ACCUFORM GOLF COMPANY – “Maker of the space age golf clubs”
Right Brent Franklin
Recently Allan Sproule, Brent Franklin’s brother-in-law, donated Brent’s Accuform Canadian Tour golf bag. Brent is an honoured member of the Golf Hall of Fame of BC. This created a reason to research the history of the Accuform Golf Company – the space age manufacturer that created the most perfect golf clubs on the market.
We would also like to thank Jim Rutledge, also an honoured member of the Golf Hall of Fame of BC, who placed us in contact with John Saksun Jr. Working with his father John Sr., .John operated Accuform from 1974 – 1993. He supplied valuable information regarding Accuform during their ownership. His input. greatly enhanced the research for this article. We appreciate all his assistance.
L to R John Saksun Jr. John Saksun Sr.
As Hitler’s war machine moved closer to the takeover of John’s village Zalobin, Czechoslovakia, the 16 -year old, immigrated to Toronto to join his mother and step-father. He spoke four languages, but not English. With no funds but a deep desire to create a better safer life for himself, John began his apprenticeship at Viking Engine &Tool Co. – a tool and die company. His employer foresaw John’s natural ability to create very precise machine parts easily and began giving John more difficult tasks. John foresaw great opportunities “to make the best money while attending technical school at night.” He spent the next two years at Viking and S&S Tool & Die. Then during the war years, he began a lifelong relationship with the aviation industry. At Premier he made his first aircraft parts for the mosquito aircraft. Using his reputation for delivering precise high quality aircraft parts during the war, John formed his own company Queensway Machine Products in 1951. Queensway supplied the parts for the Canadian Air Force Avro aircraft. “During his life John demonstrated an uncompromising level of integrity across all aspects of his life and was known as an eternal optimist.” In the early 1970’s John caught the “golfitis bug’. He would become one of the great Canadian patrons of the game through strange circumstances.
John sought contracts in the aerospace industry which “were so difficult or intricate no other company had the expertise or confidence to take them on.” He built his business by developing life long relationships with de Havilland and McDonnell Douglas. Queensway succeeded because of John’s reputation to satisfy the stringent specifications demanded by the aerospace components. John’s motto was simple “If you can’t measure it, you can’t Make it. And if you think you can, then you are a damn fool.” Later John Sr and Jr would apply this same philosophy to making golf clubs.
Sam Lee, President of Tr-Sport
Tri-sport logo used 1971 – 1980 This logo appeared on all their golf equipment
In September 1971 Sam Lee, Rick Lee, and Gary O’Brien formed Tri-Sport Ltd in Weston, ON to become the first putter manufacturer in Canada. Sam Lee developed a zinc-aluminum alloy putter and began production in December 1971. Due to a lucrative contract with Planters Peanut Co. to supply them with putters, Tri-Sport sold 5,000 putters In their first year of operation. Lee sold his putter through the Golf Canada magazine under the trade name “TRI-MITE PUTTER”.
1st putter Tri-Sport produced
In 1974 due to an outstanding debt by Tri-Sport, the Saksun family inherited a golf company. John Jr. related the following story on how Queensway entered the golf club manufacturing business. “Regarding Tri-Sport, it turns out it was initially established by three but only one person (Sam Lee the president) remained when he approached my father to make a putter mold for them. My father had just started to play golf on a recommendation from his cousin/doctor and said okay. Our machine shop made primarily aircraft parts. After the mold was made, he asked how much it would cost but my Dad said, ‘just give me a putter’.
A bit later, he approached my father about financing a purchase of shafts (Accles and Pollack, an English manufacturer) as they were closing their warehouse in Chicago. My Dad agreed. Within about four months, Tri-sport was struggling financially. We sent in our auditor who said,’ You essentially own the company.’ (Note Tri-Sport owed John Saksun Sr. $75,000). We looked at selling the assets and closing it down or with our machining expertise, making golf clubs. We thought that would be easy compared to aircraft parts, so we decided to continue with the company.” John’s comments: “We could see that Sam had good ideas and we felt our engineering and machinery principles could be used to good advantage in producing more precise results than he was getting”. “The first clubs made by us were called Pro 303 because the heads used stainless steel 303. Putters were made from Korloy a zinc – aluminum product from Alcan. Sam was with us for maybe eight months after we took over Tri-Sport. Leon DeCaire, the first pro we supported, received financial assistance to play the 1974 Japanese and Canadian Tours.”
