Antique Golf Clubs from Scotland: Clubmakers

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Clubmakers

Alexander Aitken
Gullane
Alexander Aitken was born in Fountainbridge in Edinburgh but, as a teenager, lived with his family opposite Bruntsfield Links where he learned to golf. A few doors down was Douglas McEwan where he acquired his clubmaking skills.

In 1892 he opened a clubmaking business in Morningside Road, sharing the premises with his father's upholstery business. That same year he opened a branch of his business on the Portrush links in Ireland where he was represented by two clubmakers, one of whom, presumably, being his brother, John

In 1896 he became the first clubmaker appointed by the Royal Burgess Golfing Society in Edinburgh and he opened another shop beside their clubhouse in Barnton.

He had already opened a shop in Gullane, at 3 Brighton Terrace in 1893, and moved there permanently in 1897. He was a very fine clubmaker as is immediately apparent as soon as you pick up one of his clubs, During his time in Gullane he made a set of clubs for A J Balfour the Prime Minister described in the press as 'the finest set of golf clubs ever made'.

I have seen correspondence from him regarding manufacture of steel-shafted clubs dated 1935 so he was still making clubs then. His death notice in The Scotsman in March 1949 describes him as 'clubmaker' rather than 'retired clubmaker’. Now these notices are entered by family so there is no standard format but, at 79, he could still conceivably have been in business.

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