Golf Equipment You Could Buy from the 1977 Sears Catalog

A recent story about the demise of Sears reminded me of the old days of receiving the Sears catalog in the mail. As a kid, I loved flipping through its pages. If only I (or my parents) had kept some of those, they'd probably be collectors' items now. I wonder what kind of golf equipment Sears was selling back in the day ...

Then I acquired a 1977 Sears catalog, driven by nostalgia. That recent story about Sears was about how the retail chain, once the largest and one of the most successful companies in America, was down to just 35 remaining stores. So I found a place to order an old Sears catalog.

And what do we find in the way of golf equipment? At Sears, in 1977, it was all about the Johnny Miller-branded clubs and balls made by Wilson (click to enlarge photos in this post):

Those irons would probably qualify as "players irons" today, but in 1977 they were definitely game-improvement clubs. You can tell by the cast method of manufacture, and the touting of the concave back and perimeter weighting. And look at the driver — a wood made of actual wood! It wouldn't be many more years until metal woods began to push wood woods out of the retail marketplace.

An 11-club seat of Johnny Miller Golf Clubs By Wilson cost, at Sears, $190. The driver, by itself, with a graphite shaft, was $50. A Wilson Johnny Miller Brass putter was $20 and a dozen Wilson Johnny Miller golf balls were $10.

Sears also had a cheaper, house brand of golf clubs, plus Chi Chi Rodriguez-branded junior clubs:

An 11-club set of Sears Match Play clubs, plus golf bag, cost $100. A 7-club starter set, labeled El Dorado and including golf bag, was $50. And the Chi Chi Rodriguez 5-piece junior set with bag was $38.

And don't forget about the Billy Casper golf shoes, which ranged in price from $20 to $40 per pair: