British Since 1927
British Golf in 1920s ♥ Ballesteros, Faldo, Player, Watson 1970s ♥ Penfold is back!
The archetypal image of the 20s' golfer in plus fours and slouch hat was epitomised by the figurine of the Penfold Golfer. With pipe clenched firmly in mouth and an air of quiet confidence, The Penfold Man figurine (based upon son of company founder, Mr A. E. Penfold) was a familiar ornament in the golfing professional's shop window. "He played a Penfold" became one of the best known slogans on the sporting scene.
When golf took off as a sport for all in the 1920s, Penfold stood poised to capitalise upon the UK's obsession with the game of golf.
In 1931, Penfold Golf began to sponsor golf tournaments, local professionals and players competing at Copt. Heath and Stoke Poges. Mr Penfold Junior introduced a national golfing tournament in 1932. It took place at Porthcawl - the first of many successive years of Penfold tournaments. By the 1940s Penfold was as British as Spitfires and Churchill!
"Mine's a Penfold Heart!"
Famed for its playing card suits motif, a Penfold ball became the most famous golfing ball in cinematic history when used in the 1964 Bond film "Goldfinger". James Bond played a Penfold Heart golf ball when defeating Auric Goldfinger in a golf match against the Bond villain. Stoke Park Golf Club, Stoke Poges, was the backdrop for one of cinema's most celebrated golf matches. (Remember when Oddjob crushes Goldfinger's golf ball with one hand?)
If the 1960s Bond movies made the young Sean Connery a star, they also shot the Penfold Heart to fame. Never before was a golf ball in such demand. Orders for Penfold Hearts sky-rocketed as golfers competed to be seen with the uber-cool golf ball after James Bond's line: "Mine's the Penfold Heart!"
By 1968, The Penfold Tournament was attracting golf players with world-wide status. With prize money of £4000 to be won, golfing pros flocked to the Maesdu Club golf course at Llandudno.
In the mid 1970s, Penfold was associated with the top players - Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Curtis Strange, Manuel Pinero and Tom Watson.
By the late 70's, the Penfold list of contracted professionals read like a who's who of the world's top golfers: Peter Oosterhuis, Baldovino Dassu and Raymond Floyd, were joined by Nick Faldo (pictured above looking frighteningly young!) Christy O'Connor and Howard Clark.
Anyone who was anyone either played for Penfold, or played with a Penfold. Penfold changed hands a number of times.
In 1983, a management buy-out saved the company from obscurity in the hands of the receiver. The new team concentrated efforts away from diversification and back to what Penfold did best: making golf balls.
An Ace performance
The Bromford Lane Factory in Birmingham, UK was producing eight million golf balls a year by the 1980s. (Note the Golf Balls on the factory gates, left of photo!)
The Midlands company was fighting off stiff competition from imported golf balls throughout the 1980s with great success.
Penfold continued to produce The Ace, a three-piece golf ball. Their two piece golf ball, The Prince, had great success in undercutting pricier, imported American golf balls - selling under the slogan: "Drive a Penfold".
The Commando remained Penfold's largest selling one-piece golf ball.
The Tournado became Penfold's fastest-selling fluorescent yellow one-piece ball.
By the 1990s, Penfold had introduced new styles, new products and a new company logo. Penfold's well loved Player golf ball was introduced in fluorescent yellow and orange, whilst its Range ball, manufactured with a white-red ring and white-red flash, became known throughout Europe as the ONLY one-piece range golf ball.
As demand for personalised golf balls took off, Penfold Golf was inundated with orders for golf balls with company logos printed onto the ball. The Bromford Lane factory made golf balls for such names as: Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, Hertz and (dare we admit it?) even for McDonalds.
You can't buy one anywhere else!
The best news for fans of golfing heritage is the return of the celebrated Penfold brand. Golfing websites tell us how much the Penfold Heart has been missed, with fans still writing in to ask "Where can I buy a Penfold Heart?" Until now, you couldn't! Penfold Golf is not offering any sets of Penfold Hearts to retailers, or to any on-line stores. This website is the only place where you can order the famous golf balls.
