The St. Andrews Golf Co. workshop.
Tips, tools, supplies and techniques for the repair of hickory golf clubs.
One of the SOHG's original missions was to serve as a central source of information with regard to resources and maintenance tips for wood-shafted clubs. With that in mind, we present this archive of tips, links and videos from restoration experts to assist hickory players with the care, maintenance and restoration of their clubs. Yes, the job can feel like an endless task, but when you go out to play a club that you, yourself have restored – from shaft to club head, grip to whipping – you will have a greater connection to that club and thus the shot at hand and by extension the very soul of the game itself.
Services & Supplies
- John Henry Williams – Clubmaker in the Pacific Northwest. "I have been working on clubs since 1979. Since retiring I have restored and helped hundreds of people with their hickory clubs. Names and references if needed. I currently have clients in 22 states and three countries. Contact me anytime. 206-33-7051
- Hickory Golf Workshop - Complete repair and restoration services or they can sell you the necessary tools and supplies. Work guaranteed. Offers grips, whipping thread, racks and unusual goodies like shaft straighteners, shaft sanders and whipping stands.
- Louisville Golf - Offers all services to refinish and repair hickory clubs, from grips to new inserts on woods. Also sells hickory shafts.
- Tad Moore Golf - Tad does expert work refinishing and repairing hickory clubs.
- Tim Alpaugh - Accurate restoration and repair of woods and irons. One of the best.
- Jacob Bengston – Based in northeast Wisconsin, Jacob says he "Can do anything in the workshop for woods or irons short of forging a new iron head."
- Steve Simer of Wisconsin, who is based in Phoenix, Ariz. from November through May, says he does not refinish woods, but will do just about anything needed with irons – gripping, whipping, shaft-straightening, etc.
- St Andrews Golf Co. - Vintage club restoration. Check out its Workshop page.
- Jack White Gullane – Clubs, restoration and more at this great shop in Gullane, Scotland. Run by Boris Lietzow.
- Past Masters Old Links Golf - One of the few go-to resources for hickory club repair and rebuild in Europe. Rebuilds and repairs derelict clubs.
- Hickory Golf Grips - Big variety of authentic leather grips, backweights and more for sale, as well as original balls and clubs.
- The Hickory Golfer - (This site has been dormant for 10 years. Nothing new has been added.)
- Golf Works - Modern, but often useful for miscellaneous tools, supplies.
- Tandy Leather - Leather hides for grips and related tools. Look for deer-tanned cowhide.
- Distant Drums On Line - Leather hides for grips.
- Too Olde Bags – Restoration and repair of golf bags, offered by Andrea Hodel of Southern Pines, N.C.
P.S. - Almost every regional play group has a couple of guys who can handle basic club repairs for a small charge. Ask around.
Videos
Chris McIntyre - Auld golf workshop
Chris is a legend in the hickory world. He created the McIntyre Golf Ball company and has been interested auld-style golf since he took up a hickory stick. Chris offers an excellent series of videos on his youtube channel which detail his methods of club work and pre-1900-style golf.
The Hickory Golfer Workshop
In addition to fixing clubs of every sort, these guys offer tools for home hickory golf restoration. The site's videos are crisp and clear, showing how the jobs are done. You can go to the Hickory Golfer Workshop site and check under TOOLS or REPAIR SERVICES (the videos are spread around their website), or check them out at Gary Eley's youtube channel.
Louisville Golf
The late Mike Just was a friend to everyone he met in the hickory golf world and the clubs he built at Louisville Golf are standard in many hickory player's collections. Back in 2012, Mike made a couple of solid, basic repair videos about two skills everyone should have - re-whipping and re-gripping. I can't find these on the excellent new Louisville Golf website, so I'm posting them here. It's good to see Mike again.