Playing Hickory Golf

[majic]

If you put a stiff in at 43 and only D0 it will probably play stiffer. We think stiff a D2-3 more then likely. Ask Tim

[teevons]

some hickory woods drying in the sun after an linseed oil bath, top one right is Kirasdad Wilsonian re shafted with one of Tads shafts, Far left is a Crenshaw that had a broken neck

[Bella Woods]

[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1440264336' post='12189390']
some hickory woods drying in the sun after an linseed oil bath, top one right is Kirasdad Wilsonian re shafted with one of Tads shafts, Far left is a Crenshaw that had a broken neck
[/quote]

Tim:

Clubs look good. Just curious how long you left them in the oil and if you took any
before and after total club weight measurements.


Wally

[teevons]

Bella, thanks, I just had them in boiled linseed for a day, they were pretty dried out heads, I weighed one of them and saw no difference is except for the Kroydon spoon which was really dry, 1 sw increase.
I am going to finish heads with tung oil, I am thinking it should increase sw by at least one sw using tung oil

[Bella Woods]

[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1440272467' post='12189904']
Bella, thanks, I just had them in boiled linseed for a day, they were pretty dried out heads, I weighed one of them and saw no difference is except for the Kroydon spoon which was really dry, 1 sw increase.
I am going to finish heads with tung oil, I am thinking it should increase sw by at least one sw using tung oil
[/quote]

Good stuff teevons...... Great choice in my opinion.

I have always been partial to oil based stains/finishes (nothing against water base though) - still have almost all
of my Woodburst Pure Color (tung oil based) stains from Rockler many years ago. Have also used Tung Oil
diluted for finish coats hand rubbed.

I was wondering about weight different because I have a couple of hickory wood heads I am going to oil harden
(for moisture proofing and weighting) soon. A Wilsonian Brassie (low driver loft) and a Lowe & Campbell Brassie
(high lofted for a brassie) - Wilsonian will become medium lofted driver and Lowe & Campbell will become a
sort of Baffy (maybe 4 wood loft).

I think oil hardening old time dried out hickory wood heads will be good for them, and me. Mine will be heads only,
shaft bores open but nothing else and stripped/sanded down to the bare wood.

One thing for sure - you are in the right climate for that now......

[teevons]

I have some oil hardened raw heads only that are very heavy, must have been soaked for a long time. I am sure if you do what Dave wood did, soak them for a year you could really see a difference. i was just trying to seal the pores more than anything

[oldschoolrocker]

Was at the local muni chipping and putting when I saw this. The young man said it had belonged to his grandmother, and she passed it on to his mother, and his mother passed it on to him.

[MoaningM]

[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1439328722' post='12119126']
Kirasdad did not ask me about changing weight in the Wilsonian, I think he was asking Tad in particular what his opinion was

What I have found out about hickory woods are the woods with no inserts have defrormed faces from play or are soft from age. Installing a fiber insert makes them play much better and more consistent.

I am in process of reshafting and installing inserts in several woods right now. I have changed SW on several of my players using several different options, see attached pics. I use the tungsten weights, discs, the eaisiest is cutting the lead rope I have, just drill a small hole and epoxy the rope in, very easy
I am not a fan of poring lead, it is very toxic and you really have to work fast
[/quote]

Tim, as ever you do some fantastic work,

I have a couple of woods which i quite fancy the idea of putting inserts into. How easy is this to do? What sort of tools are required, and where can get inserts from? Do you buy other clubs dismantle and re-use? Can you use inserts from differing era's ie steel shafted era, and would they be allowed to be used in competitive play?

sorry for the 100 ?'s season is coming to an end and im gettingitch hickory/persimmon fingers now
cheers

MM

[teevons]

[quote name='MoaningM' timestamp='1440409134' post='12197540']
[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1439328722' post='12119126']
Kirasdad did not ask me about changing weight in the Wilsonian, I think he was asking Tad in particular what his opinion was

What I have found out about hickory woods are the woods with no inserts have defrormed faces from play or are soft from age. Installing a fiber insert makes them play much better and more consistent.

