Playing Hickory Golf

[majic]

Yes, thanks, I have that book but it gets me no nearer to jas. Anderson.

However, I now have David Kirkwood on the case and I shall report back.

I wouldn't normally be sweating it, but these are exceptionally well made clubs with an advanced head shape...so, who was he, you researchers?

James Anderson of Anstruther followed by his son James. Clubmakers.

[stixman]

Yes, thanks, I have that book but it gets me no nearer to jas. Anderson.

However, I now have David Kirkwood on the case and I shall report back.

I wouldn't normally be sweating it, but these are exceptionally well made clubs with an advanced head shape...so, who was he, you researchers?

James Anderson of Anstruther followed by his son James. Clubmakers.

 

Surely James Anderson's (of Anstruther) son was called Alex.

I suggested that Jas Anderson, the son of Jamie the Open Champion, of St Andrews was a likely candidate. He vanishes after his involvement with Anderson and Blyth before WW!. I think it probable that he re-emerged after the War and a spell in the USA to go back to club making in St Andrews. This club has a very American look to it. I should like to have let Randy drool over it.

[majic]

Yes, thanks, I have that book but it gets me no nearer to jas. Anderson.

However, I now have David Kirkwood on the case and I shall report back.

I wouldn't normally be sweating it, but these are exceptionally well made clubs with an advanced head shape...so, who was he, you researchers?

James Anderson of Anstruther followed by his son James. Clubmakers.

 

Surely James Anderson's (of Anstruther) son was called Alex.

I suggested that Jas Anderson, the son of Jamie the Open Champion, of St Andrews was a likely candidate. He vanishes after his involvement with Anderson and Blyth before WW!. I think it probable that he re-emerged after the War and a spell in the USA to go back to club making in St Andrews. This club has a very American look to it. I should like to have let Randy drool over it.

Stix I just read what I told you. There was James Anderson of Anstruther and he had a son James who followed him in his business.

[Kirasdad]

Really looking forward to this week's Southern Hickory Four Ball in Birmingham. Tad always does a great job with the tourney. Plus, he's bringing me the last three irons I need to complete my Victor reproduction iron set, so I'm charged up about that. I know there's a divergence of opinion on playing repros vs originals -- and I don't want to stoke that debate again -- but for me there's no comparison.

 

Unless you have the time and lots of money to put together a quality set of flanged originals then repros are the way to go. I played this weekend in very benign conditions and on my 120 yard approach shot on the ninth hole I carved a divot large enough to bury the family pet in with my el cheapo Wilsonian mashie niblick. Nearly broke my hand as well. It's a wonder the shaft didn't break. There is absolutely no margin for error whatsoever with those super sharp blades. They look cool as heck, for sure, but certainly not conducive for playing your best golf.

 

Looks like the weather will cooperate, being warm and dry. Highs in upper 80's each day with only minimal rain chances. Should be a great tournament!

 

Side note from last year's tournament: after Friday's round about a dozen of us -- including the recently departed Mike Just -- went to a nearby restaurant for dinner straight from the course, still dressed in our hickory era garb. We got quite a few sideways glances from the local patrons. Finally, one older lady got up the courage to come over and ask, "Are y'all the barbershop quartet?" (even though, as I said, there were at least a dozen of us -- certainly more than a quartet!) But one of the wags in the group was ready with a quip, "No, ma'am, we're the gay bowling team." Well, that got quite a few laughs from our group but she was mortified to the point of being speechless -- unusual for a Southern lady!

 

[Apologies if I've told this story here before...or if you're actually a member of a gay bowling team]

 

Agreed, Kevin, I have never actually played any holes with reproductions, just the occasional shot with borrowed clubs from fellow players. I have hit Tad's driver, Mike's driver and a Tad niblick. All great clubs, playing a set of those would make things easier, I have no doubt of that. Tad's niblick especially, was considerably easier to hit than mine. I think one can put together a set of authentics that can come close, but it takes a long time with lots of trial and error, (mostly error). You need an endless supply of patience and a guy like Tim to reshaft, etc. My set is getting there, but an authentic niblick that works from sand is very hard to find, followed by a driver/driving brassie. I have a good latter, but the niblick, not so much. Add to that the consistency I am sure is to be had with all the clubs being made at the same time with consistent shaft flexes etc., it's pretty obvious it's a superior way to go.

