Probably more antique golf collections have started with a version of this club than any other so, if you are buying for a partner with whom you share a house, this is potentially a gateway drug.

The Braid -Mills putter, in aluminium, was a copy of James Braid’s favourite traditional wooden head putters, this model has a slightly shortened head compared to the first version. This one is in excellent condition: straight shaft and, most importantly, no hairline cracks on the hosel. Eminently playable and who would argue against the putting of a five time Open champion. The previous owners of this club were probably not so successful and seem to have thought that putting success was only one grip change away as the club has had innumerable grips on it, this last one being a sheepskin replacement.

This club is removed slightly from the ordinary by being marked for William Gibson of Kinghorn. That firm may have added the shaft but the head, like all the aluminium putters, was made by the Standard Mills company in Sunderland. The top of the head has “Standard Golf Co Sunderland”, in curved form, around “Mills 1_1622 Patent” (the missing digit probably being “5”). This is not the usual patent number associated with this model but the range of numbers on Mills clubs between which I find no discernible difference is quite bewildering, It is also stamped “Wm Gibson & Co Ltd Scotland Kinghorn” within an oval. The base is marked with the Gibson star and “Braid-Mills 1915 model Medium Lie 10 ozs/6 dms”.

Price $95.00 Reference: PUT504