Vintage clubs for club houses and pub interior decor.

[weakputt]

 

In recent years I have run into a niche market for antique and vintage golf clubs and golf accessaries. About ten years ago I picked up about seven hickory shafted clubs at a rummage sale on my way to play golf. After the round while enjoying a beer (or two) and a cheeseburger, I noticed that the walls of the club house dinning area was covered by hickory shafted clubs, antique head covers and a few stove pipe golf bags.

I reached out to the course general manager and asked if he needed anymore hickory shafted clubs for his decor. And he said sure, so I grabbed the seven wooden shafted clubs, brought them in and the GM said he could give me 3 free rounds of golf in exchange for them. I said how about 4 rounds and he said, sure.

Since then I have offered other vintage clubs and items direct to golf courses and a few interior decorators. Now there are seven establishments with my former items partially adorning the walls of pubs, club houses and dining areas.

Recently found these full sets with bags that may be recycled for golf fans and people who enjoy food and drink to enjoy.

 

1930's dark brown sheathed steel shafts, Walter Hagen - Crown. Driver, #3 and #5 persimmons wood set.

1930's light brown sheathed steel shafts, Walter Hagen - Crown 205 - Compact Blade.  2i, 3i, 4i, 5i, 6i, and 7 iron set with original long leather grips.

Matching putter: 1930's light brown sheathed steel shaft, Walter Hagen - Crown 205 - Compact Blade.

 

1940’s Spalding - Robert T. Jones, Jr. Percussion Weighted Kro-Flite Reg. #1312.  Driver, #2 and #3 persimmons wood set with T.T. Step Down steel shafts & original long leather grips.

1940's Spalding - Robert T. Jones Jr. Registered Stainless Steel (Reg. # 284880-B) forged stainless steel  2i > 9 iron set with True Temper Dynamic steel shafts and original long leather grips.

Matching putter: 1940's Spalding - Robert T. Jones, Jr. Stainless Model  with steel shaft and original long leather grip.

[The Aspidistra in the Hall]

Most interesting.

I did it in reverse once. I visited 'Andy Thornton's Architectural Antiques' in Halifax,West Yorkshire quite a few years back now.

They had bought in from America a load of Tom Stewart hickories which they were in the process of selling to a Moscow golf themed bar.

 

I liberated some (the FO/RTJs from 1931) by persuading them to do a swap for some 'commons' which would do the job equally well.

[Hickory4ever]

56 minutes ago, The Aspidistra in the Hall said:

Most interesting.

I did it in reverse once. I visited 'Andy Thornton's Architectural Antiques' in Halifax,West Yorkshire quite a few years back now.

They had bought in from America a load of Tom Stewart hickories which they were in the process of selling to a Moscow golf themed bar.

 

I liberated some (the FO/RTJs from 1931) by persuading them to do a swap for some 'commons' which would do the job equally well.

I agree that good play clubs should be saved from being wallhangers. 

[The Aspidistra in the Hall]

10 hours ago, Hickory4ever said:

I agree that good play clubs should be saved from being wallhangers. 

Quite! These became my regular gamers for 15 years until very recently when I found them a new 'good home'.

[@_the_crook]

those old canvas bags are righteous!

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

On 3/3/2023 at 6:02 AM, The Aspidistra in the Hall said:

Most interesting.

I did it in reverse once. I visited 'Andy Thornton's Architectural Antiques' in Halifax,West Yorkshire quite a few years back now.

They had bought in from America a load of Tom Stewart hickories which they were in the process of selling to a Moscow golf themed bar.

 

I liberated some (the FO/RTJs from 1931) by persuading them to do a swap for some 'commons' which would do the job equally well.

 

Those hickories must have been the best thing to come out of Halifax since cats' eyes.

 

And I had to think hard of good things to come out of Halifax.

[The Aspidistra in the Hall]

3 hours ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

 

Those hickories must have been the best thing to come out of Halifax since cats' eyes.

 

And I had to think hard of good things to come out of Halifax.

