Prokennex golden ace

Player#1 · 10-05-2011, 01:40 PM

I don't know much about this racquet, but I just bought a few...

How does it play compared to a Prince Woodie or a Jack Kramer Midsize?

What is the flex rating? How flexible does it play compared to other wood racquets or something like the Rossignol F200?

Did it come in different weights, or were they all the same?

When and how long was it produced?

How difficult is it to find this one new?

mad dog1 · 10-05-2011, 02:28 PM

flexier and less powerful than the rossignol f200. not sure exactly how long it was in production, but i recall seeing it at the back of tennis mag listed in the h-bird ad for at least 2-3 yrs.

retrowagen · 10-05-2011, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Player#1

I don't know much about this racquet, but I just bought a few...

How does it play compared to a Prince Woodie or a Jack Kramer Midsize?

Better overall... lighter and more manoeuverable than either of those.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Player#1

What is the flex rating? How flexible does it play compared to other wood racquets or something like the Rossignol F200?

Quite flexible; a little more than the F200, but perhaps a bit stiffer than most wood frames.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Player#1

Did it come in different weights, or were they all the same?

All the same, IIRC. However, some had boron-enhanced graphite facings while others made do with graphite only. Some have Jose Luis Clerc's signature on the frame, whereas others don't.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Player#1

When and how long was it produced?

From 1982 through 1985-ish, I seem to recall...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Player#1

How difficult is it to find this one new?

Quite. If you have, I congratulate you.

joe sch · 10-05-2011, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retrowagen

Better overall... lighter and more manoeuverable than either of those.

Quite flexible; a little more than the F200, but perhaps a bit stiffer than most wood frames.

All the same, IIRC. However, some had boron-enhanced graphite facings while others made do with graphite only. Some have Jose Luis Clerc's signature on the frame, whereas others don't.

From 1982 through 1985-ish, I seem to recall...

Quite. If you have, I congratulate you.

I dont have the specs but agree with retrowagens responses.
The graphite and boron models were more powerful and less flexy. One of the best midsize wood rackets and better than the woody and JKA mid which were maybe the two best selling mid woods produced.

One mid that many do not know about is the atp fox model that bosworth customized for some of his ATP clients, check it out compared to the boron pk golden ace:

http://s920.photobucket.com/albums/a...t=IMG_1861.jpg

Player#1 · 10-05-2011, 07:36 PM

Thanks for the info guys! I'm looking forward to trying this one out.

I got a couple of them new and one used for about $20 each (the boron type). They were being advertised as "Golden Age" racquets... At least, I hope that's why they were cheap (still have to wait for them to ship).

From the pic, it looks like the ATP fox would play more like a prince woodie, while the golden ace would be a bit stiffer and more solid...

galain · 10-06-2011, 03:55 AM

Most of my F200's are old, and I have both the boron and non boron Golden Aces - but I'd bet my wife that the f200 is just as, if not softer than the boron version.

joe sch · 10-07-2011, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Player#1

Thanks for the info guys! I'm looking forward to trying this one out.

I got a couple of them new and one used for about $20 each (the boron type). They were being advertised as "Golden Age" racquets... At least, I hope that's why they were cheap (still have to wait for them to ship).

From the pic, it looks like the ATP fox would play more like a prince woodie, while the golden ace would be a bit stiffer and more solid...

Thats an unreal deal, probably because they were miss labelled.
Well actually, I do consider that era the Golden Age of tennis with soo many great playing rackets on the market like the old standard, new midsize, and OS woodys, and all the very cool composite transitional graphite composite rackets.

If you dont like them, I buy them from you at twice what you paid

The ATPs play more like the golden aces since they were mids, more powerful, and less flexy. The prince woody was a OS that was quite flexy. Great control and power from the OS head but harder to get around like most larger head heavy sticks.

Player#1 · 10-07-2011, 02:51 PM

I agree, it was very aptly labeled, even if it made it more difficult for people to find! From what I hear, I'll like these.

So, the ATP doesn't flex so much in the hoop, but it has a good deal of flex in the throat?

retrowagen · 10-07-2011, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe sch

One mid that many do not know about is the atp fox model that bosworth customized for some of his ATP clients, check it out compared to the boron pk golden ace:

http://s920.photobucket.com/albums/a...t=IMG_1861.jpg

Wow, Joe; what little of that Fox I can see looks like a re-branded Snauwaert in at least three details visible in the photo! Do you think it is?

joe sch · 10-07-2011, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retrowagen

Wow, Joe; what little of that Fox I can see looks like a re-branded Snauwaert in at least three details visible in the photo! Do you think it is?

