Golfing Eighteen Blog

Titanium was discovered in 1791 by the Reverend William Gregor, an English pastor. The first game of golf was played in 1456 at Bruntsfield Links, located in Edinburgh, Scotland. So golf was played about 335 years before titanium was discovered, yet titanium has been around for billions of years.

History of Titanium   

Pure titanium was first produced in 1910 by Matthew A Hunter, an American metallurgist. Titanium makes up about one percent of the earth’s crust and is the ninth most frequently found element in the earth’s crust. Titanium’s Atomic number is 22, and its atomic weight is 47.867.

It will melt at 3034 degrees F or boil at 5949 F. Its element classification is metal, and its name originates from the Greek word “Titans,” the mythological “first sons of the Earth.” Titanium oxide is used as a pigment to create white paint and accounts for the largest use of the element.

History of Golf and Golf Clubs

The word golf derives from the Scottish word “goulf” meaning to “strike or cuff”. Golf courses have not always had eighteen holes. In the early 15th century St. Andrews Golf Club played a total of 22 holes. Actually the course had 11 featured holes laid out end to end from the clubhouse to the far end of the property. Once these were completed the player played the holes in reverse back to the clubhouse. In 1764, course officials, reacting to players’ complaints that several holes were too short, combined them, thereby reducing the total to 18.

Wood was used in the construction of the head and shaft until the early 1930s when metal made its introduction. People loved the improved durability, lighter weight, and increased distance on their drives.

Titanium Golf Clubs      

In the early 1970s, the use of titanium to build golf club heads began. A few years later graphite shafts were combined with those titanium golf club heads to produce some of the longest drives golfers had ever seen.

Why Titanium Golf Clubs?

Titanium is a very strong and light metal which is stronger than aluminum but as strong as steel. It is 45% lighter than steel and only 60% heavier than aluminum, making it perfect for building golf clubs with. Titanium is not easily corroded by salt water, so if you play a “links” course on a regular basis, your clubs will not gradually deteriorate over time. Titanium is also used in airplanes, missiles, and rockets, because of its resistance to high temperatures, its low weight, and its high strength.

Anyone interested in learning about the history of the golf club will need to turn his or her attention to the east coast of Scotland where the earliest and most primitive forms of golf clubs were first used, and they should not be surprised to learn that in the beginning the clubs were rather odd and the game was played haphazardly as well as casually. Thus, in those early days, the clubs were carved out of wood by the players themselves though with time these players became more accomplished and skilled in producing better golf clubs and other equipment.

King James IV Of Scotland

Perhaps the first reference to golf clubs as recorded in the history of the golf club is when clubs were specially made for King James IV of Scotland by a bow maker who was specially commissioned to make them as early as the year 1502, and much later, King James became ruler of England as well and that was when he appointed William Mayne in the year 1603 who was designated as a royal maker of clubs, and so, during those years it was only Mayne’s clubs that were exclusively licensed throughout United Kingdom and used by most golfers of the time.

Then, after many changes the history of the golf club took another step forward when in the year 1826 a person named Robert Forgan from Scotland changed the way golf clubs were made by using American hickory from which to make the golf club shaft. As expected, these new types of golf clubs became very popular even in spite of competition from other golf club makers.

Then, the history of the golf club moved forward once more when in the year 1848 the Rev. Adam Pearson came up and invented the Guttie ball which soon made the older golf balls obsolete and thus had a profound effect on the types of golf clubs being used. Thus, at the end of the nineteenth century, the history of the golf club showed a new type of golf club which was now being made from imported American persimmon that was soon to completely replace the beech and several other types of hard wood from which golf club heads were being made.

Aluminum club heads too became popular at this point of time in the history of the golf club and the reason was because hand-forging metal club heads were the traditional way of making the golf clubs at that time, though in the year 1902, there were introduced groove-faced irons to help the golfer achieve more backspin and so another change took place in the history of the golf club.

However, it was not until the year 1929 that the Prince of Wales used steel shafted golf clubs after which the popularity of steel golf clubs made them the first choice and this in turn marked a radical new change as recorded in the history of the golf club. From that time on till the present, many other changes too have taken place and much improvement has made the golf club a very potent weapon in the hands of the modern golfer and which is a far cry from the ancient wooden clubs with which the game was first played.

When people hit the links for the first time, they have an idea of whether or not they are going to enjoy the challenge of the game of golf. However, before running out and plopping down several hundred dollars on the nest clubs that fit their budget, they may want to consider buying a golf club starter set until they know they want to continue with the sport. Although a spouse, neighbor or friend probably has a boat load of used clubs lying around the house, but trying to learn to play with clubs with old worn out grips is like learning to drive a car with no tires on the wheels.

In most cases, a golf club starter set can be bought for around $100 and if later you decide the game is too stressful for you, or not what you thought it was you can always save them for a younger relative who may have shown an interest in the game. At worst, a few years later you toss them out and you are out $100.

