Full Answer
Why do golf clubs have names and numbers?
In the days when all golf clubs were painstakingly hand-made, sometimes by a professional clubmaker, but sometimes by the local blacksmith, clubs were far from standardised. Each was a unique creation, and the clubs were given names, not numbers.
What is the old name of a golf club?
Track Iron, Rut Iron, Rutter – All old name for a golf club which was used in much the same way that modern small headed wedges are used by today’s golfers. 20. Jigger – this old golf club name refers to a short-shafted club with low loft which was used in the same way the modern chipper is.
What are the most used golf club names?
The Most Used Golf Club Names and Their Uses. 1 1. Driver. Arguably the most famous and well-liked club in the bag is the driver. The driver is also usually the longest club in the bag. A driver is ... 2 2. Woods. 3 3. Hybrids. 4 4. Long Irons. 5 5. Mid Irons. More items
Where are the numbers stamped on a golf club?
Numbers stamped on irons are usually found on the bottom of the club for the same reason, but some manufacturers display this information on the rear of the club. Most golfers use clubhead covers to protect their driver and fairway woods from damage sustained in their golf bag.
What is a jigger in golf?
Everyone agrees that the jigger is a club used for approach work around the greens, but - just as today - some people see these shots as lofted pitches, but others see them as bump and runs.
Is it illegal to compare old golf clubs to modern golf clubs?
Comparing antique and modern golf clubs is therefore almost impossible. Many old clubs would be illegal today (eg the rake iron and water iron), and some would have no purpose today (eg the rutting iron).
What are some old golf clubs called?
There were clubs called mashies and niblicks (and mashie-niblicks); cleeks and jiggers; baffies and spoons, among others. Today, we call such clubs "antique golf clubs" or "historical golf clubs," or obsolete or archaic clubs. Perhaps the better name, though, would be "pre-modern clubs.". You can think of modern golf club sets as those containing ...
What are the names of golf clubs?
The Old Names of (Old) Golf Clubs 1 Play Club (grass club, long club): The historical equivalent of the driver. Golfers used the "play club" to "play away" from the teeing ground. 2 Brassie: The closest equivalent in use to modern 2- or 3-woods. It had that name because of a brass plate on the sole. 3 Wooden Cleek: Used in the manner of a modern 4-wood. 4 Spoon: Used as one would use a modern 5-wood. When spoons first appeared (going back to the 18th century, perhaps earlier), some had concave faces. Shaped like a spoon, in other words, giving them their name. 5 Baffie (baffing spoon): Equivalent to a higher-lofted wood (such as a 7-wood) or even a hybrid. In fact, some modern golf manufacturers have used the "baffie" name on hybrid clubs. It's sometimes spelled "baffy."
What type of clubheads did the previous clubs have?
The preceding clubs all had wood clubheads; the following antique clubs had iron clubheads.
What is a golf club set?
You can think of modern golf club sets as those containing (mostly) clubs identified by number rather than name, and with steel (and later graphite) shafts rather than wood (most commonly hickory) shafts.
Who had the role of the 7 iron among antique golf clubs?
Mashie Niblick : Had the role of the 7-iron among antique golf clubs.
When did clubmakers start making mashie?
One clubmaker's mashie, in other words, was roughly the same as another's (but not necessarily identical in playing characteristics) by the early 1900s, and companies began making sets with the following names and relationships.
When did golf clubs become modern?
The transition to such modern sets was completed in the late 1930s, early 1940s. In the earliest days of golf, and up into the mid-1800s, there was very little uniformity from one clubmaker's clubs to another's, and sometimes little conformity even within different sets made by the same clubmaker. Not much was standardized, from set ...
What were the names of the golf clubs after World War II?
The traditional names of the clubs, like “niblicks” and “spoons”, were replaced by the standard numbering system used to this day. There was little development and advancement for the next few decades. After World War II development of golf clubs were influenced by research into synthetic and composite materials.
When were club heads invented?
Around 1750 the first club heads made of iron began to emerge from local blacksmith shops, used for “niblicks” or wedges. In 1826 Robert Forgan, a club-maker in Scotland, started to use imported hickory from America to make club shafts. Hickory quickly became the standard wood of choice for club-makers due to its availability and better durability.
