Macgregor M75W Fairway Wood

[Foozle]

On 2/9/2021 at 8:50 AM, Swingingk said:

That sounds like something I could live with.  Half of my family originated from County Angus in Forfarshire near St. Andrews and the other half from Wales.  Someday I'll visit the island and play.  Someday...  😆

SwingingK, following your -39 post, Scotland has been trying to compete. Temperatures for the last couple of nights have hit -22C and snow drifts up to 2m have been recorded, still positively balmy compared to you but not a bad attempt! Bizarrely, on the west coast not much more than 50 miles away as the crow flies, we are fighting wild fires! 

Probably not selling it very well, we normally enjoy a relatively mild temperate climate,  but you need to come and visit your ancestral roots. Make sure you bring your clubs and that beautiful M75W! As said, you will be made most welcome!

[raggal62]

Your first refinishing project came out great ....  one to be proud of. It should play as good as it looks.

[RobotDoctor]

The only recommendation I would make is that if you are going to use the same screws during the restoration be sure to note what hole they came out with.  Especially on the sole.  These screws are essentially mated to the hole they came out of and only will fit flush in that same hole.  Many restoration craftsmen use a cardboard mock up of the sole plate and insert the screw in the corresponding position so not to lose that.  This will ensure the right screw returns to the right location so that a flush finish is achieved.  Otherwise, well done!

[Jiggered]

1 hour ago, RobotDoctor said:

The only recommendation I would make is that if you are going to use the same screws during the restoration be sure to note what hole they came out with.  Especially on the sole.  These screws are essentially mated to the hole they came out of and only will fit flush in that same hole.  Many restoration craftsmen use a cardboard mock up of the sole plate and insert the screw in the corresponding position so not to lose that.  This will ensure the right screw returns to the right location so that a flush finish is achieved.  Otherwise, well done!

 

While I agree with this wholeheartedly it doesn't always guarantee a flush finish.  I've done a few restorations where the screw wasn't flush to begin with (maybe the sole plate or insert had been removed before and the restorer wasn't fussed about putting the screws back in correct order?) and even though I used the cardboard template some screws were below the face or sole plate.  

The only solution then is to back them up a bit and file flush (relying on the glue to hold them and the plate (but that will leave a gap around the head where it's not seated down fully) or find new screws.

Or of course you can live with it if it's for play and not a display piece, which is what I did.

[Swingingk]

4 hours ago, Foozle said:

SwingingK, following your -39 post, Scotland has been trying to compete. Temperatures for the last couple of nights have hit -22C and snow drifts up to 2m have been recorded, still positively balmy compared to you but not a bad attempt! Bizarrely, on the west coast not much more than 50 miles away as the crow flies, we are fighting wild fires! 

Probably not selling it very well, we normally enjoy a relatively mild temperate climate,  but you need to come and visit your ancestral roots. Make sure you bring your clubs and that beautiful M75W! As said, you will be made most welcome!

That's some crazy weather you are having!  Two meter drifts are deep anywhere let alone Scotland.

I would so love to come for a visit but I'd need to spend a month to do and see all the things I want to.  It would be the ultimate to get together with some wrx'rs such as yourself for a few rounds of golf and a few rounds in the pub too.  😃

[Swingingk]

24 minutes ago, Jiggered said:

 

While I agree with this wholeheartedly it doesn't always guarantee a flush finish.  I've done a few restorations where the screw wasn't flush to begin with (maybe the sole plate or insert had been removed before and the restorer wasn't fussed about putting the screws back in correct order?) and even though I used the cardboard template some screws were below the face or sole plate.  

The only solution then is to back them up a bit and file flush (relying on the glue to hold them and the plate (but that will leave a gap around the head where it's not seated down fully) or find new screws.

Or of course you can live with it if it's for play and not a display piece, which is what I did.

I agree wholeheartedly as well and yes, I did put both the face and sole plate screws back into the same holes but I needed to turn some of them in farther than original to get the pieces to pull down tight.  New screws would be ideal but they are scarce.  In hindsight I think I'll try some epoxy releasing agent on the screws next time so I can re-set them rotationally after the pieces are glued down.   

[deejaid]

Looks great SwingingK!   Awesome work, especially for a first go.   Like you said, it isn’t hard but it just takes some patience and attention to detail.

