By Coach Erik Schjolberg – Jan 7, 2024
Contents
List Of Spalding Irons by Year
Spalding Irons by Year Table:
| Year Released | Spalding Iron Model | Price / Where to Buy We earn commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. |
| 2002 | Top Flite Oversize | |
| 2000 | Top-Flite XL 2000 | |
| 1999 | Pro Impact | |
| 1998 | Executive EZX Oversize Select Oversize Top-Flite Tour Oversize Top-Flite Tour Pro Grind | |
| 1997 | Executive OSi Oversize Top Flite Magna Top-Flite Tour Ti Your Impact Ti Oversize | |
| 1996 | Executive x EZ Oversize Top-Flite Tour (nbr on face) | |
| 1994 | Elite Tour Balancing System Top-Flite Tour (no nbr face) Top-Flite Tour Midsize | |
| 1991 | Top-Flite Plus Professional Tour Edition (red line) | |
| 1990 | Top-Flite Plus | |
| 1989 | Tour Edition (bird over ball) | |
| 1988 | Tour Edition (cavity back) | |
| 1987 | Executive XE | |
| 1985 | Cannon | |
| 1984 | Centurion Custom Cast | |
| 1982 | Elite (star) | |
| 1981 | XL4 | |
| 1980 | Top-Flite | |
| 1979 | Elite Plus | |
| 1978 | Top-Flite Pro Forged | |
| 1977 | Executive Spalding | |
| 1976 | top-flite Legacy | |
| 1975 | Elite Centurion | |
| 1974 | Top Flite Dynertal | |
| 1972 | Executive Executive MV2 | |
| 1971 | Elite MV2 Stainless | |
| 1970 | Top-Flite Professional | |
| 1969 | Elite MV2 Stainless Bird Over Ball | |
| 1968 | Executive MV2 Bird Over Ball | |
| 1967 | Top-Flite Professional | |
| 1966 | Elite Professional Stainless Executive Focal Powered | |
| 1965 | Top-Flite Professional | |
| 1964 | Executive Focal Powered | |
| 1963 | Top Flite Professional | |
| 1962 | Top Flite Executive Synchro-Dyned | |
| 1961 | Top Flite | |
| 1960 | Top Flite Elite Professional Gene Littler Master Model Synchro-Dyned Gene Littler synchro-dyned | |
| 1953 | Top Flite Synchro-Dyned | |
| 1940 | Kro-Flite | |
| 1936 | Registered | |
| 1931 | Kro Flite RTJ | |
| 1920 | Stop ‘Em Dedstop |
Spalding Golf Clubs History
Spalding has one of the most storied histories in sports, and a major impact on golf. Especially in America. Starting in the early 1900s, Spalding started making golf balls before manufacturing clubs.
In 1910 Spalding started making fairway clubs made of aluminum, and heavier lead face putters. They also specialized in unique clubs like the Cran Creek. It was a low loft club used for poor lies and putting.
In the 1920s, Spalding started making irons and innovated an assembly line style forging process that was much cheaper, faster, and more precise than the ole hammer and anvil.
Spalding got so inventive with their clubmaking, they had golf bags around America sporting 20-30 clubs. In an effort to keep golf a game of skill, the USGA implemented the 14 club rule that we see today.
Spalding took off with sales and production with Bobby Jones joining the team. The greatest golfer at the time plays Spalding? Well then so did everyone else. Over two million Bobby Jones sets were sold in America.
From the 1950s to the 1990s Spalding was in the bag for many major victories, and was played on municipal courses across the country. During that time, Spalding ownership changed hands a half dozen times, and saw the same fate as MacGregor Irons.
With new “sexy” companies like Titleist, Callaway, and TaylorMade, and golfers like Tiger and Phil, the new aged golfer wasn’t interested in playing their “grandpas golf clubs.” Sales declined into the 2000s, and Spalding made their last club in 2002.
The Top Flite name lives on, however, thanks to the purchase of its namesake via Callaway in the early 2000s. Top Flite is now synonymous with “bargain” or “cheap” instead of being the club of choice for the greatest golfers on tour. Yet again, the same fate as MacGregor had.