 

One of these days I will take the plunge. Good luck in Birmingham!

[Jiggered]

After playing one of my most enjoyable rounds this evening I’d like to say a big THANK YOU to all who have offered advice and encouragement to me since I found this forum not so long ago, in particular to stixman who has sent pms and emails to help me out.

 

 

A bit of self-indulgence now with a few details of the round, I’d advise you to skip to the next post!

 

Playing with a limited bag as my 2-iron is still waiting for me to finish re-gripping, I’ve been searching high and low for those little tacks and have eventually gone to Germany via ebay!

The bag was; driver which is a sort of half brassie, jigger, mashie (which doesn’t go as far as my mashie niblick), mashie niblick, niblick and putter, so only the six clubs.

 

Course opens with a par 3 at 180 yards, hit a peach with the jigger that landed short and bounced between the front bunkers to pin high, two putt par, I could barely put a foot wrong with the jigger, it was like a machine, long and straight.

Second a 140 yard par 3 (course has a temporary layout at present while the first and second holes are reworked and opens with two par threes!), jigger again, slightly down the grip, to green +2 for P.

Double bogey on the third when let down by my lousy short game then regulation par, bogey, double bogey thanks to a three putt, then par on the 7^th.

 

Good drive down the 8^th then a 160 yard jigger to back of green and holed the putt for my first hickory birdie! Regulation par on the 9^th to be out in 4 over par 40, it couldn’t go on, and didn’t.

 

Started the back nine with another regulation par then bogey on the dogleg 11^th.

Short game woes again on the par three 12^th where I took four shots from not far off the green for DB. Good drive on the 13^th but then pulled the jigger to rough (shock horror) and compounded that by blading a pitch over the green and sticking it on a bare lie with no grass, right behind a bush, was happy to chip out plus two more for DB.

 

The 14^th is a 456 yard par 4, hit a high drive which just caught the top of a large tree just off the centre of the fairway (think of the old Eisenhower tree) and bounced into trees left. I eyed up my usual hero shot through the trees but then something strange happened and I applied course management! (very unusual for me) and punched out sideways to leave 260 to go, jigger followed by mashie to the green and was rewarded by holing the putt for bogey!

Messed up the par three next with some horror chipping including a double hit and came off with a treble, a good par followed and a putt for par lipped out on the short par 4 17^th.

Final hole is a 150 yard par 3 and that jigger was again bullet straight, to the heart of the green and I rolled in the 18 footer for birdie!

 

Back in 42 for 82 gross and over the moon.

2 birdies, 7 pars, 5 bogeys, 3 doubles and a treble, given a reasonable short game I could be half decent.

Okay the course is currently only playing at 5591 yards off the yellows, par 69, but applying my hickory handicap of 16 that would be 3 under handicap and 39 points.

 

Thanks again guys, I’m loving golf right now.

 

Tomorrow I'm taking out the recently acquired Gradidge iron set and Bobby Locke 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 persimmons for their first outing, if the day is half as enjoyable as today I'll be more than happy.

[jonnygrouville]

Had very similar experiences in my early hickory days.

 

Some clubs just do mad things. Had a mashie I could only pull, which is not a normal shot for me. Could lay it 45 degrees open at address and the b*$tard would still go straight left. Back to eBay you go.

 

Swingweight them all once you find your sweetspot, but don't be a slave to it.

 

As we have said before, much over 400 yards would have had a bogey of five on the old cards, so no harm in playing for it. Best way to keep a six off the card. As you have done, if you do get a good drive away off the tee, have a go. If not, give yourself a putt for a four, but don't mope if you make a five. Hickory can reset expectations somewhat.

 

And jiggers are magic.

 

[Blade Junkie]

After playing one of my most enjoyable rounds this evening I’d like to say a big THANK YOU to all who have offered advice and encouragement to me since I found this forum not so long ago, in particular to stixman who has sent pms and emails to help me out.

 

82 gross and over the moon.

2 birdies, 7 pars, 5 bogeys, 3 doubles and a treble, given a reasonable short game I could be half decent.

