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Antique Golf Clubs from Scotland
Clubmakers
Martin and Kirkaldy
Edinburgh
Martin and Kirkaldy The Kirkaldy in the name is Andrew Kirkaldy, a well-known player who tied for the Open Championship in 1889 but lost the playoff to Willie Park jnr. He was also runner-up in 1879 and 1891. Born in Denhead in 1860, he was the professional at Royal Winchester in 1892 but returned to St Andrews where he was a playing professional until appointed as honorary professional to the R&A in 1910. He died in 1934. As well-known for his outspoken comments as his golf, his description of Muirfield as an 'old water meadow' must have gone down a treat with the Honourable Company. His analysis of the Dalrymple centre-shafted club patent was, 'I'd sooner play golf with a teaspoon'. He was particularly irked by those who added a "c" in his surname, "I'm a man, no the linoleum toon', he would snort.

Martin was Robert Bell Martin, a native of Linlithgow who had been professional at the Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline clubs in the first years of the twentieth century. An accomplished clubmaker, he previously managed Walter Hislop's “Golf Depots” selling clubs and balls from three outlets, 33 Frederick Street and 28 Braid Road and, later, Shandwick Place. He teamed up with Andrew Kirkaldy (and W B Kirkwood, solicitor) in 1908 to set up the Edinburgh firm which bore their name with £1500 capital and which had premises initially at Young Street Lane South and, in the mid-1920s, at 70 Hanover Street. He was the founder of the Scottish Professional Golfers' Association and one-time secretary of the PGA. He emigrated to Australia in 1911.

The firm clearly continued without the two principals as it is October 1940 before we find the final striking off and dissolution notice in the Edinburgh Gazette.

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