Does Spalding Still Make Golf Clubs?
Spalding no longer makes golf clubs, and hasn’t for some time now. However, the name of their popular brand “Top Flite” was sold to Callaway, and is used for discount clubs and balls.
When Did Spalding Stop Making Golf Clubs?
Spalding stopped making clubs in 2002. Insurmountable debt, uncertain management, and stiff competition forced Spalding to stop production.
About the Author
By Coach Erik Schjolberg – Last Updated Jan 7, 2024
Expertise:
Coach Erik actively coaches several PGA Tour Professionals. He’s the head golf instructor and writer here at Swing Yard, was voted the “#1 Golf Coach in Scottsdale, Arizona”, and has been coaching for over 20+ years. Erik also owns and operates his own online golf school, EJS Golf Academy. His other credentials include: Active PGA Coaches Membership, Titleist TPI Level 1 and 2, Trackman Certified Level 1, Dr. Kwon’s Biomechanics Level I and II, Scott Cowx Certified Level I Advanced, BodiTrack and V1 Sports Pressure Mat Certified, Titleist Club Fitting and Ball Fitting Certified, PGA Hope, and Sportsbox AI. Check out Erik’s full bio and certifications for more info.
When was ladies Tee-Flite clubs released
I can’t find an exact year, but it looks like there were two versions. The old school blades to me look like they are probably from the 1970’s based on the shape. The cavity back version seems like it’s a 1990’s release. Hope that helps.
I’ve got a set of Spalding’s “Professional II” irons that i got for Christmas in 1985. My original set has long since worn out and disposed of, but i did find an exact duplicate set at a local golf shop (even down to the original grips!). Anyway, they’re beautiful forged clubs, but i don’t see much info on the internet about them. Any ideas on the manufacture history of them, or if they were played by anyone in the pros?
I don’t know anything about them myself and I can’t seem to find much online either. I do see a few sets on ebay, but that’s about it. I doubt they were played by anyone on tour. Hope that helps man.
I am curious…
I have a crossline jumbo Lamkin Spalding professional Double Eagle
pro – crafted 8 Iron golf club… Is this an actual Classic cash keeper, or an obsolete used stick??? Thank you for your time & reply…
Honestly, I think it’s more of the latter haha. The single clubs from the Double Eagle set are going on ebay for around $12. You never know what might happen or who might want to pay a lot for it from a COLLECTOR’S standpoint, but it’s a long shot. The reality is that the old technology in those clubs is extremely outdated from a user’s standpoint. Hope that helps!
So enjoyed finding your site.
My Dad sent me off to college in 1960 with a set of Top Flight Pros, with which I was lucky and modestly good enough to make the golf team.
Haven’t played since 1968z
Today, took them all out and conditioned all the grips with Lexol
Dad would be pleased.
Nice… such a classic set! That’s a pretty cool story for father’s day, I bet he’s looking down and feeling proud. I’m curious, what college did you play for?
I just purchased a set of Robert Jones Jr. Spalding registered irons, with the fish scale face, and I am having troubles getting any more information on them. Looks like they have a shaft that is wrapped in like a bamboo wrap. They have the leather notched form grip. There is a circle stamped next to the name on the back of the club face and all I have seen are ones with a diamond or triangle. Can you possibly help me out?
Hey Tim, it looks like they are from around 1933! I have found a few on ebay, but they do all have the diamond stamp, not the circle. But I imagine they are very similar. I hope that helps with what you were looking for.
Just found a Spalding Lady Luck 5 iron whilst cleaning out my garage ( belonged to my mother).
Probablv from the 50’s I would reckon. I can’t find any info on them. would it be worth selling on to someone who would appreciate it more than me!
I looked and cannot find anything on a Lady Luck iron. Honestly, I don’t think it would be worth much more than sentimental value at this point. I would probably keep it since it was your mother’s haha, but that’s up to you.
Do you know anything about Double Eagle irons? Year? Forged? Thanks, Russ
From the look alone, I’d say they are from the 1960’s era. A far as forged, I’d guess YES… being that they are from that era of the classic forged blade irons. And, the cast clubs back then were really large and clunky.
