Kenneth Smith?

[mikeg121691]

Can anyone tell me about kenneth Smith and the golf clubs they made. I have my grand fathers home made Kenneth Smith golf club set. i was just wondering if anyone new any info about these clubs, they are at lest 30+ years old.

[Big Johnny69]

Pics or a link would help if you're looking for some info.

[The Saint]

I have a set of Kenneth Smith hand made irons as well that are quit old. I have been a fan of his for a few years now. At one time they fetched a big $ but now that have become more of a vintage or collector item. See below for some history on KS.

Kenneth Smith
1901-1977
The name Kenneth Smith means custom-made golf equipment around the world. And rightly so as the Kenneth Smith Company has been supplying hand-crafted golf clubs to players everywhere for nearly 70 years.
Mr. Smith's legacy of success in the golf industry is truly a rags to riches story. He was introduced to the game in 1916 when he accepted a job as a caddy at Mission Hills (Kansas) C.C., because it paid better than his old newspaper route. Soon after, he was made an apprentice clubmaker at the course, and then took on the duties full-time when the resident clubmaker was called into military service.
Mr. Smith plied his clubmaking trade throughout his college years at the laceType>UniversitylaceType> of laceName>MichiganlaceName> and then returned to Kansas City to open his own clubmaking company in 1928. Shortly after, he custom built a set of clubs for a pro named Horton Smith, who would later gain immortality in winning the first and third Masters Tournaments, and Mr. Smith became the leading money winner on the PGA Tour the following year. Thus created the demand for Kenneth Smith products that has never let up.
Throughout his storied career, Mr. Smith was recognized for his commitment to quality and keen ingenuity. He purposely restricted the number of clubs produced per day at 150 -- to maintain tight quality control -- and he held rights to at least 13 different patents pertaining to golf equipment. His most recognized invention, of course, was the swingweight scale, which thousands of clubmakers still rely upon for accurate club matching.


Kenneth Smith Royal Signet Irons


Mr. Smith died in 1977 but his company has continued to operate in the same low-key, high-quality manner he championed. Kenneth Smith clubs are played by kings, celebrities and just average folks. Regardless of the buyer, each club is meticulously hand-assembled to the needs of the individual, just as Kenneth Smith had done from his early days at Mission Hills C.C.

Although Honma and Maruman may be top dogs in the orient, Kenneth Smith clubs are the Rolls-Royce of clubs on this side of the Pacific. For shear prestige and status, Kenneth Smith clubs still rate as being among the finest hand crafted tools built for those desiring to project that nothing but the highest quality sticks available will belong in their bag.

[mikeg121691]

Thank you, that gave me a lot of info about them. The clubs i have where my grand pa's and really are quit old. They are in great shape, i just wante to know more about them. I would never give them up for anything in the world.
Thanks For the Help

[hogansangle]

I found four Kenneth Smith irons. They were matched, registration number 56887 I believe. It was an incomplete set, only the 3,4,5 and 9 irons however, I've always wanted to carry a mixed bag (left and right handed.) I didn't feel comfortable breaking up my right-handed set and I knew which left-handed clubs I would trade for righties.
Wouldn't you know it, the KS's I found were perfect. The 3,4 and 5 irons in my left handed set were sure to go and when I bought the set (used) it was without an E-wedge (Hogan Edge forged Irons).
Now I have 3,4 and 5 KS's to play right handed and a 9 iron (which plays as soft or softer than a Hogan Edge Forged E-wedge.)
My KS's have their original grips. I used a grip rejuvenation product I invented called Quick Grip to replenish the suppleness of the grips (cord, long too [probably four inches longer than modern grips]) and hit them today.
Now, my WITB is Right Handed component driver with Aldila One X-stiff shaft (tip trimmed to XX) and 10.5 degrees of loft (low spin rate, slight fade [I can swing as hard as I want without missing it left])
Left handed Ben Hogan stock three wood
Left handed Ben Hogan Edge Forged 2 iron
Right handed 3,4 and 5 Kenneth Smith irons (probably from the fifties, judging from the length of the heads, the length of the hosels and the length of the grips. Maybe the forties IDK. They have steel shafts (and steel ferrules) but the style of the club is definitely pre 1950.
Left handed 6,7,8,9 Ben Hogan Edge Forged Irons
KS 9 iron
Ben Hogan Sure Out sandwedge
Right-handed Cleveland putter bent 60 degrees to make a left-handed bassackwards putter.
Please say there's an odd set contest... I'd like to enter.