Lot # 146: Unmarked One Piece Driver w/ Red Fiber Insert

Category: Golf Clubs

Starting Bid: $100.00

Bids: 14 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Golf Antiques - Hosted by Jeff Ellis",
which ran from 7/18/2024 6:25 PM to
7/28/2024 9:00 PM



This one-piece driver is crafted from a single solid piece of wood, with no neck joint. It measures 41 1/2" in length and features its original red fiber line-scored insert, which adds a distinctive touch. The club is unmarked, so the maker remains unknown. The grip appears to be original.

The first US patent for a golf club was applied for on February 10, 1893, by Gustav Ruemmler. Ruemmler designed his wood without a neck joint, believing that a one-piece construction would prevent breakage at the neck and ensure the club could not come apart. He also specified adding a few layers of wood on the top and bottom of the head to strengthen it and reduce fraying from impact.

The first British patent for a one-piece wood was applied for on July 18, 1891, by Andrew Morison, predating Ruemmler's patent by over two years.

While patents can be produced in full or in part, there is no evidence linking this club to either Gustav Ruemmler or Andrew Morison. However, the existence of Ruemmler and Morison's patents indicates that one-piece clubs were conceived a few years before companies like BGI and Spalding, the major producers of one-piece clubs, even began operations. The absence of a maker's name on this club should not be seen as a drawback. Instead, it suggests the early nature of the club and that it was made by someone focused more on craftsmanship than on marketing.