The following golf timeline is the most extensive on the internet relating to golf equipment, but it is not all inclusive We continue to add to it with the last update on 3/19/7.  It is intended to include those events that were meaningful to the game, especially to the equipment. I have included a few other events or trivia that I thought were interesting. I wish I could say every entry is correct, but they can only be as correct as the source. We try and confirm each entry, but we recommend you do the same. We always appreciate updates, corrections, etc. We can provide a copy of most U.S. patents mentioned in this timeline for $1.00 per page.  These can be faxed or mailed.  Simply call us at the number above.

1350

·    "Kolfspel" played in Holland

1353

·    The first recorded reference to chole, the probable antecedent of golf. It is a derivative of hockey played in Flanders (Belgium).

1421

·    A Scottish regiment aiding the French against the English at the Siege of Bauge is introduced to the game of chole. Hugh Kennedy, Robert Stewart and John Smale, three of the identified players, are credited with introducing the game in Scotland.

1452

·    First recorded sale of a golf ball for ten shillings.

1457

·    Acts of James II yield earliest written reference to golf, banning ‘ye fut bawe and ye golf’ in favor of archery practice, reaffirmed in 1470 and 1491.

1470

·   The ban on golf is reaffirmed by the Parliament of James III.

1491

·   The golf ban is affirmed again by Parliament, this time under King James IV.

1502

·    With the signing of the Treaty of Glasgow between England and Scotland, the ban on golf is lifted.   

·    James IV makes the first recorded purchase of golf equipment, a set of clubs from a bow-maker in Perth, Scotland.

1504

·   First officially documented match is between King James IV and the Earl of Bothwell.

1506

·   For twelve golf balls for the King...4 shillings

1513

·    Queen Catherine of England, in a letter to Cardinal Wolsey, refers to the growing popularity of golf in England.

1527

·    The first commoner recorded as a golfer is Sir Robert Maule, described as playing on Barry Links (near the modern-day Carnoustie).

1550

·   The Documented reference of a John Daly playing with a wooden ball.

1552

·   The first recorded evidence of golf at St. Andrews.

1553

·    The Archbishop of St. Andrews issues a decree giving the local populace the right to play golf on the links at St. Andrews.

1567

·    Mary Queen of Scots found herself severely rebuked for playing golf at Seton House disrespectfully soon after the murder of her husband, Lord Darnley.

1589

·    Golf is banned in the Blackfriars Yard, Glasgow. This is the earliest reference to golf in the west of Scotland.

1592

·    The City of Edinburgh bans golfing at Leith on Sunday "in tyme of sermonis."

1602

·    Earliest known reference to a set of golf clubs being specially crafted for a particular golfer; the set was made for King James VI of Scotland.

1603

·    William Mayne a bow maker from Edinburgh is appointed by King James VI of Scotland (King James I of England) as the first Royal Warrant Holder as club maker.

1614

·    Cannon balls were described as bursting into fragments like golf balls, during the siege of a castle belonging to the Earl of Orkney

1618

·   James VI of Scotland (King James I of England) bans the import of balls from Holland and grants his subjects the right to play golf on Sundays.

·    James Melville awarded the patent for the feather stuffed ball by James IV, although many previous references have been made to the feathery. The ball was composed of three strips of leather stitched to form a case into which a large quantity of feathers would be forced with a stout stuffing iron to a size between 1.25 and 1.90 inches in diameter and weight of 1.75 to 1.88 ounces.

1621

·    First recorded reference to golf on the links of Dornoch (later Royal Dornoch), in the far north of Scotland.

1628

·   James Pett was making clubs in St. Andrews.

1641

·    Charles I is playing golf at Leith when he learns of the Irish rebellion, marking the beginning of the English Civil War. He finishes his round.

1642

·    John Dickson receives a license as ball-maker for Aberdeen, Scotland.

1659

·    Golf is banned from the streets of Albany, N.Y. - the first reference to golf in America.

