What are Mashie and niblick golf clubs?
These were made of wood and were used until they were replaced by the numbered system used today. "Mashie" is derived from French massue, "club", while "niblick" is diminutive of neb/nib, "little nose." Cleek – A metal-headed golf club having an elongated blade with little loft, equivalent to a one or two iron in a modern set of clubs.
What is a niblick in golf?
Niblick: Along with the mashie (and mashie-niblick), the best-known among the old clubs because of its distinctive name. It was a higher-lofted iron such as a modern 9-iron. Some golf manufacturers still break out the "niblick" name for wedges and chippers, when they want to try to capitalize on club nostalgia.
What is the origin of the niblick club?
There were three evolutionary stages of the niblick golf club, going from the oldest form to the last incarnation: The first golf clubs called niblicks had wood shafts and small, spooned, wood clubheads. ("Spooned" means that the face of the club was concave—literally, shaped like a spoon.)
What happened to the mashie golf club?
By the 1920s, the mashie was more akin to a modern mid-iron (5- through 7-irons). Eventually, the mashie disappeared after matched sets of numbered irons began replacing the old, named clubs beginning mostly in the 1930s.
How old is a mashie golf club?
The mashie was one of those old golf clubs, coming into the game as a wooden-shafted, iron-headed club in the second half of the 1800s.
Why was a golf club called a mashie?
Interestingly, the word 'mashie' comes from the French 'massue', meaning club. 12. Mashie Iron – the mashie iron, sometimes shortened to just 'mashie', was the name used until the 19th century for a club which most resembled the modern 4-iron in loft.
What is a niblet golf club?
The wood-headed niblick was, literally, short-nosed: It was a small, snub-nosed, steeply lofted club (with that spooned face) that was designed to let the golfer swing down into ruts or depressions, or other tight lies.
What are the most valuable vintage golf clubs?
What Are The Most Valuable Vintage Golf Clubs?Long Nosed Scraped Golf Club: this vintage club was sold at a Sotheby's auction in 2007 for $91,000.Square Toe Light Iron Golf Club: this club was auctioned at the Sotheby's 2007 auction for $151,000.More items...
What is the loft of a mashie niblick?
about 41-degreesMASHIE-NIBLICK. Archaic name for an iron with loft of about 41-degrees. That loft angle used to be called the 7-iron.
What is a mashie iron?
Definition of mashie iron : an iron golf club with less loft than a mashie and a longer shaft. — called also driving mashie, number four iron.
Is Niblick a golf term?
A niblick is an old-fashioned kind of heavy golf club. The modern name for a niblick is a nine iron.
When did wooden golf clubs stop being made?
Wooden heads predominated until the late 1980s. They had evolved to include a metal sole and a metal or plastic faceplate. These wooden headed clubs were dense and heavy, and were generally much smaller than today's clubheads.
What were the original golf clubs?
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”.
What is the rarest golf club?
One of the oldest and rarest golf clubs in the world is the Square Toe Lined Iron Golf Club. This treasured and highly desired collectible was sold at a Sotheby's auction for $151,000 in 2007.
Are 60 year old golf clubs worth anything?
According to GolfWeek, the most valuable antique golf clubs can sell for as much as $80,000 at auction. However, it's not at all common to see this type of value. Most individual clubs sell for between $15 and $100 at auction or in resale shops.
What is the rarest golf ball?
The gutta percha balls once belonged to golfing legend Old Tom Morris, who won the Open four times in the 1860s. It is believed the balls have been lying at the bottom of one of the county's deepest lakes for 120 years.
Who is mashie niblick?
Mashie: One of the better-known of the old golf club names, the mashie most closely resembled today's 5-iron in its function. Spade Mashie: Equivalent in use to a 6-iron. Mashie Niblick: Had the role of the 7-iron among antique golf clubs. Pitching Niblick (lofting iron): Comparable to an 8-iron in use.
Is mashie a word?
noun, plural mash·ies. Golf. a club with an iron head, the face having more slope than a mashie iron but less slope than a mashie niblick.
What is a golf cleek?
Cleek – A metal-headed golf club having an elongated blade with little loft, equivalent to a one or two iron in a modern set of 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 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 is a Niblick wedge?
It was a higher-lofted iron such as a modern 9-iron. Some golf manufacturers still break out the "niblick" name for wedges and chippers, when they want to try to capitalize on club nostalgia. Jigger: You can think of the jigger as an old name for what today we call a chipper.
What is a mid mashie?
Mid Mashie: Used in a manner of a modern 3-iron, and occupying that space in the golfer's bag. One of the several lower-lofted irons. Mashie Iron: Used like a 4-iron. Mashie: One of the better-known of the old golf club names, the mashie most closely resembled today's 5-iron in its function.
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 Niblick golf club?
Among the wooden-shafted historical golf clubs in use prior to the 20th Century, the "niblick," in its use, was most equivalent to a modern 9-iron or wedge. That doesn't necessarily mean the niblick looked like a modern 9-iron or wedge, though.
What does "niblick" mean in golf?
According to The Historical Dictionary of Golfing Terms, "niblick" derives from Scottish Gaelic and is a diminutive form of "nib," meaning "nose.". So niblick loosely translates to "short-nosed.".
What is a small iron-headed niblick?
The Small, Iron-Headed Niblick. This version of the niblick started becoming more common than the wood-headed version in the latter half of the 1800s. The clubheads were iron, rather than wood, but were still steeply lofted and still had some spooning in the clubface.
What is the iron head used for in golf?
The iron-headed niblicks were often used for, literally, digging the golf ball out of tracks or ruts in the fairway. Which explains why this version of the niblick was sometimes called a track iron or rut iron.
What is the blade on Niblicks used for?
The blade on these niblicks was deeper (longer from top to bottom), and these niblicks were used more for playing from rough and the sand.
