Thomas Stewart Jr., Golf Cleek and Iron Maker, the famous blue-covered book published by Ralph Livingston III in 2010 has been reprinted in a second edition with a green cover by Swiss golfer Paolo Quirici and several partners from Switzerland.
The book is part of a larger project to celebrate the prolific clubmaker and includes a museum and workshop where interested golfers can view Stewart’s clubs, handle many of them, learn workshop techniques, and even test hit hickory clubs in an indoor facility.
“We value the tradition, the stability and the great workmanship shown by these products that have passed the test of time,” Quirici says.
The museum is to be located in a restored former monastery building in Lugano, Switzerland. “The idea will be to display some 250-plus clubs,” Quirici says. “The theme will be based on Tom Stewart and his famous well-known clients.”
Quirici and partners have purchased some 650 clubs from Phil Gibbs, who was a devotee of Stewart clubs and had purchased many of the original clubs from Ralph Livingston III collection of Stewarts following Livingston’s passing in 2012.
Paolo Quirici at the 2021 Swiss Hickory Open.
“Currently we have round 1,000 clubs and only a very few pieces listed in the Livingston book are missing,” Quirici says.
Plans are to display clubs according to a given time line from early to late production as well as the transition phase from hickory to steel shaft and some of the rarest late models, post-1930, that have been acquired for the museum. Period paintings, trophies and early black-and-white photos will form part of the collection.
“The space is some 370 square meters and visitors will enjoy the calm and tranquility of the monastery’s original construction,” Quirici says. “We will also have a proper workshop to restore the clubs and people can assist and view the techniques used back in the era by the building and fitting shops.”
As preparations are underway, Quirici and partners are looking forward to the opening, which they hope will be late spring or early summer.
“We have a few months of high intense activities ahead, but are excited about the outcomes,” Quirici says.
For information on the museum or the second edition of the Stewart book, contact Quirici at quiricipaolo@gmail.com.
This and the following photographs provide a glimpse of a former Swiss monastery that is being converted into a museum to showcase the works of club maker Tom Stewart as well as other aspects of period golf.