1682

·    Leith was the scene of the first international golf match when the Duke of York and George Patterson playing for Scotland beat two English noblemen.

·    Andrew Dickson, carrying clubs for the Duke of York, is the first recorded caddy.

1687

·    A book by Thomas Kincaid, Thoughts on Golfe, contains the first references on how golf clubs are made.

1721

·    Earliest reference to golf at Glasgow Green, the first course played in the west of Scotland.

1724

·    "A solemn match of golf" between Alexander Elphinstone and Captain John Porteous becomes the first match reported in a newspaper. Elphinstone fights and wins a duel on the same ground in 1729.

1735

·   The first Golf Club established - Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh.

·   Andrew Bailey was making clubs in Edinburgh, Scotland.

1741

·   First written code of rules. Rule 1 stated: "You must tee your ball within a club's length of the hole."

1743

·   Thomas Mathison's epic The Goff is the first literary effort devoted to golf.

·   For the first time on record, golf equipment is shipped from Scotland to the American Colonies.

1744

·    The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers is formed, playing at Leith links. It is the first golf club.  First known rules of golf, formulated by Duncan Forbes for the Annual Challenge Edinburgh Silver Cup. The City of Edinburgh pays for a Silver Cup to be awarded to the annual champion in an open competition played at Leith. John Rattray is the first champion.

1754

·    St. Andrews Society of Fife, Scotland adopts first codified Rules of Golf with the exception of a ball must be dropped instead of teed when in watery lie.  

·    Royal and Ancient Golf Club established at St Andrews.  Golfers at St. Andrews purchase a Silver Cup for an open championship played on the Old Course. Bailie William Landale is the first champion.

1759

·    The earliest reference to stroke-play, at St. Andrews, Previously all play was match.

1764

·    The competition for the Silver Club at Leith is restricted to members of the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.  

·    The first four holes at St. Andrews are combined into two, reducing the round from twenty-two holes (11 out and in) to 18 (nine out and in). St. Andrews is the first 18-hole golf course, and sets the standard for future courses.

1766

·    The Blackheath Club becomes the first golf club formed outside of Scotland.

1767

·    The score of 94 returned by James Durham at St. Andrews in the Silver Cup competition sets a record unbroken for 86 years.

1768

·    The Golf House at Leith is erected. It is the first golf clubhouse.

1770

·    "Far" is yelled for the first time by Scottish reformer John Knox as his ball flies toward other players.  Due to his heavy Scottish accent it sounded like "fore" to an Englishman or American. It was meant to warn that his ball was going farther than he expected.

1773

·    Competition at St. Andrews is restricted to members of the Leith and St. Andrews societies.  

·    The Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh is formed.

1774

·    Thomas McMillan offers a Silver Cup for competition at Musselburgh. He wins the first championship. 

·    The first part-time golf course professional (at the time also the greenskeeper) is hired, by the Edinburgh Burgess Society.

1775

·    Rule 6, touching of balls was revised to mean within six inches of each other, this created the "Stymie", in which the player furthermost from the hole had to go first even if the other ball was an obstacle in line with the hole.

1780

·   The Aberdeen Golf Club (later Royal Aberdeen) is formed.

·   James McEwan opens his club service in Edinburgh.

1783

·   A Silver Club is offered for competition at Glasgow.

1786

·    The South Carolina Golf Club is formed in Charleston, the first golf club outside of the United Kingdom, but fails to last. 

·    The Crail Golfing Society is formed.

1788

·    The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers requires members to wear club uniform when playing on the links.

1797

·    The town of St. Andrews sells the land containing the Old Course (known then as Pilmor Links), to Thomas Erskine for 805 pounds. Erskine was required to preserve the course for golf.

c1800

·    R & A standardize the size of the feathery at a diameter of 1.5 inches and between 26 and 30 pennyweights.

