Official SoHG Equipment Guidelines

Equipment Guidelines

Modern Era Events

Updated March 2025

The SoHG approves the following equipment for play in its tournaments and sanctioned events:

1) Antique Wood Shafted Clubs

This category is for equipment whose club heads were made prior to 1935 (PRIOR to Dec. 31, 1934). Antique clubs may be “updated” (restored) for play as follows:

Club heads may be reattached with modern glues.
Wood heads may have an insert installed into the club face using a technique that is in period.
Clubs may be re-shafted with period or new shafts.
Clubs may have weight added.
Grips original to the club may continue to be used and, in addition, grips salvaged from another original club may be reapplied for use. Also, new replacement grips replicating grips of the pre-1935 era are allowed.
1. This guideline specifically disallows any modern “slip-on” rubber or similar type grip regardless of design of the grip surface.
2. Temporary “wraps” – typical of tennis and hockey – are allowed. They are not considered a proper replacememt for applying a new in-period” replica grip, but are allowed as a temporary aid for gripping the club. It is expected that these wraps be of a color in keeping with colors available in grips pre-1935.
Wood heads may have a metal faceplate (known as an “spring face”) attached over the club head’s existing club face using a material and techniques that are in period. (Note: The “spring face” was an equipment “improvement” offered by several club companies. It was first patented by Currie in 1891 and used by Spalding on its Model-R wood. By 1902, a comany sold a face repair kit with a metal faceplate and two screws.)
Generally, any repair or restoration that would have been performed during the pre-1935 era will be approved for use.
Any question about repairs, renovations or restorations can be answered by the Equipment Committee. Robert Ahlschwede is the current Equipment Chair – swedeberger@gmail.com.

2) Replica Wood Shafted Clubs

This category is for equipment made to replicate, as nearly as possible, clubs that were made prior to 1935. A complete list of currently approved clubs follows:

Tad Moore Hickory Classics
Hickory golf clubs offered by Tad Moore are approved for SoHG play unless it is noted in his catalogs that a particular club is not approved.
Louisville Golf Co.
Hickory golf clubs offered by Louisville Golf are approved for SoHG play unless it is noted in its catalogs that a particular club is not approved.
St. Andrews Golf Company
Hickory golf clubs offered by the St. Andrews Golf Co. are approved for SoHG play unless it is noted in its catalogs that a particular club is not approved.
BTI Co. (playhickorygolf.com)
Players Special Edition of RTJ irons
Players Special Edition of Spalding/Wright & Ditson “Special Niblick”

3) Individual Replicated Clubs

This area is for clubs replicated by individuals not associated with established club making companies. Approved clubs will be listed as they are submitted and approved. Such list will be available and maintained on the SoHG website or may be obtained from the SoHG Equipment Committee.

Russ Fisher – MacGregor World Win Series – driver, 2WD, brassie, 2WB, spoon, 2WS. Each club head and shaft will bear the maker’s mark and the series number.
Zayden Alexander Fine Putters by Jeremy Wright – 1) the Orion putter replica; 2) Macanudo, replica of an early MacGregor brass putter.
Jay Harris – Driver and a brassie replicating two MacGregor heads, with the “Hickory Nut” stamp on the head

4) Retrofitted Clubs

This category was created for clubs that were made PRIOR to Dec. 31, 1934. Any wood headed club manufactured or designed prior to 1935, regardless of shaft material originally installed at time of manufacture may be retrofitted with a wooden shaft and be permitted for play in SoHG sanctioned events. Players must establish – independently or through the retrofitter or seller of these clubs – that the heads were indeed offered before 1935. No golf club designed and manufactured after Jan. 1, 1935 will be allowed in this category.

No irons (iron headed clubs with steel shafts) have been approved to be retrofitted with a wood shaft for play. It should be noted, however, that during the transition from wood to steel shafts, some irons were shafted with a steel shaft using an adapter in the wood shaped hosel(hosel diameter is the determining factor). Those irons, being manufactured for wood shafts can easily be re-shafted with a wood shaft.

