One club

Woodridge · December 10, 2022

So, they are about to bundle you off to the old retired golfer's home. You can take only one club from your hoard to swing, chip or putt with or waggle. Which would it be?

For me, it came down to an old Sunburst Hogan 6 iron with the original leather grip, a smooth face hickory mashie and the below club.

It's an old Golfcraft 2 iron. Probably not a top of the line club even in its day. It's about the length of a 5 iron. So, either this was a lady's club or cut down for someone at some point. You can see the lead tape on the back and someone put a reminder rib up the back of the grip which feels like an old coat hanger. The grip is nothing special, a TackiMac with shamrocks. But, someone customized this club, either for themselves or someone else, maybe a loved one. I've taken it to the range and tried to hit it, but with a 2 iron loft and a 5 iron length, it's a beast for me to get airborne. The story behind it is that my late wife and I were thrift store shopping a few towns over and I saw this in the club bin and put it back. But, it stuck with me and a couple of days later I snuck back over there, paid the $1.99 and it was mine.

I'm not sure why it's the one that I would choose other than that it's my waggle in the house and impact bag club. Plus, the customization speaks to someone who knew golf clubs. And finally, my wife passed away in July and it's a memory of something her and I had done.

So, please share your One club, a picture if possible and the story behind it.

bcstones · December 11, 2022

Well, Mickey Wright played with just 2 clubs after her retirement - a 6 iron & putter...so following her example - for sure my very first putter (circa 1958), a H&B Grand Slam Mars 70 blade putter. I've always liked the 7 iron, just not sure exactly which one I might prefer - maybe a Hogan Magnum Plus (that was the first pro line I bought in '92) or a Kroydon (steel shaft) or a hickory shaft mashie/niblick. And if I could sneak in a lob wedge, I'd do it (a Beckley Ralston Trapshooter comes to mind, then again so does a Ping Eye 2 lob wedge)

Edited December 11, 2022 by bcstones

Dan Drake · December 19, 2022

I still have both the very first club I ever swung (a cut down Hogan Princess 4i) as a small child and the very first non-knockoff club I ever owned (a Cleveland 485 56° wedge with H.E.T. shaft and Golf Pride Tour Wrap grip).

The wedge will never leave my possession, at least not as long as I'm above ground.

Bigarch · December 19, 2022

Similar story to Dan's. I still have my very first "pro-line" golf club. It's a Ray Cook Nugget 18 putter. My mother bought it for me on my 16th birthday. I still have it and still stick it in the bag at least once a year for a few rounds. I hope to have it as long as I'm alive so I guess it would be my "One Club". Got worried a couple years ago that something might happen to it, so I bought a clone off of Ebay that looks nearly brand new. I hit a couple putts with it and then put it in the club rack next to the original.

Swingingk · December 19, 2022

Sorry to hear of your loss. I don't look forward to that day...

If I had to choose my last club to go to to the old folks home with it'd have to be which ever putter I last played with, which would probably be my Anser 2 stainless. The staff there likely wouldn't appreciate me hitting drives down the hallway. 😁

BIG STU · December 19, 2022

Hickory sorry about your wife

With me honestly it would be a hard decision for me because I have so many clubs that have sentimental history for me. If it comes down to brass tacks it would have to be my SS Zing 2 putter. Even though I have not front line played it in many years it earned its keep. I made more money with it on the minis and big Calcutta matches than any other club. Second on the list would be my rusty Scotty--- It came along long after my mini days and big money days but it has plodded along the last 6 years or so. It does have a name and reputation on this end of the beach as "That Rusty SOB Scotty"

Hickory4ever · December 19, 2022

For me, the club that has the greatest sentimental value is a Bullseye putter. I started playing golf in 1973 and played with a Bullseye and never even tried anything else until six years ago when I started my hickory/vintage journey. Putting has always been the best part of my game and the Bullseye’s are old reliable friends, worthy of the number one place on the wall when my playing days are done.

To this day, the Bullseye is my newest putter and most used in vintage or modern use.

Edited December 19, 2022 by Hickory4ever