I am in process of reshafting and installing inserts in several woods right now. I have changed SW on several of my players using several different options, see attached pics. I use the tungsten weights, discs, the easiest is cutting the lead rope I have, just drill a small hole and epoxy the rope in, very easy
I am not a fan of poring lead, it is very toxic and you really have to work fast
[/quote]

Tim, as ever you do some fantastic work,

I have a couple of woods which i quite fancy the idea of putting inserts into. How easy is this to do? What sort of tools are required, and where can get inserts from? Do you buy other clubs dismantle and re-use? Can you use inserts from differing era's ie steel shafted era, and would they be allowed to be used in competitive play?

sorry for the 100 ?'s season is coming to an end and im gettingitch hickory/persimmon fingers now
cheers

MM
[/quote]
Dave, putting an insert in a club takes some patience. In the old days before power tools the clubmaker just used a wood file to edge out the insert. I use a router on heads that did not have an existing insert. If you watch the youtube video that Louisville golf shows how they make a persimmon wood they have a template machine that makes the insert space. I am sure Tad Moore has ideas also since he is currently making inserts in his hickory woods.
I have insert material I have acquired over the years from clubmakers that sell off their old material. Tad Moore and Bella have fiber insert material I am sure they would send to you.
Old Golfworks clubmaker Maltby books have detailed pictures and information on how to make your own insert. I do not think there is anything in the rules of hickory play about insert material, UK might ?? Using old insert materiel should work fine.
Basic tools are files, drill for making screw holes if you want screws attaching, you dont have to. It is wise to use a template for making new insert in face., Use 24 hour shafting epoxy, not quick epoxy since face is being impacted.
Take an old persimmon wood you dont care about to practice with first before you attempt it on a nice hickory head
I contacted Rob Ahlschswede former president of the hickory association regarding inserts and he said there is no rule regarding insert material since from the beginning the clubmakers used many types of insert material, leather, wood, metal etc,

[MoaningM]

Cheers Tim, i have maltby's book ill have to take a look,

It might be a little out of my skill level, but will give it a go ! Watch out fingers and thumbs!

Cheers again

Dave

[majic]

I look at putting an insert into an old head as a way to extend the life of the head.
A tasteful insert put into a driver looks like it was there from its start.
I have seen many nice old heads with cracked and damaged faces. One of which almost a complete face plate to make a repair.
I am sure someone in 1925 would do the same.

[Kirasdad]

All of us know how complicated this game can get, especially with all the new gear gizmos, etc. that come down the pike from places like Carlbad.

One of the things that I love most about hickory is how simple it is.

A little bag, a few clubs, no glove, a few cheap balls, not even tees, just use a broken one on the ground.

I have been struggling with my game since Dayton where I managed consecutive 85s while taking an extensive tour of the woods of Miami Valley CC with the able assistance of my hickory brassie. This from a guy who considers driving his strength. Tim (Teevons) has been trying to help me find a tee club that works for me. This is no small task since I am trying to stay with an all authentic bag. I went through a couple of Tim's (beautifully restored) tee clubs with little success, probably more to do with being off my form than anything. So I decided to try and make things as simple as possible on Sunday evening.

I took just seven clubs, my original Jackson brassie, the first hickory wood I ever owned, bought it from Chris MacIntyre five plus years ago, a one iron, mid iron, mashie, MN, niblick and a putter. Shot 8 over for 13 holes, which included a stupid 8 on a hole, where I tried to hit a low punch from 70 yards out on a par 5, hit a tree branch and caroomed 50 yards left into a hazard. Throw that out, and it's a well as I have scored in awhile. I was pretty pleased especially considering how much I have been struggling lately. That brassie is a wonderful golf club. When I nail it, it has such a great feel to it and a lovely ball flight. High, but not a floater, has a boring trajectory to it. The only issue, and why I stopped using it, is my max with it is 210-215 ( I have had it measured several times, but the number has always been different from 16-18) However, as I discovered today, the really good thing about this club is the misses are very acceptable, usually a weak cut, 180-190, but in play, if not in the fairway. I was never in trouble all day off the tee. When one in decent shape from the get go, I, at least, tend to relax and start swinging like I can. Towards the end of the round I was hitting solid shot after solid shot. If I had taken that brassie with me to Dayton instead of the one I had I would have shot 7,8 strokes better. Maybe I have been a little too obsessed with distance. I mean, I am not kidding myself, the farther you hit it off the tee the easier the game is, but there are all sorts of ways to score. In Dayton I was in the woods the whole time. You can't score from there at all.

