Anyone Used Vintage Clubs?

[Alex1]

I saw a feature with Francis Ouimet showing the old clubs used in yesteryear. One of the drivers looked like it was made from a single block of wood.

Has anyone used really old equipment? What was it like?

[shaggy023]

I was just at the range last week hitting the Adams XTD, Callaway FT-5 and the SUMO Squared and all were hitting pretty good. Then I pulled out an original Great Big Bertha and honestly it felt like a persimmon wood compared to the newer drivers.

I still on occasion play a MacGregor 4-wood from the late 1950's, still hits great even with the original shaft in it. As for the clubs from the 30's-40's, it has been a while since I tried some of those.

[oo77oo]

When I first started a long time ago I had solid wood woods. The ball definitely doesnt jump off the club face like the newer woods do. I think they do have very good feel to them though. Always fun to bring out the old equipment and give it a go on the range.

[Craig Mac]

My first set had 4 wooden "woods" and the irons were aluminum shafted blades. I had the 4 wood from that set in my bag until about 10 years ago, when I finally had to get rid of it because it was falling apart. Wish I could have tried my grandfathers niblick, mashie, and spoon. I still hear the stories from my dad every now and then whenever I show him a newer club.

[mev]

My 5 wood is an old persimmon Wilson Sam Sneed, i don't use it all that much but I love it. I have the 1 and 3 as well, but they've long since been replaced. With my halo 2i, I don't use the 5w all that often either, but it's a great club and stays in the bag.

[bIGwIRE]

Louisville still makes wooden clubs by hand.

The process and product has improved, but the clubs are true vintage, hand made and customized after you put in an order. Choose anything from hickory to Adlia nvs 55 for shaft material.

Check out the Thumper Max driver.

http://www.louisvillegolf.com/

[Dub]

I tried a hickory shafted putter from the era.

It felt a wee bit different, I'll say. Kinda hard to really see what it was like without the balls from that era, too.

I used to have a Wood Bros fairway wood that was a nice club. It was an easy club to hit....replaced it with a Callaway Heavenwood.....replaced that with something and I'm still wondering if that was a smart move or not....the 7 wood may return!!!!!

[Lefty39]

Last season I golfed with laminated maple woods, and blades. They were more from the 80's, but I could tell a big difference from hitting my r7 from the Ping eye 2 driver.

[sam004]

There is a store in the Chicagoland area that sells vintage clubs

http://www.oldgolf.com/

-quote
Hickory Hacker Tournament

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hickory Play Golf League

We regularly play with hickories at the Downers Grove Golf Course.

-end quote

I think there is a league at this course, one of the first ever courses.
They play with vintage clubs and maybe even dress the part

http://www.dgparks.org/catalog.cfm?d...on&linkid;=2357

I thought I heard of a tourney in honor of CB Macdonald up near Buffalo
wear they play with period equipment

http://www.hickorygolfers.com/fixtures2.php?id=93


http://www.hickorygolf.com/


My idea of vintage equipment is stuff from the 90's. I think it is almost unfair to play an older course with all this modern equipment.

[Alex1]

Niblick, Baffy...those clubs had funny names. I'm going to start using these names when I play with others; "Paul, I suggest the jigger for this shot...."

Wooden Headed Clubs

• Playclub ( up to 19th Century ) = Driver or 1-Wood
• Scraper ( up to 19th Century ) = 3-Wood
• Long Spoon ( up to 19th Century ) = 3-Wood
• Middle Spoon ( up to 19th Century ) = 4-Wood
• Short Spoon ( up to 19th Century ) = 5-Wood
• "Baffy" or Baffing Spoon ( up to 19th Century ) = 7-Wood
• Niblick (wooden head ) = 9-Wood
• Putter ( wooden head ) = Putter

Iron Headed Clubs

• "Rutter" , Rut Iron, Track Iron ( up to 19th century ) = A very lofted small headed wedge used for getting the ball out of cart ruts (tracks).
• Cleek = 1-iron
• Mid-Iron = 3-iron
• Mashie = 5-iron
• Mashie Niblick = 8-iron
• Niblick = Pitching Wedge
• Jigger = historically an iron with the loft of a niblick but with a long shaft. It was used for playing very high shots up to 150 yards. Today short range "chippers" for use around the putting greens are often (incorrectly) called Jiggers.
• Putter ( iron headed )= Putter

[sam004]

  Alex1 said:

Niblick, Baffy...those clubs had funny names. I'm going to start using these names when I play with others; "Paul, I suggest the jigger for this shot...."

I always thought a cleek was a 4 wood. I have a modern Hybrid from Founders Golf with the loft of a 4i= iron. It's called the Power Cleek.

Maybe I should tape the names to my clubs to help me learn :) Definition: Among historical (wooden-shafted, pre-20th Century) golf clubs, the cleek was an iron with a very narrow face and little loft most commonly associated with today's 1-irons. Cleeks came in variations, too. There was the "wooden cleek," a club also of little loft but with a wooden head (historically equivalent to a 4-wood). There was the "putting cleek," which, you guessed it, was used for putting. Source: British Golf Museum

[anchorgolf]

there is nothing like a persimmon headed solid piece of wood. I have some H&B;'s - they are second to none..

[WilsonsRBest]

See my setup below. Occasionally I will take out my Strata-Bloc woods, but I wish to save them.

[knuckleballer71]

theyre all i use........lol brand new ones made by Tad Moore and Louisville Golf

[knuckleballer71]

the driver has NO insert(bare wood face),and a SPLICED neck and when i connect with it and hit it pure its just this side of AMAZING...........

[Ben]

Last year I was playing a set of the original Hogan Apex's from 1972. I also just bought myself a Cleveland Byron Nelson persimmon driver. I can't wait to get it and put it to use. I also own a set of MacGregor Hogan irons from 1939. You should see the 2 iron. I'm afraid to hit them, not so much that I'd break them, they are just scary looking. I don't know how guys shot under par in those days. Truly legendary.

[Blades4me]

  Alex1 said:

I saw a feature with Francis Ouimet showing the old clubs used in yesteryear. One of the drivers looked like it was made from a single block of wood.

I reshafted a set of 78 Wilson Staff tour blades 1-pw and have some old MacGregor persimmons woods for ~1964. I play them. All persimmons woods were made out of a block of wood, I think that was also ture of what they called "strato block",(which was a block of laminated wood), back in the 60's.

When I play the old stuff I have to focus on striking the ball more and use a smooooth full swing. The pay off is they will really clean up your swing, after alot of frustration. IMO, a pured shot with the old hand forged blades feels ever better than a pured shot with any new mb or blade. When I go to the range now I take my 1, 2, and 8 irons and some wedges, becuz if you can hit a 1i, you can hit anything--and its not that hard to hit a 1i with practice. The trick, well at least for me is to only focus on striking the ball and don't even start to think about ripp'n it, just do a nice smooooth full swing. It has carried over and really help my tempo and striking consistency.