Antique Golf Clubs from Scotland: Clubmakers

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Clubmakers

George Nicoll
Leven

George Nicoll began the business in 1881 and used a 'hand of friendship' as his cleek mark. This symbol was used, in various forms, throughout the hundred and two years of the company's history, and clubs can be dated effectively by looking at the form used.

In 1898 the company received what the local papers considered the largest single order ever placed with a clubmaker when the Forth Rubber Company ordered 10,000 clubheads. Nicoll had recently moved to larger premises and ordered new equipment, perhaps in anticipation of this business.

Other than its long history, the company is known for its patent leather-faced cleek of 1892. This was supposed to absorb some of the impact of striking the hard guttie ball and protect a player's hands. Other notable innovations included a 'fluted-face' pitcher, a ribbed face made around the end of the first world war when deep grooves were added to clubs to increase backspin, and later designated illegal by the R&A, and later, in 1926, with the Indicator series, the first ever set of matched irons. Indicator was the name as each club was marked with its yardage.

He died in April 1945 at the age of 83.

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