[ebeer]

Congrats on a great 12 holes. I'd do much better in this game if I could throw out my highest hole and my lowest hole, but golf is about consistency (at least stroke play anyway). I hear ya on the tee shots. I too struggled at Dayton. For me the tee shot is the most critical shot for hickory. I accept that my hickory drives will not be nearly as long as my modern drives. This makes a "playable" second shot critical because I'm already looking at a 40-60yd longer approach. Add "in the trees" to that starting deficit and you have a recipe for disaster.

On the days where I'm swinging smoothly, with no last second thoughts of "keep it safe", "clear the lake", or "let's try a low rising draw", I tend to keep the ball in play. It's funny, the tighter the course the more I have to remind myself to swing freely - particularly with hickory. As I found in Dayton, when I try to control my swing and really force my tee shot into the fairway...bad stuff happens. But if I clear my head and swing slow and smooth, yet freely, the results are far better. I have a barrel full of brassies, but I'm going to change my quest from finding the right one to suppressing the demons between my ears!

[Kirasdad]

[quote name='ebeer' timestamp='1441731621' post='12281618']
Congrats on a great 12 holes. I'd do much better in this game if I could throw out my highest hole and my lowest hole, but golf is about consistency (at least stroke play anyway). I hear ya on the tee shots. I too struggled at Dayton. For me the tee shot is the most critical shot for hickory. I accept that my hickory drives will not be nearly as long as my modern drives. This makes a "playable" second shot critical because I'm already looking at a 40-60yd longer approach. Add "in the trees" to that starting deficit and you have a recipe for disaster.

On the days where I'm swinging smoothly, with no last second thoughts of "keep it safe", "clear the lake", or "let's try a low rising draw", I tend to keep the ball in play. It's funny, the tighter the course the more I have to remind myself to swing freely - particularly with hickory. As I found in Dayton, when I try to control my swing and really force my tee shot into the fairway...bad stuff happens. But if I clear my head and swing slow and smooth, yet freely, the results are far better. I have a barrel full of brassies, but I'm going to change my quest from finding the right one to suppressing the demons between my ears!
[/quote]

Ah yes..Eric, the brain brassie, that is by far the hardest club to master.

[ebeer]

[quote name='Kirasdad' timestamp='1441741897' post='12282528']
Ah yes..Eric, the brain brassie, that is by far the hardest club to master.
[/quote]

Brain Brassie...now that's a good one. Maybe mine should be the No Brain Brassie, the less I think the better

[majic]

Gents you are learning. I suggest those of you that are playing oldies that you find a brassie or strong spoon. Forget the 7-8 degree driver. Some oldie drivers are actually smaller then a good brassie or spoon. Look for 11-13 degrees of loft and this can be judged by the head weighting.
My two favorite are a Wilson Wilsonian brassie ( Wilson made many marked of same shape) or Mac Gregor Klaymor. For a Scottish club Gibson who made the Jack White clubs made many good ones.
I am not old enough to know the reason for the design of the oldie woods but they are difficult to play.
I put more loft on my drivers--from 10-12 and a special driver brassie at 13 but deeper face.
I learned a long time ago the way to score in hickory golf is from the fairway.

[Blade Junkie]

Here is a nice write up from Golf Monthly on our recent hickory day at Golf At Goodwood:

http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/news/amateur-news/goodwood-revival-golf-challenge-80785

Stymie rule was in operation, and cost me a couple of shots, but no harm done at the end of the day

This is a great day out, and you get the added bonus afterwards of a complimentary ticket for the Goodwood Revival and a ride over to it in a vintage Bentley !

[MoaningM]

[quote name='Blade Junkie' timestamp='1442387854' post='12320794']
Here is a nice write up from Golf Monthly on our recent hickory day at Golf At Goodwood:

http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/news/amateur-news/goodwood-revival-golf-challenge-80785

Stymie rule was in operation, and cost me a couple of shots, but no harm done at the end of the day

This is a great day out, and you get the added bonus afterwards of a complimentary ticket for the Goodwood Revival and a ride over to it in a vintage Bentley !
[/quote]

Geoff,

Thats a great write up, hickory is really taking off down there, great to see.

