Historical Clubs and Their Modern Equivalents
A baffy golf club is equivalent to a higher-lofted wood or even a hybrid, similar to a 7-wood. It’s sometimes spelled “baffy.” The golf club called a "spoon" was similar to today’s fairway woods of various lofts, primarily used for pre-20th century golf.
Old golf clubs can be identified by traits such as:
- driving iron is 1 iron
- pitching wedge could be called a 10 iron
- gap wedge an 11 iron
- sand wedge is designed for bunkers
- The brassie is a 2 wood, often with brass plate to prevent damage, used for long shots off the fairway or tee
- The spoon is a 3 wood, with a curved head, perfect for high, arcing shots, used for both distance and accuracy
- The baffy is a 5 or 7 wood, designed for approach shots to the green
Senior Golfers and Equipment Brands
At least one hybrid should be in a senior golfer’s bag, with two or three ideal.
Some pros using 7 woods include Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson.
The oldest golf club brand is St. Andrews Golf Co. in Scotland. Major club types are:
- Woods
- Irons
- Wedges
- Putters
Most forgiving irons include the Cleveland Launcher HB.
Obsolete Golf Clubs
What is a mashie golf club? A mashie is an iron golf club with a rather wide blade used for medium distances and lofting a ball.
Mashies and niblicks were once popular golf clubs, now considered obsolete. A mashie had around 33-degree loft with a wooden shaft, used for approach shots, similar to modern 5- or 6-irons.
Old clubs before numbered woods and irons became standardized in the 1930s and ’40s included:
- Spoons
- Baffies
- Cleeks
- Jiggers
Sunday sticks were disguised as walking sticks, with heads that fit into palms, brought out when unobserved to play.
Pre-1900 clubs included:
- Brassie (brassie)
- Rut iron
- Niblick
The niblick was most lofted old iron.