 

As for your blob on the sole.   Runs are always the biggest problem with a dipped finish.  Again, this is way I like using a combination dip/spray finish.   If you want to get rid of the blob, wet sand it with 600 or higher sand paper to level it down, then give the entire head a touch with the wet sand.   Finally, give it a single coat of spray Poly for the final coat and the blob will be erased.

 

 

Again, great work and hit it well!  (After it cures of course.😁)

[Foozle]

1 hour ago, Swingingk said:

That's some crazy weather you are having!  Two meter drifts are deep anywhere let alone Scotland.

I would so love to come for a visit but I'd need to spend a month to do and see all the things I want to.  It would be the ultimate to get together with some wrx'rs such as yourself for a few rounds of golf and a few rounds in the pub too.  😃

Just let us know when you are coming! 🙂

[ALIF]

On 2/9/2021 at 1:22 AM, Foozle said:

Brrrr! That's seriously cold! In north Scotland we have largely stayed below and only occasionally scraped above freezing since the start of the year. Not enough to thaw the course and allow play which is unusual as we normally enjoy year round links golf......

My dream vacation is the highlands of Scotland. I’m jealous that it’s your backyard!

[Foozle]

11 hours ago, ALIF said:

My dream vacation is the highlands of Scotland. I’m jealous that it’s your backyard!

Thanks ALIF, I appreciate that I am fortunate to live in this beautiful part of the world, even if it does get a bit chilly from time to time and we have the occasional shower of rain! 😁

Golf wise we are spoilt in the Highlands with many superb courses. As well as three bucket list courses in Nairn, Castle Stuart and,of course, Dornoch, we have some of the finest works from the iikes of Tom Morris and James Braid. These guys worked with what nature gave them with barely a bucket of soil moved in their creation meaning that features which would be airbrushed out by more contemporary designers with the aid of a bulldozer survive and you can enjoy golf in its purest form.

Courses such as Tain, Brora, The Struie, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Boat of Garten and Moray are a golfers, and especially a vintage golfers, dream and all within a very compact area which includes many other great courses too. 

As I said to Swingingk, if you do make it over, you will be made very welcome.

[LeftyMac]

Foozle,

 

I tell people that if I had to pick a course to play every day for the rest of my life it would be Brora.  You also left out Golspie which I really enjoyed.  So much great golf around where you are.

[Swingingk]

13 minutes ago, LeftyMac said:

Foozle,

 

I tell people that if I had to pick a course to play every day for the rest of my life it would be Brora.  You also left out Golspie which I really enjoyed.  So much great golf around where you are.

Man but you guys have it good over there.  I love little out-of-the-way gems and it seems like Scotland is full of them.

[Foozle]

6 hours ago, LeftyMac said:

Foozle,

 

I tell people that if I had to pick a course to play every day for the rest of my life it would be Brora.  You also left out Golspie which I really enjoyed.  So much great golf around where you are.

Leftymac, I know where you are coming from with Brora and I realised my mistake in missing out Golspie as soon as I hit submit! Great thing about Golspie is you can enjoy the best of Scottish links, heathland and parkland courses in one round!

However, my mistake does rather make the point that we are have an abundance of quality courses.

We appreciate  people travelling great distances to enjoy our golf heritage and I understand that, in what may be a once in a lifetime trip, there is a great desire to tick off as many bucket list courses as possible. But as a native I also realise that such itineraries involve a lot of driving time and time pressures.

I think it was Hogan who encouraged us to stop and smell the roses and so my advice to golf visitors would be to take a break and enjoy the local courses.

If you have travelled all the way north to play Dornoch - as you must! - it seems a shame not to play Tain, The Struie, Golspie and Brora while you are there. They are all superb courses and all with 15 mins of the first tee at Dornoch; the Struie only a 30 second walk! A bit more exclusive, Skibo falls within the same radius as do two entertaining 9 holers at Bonar Bridge and Tarbat. Therefore you can enjoy several very relaxed days of the best golf Scotland can offer.

Sadly borders are closed at the moment but once this horrible pandemic permits,  you will be made most welcome!

[LeftyMac]

Foozle,

 

My few weeks of Scottish golf was 10 years ago and I was supposed to be back again last June before COVID cancelled the party.  Some of the best memories I have of that trip were little 9 holers played late in the day.  Invariably you'd bump into locals who seemed fascinated as to how two Australians had found their little course. Always a warm welcome and great company.