But surely you should have been playing with modern day equipment and the other competitors using hickory, to compliment the swap in equipment ?

Well done what did you score around there?

And yes definately want to play aberdovey, what are the dates and what is the situation with joining?

Cheers

[Blade Junkie]

[quote name='MoaningM' timestamp='1442391042' post='12320840']
[quote name='Blade Junkie' timestamp='1442387854' post='12320794']
Here is a nice write up from Golf Monthly on our recent hickory day at Golf At Goodwood:

[url="http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/news/amateur-news/goodwood-revival-golf-challenge-80785"]http://www.golf-mont...challenge-80785[/url]

Stymie rule was in operation, and cost me a couple of shots, but no harm done at the end of the day

This is a great day out, and you get the added bonus afterwards of a complimentary ticket for the Goodwood Revival and a ride over to it in a vintage Bentley !
[/quote]

Geoff,

Thats a great write up, hickory is really taking off down there, great to see.

But surely you should have been playing with modern day equipment and the other competitors using hickory, to compliment the swap in equipment ?

Well done what did you score around there?

And yes definately want to play aberdovey, what are the dates and what is the situation with joining?

Cheers
[/quote]

Oh I'd probably have scored alot worse with modern lol.

With the hickories I shot an 81, which would have been a couple lower in strokeplay due to Stymies blocking me off on a couple of very short par putts !

Nothing worse than a 5 which was pleasing for this particular hacker - 9 Pars, 8 Bogeys and a silly 3 putt double on one of the easier par 3s

Our +4 handicap elite amateur Marco Penge knocked it round in 73 (par 71) - probably the only time I'll ever be within 10 shots of him lol.


The Welsh Weekend for 2016 (inc Aberdovey Welsh Hickory Championship on the Sunday) is 18th-20th March - I'll PM you regarding how we get you signed up for the BGCS !

[majic]

Great event. I would love to come for the golf and the cars

[Blade Junkie]

[quote name='majic' timestamp='1442409930' post='12321442']
Great event. I would love to come for the golf and the cars
[/quote]

Tad you would love it.

Day 1: BGCS Fixture vs Golf At Goodwood, then BBQ and catch the end of the cricket match in the grounds of Goodwood House that marks the start of the Revival festivities, followed by Spitfire fly-by and admiring the c300 vintage cars that park around the cricket pitch.
Day 2: Goodwood Revival Golf (Pairs Betterball) and complimentary entry into the Revival itself to watch all the racing, with taxis via vintage cars from the Kennels (our clubhouse) to the racetrack,


This year we had perfect weather as well - 20 degrees and all-day sunshine .... just awesome !

[HoldenCornfield]

Just called in my reservations for Mid-Pines for the tourney and accommodations. Only 36 have signed up so far, according to Mid-Pines. Which was good for me, was able to get a 3rd floor room with golf view. I can't wait for November.

I haven't played a whole lot of Hickory this summer since I got my Hogans re-chromed but each time I've brought them out I've played some pretty good golf, compared to a lot of up-and-down rounds with the steelies. I played nine one evening last week with the hickories and, once again, was surprised at how solidly I hit the ball. Only missed one shot, a spoon from the fairway that I hit a little fat. Everything else was center struck. I continue to be puzzled at how effective I am with the old irons. There is something about them that really suits me, somehow. I chipped and putted poorly and still shot 41 with make-able par putts on every hole. I was never in danger of making double.

I was also pleased with how far my drives were going, especially on some very wet fairways. I went out a few days later with my steel persimmons and even with much drier fairways I had trouble duplicating the distance. Tad's Selma Star driver is a fantastic design, as good or better than any other persimmon driver I've found in the last two years. Solid and pretty forgiving, with a nice launch but low spin for good run out.

I had been planning all summer to play my Hogans in the club championship (which is next weekend) and then switch to Hickory to get ready for Mid-Pines. But right now I'm kind of conflicted about that. I'm not sure but what the hickories might give me a better chance to score well...sounds strange to say that, doesn't it? Both rounds will be played at 6500 +/- yards, so I have no illusions of being very competitive either way.

[majic]

Looking forward to seeing you at Mid Pines. It will fill up. Don't worry. Yes that driver has been a good one. First one we replicated.
Next years Four Ball is April 21,22&23 in Birmingham AL. Hope you make it again. Good luck with your tourney.