Yup, there's not much demand for woollen cloth and carpets these days.😁.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

8 hours ago, The Aspidistra in the Hall said:

Yup, there's not much demand for woollen cloth and carpets these days.😁.

 

Bradford's wool was better!

 

I just did a quick internet search to see if any of West Yorkshire's textile mills were still operating. 

There's no date on this link, and it's not limited to West Yorkshire, but it appears there are still quite a few going.

 

Also, after posting, I realised I should have gone with toffee instead of cats' eyes. Are Rolos still available? I used to love those.

 

[The Aspidistra in the Hall]

9 hours ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

 

Bradford's wool was better!

 

I just did a quick internet search to see if any of West Yorkshire's textile mills were still operating. 

There's no date on this link, and it's not limited to West Yorkshire, but it appears there are still quite a few going.

 

Also, after posting, I realised I should have gone with toffee instead of cats' eyes. Are Rolos still available? I used to love those.

 

Yes, Rolos are readily available, on-line from Amazon if you so wish.

Other Halifax highlights might be the fine and quirky Halifax Ogden Golf Course designed by Alister McKenzie, which is worth a Google. There is a sensational short hole, maybe the 16th, where you hit from a cliff-top to the green miles below you to get you off the moorland. It's the archetypal mountain goat course, you had better be fit and of hardy disposition.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

I don't think I've played there, but I looked it up just now (it's the 17th), and it reminds me a little of a par three somewhere in West Yorskshire that I played years ago and have recently been trying to remember. Downhill, more parkland than moorland, hitting over a brook and, if my memory is correct, a drystone wall. May be Cleckheaton, or West Bowling, which is now a housing estate I believe.

 

I have played Bingley St. Ives several times, which was also designed (in some part, at least) by Alister McKenzie and also features a downhill par 3 coming off the moor and back to the parkland.

 

In the case of Bingley St. Ives, it's the 18th, but it does not look as good a hole as the one at Halifax.

 

[The Aspidistra in the Hall]

19 minutes ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

I don't think I've played there, but I looked it up just now (it's the 17th), and it reminds me a little of a par three somewhere in West Yorskshire that I played years ago and have recently been trying to remember. Downhill, more parkland than moorland, hitting over a brook and, if my memory is correct, a drystone wall. May be Cleckheaton, or West Bowling, which is now a housing estate I believe.

 

I have played Bingley St. Ives several times, which was also designed (in some part, at least) by Alister McKenzie and also features a downhill par 3 coming off the moor and back to the parkland.

 

In the case of Bingley St. Ives, it's the 18th, but it does not look as good a hole as the one at Halifax.

 

Correct, Bingley St Ives is a great 16 hole course. The holes to get you onto and off the moor are quite forgettable.

Cleckheaton, also McKenzie, has the hole you describe with a dry stone wall to the right and an embankment (railway?) beyond.

I never played West Bowling unfortunately, back in the day in the 1930s it was highly praised, even as a 9 holer. It closed in 2006 and is now occupied by a giant distribution centre. More information on this 'centenary' Club in 'Golf's Missing Links'.

Edited March 14, 2023 by The Aspidistra in the Hall

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

26 minutes ago, The Aspidistra in the Hall said:

Correct, Bingley St Ives is a great 16 hole course. The holes to get you onto and off the moor are quite forgettable.

Cleckheaton, also McKenzie, has the hole you describe with a dry stone wall to the right and an embankment (railway?) beyond.

I never played West Bowling unfortunately, back in the day in the 1930s it was highly praised.

 

Your description of Bingley St. Ives is spot-on. Though that first hole might lure first-time visitors into a false sense of security.

 

I think Cleckheaton might the one. I looked the course up and found the par-3 fifth to be pretty close to what I have in my memory, although in my memory the green was left of the tee, not right.

 

West Bowling had some of the best greens in the area (though not as good as Bingley St. Ives when the National Turf Institute or whatever it was called was there). It also featured tough but attractive opening par three. About 200 yards or so off the back tees, downhill to a sort of keyhole-shaped green.

 

I played there three or four times, but that's the only hole I can remember clearly now.