[Foozle]

57 minutes ago, LeftyMac said:

Foozle,

 

My few weeks of Scottish golf was 10 years ago and I was supposed to be back again last June before COVID cancelled the party.  Some of the best memories I have of that trip were little 9 holers played late in the day.  Invariably you'd bump into locals who seemed fascinated as to how two Australians had found their little course. Always a warm welcome and great company.

LefyMac, lets hope this pandemic is over soon and you can reschedule your trip.

I haven't managed to play Brora since the sad passing in 2018 of your compatriot the late and very great Peter Thomson. 

Peter was of course the President of the James Braid Society which is headquartered at Brora. I had it in mind to play Brora with a favoured set of Dunlop Peter Thomson irons by way of a nostalgic tribute to the great man but, like you, Covid rather frustrated those plans last year.

I hope I may be able to rectify that this year and that my golf doesn't I inadvertently insult his memory instead. 

If you do make it over...........?

[Jiggered]

13 hours ago, Foozle said:

LefyMac, lets hope this pandemic is over soon and you can reschedule your trip.

I haven't managed to play Brora since the sad passing in 2018 of your compatriot the late and very great Peter Thomson. 

Peter was of course the President of the James Braid Society which is headquartered at Brora. I had it in mind to play Brora with a favoured set of Dunlop Peter Thomson irons by way of a nostalgic tribute to the great man but, like you, Covid rather frustrated those plans last year.

I hope I may be able to rectify that this year and that my golf doesn't I inadvertently insult his memory instead. 

If you do make it over...........?

 

My wife (with no prompting from me!) has tentatively suggested a possible trip to the Highlands this year if Covid allows, maybe September time.

It would be great if I could bring my Peter Thomsons up with me and we could hook up for a game at Brora.

[LeftyMac]

Thommo spent a chunk of every year at Brora.  My comment to a friend on my return was along the lines of "How could he spend so much time playing Brora and yet build the stuff he did in Australia".  Thommo was a fantastic golfer, writer and commentator.  His golf courses were never close to that level.

[Foozle]

7 hours ago, Jiggered said:

 

My wife (with no prompting from me!) has tentatively suggested a possible trip to the Highlands this year if Covid allows, maybe September time.

It would be great if I could bring my Peter Thomsons up with me and we could hook up for a game at Brora.

Jiggered, I would really like that, let's try and make it happen! 

Yesterday the Scottish Government poured cold water on our hopes that restrictions on tourism, hospitality and travel might begin to lift at Easter: they are now hinting at the summer. Surely by September.......

Fortunately, barring the recent snow and ice, courses here do remain open; I know in some parts of the UK they are closed.

[Jiggered]

2 hours ago, Foozle said:

Jiggered, I would really like that, let's try and make it happen! 

Yesterday the Scottish Government poured cold water on our hopes that restrictions on tourism, hospitality and travel might begin to lift at Easter: they are now hinting at the summer. Surely by September.......

Fortunately, barring the recent snow and ice, courses here do remain open; I know in some parts of the UK they are closed.

 

I was hoping you'd say that!

Still early days and I dread to think what availability/prices will be for UK holiday accommodation once we are allowed to move around again but there're always camp sites.

Courses in England are still all closed but the awful weather we've had across the country in recent weeks has meant we've not been chomping at the bit to get out.  We'll know by this coming Monday what the government's plans are for easing lockdown in England....

[Swingingk]

Well I finally finished up this project tonight.  Now that the poly has cured a bit I tried to replace the original whipping but it was too dirty, weak, and short to do the job.  I recall someone recently suggesting Tandy waxed nylon leather-sewing thread which I just so happen to have so I used that.  It's a little bit sticky which seemed to help keep it in place as I wrapped it.  It's not perfect but it turned out alright for a first try and I think I'll leave it alone.  Hopefully it doesn't pick up too much dust and end up looking bad.  Easy enough to fix if it does.
The grip was in decent condition but had some kind of nasty tarry grip compound or something on it that was really hard to get off.  I ended up using acetone which took a little color out but did the job.  I gave it a couple of good soaks with Neatsfoot Oil and it's quite nice now.