1806

·    The St. Andrews Club chooses to elect its captains rather than award captaincy to the winner of the Silver Cup. Thus begins the tradition of the Captain "playing himself into office," by hitting a single shot before the start of the annual competition.

1810

·    Earliest recorded reference to a women's competition at Musselburgh.

1815

·    Allan Robertson (considered golf's first professional) was born.

1819

·    Earliest mention of a professional tournament referring to the tournament played at St Andrews September 22nd 1819.

·    Hugh Philp was appointed club maker to the Society of St. Andrew Golfers.

1820

·   The Bangalore Club is formed, the first club outside of the British Isles.

1824

·   The Perth Golfing Society is formed, later Royal Perth (the first club so honored).

1826

·    Robert Forgan of St. Andrews, Scotland begins using hickory, imported from the U.S., for his shafts. Ash or hazel had been most commonly used prior to the introduction of hickory

1829

·    The Calcutta Golf Club (later Royal Calcutta) is formed. The first club outside of Britain.

·    The first-known hole-cutter, a tool for cutting holes into the green is built at the Musselburgh links (now the Royal Musselburgh Golf Club). It cuts holes to a hole diameter of 4 1/4 inches, which will eventually be adopted as the worldwide standard.

1830

·    Turf mowing machine patented by E. Budding in England.

1832

·    The North Berwick Club is founded, the first to include women in its activities, although they are not permitted to play in competitions. 

·    Ransomes of Ipswich build the first mowers, though these are slow to catch on, sheep still being used to crop grass in America until the 1900’s.

·    Mowers made specifically for trimming golf course grass are manufactured, but many courses still use sheep to keep the grass from getting high.

1833

·    King William IV confers the distinction of "Royal" on the Perth Golfing Society; as Royal Perth it is the first Club to hold the distinction.

·   The St. Andrews Golfers ban the stymie, but rescind the ban one year later.

·   Willie Park is born in Wallyford, Scotland. He was to become one of the top players and clubmakers of his day.

1834

·   William IV grants St Andrews the title of Royal & Ancient.

1836

·    The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers abandons the deteriorating Leith Links, moving to Musselburgh. 

·    The longest drive recorded with a feathery ball, 361 Yards, is achieved by Samuel Messieux playing from the Hole O’ Cross green into Hells Bunker, St Andrews.

1842

·    The Bombay Golfing Society (later Royal Bombay) is founded.

1843

·    First samples of gutta-percha arrive in the UK.

1844

·    Blackheath follows Leith in expanding its course from five to seven holes. North Berwick also had seven holes, although the trend toward a standard eighteen has begun.

1847

·    James McEwan moves his headquarters to Musselburgh.

·    Alexander Munro, Aberdeen, Scotland's resident clubmaker dies. He is followed by Ludovic Sandison who has his shop at 118 King Street, Aberdeen.

·    John Patrick, a cabinetmaker begins club making at Leven, Scotland

1848

·    First mention of the gutta-percha ball. There is wide spread controversy as to the true origins of this ball, with Willie Dunn, Robert Patterson and William Smith among those credited with its invention. Gutta-percha, literally ‘gum-cloth’, would be cut into strips, softened in boiling water and rolled into balls. The balls would then be hardened in cold water and generally left to season for six months before being painted and finally used. Although this new ball did not perform significantly better than the feathery it had the advantage of being easy to make and therefore far cheaper. The new ball was also harder and caused damage to the wooden clubs of the time prompting a slow but gradual change in club design which continues to this day.

·    Allan Robertson, the most prolific feather ball maker in St. Andrews and Tom Morris' employer, found Tom golfing with a gutta percha ball. This displeased Allan greatly, and he made his displeasure known to Tom. Later that day Tom leaves Allen's employ and each go their own way.  Their friendship remains.

·    Robert "Bob" Ferguson is born in Musselburgh, Scotland. He would become one of the top players and clubmakers during the late 1800's.

1851

·    Willie Dunn is appointed keeper of the green at Blackheath.