[Aussie_steeler]

2015 Australian Hickory Championship Report

Our tournament was held two months earlier in the calendar to escape the extreme heat ( 40 degrees C / 100+ degrees F) of the past few years.

[url="http://www.australiangolfheritage.org.au/?p=1811"]http://www.australia....org.au/?p=1811[/url]

I know Blade Junkie is keen to hear how his Aussie friends played ( Darron , Lachie and Rob Downie) . Many of our US friends would know Alan Grieve who has won two of the past three championships. Unfortunately Perry Somers was unable to return home this year from his European base.

[majic]

Thanks for the report. Some familiar names.

[Blade Junkie]

[quote name='Aussie_steeler' timestamp='1443347890' post='12373066']
2015 Australian Hickory Championship Report

Our tournament was held two months earlier in the calendar to escape the extreme heat ( 40 degrees C / 100+ degrees F) of the past few years.

[url="http://www.australiangolfheritage.org.au/?p=1811"]http://www.australia....org.au/?p=1811[/url]

I know Blade Junkie is keen to hear how his Aussie friends played ( Darron , Lachie and Rob Downie) . Many of our US friends would know Alan Grieve who has won two of the past three championships. Unfortunately Perry Somers was unable to return home this year from his European base.
[/quote]

You little ripper Darron lol. Well done mate !!!

I knew it would be your turn sooner rather than later after so many near misses - fantastic !!!


Amusing image of Lachie tinkering with all the clubs


Good write up - thanks for posting !

[Aussie_steeler]

Thanks Geoffrey

It was nice to get over the line after three consecutive runner up finishes.

I had not been playing much golf ( driving teenage daughter to all their commitments) this year, however with the move forward in the calendar it lined up in the school holidays so I was able to get 7 straight days of practice in.

At the end of the day it is nice to see my name on a trophy beside the likes of Perry Somers, Alan Grieve, Derrin Morgan and many of the original hickory players here in Australia.

Lachie has helped many players turn their playing set into a more enjoyable experience by making some basic adjustments. We have found that many irons have unplayable loft and lie angles due to numerous experiences over their individual lifetimes. Using Lachie's words, many iron heads feel [b]as hard as butter that has spent half a minute in a microwave. [/b]Years of contact with very dry and hard Australian soils seem to take their toll.


Like most Hickory golf events each year we seem to lose some familiar faces, whilst gaining some new faces. This year we had a well known TV sports host play for the first time and he loves the game. He is keen to help promote the game and we are hoping that it helps us grow our player base.

[Woodridge]

It's been pretty quiet in the Hickory thread as of late. Tomorrow is the IL hickory group's Fall event in Metamora, IL. It's not a huge event with anywhere from 12-20 folks playing, but it should be a great time. Afterward, we'll all get together and have dinner. Some of the guys like to play with pre-1900 equipment, so we will use a limited flight McIntyre ball to try and even the playing field. The group is on Facebook as The Honorable Company of Hickory Golfers if anyone is interested in checking it out..

[ebeer]

Hopefully the forum is quiet because everyone is spending lots of time on the course! Been a very quiet few months for me as I'm recovering from hand surgery, so not much to report. I finally got the cast removed and pins pulled, physical therapy is underway and I'm hopeful for some mid November range time. I have however gained enough strength for some minimal hickory work in the garage. I rescued a very sad Winton brassie and after being inspired by folks doing a linseed oil soak, I decided to give it a shot. I was shocked to to see that after only a few days the brassie took in .4oz of weight from the oil. I dried in a warm garage for a week or so, the progressed with refinishing. Some shaft straightening, staining, and matte poly finish has the club looking good and should be in fine playable shape. Rounded out with a new grip and whipping, very anxious to get this on the course.

[majic]

[attachment=2996296:ImageUploadedByGolfWRX Mobile1445107275.739777.jpg][attachment=2996298:ImageUploadedByGolfWRX Mobile1445107304.009772.jpg]
Getting ready for Mid Pines Hickory Open. The traditional close of the hickory year. When Rob Pilewski and I started it we hoped for 30-50. Got a few players but this event now hosts around 100 from all over. Worth going. Let you know results in a few weeks. I two had hand surgery and have only played twice.