8 replies to this topic

[Nspiel58]

A lot of posts on MacGregor lately, so I had to show photos of my 60s.  These appear to have been very lightly played and only have superficial scratches.  They have a "3" on the shaft, making them a little too flexible for me, for now - maybe more appropriate when I get to 60.  What is unique about them is the neck which is oblong in shape.  Any reason for that?

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[kevcarter]

Very nice. Always loved that series...

[Ironmaster Oddities]

The oblong neck you describe is probably the "swan neck" which MacGregor put on eye-0-matic and Super eye-0-matic model M-65's which were built around a softer " senior or stylists" shaft.  I don't recall seeing it in the catalogs for eye 60's or Velociitized woods. But it would be consistent.
I have absolutely no idea why they used it on those models and not others. Yet another m&m ...MacGregor mystery.

[freddiec]

Beautiful Neil !

[Texsport]

Dave Wood could tell us the history, but wasn't it supposed to add strength to the neck?

BTW---my Wood Bros Texan/ Eye-O-Matic 60 insert for Seve doesn't have a swan neck.

Texsport

Edited by Texsport, 09 January 2013 - 10:22 AM.

[xgolfx]

The crucial operation in any wood club is necking. Without proper application, the club can easily be ruined. The swan neck on a ladie's club ( which a pt3 is) was even more difficult because of the small amount of wood in the taper. Most persimmon necks would easily crack if struck in the neck side of center. Swan necks were only on better clubs . Pt stood for penna tourney. Three was a softer shaft and thinner grips. The clubs were also shorter

CHARLEY PENNA

[kaboboom]

These are the "firing pin" woods, with that aluminum rod through the insert that also shows in the back. I wonder if the shape of the club and neck was made to accomodate that feature? I have a set missing the driver. They seemed to match up well with FC4000 irons since they were from roughly the same years to make an early 60s set.

[Nspiel58]

Thanks for the very interesting comments/information on the woods.  The grips are thinner as Charlie points out.  It's nice to know my wife now has a beatiful set of persimmon woods to play.

[Bella Woods]

Swan necks go way back too - I think some of the late 1920s/early 1930s MacGregor Chieftan model woods
had a version of the swan neck as well.

In the period of the Chieftan woods above - I think part of the selling point was the fact that the clubs
were superior in content/make (they used real ivory etc), but were marketed in general as "streamlined". I
would assume streamlined was considered technologically superior.