LATE 17TH CENTURY EARLY 18TH CENTURY

The spur-toe iron is considered to be the earliest of iron golf clubs. The spur toe was provided to help the clubhead cut through the rough to gather the ball. By the late 17th Century it would seem that the spur toe had disappeared and the square toe became more of the fashion. There are six known spur toe irons, four are heavy irons with deep blades and the other, a small-headed club. One is in the Royal Troon collection at the British Golf Museum in St. Andrews. Two are in the Royal Musselburgh collection. When offered for sale in 1998 the club was described as 'being one of two from a group where the rivet is at right angles to the norm. This group, being the earliest, is also the rarest so it is unlikely that another such iron will ever be sold. This club being the only 'light' iron recorded is the most desirable to the very serious collector that has ever come to the market.' James, the 5th Earl of Wemyss (1699-1756), is synonymous with the earliest days of golf. He was one of the twenty-two noblemen and gentlemen who, on 22 May 1754, contributed to a silver club to be played for annually over the links of St. Andrews. This competition was initially open to all golfers, as had been that of the Leith golfers in 1744, whose rules the St. Andrew's golfers used almost without change and thus began the foremost club in both Scottish golf history and world golf in general.