Much to the Suskun’s surprise, the golf industry relied on visual images to see if a golf club reached a high standard. “Someone handed John a nice-looking golf club and asked ‘What do you think’ John’s response, “Well it looks pretty, but what does that have to do with whether it’s any good?” From that point forward, John challenged his inventive genius to transform raw materials into the best mechanically manufactured golf clubs on the market. Rather than measure the specifications for a golf club using a wooded ruler, the Saksuns began by building equipment to produce exact specifications for every club made. “We could not believe the shoddy workmanship we came across when we first entered the golf business. In a typical set, there was no consistency from club to club. The centre of gravity would vary, plus the weight of the heads and the stiffness of the shafts changed. For example, our fixture to check the loft and lie machine is valued at $15,000, whereas the typical lie and loft machine is $500 and looks it. Our machine measures to the thousandth of an inch compared to the other industry machines that record to quarter inches.”
PRO -303 irons 1st set manufactured by Queensway after their take-over in 1974
The Saksun’s immediately introduced aerospace industry techniques into the investment casting for their first model PRO-303 irons. ‘The investment casting methosd used for the 303 is a standard aerospace technique because of its precision, accuracy, and quality. It means each PRO-303 iron has its own mold, designed precisely to our specifications. Because each mould has the loft and lie precision tooled into it, the mould produces a perfect wax of each iron every time.” Tri-Sport machined flat the faces and milled the grooves to the maximum allowable size and space. Due to the high aerospace standard used to produce each iron, the Tri-sport (later Accuform) equipment became recognized as the highest high-grade golf clubs in the market place.
The UNI-HOSEL on each PRO-303 iron also had a unique one-piece hosel that extended into the club head with an air-pocket actually inside the hosel itself. “This makes the entire club face one big, beautiful sweet spot that absorbs the shuddering effect of a mis-hit shot. With other golf clubs a mis-hit shot sends vibrations up through the shaft forcing the golfer to change the direction of the swing causing a bad shot. The UNI_HOSEL allows the player to maintain control of the club and keep the face square to the target throughout the entire swing. THIS GIVES THE GOLFER THE BEST CHANCE HE CAN GET TO MAKE A GOOD SHOT EVERY TIME HE SWINGS THE GOLF CLUB.”
Tri-Sport manufactured three models of putter. As John Jr described; “We just used the mold for our mallet putter and added the Olympic logo
For the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, John Sasksun’s Queensway manufactured the Olympic Torch. As a spin-off, the Olympic Committee awarded John’s Tri-Sport Company, he opportunity to produce an “Olympic putter” for the 1976 games. “For the first time in the history of the Olympics, the Olympic Committee licensed a golf putter for sale during the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. This commemorative putter is splendid with an antique statuary bronze head embossed with the official insignia of the Olympics. Tri-sport Ltd has granted the Robert Simpson Co. and Simpson-Sears Ltd the exclusive rights for the sale of the putter across Canada. At the end of the Olympics of 1976 production will cease.” Commencing in 1975, the putter sold throughout Canada for $30.00 thru Sears catalogues and stores. “We added the Olympic logo to an existing putter in our collection. “In 1976 we developed a Dolphin model iron because a distributor in Florida approached us. We thought it would work there.”
In 1984 John added the promising Canadian LPGA player Barb Bunkowsky to the Accuform group. Over the next decade he also assisted Jim Rutledge, Jim Nelford, Jerry Anderson, Richard Zokol, and Brent Franklin plus PGA players Davis Love 111, Joey Sindelar, Gary Koch, and Mike Donald.
In 1978 with the assistance of a marketing company changed the name from Tri-sport to Accuform. In 1980 the first ads for the new company “Accuform” appeared in newspaper advertisements. John Saksun Jr. related the following story outlining how the name “Accuform” originated.
