My clubs

1) Jack White Gullane Driver - 1 5/8" Deep Face/ 9 degrees loft/ D1 / 43" length/ x-stiff flex
2) Mills Aluminum 1 iron - 19 degrees loft / D2
3) Tom Stewart RTJ 1 iron - 20 degrees loft / D2
4) Tom Stewart RTJ 2 iron - 23 degrees loft / D2
5) Tom Stewart RTJ 3 iron - 27 degrees loft / D2
6) Tom Stewart RTJ 4 iron - 31 degrees loft / D2
7) Tom Stewart RTJ 5 iron - 36 degrees loft/ D2
8) Tom Stewart RTJ 6 iron - 40 degrees loft / D2
9) Tom Stewart RTJ 7 iron - 45 degrees loft / D2
10) Tom Stewart RTJ 8 iron 48 degrees loft / D2
11) Tom Stewart Auchterlonie Niblick - 52 degrees loft / D2
12) Maxwell Patent Niblick - 56 degrees loft/ 14 degrees bounce/ D2
13) Walter Hagen "Own Model" Niblick - 61,59,57 degree lofts (convex face)/ 10 degrees bounce/ F4
14) AG Spalding Chicopee Putter - 5 degrees/E5/ 35" length
x) Tom Stewart RTJ Putter


I have only been playing hickory golf since the beginning of 2008, but I have found that this set equal to any modern set of clubs I have ever played.

My RTJ irons 1-8 are a matched set that were originally owned and used by a Cardinal of the Catholic Church and the Archbishop of Chicago - Cardinal Mundelein. The Cardinal was told by his doctor to pick up the game of golf because the outside air would do wonders for his health. Soon after taking his doctor's advice the Cardinal built a nine hole course on the Catholic Seminary outside of Chicago, Illinois. The golf course (now 18 holes) still stands today, but is known as Pine Meadows, and is rated by Golf Digest as one of the "Top 100 Golf Courses You Can Play." It is located in the town named after the Cardinal himself...Mundelein, Illinois. I am extremely fond of these clubs and do my best to watch my language around my "holy clubs."

In July 2008 I took these clubs back to where they were forged. It was truly a great experience playing in Scotland and playing those historic courses, the way they were meant to be played! My most memorable experience was playing Musselburgh with the President of the Musselburgh Old Course Golf Club. After we concluded the round he invited me in for a tour of their historic clubhouse. At the end of the tour he asked me if I would like to become a member. Since becoming a member at the club at the oldest course in the world, they have also been generous enough to sponsor me for all of my hickory tournaments and trade shows. I take the greatest pride in belonging to the course that brought up 5 Open Champions and hosted 6 Open Championships.

Jack White Gullane Driver -
Off the tee if I have a real weakness its driver accuracy. I don't blame the arrow because I know the Indian is a little off on the long ball. The longest drive I have ever hit with this driver went 326 yards. In saying that it was at Prestwick in Scotland and the ground allows for a lot of roll. A good drive otherwise might go 270 yards.

Mills Aluminum 1 iron -
This is a new addition to my bag. I am not a great wood player off the fairway, so I needed a club that I could treat like an iron. The first time I pulled this club out of my bag was after a pull hook drive on the par four 18th hole at Elmcrest Country Club, which left me 240 yards to the green. I pulled out the Mills and gave her a try. I was upset as I walked up to the green when I could not find the ball resting in the fairway in front of the green. I finally did find it, over the green! I don't expect to hit it that far again, but it was nice to know the club's limit.

Tom Stewart RTJ 1 iron -
If there is one club that I use sparingly its probably my 1 iron. I will use it off the tee occasionally as I get good results with it teed up (210 yards). The only other time this club comes out of the bag is from the trees. It is a great club for low running punch shots through the trees. I have a lot of confidence in that shot through the trees maybe flying as high as 10 feet off the ground.

Tom Stewart RTJ 2 iron -
Other than my niblicks I would probably say my 2 iron is the best club in my bag. With a full swing I will hit it about 190 yards. With a low running punch shot this club will go 170 yards.

Tom Stewart RTJ 3 iron -
A solid club in my bag for the distance of 175 yards.

Tom Stewart RTJ mashie iron -
This mashie iron is an interesting club, as this club is an original matched set of the Cardinal's and has not been broken up or bent since his days of playing them. This mashie iron has a stamped "4" on it and has less loft that the average mashie iron. The set has never been broken up so perhaps the Cardinal requested the mashie iron to bent and stamped with a "4."
Full swing - 165 yards.

Tom Stewart RTJ mashie Ê-
This club and I work very well together. When I need 155 yards she's spot on. If I need a little less, I just grip down and swing smooth and this club has always seemed to deliver.

Tom Stewart RTJ spade mashie Ê-
145 yards full swing.

Tom Stewart RTJ 7 mashie niblick -
135 yards full swing. This club also marks the first club in my bag where I start to incorporate half swings. I never take more than a half swing with any short game shot. I find that this has really helped me dial in my distance control and accuracy. Half swing distance - 110 yards

Tom Stewart RTJ Êniblick -
125 yards full swing. 100 yards half swing

Tom Stewart Auchterlonie Niblick (52 degree)
Half swing 90 yards

Maxwell Patent Niblick (56 degree)-
Half swing 80 yards. I also incorporate this niblick from the greenside bunkers as it has 14 degrees of bounce at the sand at my home club is pure powder in the summer.

Walter Hagen "Own Model" Niblick (57/60/59 degrees)-
Half swing 60 yards. I also use this niblick for nearly all chipping scenarios. I will be exploring the idea of using this niblick out of the sand this year as I have heard only good things.

AG Spalding Chicopee Putter

My strength has always been my chipping. I miss greens here and there and driving accuracy has never been a strength, but a good chipping game can be an equalizer. On my home course, Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids, Iowa it is not all that uncommon for me to break 80 and only hit 4 greens in regulation (mostly due to poor driving). If I have a hickory patron saint it would have to be Sir Walter Hagen. To keep his spirit strong, I use my Walter Hagen "Own Model" Niblick for nearly every chipping scenario. After all who in the hickory era could chip and save strokes better than the Haig?

Cardinal Mundelein and his Tom Stewart RTJ Irons


Connor T. Lewis