How many clubs can you carry in a golf bag?
Up until 1939 it was common for a golfer to carry 20-30 clubs in their bag. However with the advancement of the steel shafted clubs the R&A introduced the 14 club rule in 1939, which limited players to only be allowed to carry 14 clubs. The traditional names of the clubs, like “niblicks” and “spoons”, were replaced by the standard numbering system used to this day.
What were the clubs made of in the 1500s?
In the 1500s a set of clubs consisted of: a set of play clubs, “longnoses”, for driving; fairway clubs or “grassed drivers”, for medium range; “spoons” for short shots; “niblicks” similar to wedges; and a putting “cleek”. These golf clubs were made up of wood with the shafts being made from ash or hazel and the club heads being made ...
What is the evolution of golf?
The Evolution of the Golf Club. Since the inception of the game of golf, players have continually tried to improve upon their equipment. The earliest golf clubs were initially carved by the golfer themselves and typically out of wood. Golfers soon turned to skilled craftsmen to produce higher quality equipment.
What is the R&A golf club?
The R&A, named from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, is the governing body of the game of golf. The R&A finally legalized the use of steel shafted clubs after the Prince of Wales used them on the Old Course at St Andrews in 1929. The steel shaft provided for greater accuracy and durability.
When was the Guttie ball invented?
In 1848 the “guttie” ball was introduced by Rev. Adam Paterson, which quickly made the “longnoses” or drivers obsolete. Bulgers emerged to replace the longnoses which had a bulbous head, resembling modern woods. By 1900, persimmon became the material of choice for wooden club heads, which was also imported from America.
What are the numbers on golf clubs?
Numbers. The numbers stamped or marked on the heads of golf clubs relate to the club's loft. Fairway woods and irons are the clubs that are always stamped, although specialty clubs also carry some form of identification. A 4-iron, for example, has less loft than a 9-iron.
Why are golf clubs stamped with a number?
Clubs are labeled clearly for identification. Most golf clubs are stamped with a number as a means of identification. Although experienced golfers are often able to differentiate between their clubs simply by viewing their size, shape and loft of their clubface, the number helps make this distinction certain.
Why do golfers use clubhead covers?
Most golfers use clubhead covers to protect their driver and fairway woods from damage sustained in their golf bag. These covers are always marked with corresponding numbers so that even when a clubhead is covered, you can still identify the club with ease.
Where is the number on a fairway wood?
In most cases, the number displayed on a fairway wood or iron is always in the same place. On fairway woods, this number is often on the bottom of the club so that it's visible when the club is in your bag. Numbers stamped on irons are usually found on the bottom of the club for the same reason, but some manufacturers display this information on ...
Do putters carry numbers?
Golf clubs such as the driver and putter do not typically carry numbers as a form of identification in the traditional sense.
Do sand wedges have numbers?
Wedges typically don' t have numbers. Instead that have letters such as P or PW for pitching wedge and S for sand wedge. The sand wedge, gap wedge and lob wedge might also be identified by the degrees of loft. The sand wedge, for example, might say "56" for 56 degrees of loft, rather and "S." Putters also are not marked with a number because ...
What is the last club on the golf list?
The last club on the list is a putter, and I am sure if you are on a golf site then you have heard of one. The putter is used on the green and is the last club that you will use on every hole in most cases.
Which club is the longest in the bag?
Arguably the most famous and well-liked club in the bag is the driver. The driver is also usually the longest club in the bag.
Why are woods used in golf?
The first reason is that they are great off of the tee if a golfer is struggling to keep their driver straight. The second reason that woods ae used is that they hit the ball a bit shorter than a driver, so there are situations for it. The third reason is that they can be used in the fairway if you are a long way out.
How far can a driver hit off the tee?
A normal distance of a driver for a man is 230 yards. For women, the average is around 200 yards ( source ).
Why do you tee the ball up for a driver?
The reason that you tee the ball up for a driver is that the sweet spot is higher up off the ground and no touching the ground. The driver ball flight is usually medium to high in trajectory and rolls out very nicely.
What woods are in a golf bag?
A wood can be a 1-wood all the way up to a 7-wood. But, the most common woods that you are going to find in a golf bag is a 3-wood and a 5-wood.
What is a hybrid golf club?