5) List of Approved Equipment Repairs, Renovations & Restorations

The following repairs, renovations, restorations are approved for clubs played in SoHG events:

Club heads may be reattached with modern glues.
Wood heads may have an insert installed into the club face using a technique that is in period.
Clubs may be re-shafted with period or new shafts.
Clubs may have weight added.
Using currently available finishing and plating technology on clubs that are already approved for play, both original and authentic reproductions, is not deemed to make the clubs non-conforming.
Grips original to the club may continue to be used and, in addition, grips salvaged from another original club may be reapplied for use. Also, new replacement grips replicating grips of the pre-1935 era are allowed.
1. This guideline specifically disallows any modern “slip-on” rubber or similar type grip regardless of design of the grip surface.
2. Temporary “wraps” – typical of tennis and hockey – are allowed. They are not considered a proper replacement for applying a new in-period” replica grip, but are allowed as a temporary aid for gripping the club. It is expected that these wraps be of a color in keeping with colors available in grips pre-1935.
Wood heads may have a metal faceplate (known as an “spring face”) attached over the club head’s existing club face using a material and techniques that are in period. (Note: The “spring face” was an equipment “improvement” offered by several club companies. It was first patented by Currie in 1891 and used by Spalding on its Model-R wood. By 1902, a company sold a face repair kit with a metal faceplate and two screws.)

Generally, any repair, renovation or restoration that would have been performed during the pre-1935 era will be approved for use.

Any questions concerning repairs, renovations or restorations can be answered by the Equipment Committee.

Rob Ahlschwede, Equipment Committee Chair – swedeberger@gmail.com

6) Long-Shafted Putters

As there is no rule forbidding the use of long putters today and there is evidence of the use of long-shafted putters in the past – with and without an anchor point – the SoHG feels there is no need to make a rule or guideline about the use of such a club. The heads of submitted long putters should, of course, meet the SoHG guidelines on shape and size. This guideline does not apply to Gutta-Percha era play, also known as pre-1900 play, where such a club is not allowed.

7) Golf Balls

The following types of balls are approved for SOHG-sanctioned events:

All USGA-approved golf balls.
All USGA-approved balls that have been “re-molded” to replicate balls and the surface patterns from the pre-1935 era. That could include bramble, square mesh, line-cut, vintage round, and others not listed.

All balls offered by McIntyre Golf Company and Tad Moore Hickory Classics fit the above category and are approved for play, as well as older versions offered in the past by Play Hickory Inc.

The ball called the “Classic” offered by Brian Schuman has been approved for play in events following SoHG guidelines. The “Classic” is not re-molded, but manufactured with the original ATTI dimple pattern that was developed around 1910.

Individuals who re-mold balls for their own use are reminded to use USGA-approved balls and be prepared to show proof to avoid disqualification in SoHG-sanctioned events.

Clubs and balls that fall outside the above-mentioned criteria are not approved for tournament play by the SoHG and are discouraged from being used. Members of the SoHG should verify that their guests, or potential new members be equipped with clubs and balls that fall into one of the preceding categories.

Approval of Clubs for Play

The SoHG Equipment Committee will review, in a timely manner, any club or club renovation submitted for approval to be used in hickory tournament play. Requests for equipment approval should be made through the chairman of the Equipment Committee; a form is available on the SoHG website that can be used for this purpose. Upon completion of the review process, the committee chairman will respond to and will explain the final decision to the submitting party.

The SoHG Board of Directors and general membership will be apprised of all decisions regarding equipment approval or disapproval. This will happen via the website, the official SoHG publication or the United States Postal Service.

Finally, clubs and balls that fall outside the above mentioned criteria are not approved for tournament play by the SoHG and are discouraged from being used. Members of the SoHG should verify that their guests, or potential new members, be equipped with clubs that fall into one of the preceding categories.

Club Limit for Tournament Play

There will be no limit on the number of clubs a competitor may carry.

Equipment Guidelines

Gutta-Percha Ball Era Events

Updated January 2025

These guidelines are a framework that organizers may use to create their own rules for Gutta-Percha ball events. They are not considered “hard and fast” rules. Event organizers are welcome to use them as needed. It is important that individual event organizers/directors set the “Rules of Competition” and then publish those rules well in advance of their event so all participants have full knowledge of what is and what is not allowed.

The Gutta-Percha Ball Era

The Gutta-Percha ball was introduced in 1848 and played by everyone almost immediately. The end date of the Gutta-Percha era corresponds with Sandy Herd’s Open victory in 1902 when, using the new Haskell ball, he defeated Harry Vardon who still was using the Gutta-Percha. Herd was outdriving Vardon by a considerable distance. A smart competitor, Vardon switched to the new rubber core ball and won the following year’s Open. Other champions – like the Smith brothers – switched from the Gutta-Percha to the new ball in that same year. For our purposes, the Gutta-Percha ball era spans 1850-1902-03. Certainly many players still used the Gutta-Percha after that date, but the golﬁng mainstream quickly went with the “new” ball.

