregor were the later things, namely I remember the signing of Aaron Baddeley and the reintroduction of the Eye-O-Matic wood line in the mid 2000's and remember demoing the MACTEC NVG 435 when I was looking for a driver upgrade as well. Loved that driver, but loud and obnoxious as all get out.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_TCG said:

Well that's a savage teaser if I've ever seen one (he says as he starts obsessively Googling MacGregor news).

Can you guys keep a secret???

[thechrisgibbs]

4 minutes ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Can you guys keep a secret???

I'm live tweeting this conversation to my 36 twitter followers that I paid for, so yeah, you could say this will never leave here hahah.

[Thin2win]

Seriously great read. I love me some history and golf history is some of the best. Granted, I'd probably read 20k words on the history of croutons if @GolfSpy Barbajo wrote it up, so you had me at hello. 

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Can you guys keep a secret???

i would certainly love to know...

[cnosil]

48 minutes ago, rbsiedsc said:

i would certainly love to know...

The answer from @GolfSpy Barbajowill be that he can keep a secret too 

[downlowkey]

The first Mac forging that I danced with was a set of Tourney PMB. In 1998 dollars, custom 2-PW cost me $1400 (employee discount). Beautiful buttery wrenches but they were too cruel even at the peak of my ball striking abilities.

That was an enjoyable stroll down memory lane @GolfSpy Barbajo. In your exhaustive research did you come across any mention of Darren Clarke’s contract with Macgregor that granted him a new Ferrari for every tournament win?

[Kenny B]

10 hours ago, bens197 said:

The single set of irons that I always wanted but never pulled the trigger on were the 1025M's.  Of all the irons ever sent to retail, these were some of the most gorgeous forgings I have ever seen, held and swung.  The demo 6 iron at the range was my go-to on clean/pick days from the woods and bunkers.  These were an absolute gem from a legendary company.  Great write up @GolfSpy Barbajo

 

I have a set of these 1025M Macs... 3-LW in very nice shape.  I would still be playing them, but the stiff shafts had to go.  I've toyed with a few shafts several years ago, but haven't found the right one.  New .355 shafts have come out since then, so maybe I'll start looking again.  Nothing felt better when you hit a good shot, and surprisingly, bad shots didn't feel all that bad.  

[BIG STU]

On 7/26/2021 at 7:38 PM, GolfSpy_TCG said:

Today marks the First Installment of a new series to the MyGolfSpy catalog of series, History's Mysteries. In this first chapter, we look at MacGregor Golf, one of the early premier brands next to the then giant, Wilson Staff. The brand exploded from what we would consider a start-up through the late 1800s to a burgeoning golf brand in the 1930s just after the great depression. How did they make the transition in such a turbulent time? Tommy Armour and Toney Penna joined the ranks to promote and play MacGregor clubs. A few highlights of the MacGregor brand:

• 2nd Most PGA Tour Major Wins 59 
• In the late 30s, they signed and produced clubs for Tommy Armour which put them on the map
• By 1950, MacGregor had the most tour players 
• They introduced some of the first "forgiving" irons with large top lines and low center of gravity
• MacGregor's tour players (and often owners) included the likes of Tommy Armour, Jack Nicklaus, Toney Penna, and Ben Hogan

A few questions for the forum:

1. Is there a player (or couple of players) out there right now that could put a golf brand at the top of the Most Wanted list?
2. Have you played or ever seen MacGregor branded clubs out in the wild?
3. What could Schneider's Parkside Group do to put MacGregor back on the map?

Answer to question #2--- Yep everyday I play I play some sort of Mac blade---- How many sets do you want to see in person??----  Lets see I have 10 complete sets everything from my 1940 3800 Armours to my 80 VIP remakes.

BTW On the pic above I would love to find another thin soled DS Mac wedge like that one.

[Middler]

I took up golf in the 60's, and my Dad gave me his hand me down MacGregor DX's, he played MacGregor MT Tourneys. I think my Mom and sisters clubs were MacGregor as well, so we were once an all MacGregor Golf household. My only hole-in-one was with a MacGregor DX 5-iron a million years ago. Obviously those days are long gone, but they were once considered the best brand in our family, we were proud to play them.

[BIG STU]

10 hours ago, Middler said:

I took up golf in the 60's, and my Dad gave me his hand me down MacGregor DX's, he played MacGregor MT Tourneys. I think my Mom and sisters clubs were MacGregor as well, so we were once an all MacGregor Golf household. My only hole-in-one was with a MacGregor DX 5-iron a million years ago. Obviously those days are long gone, but they were once considered the best brand in our family, we were proud to play them.

Well they did coin the phrase "Macgregor the Greatest Name in Golf". If anyone trys to give me the antique blade crap I tell them well a fellow named Jack won 18 majors with them. 

[BIG STU]

On 7/27/2021 at 10:53 PM, Kenny B said:

I have a set of these 1025M Macs... 3-LW in very nice shape.  I would still be playing them, but the stiff shafts had to go.  I've toyed with a few shafts several years ago, but haven't found the right one.  New .355 shafts have come out since then, so maybe I'll start looking again.  Nothing felt better when you hit a good shot, and surprisingly, bad shots didn't feel all that bad.  