Typically, a golf club starter set will contain a driver and one fairway wood, a couple two or three mid range irons and a putter. Some may include a wedge and a cheap bag, but most contain five or six of the most commonly used clubs. If you are not happy with the clubs contained in a golf club starter set, you can also buy them one at a time and put together your own set.

Remember That Size Matters With Golf Clubs

Most of the golf club starter sets sold in discount stores will be less expensive than in a pro shop or sporting goods store, but they are made to accommodate the average person. If you are considerably taller, or shorter than average, putting together your own golf club starter set may be a better idea.

The length of the shaft is probably the most important consideration for someone just learning the game. Clubs that are too long may spend a lot of time buried in the turf. On the flip side a golf club starter set that is too short will find the head flying over the ball or topping it, burying it in the ground in front of the tee. Either way, the new golfer will quickly become exasperated with the game and walk away without really knowing if they enjoy it or not.

Are you torn between using a golf club caddy and a human caddy? Most golfers have a love hate relationship with their caddies. Have you encountered a talkative caddy who disrupts your concentration? Or a caddy you listens to your conversations? How about a caddy who buts in to your discussions?

Having a caddy can be very convenient. Someone holds and carries your golf bag for you, and even give you tips for which clubs are best for certain areas in the course; but is they really worth the nuisance? There is a new invention that can help. A golf club caddy is useful for golfers who find that having a human caddy can sometimes become a bother.

Golf Club Caddy Classification

Golf club caddy has numerous standards. It can be as small as a clothes pin used to help a golf club stand on its own on the green or fairway, to prevent it from falling over and getting dirty. Golf club caddy can also be a combination of a one piece golf club carrier with a golf stand adaptor. It includes a reinforcing rib, located on the interior of the hollow body opposite the throat extending a short distance from the said throat and radially inward part going to the center of the body

Some inventors also made a golf club caddy that’s a combination a golf club carrier and golf stand adaptor that has a golf ball retainer pocket in between the hand grip and the throat which accepts at least one golf ball. The slot means is also provided along one side of the golf ball pocket for easy removing of the ball by contacting the ball through the slot and sliding the ball toward the front of the carrier and out of the golf ball pocket.

Other invention of golf club caddy is a light weight combination of a golf club carrier and support stand adaptor with wheels. So that golf clubs can easily be carried or rolled thought out the golf course. The clubs can also be quickly and easily be arranged from a standing position when they are placed in the location with the grip ends on the ground.

With larger, bigger and more intricate golf courses being made, the need for golf club caddy has grown. Choosing to have a golf club caddy can be convenient because the golfer can roll his golf bags around the course all by himself.

Even with the presence of caddies, golf club caddy has become a standard. It eases the duties and the burden of having the caddies carry the golfer’s bag around. So whichever way you may turn, golf club caddy is here to stay.

A golf club is an implement of death and destruction used to carry out the necessary cutting motions involved in playing the game of golf. Many people turn their backs on a golf club because all they see is the tool used to play an elitist game and a symbol of something that could even come to represent a separation of the classes. But with golf catching on in high schools, inner cities, and amusement parks all over the United States the time has come to appreciate the flexibility of the golf club and also explain why everyone should carry one in their car.

In most cases a spontaneous game of golf is not going to break out on the thruway as you are driving home so you may be wondering at what the potential practical uses of the golf club could be outside of the golf course. Some of these uses are obvious and others not so obvious but once you put your mind to it you are certain to realize a myriad of uses for the golf club that do not involve paying for greens fees.

First of all if you ever get locked out of your own house you can use a golf club as a way of getting in to your home and unlocking the door for the rest of the family. Of course the replacement of the front room window may cost considerably more than just calling a locksmith but in the end you have found instant gratification from using a golf club outside of the golf course.

This concept also applies to getting into your car after you have locked your keys in there but that requires you to use the golf club as a sort of cane and keep it with you at all times. People may question the logic of such an act but when they see the quick and swift way in which you retrieve your keys from a locked vehicle they are sure to appreciate the idea as they are fleeing in terror.

Gardening and Other Jobs Around the House

A golf club would also make an inexpensive weed wacker for your lawn and the process of removing weeds with your golf club can also act as your exercise for the day. It all rolls together into one nice little package if you really let your mind go.

You can use it to remove that nasty hornet’s nest from under your roof although you may want to wear long sleeves for that. It can also be handy at removing icicles from your roof as well but this requires a higher level of safety preparation that you may not be inclined to participate in. If that is the case then you may want to pass on the icicle removal.

So as you can see the common golf club has many uses outside of the golf course and don’t forget that a well swung club can also act as a deterrent to crime as well. But, as with any vigilante act, please take caution before attempting to take the law into your own hands.