Many refer to “Gutty Ball Golf” as “Pre-1900” golf. That date is an arbitrary one applied only for its ease as a general description. Gutta-Percha ball golf cannot be tied to specific dates.

Clubs

Woods – Long-nosed, semi long-nosed, transitional woods and “compressed heads” should be allowed. The head should be connected to the shaft with a scare or splice. Socket heads were not available during the Gutta-Percha ball era and should not be allowed. Face decoration such as lines, crosshatching, inserts, and the like, are of no consequence for woods.

Irons – Irons must be smooth-faced. Random dot punching, lines and other face markings should be disallowed as the use of face scoring of any type was not important until later in the development of golf equipment.

Speciﬁc non-conforming clubs labeled as pitcher, spade mashie, or sand iron are examples of clubs that date from the 20th century and should not be allowed. One interesting exemption is the jigger. There is evidence that the ﬁrst jiggers were introduced in the mid-1890s and thus would be allowed for Gutta-Percha play. The trick is trying to find a smooth-faced jigger as that club came into common production only later in the 20th century. A jigger with face scoring of any type should not be allowed.

Dating clubs is a challenge. Essentially, any smooth-faced iron should be acceptable for a Gutta-Percha event as these were made well into the 20th century.

Putters, putting irons or putting cleeks – Maker/style should be contemporary with 19th century design and use.

Wood putters – Any wood head putter of the long-nosed or semi long-nosed shape (whether splice or heel shafted) should be allowed, including modern replicas of the same type. Center-shafted putters should not be allowed as that idea was not introduced until the rubber core ball era.

Standard Golf Company’s Mills type aluminum putters were just coming on line in the Gutta-Percha ball era. Specifically, the L.W. model (1898), the Y model (1901), and the L model (1902). These were produced in limited editions and only a few are known to still exist.

Other Mills putters available in the Gutta-Percha ball era are the X, KS, KL, the K, and the Y. All of these will be stamped “The Standard Golf Company.” Mills himself released four models on his own in 1897 – Ku, YM, KSu and the Yu. They are extremely rare as only a few were made and some are not to be found.

All other Mills/Standard Golf Company putters date from the rubber core ball era and should not be used in Gutta-Percha ball competitions.

Grips

There is no regulation/guideline covering the size (diameter) of grips in the Gutta-Percha ball era. Grips of non-uniform taper or grips with “reminder” ridges should be allowed. There were many types of grips used in the Gutta-Percha era: shaped wood (no covering), leather wraps, gauze type material, rubberized cloth, and plain cloth, as well as other tape-like materials. Every kind of gripping material was used with the exception of the modern slip-on rubber grips.

Shafts

All shafts are expected to be of wood. Other shaft material – steel core covered with a wood veneer, for example – should not be allowed.

Replicas

Approved replica/reproduction clubs are available for use; see the list of approved clubs. There may be other modern day club makers who are not listed but who also replicate Gutta-Percha ball era clubs. If such clubs are found to be conforming, event organizers are encouraged to embrace them should they choose.

Balls

Individual event directors will determine the balls to be used in their events. There are many replica gutties and other limited-ﬂight balls on the market.

Tees

Gutta-Percha competitions are encouraged to use sand tees on the teeing ground. Sand is readily available at most golf courses by prior arrangement. If this is impractical, an event organizer may permit use of manufactured tees at their discretion.

Bags & Club Carriers

Club carriers and carry bags were being manufactured and sold in the Gutta-Percha ball era and their use can be permitted. They should be, if at all possible, typical of the era (small in diameter, of leather or canvas or similar). Event organizers may exercise discretion as to their use. Club carriers such as patented caddie stands from the 19th century and clasp-carriers should also be allowed.

Other Considerations

There was no limit on the number of clubs during the Gutta-Percha ball era; most players, however, carried only 5-8 clubs during play. Alteration or repair of an original or authentic replica club should be permitted. Adding weight, re-gripping and re-shafting are good examples. It is suggested that equipment be inspected in an approved manner before an event to ensure a fair competition.