Yep the 1025s are great irons---- Yep newer shafts will wake those bad boys up--- And if you tinker around and get them to kick for you nothing new on the market today hits purer than those.

[DukeStKing]

On 7/27/2021 at 12:14 PM, bens197 said:

The single set of irons that I always wanted but never pulled the trigger on were the 1025M's.  Of all the irons ever sent to retail, these were some of the most gorgeous forgings I have ever seen, held and swung.  The demo 6 iron at the range was my go-to on clean/pick days from the woods and bunkers.  These were an absolute gem from a legendary company.  Great write up @GolfSpy Barbajo

 

I had a combo set of these and sold them. What a doofus I am- they WERE gorgeous and the combo set was very playable. I thought newer was better back then… I’m dumb AND DUMBER. 
 

Edited August 1, 2021 by DukeStKing

[bens197]

1 hour ago, DukeStKing said:

I had a combo set of these and sold them. What a doofus I am- they WERE gorgeous and the combo set was very playable. I thought newer was better back then… I’m dumb AND DUMBER. 
 

If we only knew then what we know now...

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

20 hours ago, BIG STU said:

Yep the 1025s are great irons---- Yep newer shafts will wake those bad boys up--- And if you tinker around and get them to kick for you nothing new on the market today hits purer than those.

Especially with a set of Hogan Apex shafts - my Mac-Hogans are back in the bag, baby!

And because I have a sickness for which there is no known cure, I hit up eBay for a set of the 2010 VIPs. They should be here today. 

Just what I need....

[fozcycle]

Hey Sherman, set the way back machine for 1984…….I bought a barely used set of irons for $150. Nicklaus Muirfields by Macgregor! OMG, these were so sweet.  Unfortunately I donated them around 2005.  Wish I still had them.  They were my Favs back when I was a 10 handicap.

[BIG STU]

On 8/1/2021 at 5:45 PM, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Especially with a set of Hogan Apex shafts - my Mac-Hogans are back in the bag, baby!

And because I have a sickness for which there is no known cure, I hit up eBay for a set of the 2010 VIPs. They should be here today. 

Just what I need....

LOL Mac Hogans what a combo

 

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

So the 2010 MacGregor VIP irons showed up last week - got a 4-PW set on eBay for 80 bucks. After a range session and one round, I'd have to see they're a steal. 

They're forged, with a regular flex KBS Tour shaft, and they're soft, silly easy to heat and surprisingly long for what one might call a traditionally lofted iron. I'll get some pix up as soon as I can, but I can say it's a really solid, nice feeling forged cavity back worthy of the name, even though it doesn't have the diamonds on the ends of the score lines or the traditional MacGregor ferrule. 

h/Working on the next History's Mysteries - trying to track down the back story of these babies, how they came to be and why there were no m ore. 

[BIG STU]

22 hours ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

So the 2010 MacGregor VIP irons showed up last week - got a 4-PW set on eBay for 80 bucks. After a range session and one round, I'd have to see they're a steal. 

They're forged, with a regular flex KBS Tour shaft, and they're soft, silly easy to heat and surprisingly long for what one might call a traditionally lofted iron. I'll get some pix up as soon as I can, but I can say it's a really solid, nice feeling forged cavity back worthy of the name, even though it doesn't have the diamonds on the ends of the score lines or the traditional MacGregor ferrule. 

h/Working on the next History's Mysteries - trying to track down the back story of these babies, how they came to be and why there were no m ore. 

I was thinking the 2010s were Golfsmith products but I may be wrong, Which IMHO the Golfsmith heads were good. 

[NRJyzr]

On 8/9/2021 at 5:04 PM, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

So the 2010 MacGregor VIP irons showed up last week - got a 4-PW set on eBay for 80 bucks. After a range session and one round, I'd have to see they're a steal. 

They're forged, with a regular flex KBS Tour shaft, and they're soft, silly easy to heat and surprisingly long for what one might call a traditionally lofted iron. I'll get some pix up as soon as I can, but I can say it's a really solid, nice feeling forged cavity back worthy of the name, even though it doesn't have the diamonds on the ends of the score lines or the traditional MacGregor ferrule. 

h/Working on the next History's Mysteries - trying to track down the back story of these babies, how they came to be and why there were no m ore. 

Are you talking about the Pro C and Pro M models?

[NRJyzr]

On 7/27/2021 at 7:35 PM, downlowkey said:

The first Mac forging that I danced with was a set of Tourney PMB. In 1998 dollars, custom 2-PW cost me $1400 (employee discount). Beautiful buttery wrenches but they were too cruel even at the peak of my ball striking abilities.

That was an enjoyable stroll down memory lane @GolfSpy Barbajo. In your exhaustive research did you come across any mention of Darren Clarke’s contract with Macgregor that granted him a new Ferrari for every tournament win?

I had a set of these also.  Can't remember why I traded/sold them.  Really wish I hadn't.

I didn't think they were all that hard to hit, but I'm funny that way.  I mean, I play Golden Rams for fun, so what do I know?

 

Edited August 11, 2021 by NRJyzr