Playing a round with some "Ancient" clubs

[ScienceBoy]

I have a set comprising of historic looking clubs (about 15 in total, all 50 years and older) and balls.

This afternoon I am going to take them out to play 18 holes and see what I can score! (going late just in case I hold anyone up ) I am not entering any stableford, just seeing what gross I can return, thankfully the weather is looking good. Once the handfull of old balls run out I will switch to my normal practice bag balls.

I have some strange shaped wooden headed woods, 2,3 and 5 woods (taken 1 wood out as the head looks too warped).

I have selected 11 this morning, the ones in best condition:

2,4,6,5,7, a Mashie Niblick and a Cardinal Niblick (I have no idea what loft it is and the grip is "questionable")

The putter is an old "Benny".

The grips are in fair to poor condition but are mostly there and some are even "tacky". Some have even been reshafted in the 60s or 70s with new grips so I have a chance with those!.

So far my scores have been estimated at:

Sev112- 94
Palendromicbob- 115
therod- 104
Imurg- 87
BobMac- 78 (he thinks they will improve my game)

Homer thinks I wont get close to 90
Rosecott thinks 100+
gripitripit says 110+

I have started a new thread to keep it tidy.

Anyone else got any estimates?

Here are some pics of the clubs:

 

[Imurg]

I reckon 87.

You're going to miss-hit a few with those oldies....

 

[hangover]

ill go for 96

 

[bigfoot1985]

i will go for bang on the ton 100!!

 

[HawkeyeMS]

You won't break 100 is my guess so I'll go 104

 

[Midnight]

I reckon 103

 

[Hooper]

101

 

[Crow]

107, and then sell them on ebay as collector's items.

 

[Richie13]

99, good way to leave your club, are you giving up for good?

 

[bigslice]

I have a set comprising of historic looking clubs (about 15 in total, all 50 years and older) and balls.

This afternoon I am going to take them out to play 18 holes and see what I can score! (going late just in case I hold anyone up ) I am not entering any stableford, just seeing what gross I can return, thankfully the weather is looking good. Once the handfull of old balls
run out I will switch to my normal practice bag balls.

I have some strange shaped wooden headed woods, 2,3 and 5 woods (taken 1 wood out as the head looks too warped).

I have selected 11 this morning, the ones in best condition:

2,4,6,5,7, a Mashie Niblick and a Cardinal Niblick (I have no idea what loft it is and the grip is "questionable")

The putter is an old "Benny".

The grips are in fair to poor condition but are mostly there and some are even "tacky". Some have even been reshafted in the 60s or 70s with new grips so I have a chance with those!.

So far my scores have been estimated at:

Sev112- 94
Palendromicbob- 115
therod- 104
Imurg- 87
BobMac- 78 (he thinks they will improve my game)

Homer thinks I wont get close to 90
Rosecott thinks 100+
gripitripit says 110+

I have started a new thread to keep it tidy.

Anyone else got any estimates?

Here are some pics of the clubs:

you will break 90 just, good luck

 

[User20205]

now I've seen them I would like to revise my guess... from 104 to 204.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Well all of you were wrong!

Out of consideration to others and those with properties next to the course I had to can it after 5 holes.

The woods all produced a hook that can only be described as "Horizontal".

I started off well, nailing a long iron down the middle of the first leaving 160, laying up short of the greenside bunker (not on purpose), chipping close and just missing a par putt.

The second I nailed a 4 iron long over the back of the par 3, chipped shy of the green out a horror lie and almost holed the putt onto the green, tapped on for 4.

The next hole started the scary stuff when I tried out the wood for the first time on the course. I had hit a few on the range and got some decent shots out of them mixed in with some hooks but this one was the king of all hooks.

It set off well then sharply flew left loosing no height, cracked into a tree and was gone forever.I then hit a 2 iron for 3 off the tee, hooked another wood off the fairway OB.

Now all the "decent" old balls were gone I one had the small ones left, I tried one, it looped down the fairway and felt like hitting a ball of wool. I managed to eventually hit the green and walk off with a 12.

I decided to try the modern balls now, boy they felt good! Sadly by this point I had caught up with a slow husband and wife pair. Sticking to the irons I kept working up the fairway, waiting ages on each shot for them to get out of range.

This continued to the end of hole 5, seeing fourballs in front of the slow pair, a two ball catching me up and knowing I cannot hit the woods I decided it was best for all that I left the course.

Sorry to all those who thought I might complete a round, I did try but sometimes its best to think of other patrons.

Maybe I will try again when I join a new club.

I must say the irons were sublime to hit, I even managed a few good ones with backspin on the range, sadly I could not replicate it on the course.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Apparently if you play Musselburgh (or is it Royal Musselburgh), which held the open in the 1800's it is an option to play the 9 holes with your own clubs, and then play it again with hire sets which are old fashioned machie niblicks etc.

It is only a 9 hole course, but I think it would be great to compare both your scores.Has anyone done this?

 

[Dodger]

Apparently if you play Musselburgh (or is it Royal Musselburgh), which held the open in the 1800's it is an option to play the 9 holes with your own clubs, and then play it again with hire sets which are old fashioned machie niblicks etc.

It is only a 9 hole course, but I think it would be great to compare both your scores.Has anyone done this?

I played in an event there and by heck it was tough.

It was a 4 man better ball event and if I had kept a score I reckon I would be lucky to have broken 90.......unbelievably tough going,the only club I could find the middle of was the putter!!!!

 

[Liverbirdie]

Was that with the old clubs option, or with your normal clubs?

 

[Dodger]

Was that with the old clubs option, or with your normal clubs?

Cheeky bugger!

 

[Liverbirdie]

Sorry, couldn't resist!!

 

[palindromicbob]

i did say you would lose all the balls so was partly right

good going though.

 

[MashieNiblick]

SB, those clubs look great and if they were refurbished would be awesome. Would need a proper professional job though.

Those irons are proper "blades" no extra muscle back behind the ball.

Incredible to think some of the old guys could shoot in the 60's with that sort of gear. Dunlop of course named the famous "65" ball after Henry Cotton's 65 in in the 1934 Open at Royal St George's. Amazing that his total of 283 would have placed him 12th this year.

 

[Neil20]

Enjoyed the report.

I assume you're glad you gave it a go!