DRIVER: BelleAir 1 3/8" deep face, 43.5", 13 degree loft, 19.5 oz., D-2.
Bill Farmer lent this club to me 3 years ago. He now ties a very short string on all clubs he chooses to lend. A slight hook to the face helps my flattish swing. Consistent. An expert insert by Ralph Livingston III protects the club face. Optimum distance flat: 210 yards.
BRASSIE: E.E. Beverly, Royston, Herts. 1 1/4" deep face, 42.5", 16 degree loft, 19.75 oz., D-4. John Sherwood supplied this and other fine clubs in my collection. He is as fair as they come and is a superior source for both rare and playable clubs. The head on this club has tremendous peppering, and retains its original face. Optimum distance flat: 185 yards.
1 IRON. Tom Stewart, TS Dot Punch, 39", 21 degree loft, line scored, D-0. More lofted than my other 1-Irons, this club produces a low trajectory shot which is perfect on links style courses. Going any lower on iron loft hurts my consistency. Doubles as a straight razor. 175 yards.
2 IRON. Tom Stewart, Harry J. Collis, Flossmoor, 38.5", 27 degree loft, line scored, D-1. A few degrees of extra loft makes this a high flying distance club, which is relatively easy to hit. This is the right club for me on many par 3's, whether hit full or knocked down. 160 yards.
APPROACHING CLEEK. Tom Stewart, 37", 32 degree loft, dot punched, D-5. This jigger style head with a central backweight imparts tremendous loft. Great club out of the rough. Also known as the "Dreaded" Approaching Cleek, but like the little girl with the little curl, the DAC can also be very very good. The player has to fight the tendency to shut down the clubface. Though I much prefer "approaching" with my Mashie, Philip Truett is a master with the Approaching Cleek, which dispatches his ball below knee height over great distances. 150 yards.
MONGREL MASHIE. Tom Stewart, J. A. Donaldson, Glenview, Ill., 37.5", 34 degree loft, dot punched, D-0. Essentially, a blending of Mashie and Cleek, this club goes a bit lower than the Approaching Cleek and is not as subject to being badly mis-hit. The name alone makes it a worthy club for my bag. 140 yards.
MASHIE. Tom Stewart, J.B. Kinnear, 36.5", 38 degree loft, line scored, C-7. My iron set is built around this essential club. The club is completely reliable for running or carried approaches, and may be shaped with consistency. Have not yet decided which of my children will receive this weapon under the terms of my Will. 125 yards, and all points in between.
SPADE MASHIE. Tom Stewart, J.B Kinnear, 36.5", 44 degree loft, line scored, D-5. This club most closely resembles the style of my 1981 Hogan Apex set. Its results are curious to me, as it only produces one shot, which is all carry. Half-shots with the Spade Mashie are never tried, yet the club is essential for scoring when one's birdie tries come from beyond 100 yards. This particular club is ugly as sin - a true player. 110 yards.
MASHIE NIBLICK. Tom Stewart, D. Millar, Blairgowrie, 36.5", 48 degree loft, line scored, D-2. This club makes me think of Bobby Jones every time I have the pleasure of hitting it. The Mashie Niblick can be lofted, knocked down, spun, bounced or rolled, which makes it an essential weapon around the green. The unpredictable nature of the Niblick makes the Mashie Niblick THE chipping club of choice. Mashie Niblick's take many forms, but I strongly prefer the egg-shaped head. 90 yards.
NIBLICK. Tom Stewart, Ken Smith, Kansas City, 37", 56 degree loft, line scored, E-4. Called "8 Iron", this is the most lofted club in my bag. It is designed to carry hazards, and play shots that stop and spin. Playing this club out of heavy rough leads to unpredictable landings. This Niblick's hooked face allows me to impart tremendous spin. The leading edge has no bounce, so confidence out of the bunker can only be gained with practice. 65 yards.
PUTTER. Gibson Brown-Vardon, Thornton of Edinburgh. 34", 5 degree loft, triangle dot face, 25 3/4 ounces, E-6. I bought this putter from Allan Wallach as a pure collectible, and to support Allan for the great job he does in appearing with a massive arsenal of hickory clubs at most of our hickory gatherings. Little did I now this would supplant my HB Spalding as my best playable putter. The club has great weight and is the softest feeling putter I have ever experienced, from any era. The oval shaft also gives this club superior optics.
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Glove: No way
Bag: Belding stovepipe - canvas and latigo
Bill Farmer lent this club to me 3 years ago. He now ties a very short string on all clubs he chooses to lend. A slight hook to the face helps my flattish swing. Consistent. An expert insert by Ralph Livingston III protects the club face. Optimum distance flat: 210 yards.
BRASSIE: E.E. Beverly, Royston, Herts. 1 1/4" deep face, 42.5", 16 degree loft, 19.75 oz., D-4. John Sherwood supplied this and other fine clubs in my collection. He is as fair as they come and is a superior source for both rare and playable clubs. The head on this club has tremendous peppering, and retains its original face. Optimum distance flat: 185 yards.
1 IRON. Tom Stewart, TS Dot Punch, 39", 21 degree loft, line scored, D-0. More lofted than my other 1-Irons, this club produces a low trajectory shot which is perfect on links style courses. Going any lower on iron loft hurts my consistency. Doubles as a straight razor. 175 yards.
2 IRON. Tom Stewart, Harry J. Collis, Flossmoor, 38.5", 27 degree loft, line scored, D-1. A few degrees of extra loft makes this a high flying distance club, which is relatively easy to hit. This is the right club for me on many par 3's, whether hit full or knocked down. 160 yards.