Okay the course is currently only playing at 5591 yards off the yellows, par 69, but applying my hickory handicap of 16 that would be 3 under handicap and 39 points.

 

Thanks again guys, I’m loving golf right now.

 

Tomorrow I'm taking out the recently acquired Gradidge iron set and Bobby Locke 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 persimmons for their first outing, if the day is half as enjoyable as today I'll be more than happy.

 

Good stuff Nick - well played !

[Bella Woods]

Jiggered

 

Sounds like a great round, and to finish off with birdie very rewarding. Welcome to the hickory fold........

 

Jiggers are versatile clubs, really like two clubs in the bag - full/half shots and chipping.

[Jiggered]

After playing one of my most enjoyable rounds this evening I’d like to say a big THANK YOU to all who have offered advice and encouragement to me since I found this forum not so long ago, in particular to stixman who has sent pms and emails to help me out.

 

82 gross and over the moon.

2 birdies, 7 pars, 5 bogeys, 3 doubles and a treble, given a reasonable short game I could be half decent.

Okay the course is currently only playing at 5591 yards off the yellows, par 69, but applying my hickory handicap of 16 that would be 3 under handicap and 39 points.

 

Thanks again guys, I’m loving golf right now.

 

Tomorrow I'm taking out the recently acquired Gradidge iron set and Bobby Locke 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 persimmons for their first outing, if the day is half as enjoyable as today I'll be more than happy.

 

Good stuff Nick - well played !

Jiggered

 

Sounds like a great round, and to finish off with birdie very rewarding. Welcome to the hickory fold........

 

Jiggers are versatile clubs, really like two clubs in the bag - full/half shots and chipping.

 

Thanks chaps.

 

Back to earth with a bump today though when taking out the Gradidge set, fatted the first into the pond and no scored on the second too!

Playing Stabledford and had 5 blobs and 28 points. First time I've swing them though so shouldn't complain (too much).

 

Back to hickory, just saw I won a Gibson mashie on ebay for £15 so should have a full complement soon.

[majic]

The winning Southern Hickory 4 Ball Champions

Ted Kopec from Niceville Florida and Peter Flory Chicago

 

A beautiful week and very competitive golf. Ted and Peter won in a playoff with last years winners Cliff Martin of Los Angeles and Bain Hanning of Birmingham AL

[HoldenCornfield]

Peter is new to hickory but a name to watch. I had the chance to play a round with him at Mid Pines last Nov and he hits it a ton. He shot 65 Friday at Birmingham with 6 birdies and an eagle (all gross, not net). He drove the green on 3 different par 4's. Real good guy, too.

[HoldenCornfield]

Nice job, Tad!

 

[Bella Woods]

Good post Kevin.......

[majic]

Thanks Kevin for posting. Been real busy since tourney and gad not gotten around to it.

[jonnygrouville]

The most sophisticated piece of equipment any of us carry is the brain. Nobody is capable of making minute adjustments required in the milliseconds of the downswing, but I am not surprised that people can hit hickories in a shot or two. From my experience, sometimes very well early on when the expectations are lower and they might be gripping it lighter, swinging a bit slower and shorter.

 

And clubs of that quality, needless to say. Mouth-watering.

 

[jbucher]

Happiness Is

Looking down the range and nothing but knickers and Hickory sticks. This was the warm up for the NW Hickory outing at Trophy Lake and Casting course this past weekend.

Jimmy B

[Boney]

Couldn't make it due to a prior commitment, thanks for the pictures!

[Bella Woods]

Nice pics

 

I see the Rob over on the left, looks like a good time....

[Blade Junkie]

Details of the English Hickory Open at The Buckinghamshire Club on Tuesday 16th May:

 

Organiser told me you can pay on the day.

 

 

[Jiggered]

The English Hickory Open, played off the red tees?

 

I know we don't hit hickory as far but the modern ball makes up a lot of distance and considering that there's a professional prize it seems a bit strange to be playing a national open on a course measuring less than 5,700 yards, the better players will eat it alive, or am I missing something here?

[Blade Junkie]

The English Hickory Open, played off the red tees?

 

I know we don't hit hickory as far but the modern ball makes up a lot of distance and considering that there's a professional prize it seems a bit strange to be playing a national open on a course measuring less than 5,700 yards, the better players will eat it alive, or am I missing something here?