A hybrid is a type of golf club that has become popular relatively recently and it is a mix between a wood and a long iron. The point of them is to be more forgiving and able to use in rougher lies compared to woods.
What are some old names for golf clubs?
Old Golf Club Names: 1. Grass Club, Long Club, Play Club, Hickory Shafted Driver – these are all obsolete names for a driver, the biggest club in a golfer’s bag. 2. Brassie, Scraper – this is the old name for a type of golf club which most resembles the modern 2-wood, a type of club which rarely finds a place in golfers’ bags nowadays.
Where did golf originate?
Before we jump straight into the list, it’s interesting to note that the game of golf, previously known by such diverse names as goiff, gowfe or golve, originated in Scotland during the High Medieval Period , with King James IV of Scotland becoming the first monarch to partake in the pastime in the 1400s.
What is the name of the golf club used for approach shots?
13. Mashie – this is an old name for a golf club used for approach shots. The modern equivalent of this would be the 5-iron club.
What is the heaviest golf club?
18. Sand Iron – as the name suggests, this was the name for a type of club used to hit those tricky bunker shots where the ball is lodged in sand; this is usually the heaviest club in a modern golfer’s bag.
What is a wood head golf club?
7. Wooden Head – this was the name given to a type of old-fashioned golf club which achieved much the same function as modern 7, 8, and 9-woods.
How many clubs can you carry in a golf bag?
Up until 1939, golfers could carry from 20 to 30 clubs in their bag, but The Royal and Ancient Committee introduced the 14-club rule in the same year.
Who invented the golf ball?
He owes his invention to Howard Hughes, who was a good friend of his and owned an airplane. One day while taking off on a trip he noticed how the wing flaps were lowered to create lift at take-off. He believed that if he followed this idea, he could lift the golf ball out of the sand much easier and consistently.
What does Niblick mean in golf?
Hence the name Mashie Course. Niblick is a diminutive of neb/nib and means “a little nose.”. The niblick was used to “gouge” out golf balls from ruts and tight places. During the latter part of the 1800s, an iron-headed niblick became popular and had high-loft.
What is a cleave club?
The Cleek: A metal-headed golf club with an elongated blade, with very little loft. Used for putting and would be equivalent to a 1 or 2 iron today.
What are golf clubs made of?
Clubs were all made of wood and designed by the players themselves, who created their shapes. The wooden clubs generally had a metal-base plate and a lead-weight added to the back of the head with face inserts of ivory or bone to reduce wear.
What was the goal of golf in the 18th century?
The game of golf played in the 18th and 19th Centuries was slightly different from our modern game of today, but the objective still the same – get a ball into the hole for the least amount of strokes.
When did Spalding introduce the number system?
In the 1930s Spalding Sports Goods Company introduced its number system into sets of golf irons and standardized the numbering from 1 to 10. Eventually, this would see the demise of the names within traditional sets as they all graduated to the number system.
What are the different names for golf clubs?
For a long time different clubs were known by a variety of names, such as: Longnoses - for driving. Bulgers - like today's woods as they have a bulbous head. Fairway clubs (or grassed drivers) - for medium range shots. Spoons - for short range shots . Niblicks - like a wedge. Cleek - for putting.
When did golf clubs change to grooves?
One of the most important changes was the move in around 1908 from smooth faces on the irons to the grooves that are used today. The grooves enabled more backspin on a ball, resulting in more distance.
What woods were used for golf clubs?
The shafts of the early clubs were made out of local European woods like ash or hazel. Club heads were made from tough wood such as beech, holly, pear and apple. The heads of the wooden clubs were long and thin, resulting in them being known as "long-nose woods".
When were iron clubs invented?
The early iron clubs, made by blacksmiths until about the 1870s, were quite crudely made, making them heavy to wield and difficult to control. The advent of drop forging technique in the late 1800s resulted in lighter and better made clubs that could be mass produced in factories. The early 1900 was a period of experimental golf club designs, ...
What were golf clubs made of?
Early Clubs. For hundreds of years, golf clubs were made out of wood, and it was not until late last century that the wooden shaft was replaced by other materials. Players initially carved their own clubs and balls from wood, though they soon turned to skilled craftsmen to produce competitive equipment.