After the Saksun’s changed the name from Tri-Sport to Accuform (Accurately formed) the company used this logo. (Used from 1980 – 1994)
“The name Accuform was established by mother, Mary Saksun. A marketing firm was hired to replace the “Tri-Sport name. The marketing firm was relatively inept at the meeting/discussion with my parents. My Dad kept talking about accuracy and how the heads were made or formed. My mother said; ‘So the clubs are accurately formed so would Accuform work?”. The new Accuform Golf Company was incorporated in 1978. Queensway and Accuform occupied the same property and buildings – 76 Fordhouse Blvd, Toronto ON. About 100 employees worked for Queensway. Many performed tasks for both companies. Accuform basically only sold to pro shops. “We only sell through pro shops because golf professionals are the only people qualified to properly fit someone for set of our clubs. Such a fit depends on choosing the right flex and size of clubs to facilitate a particular player’s strengths and weaknesses.” When asked about the viability long term for the Accuform clubs John Sr responded; “This is basically a marketing industry. Companies come out with new gimmicks every year, which they promote to death. Our advertising budget for the year would last a major company about two weeks. We’ve chosen to put our money into the quality of the product. If we had to add the cost of a large advertising campaign onto our clubs, we’d price them out of the market.’ Maybe we will be known as the company that does not advertise.” Over the years Accuform gained the reputation as the one that produced the most perfect golf club on the market. The Accuform TMP irons and woods and Dolphin woods and irons for men and women appeared in the marketplace in 1980.
John marketed Accuform to the upcoming junior golfers of Ontario by sponsoring the Accuform Junior Golf tour. The program began in 1984 in Hamilton replacing Apple Computers as the principal sponsor. “I did not know anything about the junior tour when I was originally approached. If there is any one place, we would like to get involved it’s junior golf. The concept of it and all the little touches like awarding the winner a green jacket sounds like a perfect fit for our company.’ People always say Canada doesn’t produce a lot of good players. I think this the perfect avenue for our young players to get tournament experience.” Accuform supported the Tour for six years.
In 1974 a lifelong relationship began between Dan Halldorson and John Saksun’s Tri-Sport, later Accuform. “We just told him to go out there and tee it up, forget about the expenses.” John spoke highly of their touring pro.
“Saksun also notes that Hallderson ‘s lack of prima-donna temperament makes him an ideal pro to promote the use of the Accuform clubs. We have tour pros using our equipment, and they seem to want to change the weight or stiffness – or get rid of them- every time they make a bad. Dan is still using the first ones he had made to his specifications. He’s the kind of guy who accepts the responsibility for his game, without blaming it on the clubs, the gallery, officials, course or something else.”
When Dan suffered from a skin disorder in the 1980’s, John referred him to his daughter, Dr. Jane Suskan, for an evaluation. Although Dan had seen many US physicians with no remedy, she determined he suffered from eczema – a superficial inflammatory process involving primarily the epidermis.” Her remedy made it possible for Dan to continue his outstanding career.
When Dan Halldorson won the 1986 Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic, he used a new innovative putter designed by John Saksun Jr. The golf writers referred to the weird putter as “a black-headed putter resembling a licorice -Jell-O mold with a flat side”. The putter and woods were made from a special space age material. “The material is basically an aerospace elastomer- a substance resembling rubber. It’s virtually indestructible. You could run over the head of a Symetron driver with a truck and it wouldn’t be damaged.” Unlike wooden head clubs that need to be shaped on a lathe, the Symetron club heads are made in molds. “That enables us to produce a perfectly symmetrical club head every time.’ Over time Accuform gained the reputation of making the most mechanically precise clubs on the market. In his 1986 year-end report on the state of Accuform, John Sr. felt optimistic. “Our optimism for 1987 is strengthen by the addition of several new peoducts. The Symetron putter 1 (Used by Dan Hallderson) is cast from a black elastomer material, It features an enlarged T-line for accurate aligment The the Symetron M series putters (M.B. (Machined from Brass) and the M.A. series (Machined from Aluminum) are machined from solid blocks of brass or aluminum using the same numerical control technology employed in our aircraft plant. These putters represent a new chapter in Accuform’s continuing search for playable precise equipment. Exact surface dimensions and balance translate to increased consistency. We are introducing an improved version of our 8” carry bag and a terrific 6.5” varsity bag. On the course, the Accuform sand rake has been endorsed by professionals and superintendents in many of the major courses in Canada and the US.” John Saksun Sr. in conjunction with Ben Kern, developed a new bunker rake for golf courses. This new innovative greenkeeping tool became the world leader. In the first two years (1985 & 1986), Accuform sold 80,000 rakes. When the USGA and the PGA Tour (in 1987) required all golf courses hosting their events to use Accuform bunker rakes in all their bunkers, Accuform now had a profitable product to market. Immediately Accuform became a desirable company to purchase.
The Accuform Bunker Rake is the main sand rake sold today.
In 1986 Accuform Golf Clinics became an integral part of the Canadian tour events. In 1990 Accuform introduced additional support for the Canadian Tour professionals through their new program called “Lowest Round of the Week Award”. This award provided the successful professional an additional $500. In 1992 for their loyal support to the Canadian Golf Tour, their assistance to aspiring Canadian professionals and to Canadian golf in general, Bob Beauchemin and the Canadian Tour recognized the Saksun’s contribution by making them honorary members of the Canadian Tour.
John Saksun was unhappy with the fact that all faces on the irons made by the casting process left indents that were not noticeable by the naked eye. But using his technology from the aerospace industry, he felt Accuform could produce the absolutely perfectly flat surface. Hence the grooves on the Accuform irons were consistent on every club the company produced. The Accuform PTM became known by industry experts and tour players as the most perfect iron. The process produced a perfectly flat smooth surface on each iron. The scoring lines were machined into the surface one by one using a special mill bit that ensured a perfect “V” shape for every iron. No other manufacturer could claim perfection and consistency for every iron. The same devotion to accuracy existed in the manufacturing of the Accuform laminated woods.
The Accuform PTM and Cavity back models
In 1986 because of Accuform’s perfect clubs, the USGA commissioned the company to mill 23 special test plates to be used in their Groove Study. At that time the USGA and the PGA Tour were involved in the “Square Groove” controversy. With the Ping Corporation. The USGA did not want any variations in the plates. Only Accuform could guarantee perfection.
In 1988 Accuform again assisted the USGA when it was one of the five companies chosen to manufacture test clubs for further groove studies using PGA tour players. The PGA Tour hoped to use the results of the test to assist them in the decision-making process regarding the ban on square grooves on the Tour. Did the square grooves produce an advantage over the “V’ grooves?
New Ownership
New Accuform logo used by the McDougall group from 194 – 2001
In April 1993 Don McDougall, former president of Labatt’s Breweries; Barry Kelly, owner of several McDonald franchises in the Toronto area; and Dick Lockwood, a London lawyer and scratch golfer purchased Accuform from the Saksun family. This new group had the marketing background the Saksuns lacked. Basically, john Sr and Jr, from their aerospace background, knew how to manufacture precision made golf equipment unlike most golf club manufacturers. Accuform clubs were the most precise clubs on the market. “We’ve had a superior product but other golf companies have had superior promotional programs.” While Accuform spent $350,000 to promote their space age clubs, the large competitors spent $10 million.
With great expectations the new owners believed, with their marketing skills, they could develop a strategy to make Accuform very profitable and successful in the lucrative US market. First Accuform re-located to new premises near the Toronto airport in Mississauga. Most important to the new strategy was the hiring of David Hueber, the former President of the Ben Hogan Company. Hueber believed Accuform could be successful. “We make the finest golf clubs in the world and my job is to tell people about that. We spend more on making a club than any other company in the world.” To compete in the perimeter club market, Accuform needed to change the average golfer’s impression that Accuform clubs could only be used by low handicap players. Huber added the new “Whistler Driver” to the already existing Accuform 11 product line. “The metalwood is a unique-looking club that has extreme perimeter weighting which gives a very high moment of inertia. The club has an extra-large clubface with an oversized hitting area and a square design for easy alignment.” Huber established his headquarters for Accuform in Jacksonville ,FL He introduced a new logo, company image and slogan “Engineered for accuracy” To compete in the metal head driver market, Accuform introduced their “Whistler” driver, a square head shaped club head. Accuform suffered a major setback when David Huber resigned after only eight months into his transformation of Accuform. He joined the Raymond Floyd Golf Group.
In 1997 Accuform sold the lucrative rake business to Midwest Rake of Indiana allowing the purchaser the right to use the name Accuform According to Don MacDougall “The rake business was healthy and profitable, but if you have a cushion you will probably use it If the cushion is gone, you have to work harder on the other side of the business to keep it operational.” Today the name “Accuform” still exists through their bunker rakes.
In 1997 Accuform Introduced the “Sensor iron”. The company acquired the Canadian rights to Kunnan Golf equipment. Kunnan was one of the world’s largest manufacturers of graphite shafts. Accuform could now purchase graphite shafts for their metal “Whistler” woods at a lower price. “This gives us an excellent source for products in the lower-price range.”
Advertising for Accuform bascically ceased in 2001. After an attempted take-over in 2002 by Jazz Golf in Winnipeg failed, Accuform ceased operations at the end of 2002.
Presently the BC Golf Museum has a few examples of Accuform Equipment and one Tri-Sport putter. We are on the search for any ACCUFORM equipment
Contact us at email: office@bcgolfhouse.com