·    The Prestwick Golf Club is founded.

·    Tom Morris moves to Prestwick where he lays out the course for the Prestwick Golf Club.  He becomes custodian of the links and also made clubs and balls. 

·    Tom Morris, Jr. is born at Prestwick. He was to become the greatest golfer of his era.

·    With the introduction of the gutta percha ball a new rule provided that if a ball broke up in flight another ball could be dropped without penalty where the largest piece was found.

1852

·   Hugh Philp’s nephew Robert Forgan takes over the family club making business.

1854

·   The clubhouse for the St. Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club opens.

1856

·    ‘Guttie composite’ is patented by Capt. D Stewart.  It is a combination of iron fillings, cork and gutta-percha.

·    First European golf club is established in Pau, France. 

·    Hugh Philp, clubmaker of St. Andrews Dies at 74 yrs.  He is known for creating wooden clubs with beautiful perfect graceful elegant lines.

·    The Royal Curragh Golf Club is founded at Kildare, the first golf club in Ireland. 

·    A rule change is enacted that, in match play, the ball must be played as it lies or the hole be conceded. It is the last recorded toughening of the rules structure.

1857

·    "The Golfer's Manual", by "A Keen Hand" (H.B. Farnie), is published. It is the first book on golf instruction. 

·    George Morris, brother of Old Tom Morris is appointed the first professional and clubmaker at Carnoustie. 

·    The Prestwick Club institutes the first Championship Meeting, a foursomes competition at St. Andrews is attended by eleven golf clubs. George Glennie and J.C. Stewart win for Blackheath.

·   Burt and Packard Shoe Company founded in Brockton, Mass. Soon thereafter named Field and Flint Company which will produce the Footjoy line of golf shoes.

1858

·    The format of the Championship Meeting is changed to individual match play and is won by Robert Chambers of Bruntsfield. 

·   The "Grand National Tournament" is played in Britain, the first national amateur championship and precursor to the British Amateur.

·    St. Andrews issues new rules for its members, and Rule 1 states, "one round of the Links or 18 holes is reckoned a match unless otherwise stipulated." This encourages other courses to convert to or be built to 18 holes in length.

·    Allan Robertson becomes the first golfer to break 80 at the Old Course, recording a 79.

1859

·   The first Amateur Championship is won by George Condie of Perth. 

·   Allan Robertson considered  the first great professional golfer dies.

1860

·    The Prestwick Club institutes a Professional Championship played at Prestwick; the first Championship Belt is won by Willie Park.

1861

·    The Professionals Championship is opened to amateurs, and the British Open is born. The first competition is won by Old Tom Morris.

1863

·    Robert Forgan and Son Ltd. appointed club maker to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales with early clubs being marked with the prince’s plume of feathers. When the prince became King Edward VII in 1901 Forgan begins using the crown mark.

1864

·    The North Devon Golf Club is founded at Westward Ho!

·    Tom Morris resigned his position with the Prestwick Golf Club due to being hired by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. Charles Hunter replaces Tom Morris at Prestwick as custodian and clubmaker.  He remains there until his death in 1921.

·    John Jackson, Perth clubmaker relocates his business from Prince Street to Athole Street and later to North Methven Street.

1865

·    Tom Morris is officially hired as the acting professional and "keeper of the Green" at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

1866

·    The Golfer’s Yearbook, is launched as the first annual golf publication. It is the only edition ever to be published.

·    Alexander Greig, a club and ball maker in St. Andrews has a shop at 22 Duke Street between 1866 and 1872.

·    John Allan, a native of Prestwick and clubmaker who learned under Tom Morris, becomes the first professional at Royal North Devon, Westward Ho! and remained there until 1886.

·    The automobile is invented.  This was to revolutionize transportation allowing golfers a means to travel to locations not covered by the rail network.

1867

·    The Ladies' Golf Club at St. Andrews is founded It is the first golf club for women.

