Hugh Philp was born in 1783 and passed away in 1856. In 1819, he was appointed the official clubmaker to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. He established his shop next to the 18th hole of the Old Course—a location later taken over and used by Tom Morris. Philp quickly gained a reputation as an outstanding clubmaker and became renowned for his exceptional craftsmanship during his lifetime. His meticulous attention to detail was legendary, and his clubs set the gold standard for quality.

This Hugh Philp short spoon is an older example of his work. It features a brown keel finish on the top of its head and a 39-inch ash shaft. Keel finishes were primarily used in the 1700s and early 1800s. Ash shafts were in use before hickory shafts. These two features on the same club are meaningful.

Measuring 5 3/4" in length, 1 7/8" in width, and 1" in face depth, the clubhead retains a strong and handsome appearance from every angle. However, it did not escape the wear and tear of the game unscathed. There is a discrete crack on the toe of the face and a hairline crack extending from the topline at the heel into the head. These blemishes are subtle and blend in with the overall look of the club.  The hairline crack looks more like a scratch than a crack— and blends into the overall appearance, remaining tight and unobtrusive. Given the exceptional craftsmanship, age, materials, and maker of the club, these imperfections are actually minor and do little to detract from its presentation. The club still features its original neck whipping and an old sheepskin grip. 

On the shaft, just below the grip, are four notches. These notches may simply be marks made by an owner to differentiate his clubs, but they also evoke a connection to Allan Robertson. According to William Ayton’s December 1896 article in The Golfer, Allan Robertson would nick the shafts of the clubs he sold with a knife, and if the club was ever returned, he would add another nick. Ayton noted that he owned a club given to him by Robertson with four such nicks.

While it is easy for anyone to notch a shaft, potentially inflating the perceived value of an old club, the provenance of such markings must be carefully considered. This particular club dates to Allan Robertson’s lifetime and would have been an excellent candidate for him to resell. However, there is no definitive evidence linking the notches to Robertson. Still, the possibility remains that Robertson did nick and sell this club, as similar markings have been found on clubs known to be associated with him.

Ultimately, determining the origin of the notches comes down to personal belief and the likelihood one assigns to the connection. If only golf clubs could talk!