 

Don't worry too much - it will be a good test regardless of which tees they use ... last year the pins were practically inaccessible on alot of the holes ;-)

[Jiggered]

The English Hickory Open, played off the red tees?

 

I know we don't hit hickory as far but the modern ball makes up a lot of distance and considering that there's a professional prize it seems a bit strange to be playing a national open on a course measuring less than 5,700 yards, the better players will eat it alive, or am I missing something here?

 

Don't worry too much - it will be a good test regardless of which tees they use ... last year the pins were practically inaccessible on alot of the holes ;-)

 

I'm sure that for the likes of me it will be a stern enough test but I thought that for Professionals it might be too easy, tough hole placements could offset that I guess.

 

I'm going to have to give this a miss anyway I'm afraid, I'm playing in the BGCS event at Hoylake this Friday and have too much piling up at work for another day's holiday.

[Blade Junkie]

I'm sure that for the likes of me it will be a stern enough test but I thought that for Professionals it might be too easy, tough hole placements could offset that I guess.

 

I'm going to have to give this a miss anyway I'm afraid, I'm playing in the BGCS event at Hoylake this Friday and have too much piling up at work for another day's holiday.

 

No worries - I know too well how work tends to cramp one's hickory style !

 

Have fun at Hoylake. Might try and play in that next year as I've never been to that one.

[majic]

Stix I hope you enjoy this post. I was talking with Randy Jensen about great playing clubs in hickory and we concluded his Hagen My Own and my J H Taylor Eskit were two of the best. So I decided to make them. Here are the first pieces.

[teevons]

Stix I hope you enjoy this post. I was talking with Randy Jensen about great playing clubs in hickory and we concluded his Hagen My Own and my J H Taylor Eskit were two of the best. So I decided to make them. Here are the first pieces.

WOW

[stixman]

Sure I enjoyed the post, Majic. Great job to you and Randy.

 

Questions....Given I never saw either of those models as originals, the Hagen face markings appear identical to the Dominie Sander, are they not?

Is this the Hagen connection with Gibsons that became the Dominie? Did the original Hagen Own Model come with the Danga Wood shaft or was that a 1937 Gibson tweak.

Same with the putter, the JH Taylor model looks for all the world like the standard Eskit, maybe an export model, but I have one (just been looking at it) which sure looks similar......except for that danged Danga Wood which mine has.

Do you have, would you use an alternative, greenheart maybe, a substitute that would replicate the Danga Wood.

[majic]

Well you know the Cochranes of Edinburgh had a deal with Hagen. When William Gibson died the head of his board -a Cochrane took over as President of Gibson. All connected.

I use a very select hickory as I don't have Danga. In fact we will make a few putter specials with a square hickory.

Gibson many many different Eskit. I think 5. This one I take was made for J H Taylor. It has a Danga shaft. Some had Gibsons carved grips.

[majic]

Sorry. Face markings the same as Dominie Sander. Face like all is very slightly convex

[jonnygrouville]

Ooof! Are you going to make a full set of "best of"s? Like a hickory Led Zeppelin?

 

"So I decided to make them" is great.

 

[stixman]

Well you know the Cochranes of Edinburgh had a deal with Hagen. When William Gibson died the head of his board -a Cochrane took over as President of Gibson. All connected.

I use a very select hickory as I don't have Danga. In fact we will make a few putter specials with a square hickory.

Gibson many many different Eskit. I think 5. This one I take was made for J H Taylor. It has a Danga shaft. Some had Gibsons carved grips.

 

Majic, as always the devil's in the detail.

William Gibson died in 1921 and I read that he was replaced by his son, George. I have no record of when he passed. The next record I have is of Thomas Cochrane as President of Gibsons in 1937 when he announced to the world of the use of Danga Wood in their clubs as being better and stronger than steel.

Thus the question re. 'did Randy's Hagen Own Model come with a Danga Wood shaft?' is relevent because it would date the club as pre or post 1937, ie a potential fore-runner of the highly acclaimed Dominie Sander or produced in parallel.

I suspect, but can't prove that synergy between Cochrane and Gibson long predated 1937 and see it as possible that Gibson made Cochrane's Hagen Licenced woods. Would you know the answer to that one?