How many stages of evolution are there in Niblick golf clubs?
There were three evolutionary stages of the niblick golf club, going from the oldest form to the last incarnation:
Is Niblick still used in golf clubs?
While those historical niblicks are long gone from golf, the name "niblick" still occasionally pops up in new golf clubs. Club manufacturers today sometimes bring back the name to use on a new wedge or chipper.
When were steel shafted golf clubs invented?
The first few decades of the 1900’s saw a lot of experimentation and innovation in the club design. Around 1925 the steel shaft was introduced in the United States, although blacksmiths had experimented with them since the late 1890’s. 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. In 1931, after the R&A banned concave-faced wedges, Gene Sarazen invented the modern sand wedge which had a straight face and added bounce.
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.
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 is hybrid club?
In the early 2000’s hybrid clubs, which are a fusion between an iron and a wood, emerged as an alternate to the harder to hit longer irons. Hybrid clubs are becoming more prominent and popular, especially for golfers with a slower swing like seniors or women.
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.
Where did golf clubs come from?
Many of the clubs manufactured between 1901 and 1935 came from Scotland, but more and more started coming from larger US manufacturers.
What thread was used in the 1924 golf club?
Pre-1900 clubs (smooth-faced gutty era) used 7-ply thread. Clubs from the era 1900 to 1935 required 4-ply thread. From 1924 golf clubs started to be manufactured with shafts of steel, pyratone, aluminum, and fiberglass or resin; many of them were given a wood-look coating.
What is a Niblick iron?
Niblick or Rut Niblick – a trouble club and pitching iron and generally the most lofted of the 19th century irons, with a very small rounded head and a loft equivalent to a modern nine iron or wedge.
What is a cleave golf club?
Cleek – A metal-headed golf club having an elongated blade with little loft, equivalent to a one or two iron in a modern set of clubs.
What were the first golf clubs made of?
Early golf clubs were all made of wood. They were hand-crafted, often by the players themselves, and had no standard shape or form. As the sport of golf developed, a standard set of clubs began to take shape, with different clubs being fashioned to perform different tasks and hit various types of shot. Later, as more malleable iron became widely used for shorter-range clubs, an even wider variety of clubs became available.
What is a brassie club?
Brassie: so called because the base-plate was of brass; equivalent to a 3 Wood.
When did the numbered irons come out?
The introduction of the standardized numbered iron set produced by the Spalding Sporting Goods Company in the early 1930s caused the traditional set of irons to give way gradually to the numbered set. The traditional irons varied greatly in loft (+/- 5 degrees).
The Wood-Headed Niblick
The Small, Iron-Headed Niblick
- This version of the niblick started becoming more common than the wood-headed version in the latter half of the 1800s. The clubheads were iron, rather than wood, but were still steeply lofted and still had some spooning in the clubface. And the iron heads were also, like the wooden niblicks, very small for getting into tight spaces. The iron-headed niblicks were often used for, lit…
The Larger, Iron-Headed Niblick
- Beginning in the later 1800s, niblicks started to more closely resemble - in appearance, not just use - today's 9-irons and wedges. The clubheads became larger and rounder (the snub-nosed look disappeared), the spooning was lessened and eventually, in some niblicks, also disappeared. The blade on these niblicks was deeper (longer from top to bottom), and these niblicks were used m…
Modern Golf Manufacturers Sometimes Still Use The Niblick Name
- While those historical niblicks are long gone from golf, the name "niblick" still occasionally pops up in new golf clubs. Club manufacturers today sometimes bring back the name to use on a new wedge or chipper. Cleveland Golf, for example, has introduced chipper-type clubs and "short-iron hybrids" under the the Niblick name several times in the 2000 and 2010s.
Overview
Early golf clubs were all made of wood. They were hand-crafted, often by the players themselves, and had no standard shape or form. As the sport of golf developed, a standard set of clubs began to take shape, with different clubs being fashioned to perform different tasks and hit various types of shot. Later, as more malleable iron became widely used for shorter-range clubs, an even wider variety of clubs became available.
19th century irons
• Cleek – A metal-headed golf club having an elongated blade with little loft, equivalent to a one or two iron in a modern set of clubs.
• Lofter – A metal-headed golf club with a moderate loft ranging from a modern five iron to an eight iron.
• Niblick or Rut Niblick – a trouble club and pitching iron and generally the most lofted of the 19th century irons, with a very small rounded head and a loft equivalent to a modern nine iro…
• Cleek – A metal-headed golf club having an elongated blade with little loft, equivalent to a one or two iron in a modern set of clubs.
• Lofter – A metal-headed golf club with a moderate loft ranging from a modern five iron to an eight iron.
• Niblick or Rut Niblick – a trouble club and pitching iron and generally the most lofted of the 19th century irons, with a very small rounded head and a loft equivalent to a modern nine iron or wedge.
Woods
Wooden clubs generally had a metal base-plate and were made heavier with a lead insert into the back of the head; often the face of the club had an insert of bone or ivory to reduce the wear from impact on the wood.
They were:
• Play club: Driver
20th century wood-shafted irons
They were:
• Driving iron: 1 Iron
• Mid-iron: 2 Iron
• Mid-mashie: 3 Iron
• Mashie iron: 4 Iron
Sabbath sticks
Sunday sticks or sabbath sticks were the golf enthusiast's answer to the Church of Scotland's discouragement of golfing on Sundays. Clubs were disguised as walking sticks, the club head comfortably fitting into the palm of the golfer's hand, until when the golfer was unobserved, the stick was reversed and a few strokes were played.
See also
• Hickory golf
External links
• Golf.about.com
• Imdb.com: How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 4: 'the Mashie Niblick'
• P4a.com
• Leaderboard.com