·    Schuyer, Hartley, & Graham purchases two small cartridge companies in Bridgeport, Conn. which would become the Bridgeport Gun Implement Co. (B.G.I.). They begin making golf clubs in about 1898.

·    Tom Morris, Sr. opens golf shop in St. Andrews, across from the 18^th green on the Old Course.

1868

·    Young Tom Morris scores the first recorded hole-in-one on Prestwick's 8th hole during the Open Championship. 

1869

·   John "Jack" Morris son of George Morris who is Old Tom Morris' brother is hired as the first professional and clubmaker for the Royal Liverpool Golf Club (Hoylake).  He holds the position for 60 years until 1929. 

·   Tom Morris, Sr. makes his son, Tom Morris Jr. a partner in his club and ball making business.

·    Young Tom Morris age 17, wins the first of four successive British Open championships. His streak would include an 11-stroke victory in 1869 and a 12-stroke victory in 1870 (in a 36-hole format). His 149 in the 1870 British Open over 36 holes is a stroke average that would not be equaled until the invention of the rubber-cored ball.

c1870

·    Separate teeing areas introduced, introducing sand buckets for producing tees, previously players had teed off from the previous green at a distance of a few yards from the hole using sand from the hole to produce the tee.

·    Hand mowers become popular for mowing greens, and horse drawn mowers for rough and fairways (USA).

1870

·    Willie Dunn moves to Musselburgh and sets up his clubmaking business. 

·    Robert Ferguson has a club and ball making business at Links Place, Musselburgh, Scotland until 1876. 

·    Tom Dunn, son of Willie Dunn, Sr. starts his own clubmaking business at North Berwick. Almost immediately he accepts the position of professional and clubmaker to the London Scottish Golf Club, Wimbledon, England.

1871

·    Young Tom Morris wins his third consecutive British Open Championship, thus winning permanent passion of the belt. 

·    Willie Dunn opens golf shop in Musselburgh, Scotland

·    Wright & Ditson Co. of Boston, Mass. was started this year by George Wright and Henry Ditson. They imported their first golf clubs and balls about 1889.

1872

·    The British Open Championship is reinstituted when Prestwick, St. Andrews and the Honourable Company offer a new trophy, with the Open Championship to be hosted in rotation by the three clubs.  Young Tom Morris wins his fourth consecutive British Open Championship.

1873

·    The Royal Montreal Golf Club is formed, the first club in Canada and is also the oldest continuously operating golf club in North America.

·    The British Open is played over 18 holes at St.; Andrews for the first time.  The Claret Jug is first presented to the winner of the British Open for the first time replacing the "championship belt."

·    Thomas Manzie is hired as the professional and clubmaker at Crookham, Berkshire until 1875.

·    Young Tom Morris is married and within a year afterwards his wife died in childbirth.

1875

·    A niblick with a large hole bored through the face was designed by W. G. Roy of the Royal Musselburgh Golf Club to allow water, sand or mud to pass through the club head and thereby allow a clean contact with the ball. It was called the President and is believed to have been made by Tom Morris and later by Anderson of Anstruther.

·    Tom Morris, Jr. Dies on December 25th at age 24.

1876

·    A.G. Spalding and his brother James start a business manufacturing sporting goods using the name A.G. Spalding & Brother.  When his brother-in-law joins the firm the name is changed to A.G. Spalding & Bros. 

·    Thomas Johnston receives the first patent issued for a golf club. It was a British patent Number 2,683 dated June 29th.  We also have found a British patent number 3,228 issued the year to Capt. Duncan Stewart for a golf ball made of a combination of gutta percha, ground cork, and metal filings. It is also claimed to be the first patent for a golf ball.

·    Thomas Manzie succeeds Robert Kirk as professional and clubmaker to the Royal Blackheath Golf Club.  He was succeeded by C. Thomson in 1885.

