How to Identify, Date, and Value Hickory Golf Clubs - FAQ #2

Hickory golfer Christian Williams shares his tips for how to identify, date, and value hickory golf clubs and what essential resource books you should have in your collection in this second episode of his Frequently Asked Questions series. Williams is a golf historian with a high handicap, sharing his passion for the game through this channel where he shows how to collect, repair, and play with antique, wood-shafted golf clubs. He is a member of both the Society of Hickory Golfers and the Golf Heritage Society (details below). Welcome to the channel!
Collecting hickory golf clubs can be overwhelming in the beginning. In this video, Williams shows you the books that he uses to identify, date, and value a hickory golf club that he comes across in an antique store or flea market, and shares his tips on how to avoid paying more than you should for a club you might find in your search.
NOTE: While I specifically date the deep-groove Spalding Gold Medal mashie niblick in this video to 1919, it would be more accurate to say "circa 1919" as there's a possibility the club was made up to four years earlier based on the information we found about this particular club. I'm conservative with my dating and prefer to use the latest known date in a date range when dating a club rather than the earliest, which is why I zeroed in on 1919 for the date of this club.
In this video:
How to educate yourself about what's common and what's not: 2:25
Understanding antique golf club characteristics and terminology: 8:35
Using your basic understanding to start buying hickory golf clubs: 11:06
Resources to help identify the maker and date range of a hickory golf club you find: 18:32
How to identify the cleek marks on a club head: 22:25
Identifying the professional for whom the club was made: 25:37
Determining the value of a hickory golf club: 30:37
Additional books for specific companies: 41:50
Essential hickory golf resource books and where to find them:
“Collecting Antique Golf Clubs” by Pete Georgiady: amzn.to/3g8e8rI
“Wood Shafted Golf Club Value Guide - 9th Edition” by Pete Georgiady: amzn.to/3VtV2MN
“North American Club Makers” by Pete Georgiady: amzn.to/3EL1lpC
“Cleekmarks and Trademarks on Antique Golf Clubs” by Pete Georgiady: Available direct from Pete for $70 postage paid. Payment accepted by check or PayPal ([e-mail]). Email Pete for more information at [e-mail]
“Compendium of British Clubmakers” by Pete Georgiady (currently out of print - email me directly and I'll help you identify the professional on your club with my copy: [e-mail])
George Nicoll of Leven by Roger Hill and Pete Georgiady: amzn.to/3rZ1nTc