Is my 8-Iron illegal?? Pls Help!!

[oldfogey]

Hi, I've been playing golf a number of years with an old 8-Iron.

It was manufactured by AG Spalding Bros, this is the info stamped on the Iron:

AG Spalding Bros,(SJ Gold Medal) Hand Forged Rustless.


I get on well with this club, I use is mainly as a lob wedge. It is BY FAR the best lob wedge I've ever used.

However, a couple of months back, after showing it to the Pro at my Golf Club, he immediately told me it is an illegal club!!

I would like to know please, whether this is or is not correct.

I've taken a couple of images of the head but not sure how to post them on this forum. Could I upload to something like Photobucket and post the link here?

Thanks in advance,

OF.

 

[USER1999]

Yes, use photo bucket and post the link or whatever.

An 8 iron lob wedge, interesting. You don't find it a bit lacking in loft then?

 

[oldfogey]

Cheers murphthemog, see below...

Yes, use photo bucket and post the link or whatever.

An 8 iron lob wedge, interesting. You don't find it a bit
lacking in loft then?

Ah! Just reviewing, works well...

 

[HTL]

Is it like this? If so how old is it? Cant see how or why it would be illegal, but also cant see how you use it like a lob wedge? Unless you have bent it to about 60 begree? Whick would be one odd club.

 

[HTL]

I was way off with my guess at what they looked like. The loft looks savage for an 8 iron! My Di7 irons only have a 35 degree loft on them.

Cant see why they would be illegal?

 

[minty18]

Looks illegal to me for the reason that during a ball strike more than one part of the club will touch the ball, so effectively you'll be striking the ball twice maybe more during one swing of the club.

 

[oldfogey]

murphythemog, you'd be surprised just how much height I get using this club! Anything from 70yds out, I usually expect to kill stone dead to within 6' of the hole! Sometimes, they even go in!

I have so much confidence in this club, that over the past couple of months I haven't been using it, my scores have suffered.

 

[oldfogey]

Looks illegal to me for the reason that during a ball strike more than one part of the club will touch the ball, so effectively you'll be striking the ball twice maybe more during one swing of the club.

Minty18, can you explain pls what you mean by "more than one part of the club will touch the ball" ?? you've lost me...

 

[John_Findlay]

The only reason it can be illegal would be the grooves. Can't see how it can be, though. It's a old traditional design.

 

[USER1999]

I can only guess it is the lack of grooves on the face, but not sure why this would make it illegal.

Just being old and ugly shuldn't be reason enough to ban it.

 

[USER1999]

The punch marks are too close together.

Rule Appendix II, rule 5c impact area, sub section Punch marks:

The area of any punch marks must not exceed 0.0044"sq (2.84mmsq).

The distance between adjacent punch marks must not be less than 0.168" (4.27mm) measured from cebtre to centre.

The punch marks must not have sharp nedges or raised lips.


There you go, it's illegal.

 

[USER1999]

This key board is rebelling today. No control over it at all.

For nedges read edges, and cebtre read centre.

Sorry.

 

[oldfogey]

This key board is rebelling today. No control over it at all.

For nedges read edges, and cebtre read centre.

Sorry.

Murphthemog, thanks so much for this. Explains perfectly. So, I'll have to retire this Iron to my trophy cupboard.

Thanks again, off for a sulk....

 

[USER1999]

The raised edge along the bottom of the club is also in breach of the rules, but obviously could be reground.

If the holes do measure up ok, then I can't see the problem.

 

[John_Findlay]

You beat me to it, Murph. Just looked up the R & A rules that you quoted. Ah, you learn something new every day. Yes, the punch marks are too close together.

 

[USER1999]

And they can only be 0.040" deep (1.02mm). They look too deep to me too.

Defo one for the trophy cupboard.

Have fun shopping for a new wedge, although you might find new fangled spin milled zip mack daddy modern ones stop a wee bit quicker on the green.

 

[minty18]

Looks illegal to me for the reason that during a ball strike more than one part of the club will touch the ball, so effectively you'll be striking the ball twice maybe more during one swing of the club.

Minty18, can you explain pls what you mean by "more than one part of the club will touch the ball" ?? you've lost me...

It seems like murph has solved the problem although my reasoning was based on something I read in a golf book about the old golf clubs... some being illegal because the way the groves were placed when hitting the ball you would actually make double contact with the ball.

This however may not be the case with this one.

 

[HTL]

Hope you stick around oldfogey and get involved with this great ever growing forum, where you playing at?

 

[haplesshacker]

It's certainly an interesting club, i've not seen one like that before. But then again I've not been around golf for long.

Had my suspisions that it might be groove related type thing, but said nowt for fear of looking an idiot amongest you well educated bunch!

But a good talking point nether the less.

I wonder how we'd play with a set of experimental, but banned clubs from years gone by?

 

[Cernunnos]

I've seen pictures in books of that design of club & would love to have a go with one with that sort of design. Does look rather special.

Pity if it is illigal, great shame.