This is a Louisville Golf “prototype” I got off ebay…made of Osage instead of Persimmon. Like the grain direction.
For no good reason I wanted and acquired some irons from the year I was born (1967). I went with the Wilson X-31s. I had seen the pictures of the clubs on ebay and on ironfinder, but I was still somewhat surprised when I pulled them out of the box. These clubs do not look as “old-fashioned” as my late 70s set (Wilson tour blades: scalpels!), or even my late 80s set (Wilson goosenecks), the most surprising difference being the generous sole-widths on 7i-PW.
They may be a bit older, but they are packed with technology:
The design seems to be ‘blade on sole-flange’.
The flange is quite deep in the short irons. My home course is often (too) wet on a couple of holes, and this may help me.
They heads are not ‘oversized’ but a touch larger than my tour blades (my current playing set).
They have very little offset, which I like.
Bore-through hosels.
The shafts are fluted after the clean section near the heads.
After that they have a step pattern with increasing step-size towards the butt.
They have leather grips, a bit longer than I am used to, in decent condition.
The butts sit at the same height from 2i through PW, and I like this (note the ‘undersling’ in the longer irons). This is true for my late 70s set as well, but my newer sets (late 80s onwards) all seem to raise the hands for the longer clubs, which makes it harder for me to fit them in front of me at setup or during the down-swing.
Sorry, I did’t take pictures of all the above!
I haven’t hit them yet, but I will. I feel a bit uncertain about my grip on the leather, even though the grips are in good condition. I don’t normally use a glove, and I am not sure that I won’t need one on these.
That’s called craftsmanship versus mass production marketing. It’s not like “technology” was invented in the last 15 years. We did send a man to the moon in '69. 
The people who designed and created those clubs were craftsmen who knew their craft and the game. Lots of input from professional golfers. Most probably played golf at level of proficiency (probably better than bogey golfer).
Today’s golf club designer does a CAD drawing of the golf club based on how it looks and what can be marketed as a tweak from the model they just did 6 months ago. He might do some wind tunnel simulations and COG/MOI calculations. He probably doesn’t play golf or if he does, he doesn’t play better than bogey golf. He designs the clubs the pros are obligated to play based on their equipment contract. See the best golfer in the world at this point (Tiger Woods) and see how accurately he hits the modern driver. They tell him what to play, not the other way around.
The modern club designer might have just done a CAD drawing of the latest designer coffee mug earlier that day. You know, the one that doesn’t actually hold any coffee but damn don’t it look cool?
And people give you that look of “Why would you play those ancient sticks?”, while they slice another drive into the lake… 
Picked up this today for $30, great condtion, original shaft and grip.
Lie angle compared to my current modern…thing.
I am powerless to resist, and who could at $50.00, less than a dozen plastic pro-v’s and chances are good these wont get lost in the bushes!!
cheers!
dale
Wow, nice looking set. Looks like they just came off the showroom floor.
Imagine if modern clubs looked this good. I’d have a reason to look at new golf clubs again.
You got to play em and let us know how your hitting em…
Ironsmith that is the truth!!
Now when I see the latest over marketed gear … ambivalence and nausea are the only fellingds that register!
A well kept or restored persimmon has a richness and beauty that the latest frying pan can’t hold a candle to!
I will post how they hit after I tweak them a bit!!
dale
1962 Dyna Turfriders… had for $36.00 + shipping… The question is : is five sets really enough ? 
cheers!
Dale
Just got these last night…
Hey Kev,
I hope you don’t like them. 
Those are sweet!
Hey Kevin , those are some beauties!,
have a great time with them!.. What shafts to they have ?..
The Staffs I posted just ahead of your post hit great, they had stiff shafts alredy and I added about an oz. of lead to the heads.
I have been flattening a few myself but when clubs look this great it is tough to tear 'em down!
cheers
pretty nice looking persimmon’s here. Sure they might need a little polishing but they look in good hitting shape.
Thanks! They have stiff shafts… I had a Toney Penna in the 80’s just like this one - it was probably the favorite driver I ever had. So I was very happy to see them on ebay - and I got in a bidding war to get them and paid too much but I was gonna have it
I wont modify these… I bought about 5 other TP drivers that were on there and I am gonna try to flatten out some of them. This is very cool… I am having feelings about the game that I haven’t had in 20 years.
I saw those staffs… a buddy of mine had those in high school and loved 'em. Another buddy had the old powerbuilt - I’m gonna have to pick up some of those too!
@Mashie
Like I said to daleheck, I am having feelings about this game that I haven’t had since I was in high school in the 80’s. I look forward to learning how to hit the ball again…
I am right there with you on the renewed interest golf, this site and the people I have gained a bit of fellowship with and the freely dispensed knowledge make this a wonderful community to be a part of!!
Had to give up old guy mototcross racing (I’m 51 !) after a badly busted leg and a heart attack…felt I was heading out to pasture then I discovered ABS and have been having a great time! PM me anytime if I can help in any way!
P.S I gotta say the Powerbilt Citation drivers and fairway woods I have been toying with reshafting, adding weight, etc
are proving to be my favs. ! Just something about that brand Thrift stores and ebay is just too much fun and I have picked up some great clubs and sets of irons under the direction of the members here!
Welcome and have fun!
Dale
Unless you are focusing on competition on modern wide open 7500 yard courses… you’ll fine tune you swing much better with clean line blades and persimmons. If you are playing for love of the game, then I can’t imagine one could think titanium feels and or sounds better than a well struck persimmon. I gave a lesson on the deck today and hit a few demo shots with my Dyna Turfrider 1 iron and it just felt great to hit that thing right on the button. It’s too flat and heavy and stiff to ever hook, and the best I could do was hit a 3 yard draw with it… while the rest of the shots held a firm line or just a slight tail off to the right. It’s the acid test of the golf swing. Always was… still is. I don’t think there is a better feeling in golf than flushing a blade 1 iron with a firm shaft in it.
@Lag… if there were a “like” button for forums, I would have just liked that post of yours. I agree 100%.
What a great desciption ! I can relate some, though not with a 1 iron yet!.. This weekend I was out about 200 yds for my approaches on after a couple of funky drives… hitting my 83’ Mac Muirfields. I grabbed my 3 iron,flat, deadweighted at around 16.3 oz., just flushed these shots, both landed a bit short but bounded up on the green for birdie strikes! In the past i’d grab the Hy-BIRD and hope like hell I wouldn’t blast a pull hook 20 yds left of the green! Such a more rewarding experience executing a proper shot with a proper club!
Very excited
71 wilsonstaff. $45
Penna mod 65. $10
Newton, I have a set of those 71’ s…you will love em’, heads are a bit bigger
than some of the older vintage Staffs, but that translates into weight! which is a good thing !
They set up great to the eye as well!
have fun !