Many folks are unsure about what constitutes an "Original" Wilson 8802 putter. While the vast majority of those selling these putters on eBay, via Craigslist, and even in golf shops specializing in used equipment are well intentioned, many putters claiming to be real "original" 8802's in reality are not the genuine article. Here are some tips:
A) If the putter has the word "original" on the bottom of the head, then it isn't an original 8802.
B) The Bottom of the club should only have "The Wilson 8802" with "Wilson" in RED. The word "The" and the "8802" will be in BLACK.
C) The head of the club was done in a chromed satin or frosted finish. It should not be like a car bumber bright chrome.
D) The shaft should have 5 steps with the first step measuring 8 to 8 1/2 inches from the end of the putter head hosel.
E) If the shaft is original and the label is still present (not usually the case after 45 years or so), The shaft band should be a head speed band with two green triangles with the words "Head Speed" within each of the triangles.
F) The original grip is a black leather grip with a silver thread spiraling the entire length and should have a specific logo on the cap that consists of two flags. One flag is red and the other is blue.
G) The face height of the putter head measures exactly the the diameter of a nickel (13/16"), not just close...exactly. Remakes of the original 8802 have a face height slightly larger than a nickel (between 1/16" and 1/8"). It is quite easy to place a nickel on a remake and make it appear to be the same dimension, so do not be fooled.
H) When Arnold Palmer left Wilson in 1963, Wilson took his name off the putter and renamed it The Wilson 8802. The number 8802 was simply the putter's item number in the Wilson catalog at the time. Thus we have The Wilson 8802 produced and marketed in 1964. Also note: The Wilson Arnold Palmer putter (1962) and the Wilson Designed By Arnold Palmer putter (1962-1963) are not identical to the The Wilson 1964 version of the 8802 or later vintage models.
I) While it has been widely circulated that left-handed models of the putter weren't available when the club first was introduced, this is not true. Reports of left-handed models have been found as early as April of 1964 (of course, left-handed models were not made in the same quantity as right hand putters).
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ReplyDeleteYou are right on, everything in this is absolutely true. My grandfather bought a full set of Wilson clubs in 1964 and it included an 8802 putter. After he died my father took the set and put it in his basement where it sat for years. When my dad was having putting woes as all golfers do, he went down and grabbed the putter out of the bag and brought it to the course that day. Well it was raining hard that day and all the guys decided to have a putting contest in the clubhouse. When the club pro saw the putter he was stunned and offered him $500 for the putter, the assistant pro said he would pay a thousand dollars. My father declined, not wanting to sell his father's putter and he knew he had something special. He came home, told me the story and we did some reasearch. Sure enough it was a 1964 8802. It is used, knicked a bit from the other clubs, the stickers are faded but can be made out, grip a little worn but original. The keys are the head speed sticker on the shaft, the silver thread through the wound leather grip, and the two flags on the top. One time he let me take it for few rounds and I hit everything, never putted better, 10-15 footers were automatic. Great putter, the weight, feel, and look is just flawless. It now sits in a custom made case in my father's study along with my grandfather's original bag tag from New Seabury Country Club dated 1964.
ReplyDeleteI love the thing.
I have same story. Grandpa bought set with putter then gave me putter when I was 10 In the 90s That day pro told him the putter was worth 1k. Next day putter was replaced with old ping. Years later he gave it to me and it’s in my bag to this day. Tough when green are slow but the faster the greens the better it is.
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