Remembering the MacGregor Response Putter
05 Mar 2015
by Pete Wlodkowski of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Equipment Reviews
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In 1986, Jack Nicklaus made a putt on the 17th hole of Augusta National that was followed by reverberating Augusta roars, and one of the most famous television announcer calls ever.
Verne Lundquist of CBS Sports called it, as we watched Jack's putt roll in dead-center for birdie.
"Maybe... Yes SIR!"
The call became legendary; the win is my favorite in the history of the game. Arnold Palmer may be most famous for the Sunday charge, but Jack Nicklaus' Masters, at 46, was the most exciting golf television I've ever watched.
If you're old enough to remember, and you're a golf equipment geek like me, than you know immediately that the giant putter that Nicklaus used that year was a MacGregor response, designed by Clay Long.
It was a golf equipment company's dream. Although MacGregor had planned to sell only 6,000 for the year, the day after Nicklaus' victory they were deluged with 5,000 orders. They sold 300,000 that year. (numbers quoted from Wikipedia)