Coated shaft golf clubs 1930s-1950s - PART 1. Introduction of steel shafts & end of hickory shafts.

Part 1 of a 3 part review of the coated-shaft era of golf clubs, currently a sadly neglected area. The introduction of steel golf shafts from the late 1920s through to the late 1930s, by which time hickory shafts had all but disappeared apart from their occasional use in putters.
This first part focuses on woods.
This was also a time of great innovation in iron head design and we follow that development in part 2.
Pyratone, painted and chrome steel shafts.
The emphasis is primarily on UK produced clubs.
Link to Part 2 : • Coated shaft golf club...
Link to Part 3 : • A mid-handicapper play...

[@geoffreyclark2805]

Nice collection of examples from this era, and an absolute fountain of information. I think it's an overlooked segment in the history of golf clubs. Well done, looking forward to parts 2 & 3. Thank you.

[@ClassicGolfClubs]

Cheers Geoffrey, early steel shafts are definitely at the less fashionable end of collecting.

[@alpistor]

Very informative. It is worthwhile to mention that, at first, club pros did not want to use steel shafts, because a good deal of their income came from fixing broken hickory shafts. But you can't stop progress. That said, I loath to use modern drivers and irons, which are more like cheating machines.

[@ClassicGolfClubs]

Thanks Al, good point on the hickory repair work, I'll see if I can slip that into part 2.

[@MarkJohnson-bs4hp]

Interesting ! I have never seen the fancy plate clubs- definitely a club to be protected.
The bag was interesting too- obviously a development from the simple ones used before and able to cover the clubs in inclement weather.
Accles and Pollock were about half a mile from where I worked in Oldbury and I played many cricket games against them as both teams played in the Birmingham Business Houses League.

[@wadepatton2433]

The flaky chromed shaft you have may have been from just before they learned to use copper underneath for better bonding. But I've done no research on that, but know that copper is used that way yet. And yes, I found myself looking at clubs with coated steel shafts-so I came here to see what I could learn about them. The phrase "no harm in looking" is really meaningless I've found. 😅

[@ClassicGolfClubs]

I know MacGregor were big on copper plating under the chrome for a time so you could be right, I can't remember finding any on UK made clubs though.
I think it's probably something that fell out of use as plating methods improved because it most likely costs more!
It's not so much the looking that's the problem, it's the compulsive need to buy after the looking. 🤣

[@CorgiDoom1881]

I always liked clubs from this era. I like how I can take them to the range to practice with when I want to use the old clubs, unlike hickories that would likely break with range balls. Much cheaper in general too.

[@ClassicGolfClubs]

They're ridiculously cheap, I've bought clubs from this era because I feared that if I didn't they'd just be dumped.

[@martinwright6255]

I've used hundreds of hickories on the range, unrestored and restored reset heads. I would guess i've broken less than 10 in 10 years. They are much tougher than you think.

[@bcstones0000]

Ok, so it's an emamel coating on the shaft.....any idea of what kind of enamel was used or even perhaps brand or...???

[@ClassicGolfClubs]

Enamel is a loose term, enamel paint would be my guess, possibly baked on?
As for a brand, lost in the mists of time unfortunately unless someone can find documents from TrueTemper or others stating what was used.

[@bcstones0000]

@@ClassicGolfClubs Thanks for the "spark"....just went to the True Temper site & asked if they had any records or ideas of the enamel used & if it was baked on....guess I'll just have to wait and see.
I remember on Golf WRX, someone mentioning a wrap that was heated....I went to site but saw no clear wraps. I have an absolutely beautiful set of Walter Hagen Champion pyratone shafted. There are slits in some of the clubs that indicate the sheath could split further if played. I did think of using an coating I use building fishing rods, but it might require shaft removal in order to put on a turning device to keep the coating from dripping....
Who knows....

[@bcstones0000]

@@ClassicGolfClubs you're correct....just heard for TT - their records don't go back that far....bummer

[@ClassicGolfClubs]

@@bcstones0000 Nice one, be interested to hear the response if you get one.
Pyratone is a difficult one to restore, as far as I know it's a celluloid and as such can deteriorate over time, like old films. I've never attempted a restoration as luckily most UK clubs seem to be enamel painted, I've used a Hammerite paint for that.

[@bcstones0000]

@@ClassicGolfClubs What is Hammerite paint? Anything like the Rust-oleum paint here in the US?