Hopefully you can help me out dating a club. I have a Spalding Robert T Jones club head that I’m having trouble placing a date on. Someone turned it into a bottle opener. The back is his signature with the word ‘MODEL’ under it and ‘STAINLESS’ in the lower left corner. The bottom of course has Spalding, but instead of a number it’s stamped with ‘RU’. The face is grooved with a circle of eight dots, plus one in the middle, at the sweet spot. I’d say it’s from the 1930’s, but having RU instead of a number has me wondering just what this thing is. Thanks in advance, Paolo.
From your description, it definitely resembles the other Robert Jones models from the 1930’s, so that would be my guess. As far as the RU, I have no idea what that could mean. I hope that helps.
I recently bought a staggered set of Spalding Elite Plus Irons at Value Village. Under 30$ for the 2,4,6,8 from the Original Set. Was interesting that these 4 clubs were/are in near perfect condition, while the odd number clubs were just absolutely beaten hard. Anyhow, these are the 1979 clubs listed above. They are considered Muscle Back-Blades? which are not forged but “Investment Cast” as best I can determine. Can someone enlighten me on exactly what Investment Cast means versus Forged. Thanks very much for your help. JDP.
Hey JDP, Investment Cast is simply the technical name for the casting process. They basically use a wax model of the club head, coat that with a ceramic, and let that harden. Then, the wax is melted away, and the ceramic cast is filled back in with molten metal. The metal gets cooled, the ceramic is broken away, and voila – a perfectly shaped club head is born (and pretty much ready to go). Forged, on the other hand, is a single piece of metal, heated, and then hammered into shape with lots of pressure. Then there is still the process of grinding, buffing, and detailing out to the exact club head specifications.
Hi,
A few years back I picked up a set of vintage Spaulding Registered irons 2-8 with an All Purpose Top Flight Tournament wedge that has the same grip but doesn’t match the rest of the set at an antique store and basically stored them until now. I ran across your site and pulled them back out for a look. According to your site the Registered irons are from around 1936? They have Spaulding Registered on the bottom and Top-Flight Tournament Model with a diamond on the back and Stainless on the toe on the back. The sticker on the shafts say “True Temper Dynamic” They are narrow, black with red lines. The grips look to factory with a circle inside a circle on the butt end. All but two of the grips are in nice condition for the age. The wedge grip is split on a straight line and the 8 iron is starting to split along the same line. I looked all over that place for the 9 iron but couldn’t find it?
Do you know any additional info about these? Are they valuable or collectible.
Bryan
I have seen them before on ebay. I would say they are probably worth around $100 for the set as of now. Sure, they are “collectible” in the sense that there are probably some people out there who want to add them to their collection of vintage golf clubs. But that doesn’t necessarily translate to being worth a lot. If they were in mint condition, AND you couldn’t get them easily on ebay, then maybe they could be worth something to someone one day. Hope that helps
I figured they may be worth a little something. When I bought them I was thinking about re-gripping them and playing with them. Now I’m thinking I don’t want to take the original grips off? I’ll likely just leave them as is and put them back up.
Bryan
Well, you never know what could happen in the future…
I have my fathers Spalding Top Flite irons. They say SYNCHO-DYNED.
The registration number is 442576A.
2 iron through 9. They are obviously used but are in good condition.
He quit golfing in the late 1950’s but had been a single digit player.
I started playing in 1963 at age 11 but these were too heavy.
They have been moved from house to house as my wife and I have moved. At age 71, it is time to sell them.
What is a fair value and how do I sell them other than e-Bay.
Much appreciated
John, they are probably the 1953 model. Other than ebay? Maybe 2nd-swing.com. There is a set going for just under $400 on ebay now, so I’d say you may get something in that range. Maybe they have more value to you sentimentally? Hope that helps
Lovely read.
I’ve got a SW and an 8 of Spalding Excellence.. Can’t find any information about them anywhere though.
Yeah I can’t either… sorry man. Spalding has SO many old clubs, it can be difficult to find anything on some of them sometimes.