Circa 1800 Blacksmith Iron
(Ex Patino Collection)

Famed collector Jaime Ortiz-Patino, owner of Valderrama Golf Club in Spain, collected only the best of the best memorabilia for his museum at the home of the 1997 Ryder Cup. This club maintained a prominent place in his historic collection of early golf clubs.

This is one of the oldest, and finest, golf clubs that we have ever offered. A circa 1800 (or prior) blacksmith iron. Its weight and thickness cannot be overstated, as this club is a beast. It's 37 3/4" long, a thick 3 3/4" long blade, 5 1/2" hosel with deep nicking, and weighs a whopping pound and a half!

We asked the foremost golf club expert in the world, Jeff Ellis, to review this club for us, and he was already well familiar with it. He gladly agreed to write a letter of provenance, which will be included for the winning bidder.

Here is what Jeff Ellis had to say:

This is a wonderful early iron! The leading edge of the blade is set well in front of the shaft. In the picture[s], the shaft looks slender, like it is undersized. It is not. It is stout. The head, including the hosel, is extremely thick. The wrought iron blade itself is exceptionally thick at the top line and at the sole. Furthermore, the hosel nicking is among the strongest and most prominent nicking that exists. The extreme thickness and overall size of the head is what makes the club weigh a pound and a half!

This circa 1800 iron will dwarf [any post 1850] iron in thickness, nicking, and overall character.

Ellis goes on to explain that an early iron such as this is "hand forged by a blacksmith during a time when there were scant golfers in the world."

Letter of Provenance from Golf Club Expert and Author Jeff Ellis