[three-jack]

I was searching the bay this morning, and came across an old hickory shafted club. I have a bunch of golf pictures hanging in my office, so I figured an old club would look cool. I won the club for cheap ($12.50). I'm now interested in learning a little about it. It is a George Nicoll, Zenith Rustless iron from Scotland. After doing a bit of research, it appears to have been made between 1910 and 1920. Unfortunately, it looks like the grip is not original. Are there reproduction grips for these old clubs? I'd love to take this out to the range to try to hit it, but I'd be afraid to break it.

[dlygrisse]

http://www.hickorygolf.com/index.html
http://www.hickorygo...s/gripscss.html

these links should help on restoration and playing the club

[laxwax]

I play the majority of my golf with my hickory clubs and I have been playing hickory golf for about 3 seasons now. All my irons are authentics (5 of my 15 irons are Nicoll clubs) and I performed all the restoration on them myself. It isn't really all that much more difficult than doing club work with modern clubs.

The links to given by dlygrisse will give you some quick tips on restoration. They are also many other links from those pages you can check out.

Replacement grips can be obtained from Louisville Golf (http://www.louisvillegolf.com/product_info.php/cPath/53_79/products_id/305), from GolfWRX sponsor GripMaster grips (http://www.thegripmasterusa.com/leather_strapping1), or from Tad Moore (http://www.tommorrisclubs.com/clubdetails.php?cat_id=67).

Don't worry about breaking the shaft, they played golf with wood shafts for over 100 years. Test the shaft by giving it a little flex/bend every 90*, if you don't hear any creeks or cracks, the shaft should still be good.

[three-jack]

Thanks for the info guys. It will be great to put a period looking grip back on the club.

I didn't realize that there were groups that play these vintage clubs. That sounds like it would be a great experience. I'll test the shaft like you suggested. If it seems solid, I'm taking the club to the range. I've got to try it out at least once before hanging it on the wall.

I've got a feeling that this one impulse buy, is going to lead to a lot more time spent on ebay...

[Guia]

I have a hickory set of Callaway irons. Hoping someday to play them in a Hickory only tournament. So far there has been no local interest.

[hollabachgt]

Guia, on Nov 6 2009, 12:36 AM, said:

I have a hickory set of Callaway irons. Hoping someday to play them in a Hickory only tournament. So far there has been no local interest.

You most likely will not be allowed to play with those clubs. Most tournaments are for pre-1935 clubs or approved modern reproductions.
for equipment regulations and event schedule check out the Society of Hickory Golfers

[gvogel]

No more new titanium drivers for me.

I'm going to put together a set of hickories, 8 or 9 clubs, and play a local muni that hosted the US Open in 1912. I already have a bag of hickories, but I am going to update from Louisville golf or Tad Moore, because my hickories are pre-1900, and I would like a set closer to 1930.

[gvogel]

Took my new Louisville Mike Just "Jack White" driver to the dome yesterday along with a few of my regular clubs. After warming up with my regular 9-iron, 7-iron and driver, I started hitting the hickory driver.

Some observations - it took a couple of swings to find the center of the face, but then, no problem. The big problem is going to be that the thing wants to hook. I got a shaft between R and stiff; the stiffness isn't the problem as I frequencied it (just for the fun of it), and it is 300 cpm. I play my own driver and 3-wood at 250 cpm. So, torque must be the factor.

I tried hitting a fade with it. It is much easier to hit a controlled fade with a modern driver. Of course, it is much easier to hit a modern driver, period.

Sooner or later I'll find a swing that hits the ball straighter, but it is going to be an interesting exercise/process. First step, slow down the transition.

[rwc356]

Great to hear other golfers enjoying their hickories. I've been playing hickory exclusively for past 5 years. Once I learned to focus on a slower smoother swing it seems like I hit the hickory irons better than my Pings. Woods are still a problem for me. I have several brassies which I battle - seems really tough to balance smooth swing with need for distance. Picked up the Louisville Brassie late summer so I will give it a try next season.

Best wishes for a great 2010 golf season to my fellow hickories!

Bob