Auchterlonie

Description

A transitional spliced neck spoon made by Auchterlonie of St Andrews, with beech head stamped AUCHTERLONIE/MADE TO PATTERN, horn insert, face with criss cross pattern, lead backweight, brass sole plate, original hickory shaft, leather grip.

The head has scratches and bumps but the club as a whole is tight and solid, circa 1898.

David and William Auchterlonie were brothers born in St Andrews, both working for Forgan. After completing their apprenticeships they set up business, in 1892, with AW Crosthwaite, another apprentice of Forgan’s. He soon dropped out, next to be seen as one of Forgan’s workmen in 1895. Thereafter the brothers continued as D&W Auchterlonie, employing 16 men, some of whom were cleekmakers. They followed the Forgan example of not only supplying iron and wood clubs, but also of stamping their heads and shafts with the Auchterlonie name. The clubs were all handmade and they soon established a reputation for churning out clubs to the highest order. Willie was a formidable golfer and won the Open Championship in 1893; he was also a teacher of good repute. But it was as a maker that he was most interested and he came to dominate the firm. They were too late to have made long nosed clubs but they did make scared head bulgers and forged a reputation for making fine wooden putters, some of which were made with scared joints until 1930. Willie became professional to the R&A and was elected an Honorary Member and Honorary Curator of the museum collection.