A little story about hickories

[Sillybodkins]

I attended a hickory shaft collectors meeting at Dayton this weekend.  To preface, I have been buying some new hickory clubs from Tad Moore and Mike Just in order to get a set of hickories.  I live 1/2 mile from the site of the 1912 US Open - which is now a muni and largely unchanged.  I think that it's about 5900 yards and a par 69, great for hickories.  I would also like to play in a hickory tournament or two this year.

In any event, Tad told me about the collectors meeting in Dayton and told me that it would be a great way to find out what is going on in the world of hickories.  I decided to try to sell some of my old ones in an attempt to defray the costs of the new ones.  I told the lady who does my club work what I was up to, and she said that she had a bunch of hickories in her basement.  Her dad was a PGA pro and club repairman - hence the old clubs.  She was using the shafts to make pens.  I told he that if I sold any, I would split the amount with her.

So, I got to Dayton and searched out Tad - he's easily recognizable from pictures on his web site.  After talking to him for a few minutes, I struck up a conversation with a very nice gentleman, a collector and seller.  He volunteered to look at my clubs and help me determine if any were worth anything.

I brought in everything from the back of my car, about 35 clubs total.  The nice gentleman looked through them, and put about 5 in a separate pile.  Those, he said, might be worth something.  The rest were probably worth $10 to $15 if used as "play clubs."  But, he held out a putter, one that I had not even cataloged before I left home - it was face bolted to the shaft, actually in such a way that the lie could be changed.  I thought that it was so strange as to be not worth anything.  He said, give me a few minutes with this - I want to walk around the show with this under my arm.

He came back in about 15 minutes and asked my how much would make me happy if I sold it.  I shrugged, since I had no idea.  Long story short, a few minutes later I had a check for a bit more than $2000!  Since I'm currently unemployed and trying to change directions, you can imagine my delight.  Half of that will go a long way.

I promptly appointed him my agent and together we sold the rest of my clubs, splitting the proceeds - most for around $15, some for only the value of the shafts, of which there is a bit of demand.  You might say the trip was worthwhile (thanks Tad).  And, of course, thanks to the lovely gentleman who really helped me out.

Hickory collectors come in all ages and sizes.  But, if I had to characterize, I would say that more often than not they are retired, comfortably, and looking for a different challenge.  I had dinner with four of them - and I haven't laughed that hard over dinner in years.  All in all, a great weekend.  I am looking forward to continuing new friendships.

[jeffkar]

Cool story and congrats!

[Dr.Green]

Great story!

[drewspin]

That's a great story!

I would like to play in a hickory event one day (never tried it), but I have a lot of fun with the persimmons and blades.

[thewitt]

These shows are a great way to find the odd collector who will pay for a unique club - regardless of pedigree.

I've gone to several - as both a buyer and a seller - and always enjoyed myself.

I sold one cleek for $4500 that I picked up at a local course for a trade. They had it hanging on the wall - a one club display that was simply an "old club" nailed to the wall. Asking around, it meant nothing to the club and they were going to take it down and toss it with a remodel happening that Winter.  I built them a wall display case with two hickory shafted clubs in it (nothing special) and a period ball under glass as a trade for the cleek. I did not know a hard value of the cleek, but I suspected it was worth $1000 or more and was right.

-t

[br61]

Cool, I recalled seeing a mention of that gathering at a course in Dayton when I went there not long ago for a meeting.

Same hotel that I was staying too! Holiday Inn at Dayton Mall.. I wish it wasn't so far away from my hometown as it would have been an interesting day to spend. My favorite hickory shafted club that I have now, is a MacGregor brass putter from early 1930's that my old club pro gave me as a gift before he passed away in late 1970's.

[SBR67]

Cool story! Good for you!

[Sillybodkins]

One interesting thing that I have noticed with hickories.

There are more varieties of long irons than short irons, just the opposite of today.  There are "driving irons", "jiggers", "windjammers", and "mid irons", all of which have low lofts.  I imagine that was because the game was played close to the ground, because the wind had such an effect on the ball.  Once you get close to the green, you have a mashie, spade mashie, mashie niblick, and niblick - four clubs that today are replaced by 7-iron to Lob wedge, which could be 8 clubs.

Seems like the old game had a much greater emphasis on shot-making and creativity, which has been replaced by science and technology.