Collecting Wood Shaft Clubs By Chuck Furjanic

Golf in the 1950's was fun! As a kid I could play all day at most public courses for $1.00, or at the muni until 3PM on Tuesday and Thursday for $2.50...FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON! When playing with senior citizens, they sometimes gave me old balls or an old club to go with my mis-matched set. The more I would listen attentively to "Gramps" about how I could become the next Bobby Jones, Hagen, or Whitey Hermansky, (the club champion), the more old clubs and balls I would acquire.

In the 50's, some of the clubs in my bag were shafted with hickory and acquired through the Parish Priest or the aformentioned "Gramps". Since I've collected everything from stamps and coins to baseball cards, I was eventually attracted to those old hickories thrown in an attic corner.

Collecting antique golf clubs and related memorabilia can be as addictive and consuming as any other collecting venture. Until recently, there were few readily available reference books or catalogues directly relating to pre-1930 golf artifacts. As a result, interest was understandably low. Today several dealers publish retail catalogues (mine is a monthly, others are 3-4-5 issues per year), and I have authored the definitive reference book on Golf Collectibles, “Antique Golf Collectibles, A Price And Reference Guide”. The retail catalogues and my book used together form the best references for the golf collector in today's rapidly growing hobby.

Those of you who frequent antique shows, flea markets and garage sales should be aware many of the $100 plus items are just basic $10 to $30 common ordinary clubs touted by their owner as "one of only 8 known", or some other dramatic expletive contrived to lighten your wallet. Experience may be the best teacher; but books, reference works, and "knowledgeable" golf dealers run a very close second.

Most of the collectible and valuable clubs were produced prior to 1900 in Scotland. The irons had no face markings (smooth face). The woods had a head with an curved oval neck attached to the shaft with a splice joint. The splice joint (about 5 inches long) was covered with pitch linen whipping (string) to reinforce the glued pieces. Soft sheep skin was wrapped over wool listings to form a thick grip.

Most collectors collect clubs by "maker". The maker, as a form of advertising, stamped the backs of irons or the heads of woods with their name and or "maker's mark". Wm. Gibson used a "star", Geo. Nicoll a "hand" and Tom Stewart a "clay pipe" to name a few. The very early pre-1860 clubs were made by a blacksmith and carried no maker's mark. These can be identified by their crude appearance, or by the help of an experienced wood shaft club dealer.

Others without maker's marks are a result of caddies using emory paper to "clean" the iron head clubs. Therefore, many had the maker's marks "emoried" away and are classified as "no name" or "unknown maker" clubs.

American clubs made between 1915 and 1930 are very common as millions upon millions were produced. Most have dot punched or line scored faces and are collected by novices, flea market goers, and antique dealers for "wall hangers". The wood clubs are "socket heads" made basically the same as modern woods.

Early American is an interesting area to collect. Clubs by Spalding, Macgregor, Bridgeport Gun and Implement Co., and Wright & Ditson were produced between 1895 and 1910. The irons have smooth faces and the woods are both splice and socket design. Pre-1910 socket woods have 3 wood pegs, not screws, securing the "slip" under the face. Since very few people played golf in America prior to 1910, these clubs are very scarce and are underrated. Be careful, as many were well used by their avid golfing owners and have replaced shafts and grips. They are desirable, but worth less than clubs with the original shaft and grip. A good adage to keep in mind when buying any collectible is: "The quality remains long after the price has been forgotten!".

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