Yes, very likely, good memory !
Take a look:

http://s920.photobucket.com/albums/a...3DIMG_1855.jpg

I bet VS knows the answer

retrowagen · 10-07-2011, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe sch

Yes, very likely, good memory !
Take a look:

http://s920.photobucket.com/albums/a...3DIMG_1855.jpg

I bet VS knows the answer

Well... much is known about Warren Bosworth's work with Snauwaert (he designed the Dyno line of "isometric" midsize composites), and then he designed a few models for Fox...

But that woodie looks like your Graphite Le Grande, or the later Gottfried Graphite Mid / Smid Graphite Mid / Gerulaitis Graphite Mid models, all of which were the same size/shape/drill, with a few minor changes in lamination. But all quite desirable wood racquets; really, the pinnacle of wood in tennis!

max · 10-08-2011, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe sch

Yes, very likely, good memory !
Take a look:

http://s920.photobucket.com/albums/a...3DIMG_1855.jpg

I bet VS knows the answer

VERY, very nice!

heathcliff · 10-09-2011, 01:59 AM

i have a pk blue ace...is there any differences to the golden ace? also i´ve read the pk golden ace / blue ace are very similar to the snauwaert midsize wooden rackets (la grande, gottfried / smid / gerulaitis mid) is that true?

retrowagen · 10-09-2011, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heathcliff

i have a pk blue ace...is there any differences to the golden ace? also i´ve read the pk golden ace / blue ace are very similar to the snauwaert midsize wooden rackets (la grande, gottfried / smid / gerulaitis mid) is that true?

IIRC, the Blue Ace was a renamed version of the Golden Ace with the graphite facing, SMU'ed for big-box store chains in the USA, such as Best, Ardan's, etc., circa 1983.

galain · 10-10-2011, 02:34 AM

Joe, those Fischers are beautiful!

Player#1 · 10-18-2011, 08:25 AM

Wow!!!

I just got them today. Two of them are in absolutely perfect condition. No scratches, no scuffs, no chips, no damage from storage or warping. Never strung with the prokennex plastic still on the grips

And the third one of them looks exactly the same as the first two, except it's strung and doesn't have the plastic on the handle. It feels new and it doesn't appear to have been hit with before.

This is the boron Jose Luis Clerc model.

I feel like I could go out there and hit just as hard as with my graphite racket!!!

mad dog1 · 10-18-2011, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Player#1

Wow!!!

I just got them today. Two of them are in absolutely perfect condition. No scratches, no scuffs, no chips, no damage from storage or warping. Never strung with the prokennex plastic still on the grips

And the third one of them looks exactly the same as the first two, except it's strung and doesn't have the plastic on the handle. It feels new and it doesn't appear to have been hit with before.

This is the boron Jose Luis Clerc model.

I feel like I could go out there and hit just as hard as with my graphite racket!!!

then you get out on the courts, reality sets in and you wake up after the first hit realizing that the old wood/boron/graphite composites aren't capable of generating the same levels of power that your graphite racquet can.

but nevertheless, congrats on the new sticks. sounds like you're going to enjoy them.

Player#1 · 10-26-2011, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mad dog1

then you get out on the courts, reality sets in and you wake up after the first hit realizing that the old wood/boron/graphite composites aren't capable of generating the same levels of power that your graphite racquet can.

but nevertheless, congrats on the new sticks. sounds like you're going to enjoy them.

Haha... Reality did set in, but not for that reason. The racquet actually does feel like it has as much power as a flexible graphite like the F200 or maybe even a PS 85. It has more power than a couple of the early graphites I have tried. It has not gone soft yet in the slightest, so at this point it does feel stiffer than the F200. The place where reality set in was realizing that the racquet only weighs 13.1 ounces... too light!

galain · 10-28-2011, 06:44 AM

It really has a beautiful paintjob though, doesn't it? The Golden JLC models - i always thought were one of the prettiest of the open throat woodies.

JUAN_PRADO · 05-01-2012, 06:53 AM

the racket of Jose Luis Clerc , and the PL version of Prince woody

10-06-2011, 03:55 AM	#6
galain Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1,827	Most of my F200's are old, and I have both the boron and non boron Golden Aces - but I'd bet my wife that the f200 is just as, if not softer than the boron version. __________________ "A closed mouth gathers no feet"

10-10-2011, 02:34 AM	#15
galain Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1,827	Joe, those Fischers are beautiful! __________________ "A closed mouth gathers no feet"

10-28-2011, 06:44 AM	#19
galain Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1,827	It really has a beautiful paintjob though, doesn't it? The Golden JLC models - i always thought were one of the prettiest of the open throat woodies. __________________ "A closed mouth gathers no feet"

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode