
When did graphite shafts become popular in golf?
By the early 1970's, graphite shafts were widely available to the golfing world and by 1973, they were taking the industry by storm. But by 1975, graphite's durability and performance limitations were being realized which almost caused their demise. in the shaft as it was swung. This also gave them greater durability.
What was the first club shaft made out of?
In the 1890's club designers were experimenting with other materials such as steel tubes and solid steel rods. A Scottish blacksmith, Thomas Horsburgh made the first steel shaft in 1893.
When did the golf shaft come out?
History of the Golf Shaft. However, it did not catch on with the masses. Around the same time as the Shakespeare Company was developing its version of the graphite shaft, James Flood, an aircraft engineer, was developing his version which was introduced in April 1972 from which the Aldila company was born.
When were hickory shafts used in golf shafts?
By the early 1890's, hickory was the primary wood used in golf shafts. In the 1890's club designers were experimenting with other materials such as steel tubes and solid steel rods.

When did they stop using wooden shafts for golf clubs?
Hickory became the standard material for golf club shafts until steel shafts were introduced in about 1925 in the US, and became standard everywhere from the mid 1930s. They had the advantage as they did not break like the hickory shafts and could be produced reliably with uniform feel in matched sets.
What are old golf club shafts made of?
Shafts. Historically shafts were made of different types of wood including orangewood, ash and hickory; but, hickory became the wood of choice in the mid-1800s. The 20th century brought innovations in shaft construction including the development by Ping of laminated woods for increased strength.
What is a Pyratone shaft?
Pyratone was a non-metallic casing patented in 1926 and used to coat early steel shafts. The material was mostly yellow, black and brown and made to resemble wood. Unknowledgeable sellers often sell pyratone shafts as hickory.
When did they stop using hickory shaft golf clubs?
1935With the arrival and eventual legalization (1929) of steel shafts, the demand for hickory's started to diminish, by 1935 the production of hickory clubs had stopped.
How can you tell how old a golf club is?
The Wooden Shaft Test – Whether or not the shaft is made of wood is a primary indicator of age. The Markings or Stamps – If there is a marking or shop stamp, an Antique Golf Club Reference Guide could be used to date the club fairly precisely.
When did golf clubs get metal shafts?
1925The 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.
When did True Temper start making golf shafts?
In the 1960s, True Temper began producing experimental golf shafts made with composites, fiberglass and aluminum. In 1967, True Temper introduced Iron Byron, golf's first mechanical robot.
What golf club shaft technology was introduced in the 1890s?
In the 1890's club designers were experimenting with other materials such as steel tubes and solid steel rods. A Scottish blacksmith, Thomas Horsburgh made the first steel shaft in 1893. He was unable to gain any interest in it as it was solid steel and very heavy.
Do they still make wooden golf clubs?
Persimmon Golf produce some of the finest wooden golf clubs, maintaining a tradition for the many thousands of Persimmon fans who demand the experience and pleasure of playing with modern high-performance persimmon clubs.
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 club is a niblick?
16. Pitching Niblick – this is the old way to refer to a golf club which achieved the same function as the modern 8-iron, or short iron. 17. Niblick – the old name for a sort of golf club which corresponds to the 9-irons golfers around the world use nowadays.
Are graphite golf shafts Hollow?
Graphite shafts are made out of carbon fiber and epoxy. Carbon fiber is wrapped around a rod using epoxy resin. The entire thing is then heated and the rod is removed. The result is a hollow graphite shaft.
Can you put new iron heads on old shafts?
The only way to know if we can put your old fitted shaft into a new head it to pull the shaft, weight the head and test the new head with the old shaft. The head may be heavier or lighter, the hosel dimensions may be off which could cause a length issue.
What are graphite shafts made of?
Graphite shafts start out as successive layers of graphite fibers held together by a resin (not unlike a form of epoxy) that is called a “binder” material.
Can graphite shafts be reused?
Along the lines of what fupresti said, as long as they're pulled properly you should be able to reuse a graphite shaft indefinitely. The only way a graphite shaft will become unusable aside from some freak accidents is by human error in part of the build or an out of control temper on the course.
Overview
Woods
Early golf clubs had wooden shafts, most commonly made of hickory. These shafts were resilient and withstood the forces created by the golf swing, but unlike modern, more stiff shafts, their high flexibility required a skilled swing to produce consistent results.
Prior to 1935, hickory was the dominant material for shaft manufacturing, but it proved difficult to master for most golfers, as well as being quite frail. Steel would become the ubiquitous choice f…
20th century wood-shafted irons
19th century irons
Sabbath sticks
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.
See also
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
External links
They were:
• Driving iron: 1 Iron
• Mid-iron: 2 Iron
• Mid-mashie: 3 Iron
• Mashie iron: 4 Iron