APPROACHING CLEEK. Tom Stewart, 37", 32 degree loft, dot punched, D-5. This jigger style head with a central backweight imparts tremendous loft. Great club out of the rough. Also known as the "Dreaded" Approaching Cleek, but like the little girl with the little curl, the DAC can also be very very good. The player has to fight the tendency to shut down the clubface. Though I much prefer "approaching" with my Mashie, Philip Truett is a master with the Approaching Cleek, which dispatches his ball below knee height over great distances. 150 yards.
MONGREL MASHIE. Tom Stewart, J. A. Donaldson, Glenview, Ill., 37.5", 34 degree loft, dot punched, D-0. Essentially, a blending of Mashie and Cleek, this club goes a bit lower than the Approaching Cleek and is not as subject to being badly mis-hit. The name alone makes it a worthy club for my bag. 140 yards.
MASHIE. Tom Stewart, J.B. Kinnear, 36.5", 38 degree loft, line scored, C-7. My iron set is built around this essential club. The club is completely reliable for running or carried approaches, and may be shaped with consistency. Have not yet decided which of my children will receive this weapon under the terms of my Will. 125 yards, and all points in between.
SPADE MASHIE. Tom Stewart, J.B Kinnear, 36.5", 44 degree loft, line scored, D-5. This club most closely resembles the style of my 1981 Hogan Apex set. Its results are curious to me, as it only produces one shot, which is all carry. Half-shots with the Spade Mashie are never tried, yet the club is essential for scoring when one's birdie tries come from beyond 100 yards. This particular club is ugly as sin - a true player. 110 yards.
MASHIE NIBLICK. Tom Stewart, D. Millar, Blairgowrie, 36.5", 48 degree loft, line scored, D-2. This club makes me think of Bobby Jones every time I have the pleasure of hitting it. The Mashie Niblick can be lofted, knocked down, spun, bounced or rolled, which makes it an essential weapon around the green. The unpredictable nature of the Niblick makes the Mashie Niblick THE chipping club of choice. Mashie Niblick's take many forms, but I strongly prefer the egg-shaped head. 90 yards.
NIBLICK. Tom Stewart, Ken Smith, Kansas City, 37", 56 degree loft, line scored, E-4. Called "8 Iron", this is the most lofted club in my bag. It is designed to carry hazards, and play shots that stop and spin. Playing this club out of heavy rough leads to unpredictable landings. This Niblick's hooked face allows me to impart tremendous spin. The leading edge has no bounce, so confidence out of the bunker can only be gained with practice. 65 yards.
PUTTER. Gibson Brown-Vardon, Thornton of Edinburgh. 34", 5 degree loft, triangle dot face, 25 3/4 ounces, E-6. I bought this putter from Allan Wallach as a pure collectible, and to support Allan for the great job he does in appearing with a massive arsenal of hickory clubs at most of our hickory gatherings. Little did I now this would supplant my HB Spalding as my best playable putter. The club has great weight and is the softest feeling putter I have ever experienced, from any era. The oval shaft also gives this club superior optics.
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Glove: No way
Bag: Belding stovepipe - canvas and latigo
1. I am a firm believer in clubs manufactured by Tom Stewart of St. Andrews, Scotland. Stewart clubs take the right divots, and there are enough of them around to make a solid playset, while assembling several playable clubs in reserve. This allows for experimentation so that the player can decide which of many Stewart choices will ultimately find a way into the bag. The fact most of the best hickory players in the world prefer to play irons by Tom Stewart, says it all. As far as woods go, selecting playable clubs of this genre is an intensely personal decision, and should be purchased by feel only. If you cannot lay your hands upon a wood you are about to purchase, or you cannot rely on the seller to give you a player's perspective on the club's quality, you take a tremendous risk the club will never find its way into your bag.
2. Switching to hickory clubs has flattened my swing. This combined with a whopping 82mph of swing speed keeps me from being a long player. The yardages given here are probably shorter than the average player will achieve. I do believe what I lack in distance, is salvaged by consistency. The Pro V1 helps me get more distance, while maintaining feel. However, years of balata play took a few months of practice before my best short game returned with the Pro V1. I think the Titleist Balata 90 is still preferred in cold weather conditions.
3. I believe a player should err on the side of carrying fewer clubs. Not only does it make club decisions easier, it helps to increase the pace of play. Woe be it unto the slow player who hopes to make many friends in Scotland and England. Fewer clubs also calls for more creativity and hence, more fun. The small bag I carry is more than enough to house my set and hold an umbrella.
4. Though loft is important, I judge my clubs by how far they actually go. I often get a caddie to shag balls, so that I can verify the distance each club is able to achieve via the miracle of a rangefinder. This added confidence in distance is critical, when one is a short player who rarely reaches greens in regulation.
5. I would pay a premium price for any club which was restored by Ralph Livingston III. He put my initial playset together, and graciously taught me how to restore, identify and purchase playable clubs. I frequently rotate clubs into my playset, not only to replace clubs that have gone "cold" on me, but also to be sure as many clubs in my collection as possible are able to do the work for which they were made. I have yet to break a modern hickory that has been properly restored, which is a credit to how well Tom Stewart clubs were made, as well as to Ralph Livingston III's time tested techniques in repair.
John Crow Miller, Dallas, Texas (jmiller@hrepc.com)
US Hickory Grail Team, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007
Society of Hickory Golfers
Golf Collectors Society of America
British Golf Collectors Society
Keepers of the Green, St. Andrews
USGA Museum & Library Committee
Brook Hollow Golf Club, Dallas, Texas