Thanks again for everyone's help and input.  I'm very satisfied with the results.  Fun thread!  ☺

Edited February 21, 2021 by Swingingk

[ALIF]

Wow, just wow!

[Foozle]

3 hours ago, Swingingk said:

Well I finally finished up this project tonight.  Now that the poly has cured a bit I tried to replace the original whipping but it was too dirty, weak, and short to do the job.  I recall someone recently suggesting Tandy waxed nylon leather-sewing thread which I just so happen to have so I used that.  It's a little bit sticky which seemed to help keep it in place as I wrapped it.  It's not perfect but it turned out alright for a first try and I think I'll leave it alone.  Hopefully it doesn't pick up too much dust and end up looking bad.  Easy enough to fix if it does.
The grip was in decent condition but had some kind of nasty tarry grip compound or something on it that was really hard to get off.  I ended up using acetone which took a little color out but did the job.  I gave it a couple of good soaks with Neatsfoot Oil and it's quite nice now.

Thanks again for everyone's help and input.  I'm very satisfied with the results.  Fun thread!  ☺

This thread has been a fantastic education and inspiration. Thanks for sharing and to all who provided the benefit of their experience.

As for the results, just what ALIF said, Wow! 😍

[Jiggered]

Great result!

I've also learnt a heck of a lot of stuff from this thread and will be re-reading the whole thing while making notes.

[LeftyMac]

The only place I have been able to find whipping thread is Usher Golf.  Chip was fantastic to deal with and happy to ship to Australia.  Can't recommend him highly enough.

 

https://chipandputt.com/product-category/whipping-thread/

[raggal62]

Sweet club and a great thread! Thanks for sharing your project from beginning to end. Very commendable results.

[Jiggered]

2 hours ago, LeftyMac said:

The only place I have been able to find whipping thread is Usher Golf.  Chip was fantastic to deal with and happy to ship to Australia.  Can't recommend him highly enough.

 

https://chipandputt.com/product-category/whipping-thread/

 

I'll second that, with shipping to the UK.

[Fellaheen51]

Stellar work SK!!  A virtual tip of the cap for your restoration project.  Excellent job chronicling the process and sharing with the rest of us.  And a thread now bookmarked for future reference if I was ever to undertake such a task.  

 

On the subject of whipping thread.  Seemed to have accumulated different ones over time.  With the idea that I would one day attempt a restoration project such as this.  Been sort of a quest to match a certain look whenever I've needed to whip a club.  Some types and sources of thread:

 

Crawford Waxed Linen - Hickory Golf Workshop.  Only looks appropriate for hickories.

 

Beading thread - Michaels craft stores.  Cheap source for whipping that looks appropriate.  No longer have the original packaging so I don't know the size or product number.  Whipped some Hogans with this and looked and handled fine.  

 

Gudebrod Thread - eBay.  A preferred thread for wrapping guides on fishing rods.  Apparently no longer in business.  But ample supply can still be found on the Bay.  Multitude of colors.  As with all threads, a verification and matching of appropriate size is in order.  They have a glossiness that is more appropriate for more "modern" persimmons such as 80's Citations.  

 

Read where some have used monofilament fishing line for whipping.  The issue is one has to be up in the 100# test area for size, and rare (to impossible) to find in black.  

 

A very large no-name spool of whipping thread that was recommended to me by a fellow classic club admirer.  He had tried multiple different ones in search of a period correct look for 50's era persimmons.  Was bought off eBay.  Don't now if it's still available.  But it does have that "look" for this era.  More than I'll ever use.  If someone in the U.S. needs a length, can supply a length for a project.  

 

A link to an eBay Gudebrod search showing various threads.  Parsing through, may find something appropriate.  Again, I cannot cite thread size appropriateness.  One needs to translate.  

 

https://www.ebay.com/b/Gudebrod-Threads/261029/bn_77160329

 

[Swingingk]

Excellent whipping thread tips guys - thanks!  😃

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Looks great, @Swingingk, and this is a great thread to bookmark for future reference.

 

Let's hope GolfWRX keeps the pictures archived this time...

[Markdar]

Hello fellow golfers,

I’m hoping to find 4-5 woods  M75w with a 6 screw insert face.  Does anyone have one or both for sale?  
thanks!