1877

·    British patent number 4,838 is received by William Currie of the Caledonian Rubber Works of Edinburgh for a process of making golf balls from India-rubber combined with ground cork, leather, or vegetable fibers. The ball was named the Eclipse, but was also known as the "Putty." 

1878

·    The first University match is played at Wimbledon, won by Oxford.

1879

·    David Strath one of the top professionals and clubmakers dies from "consumption" at age 29.

·   The President iron or "ring mashie" is introduced.  It is an iron with a hole in the middle made to hit balls out of water.

1880

·    The use of moulds is instituted to dimple the gutta-percha ball. Golfers had long noticed that the guttie worked in the air much better after it had been hit several times and scuffed up.

1881

·     T. B. Forgan joins his father’s, Robert Forgan’s company.

·     Earliest reference to a mashie this year in John Forgan's "The Golfer's Handbook".

1883

·     James Anderson opens a clubmaking shop next to the shop of Tom Morris in St. Andrews.

1884

·    The Oakhurst Golf Club is founded at White Sulphur Springs. The first hole at The Homestead survives from this course and is the oldest surviving golf hole in America.

·    Willie Park, Jr. returns to work in his father's shop in Musselburgh. In the next few years Willie, Jr. takes over the shop due to his father's failing health.

·    W.F. "Willie Davis is the first Scottish professional to work in North America. He was employed by the Royal Montreal Golf Club.  His wages were one pound a week and he agreed: "I am to get all that I can earn for making and repairing clubs and balls."

1885

·    The Royal Cape Golf Club is founded at Wynberg, South Africa, the first club in Africa.

·    James Davidson receives British patent number 14,349 on November 23rd for "improvements in handles for lawn tennis, racquet, and cricket bats, and for golf clubs and other articles." It illustration on the patent only shows a tennis racquet.  This was the second British patent related to golf clubs.

1886

·    A.J. Balfour is appointed Chief Secretary (Cabinet Minister) for Ireland-his rise to political and social prominence has an incalculable effect on the popularity of golf, as he is an indefatigable player and catalyzes great interest in the game through his writing and public speaking.

1887

·    “The Art of Golf” by Sir Walter Simpson is published. It was the first instructional book with photos.

1888

·    The St. Andrews Golf Club is founded in Yonkers, N.Y., the oldest surviving golf club in America. 

·    Second European golf club established in Antwerp, Belgium. Golf begins to spread through the rest of Europe throughout the 1890’s.

1889

·    W. G. Bloxsom, and A. S. Douglas receives British patent number 12,941 on August 16th the first patent issued for a rubber tee. 

·    Walter H. Cook receives British patent number 363 on January 7th for "a novel application of pulped paper stock" which included golf clubs among other sports instruments like cricket bats.  This was the third British patent to apply to golf clubs.

·    Willie Park, Jr. receives the fourth British patent ever given for a golf club. It was a British patent number 5,042 dated March 23rd.  It was the first iron ever patented.

·    George Forrester of Elie, Earlsferry registered the design for the Concentrated Lofter. It was the first iron with the back shaped to concentrate the weight behind the ball, being slightly thicker at the exact center of the face and becoming progressively thicker as it approached the sole. 

c1890

·     First golf shoes introduced in the UK.

·    Introduction of the ‘Brassie’ on the underside of lofted woods to protect them on rough ground and of the ‘Mashie’, predecessor of the modern ‘5’ iron.

·    Willie Park patents the diamond mesh pattern for golf balls.

1890

·    Professor P. G. Tait of The University of Edinburgh’s physics department calculates the explanation of flight of golf balls.

·    William Bussey and Joseph Pinder of London received British patent number 16,953 on October 23rd. This was the first patent to deal with the neck joint of a wood.  It also covered a sewn grip and a two-piece iron head.

·    Golf, A Weekly Record of Ye Royal and Ancient Game first published. This was the first weekly magazine on golf, and still survives today under the title Golf Weekly. 

·    John Ball, an English amateur, becomes the first non-Scotsman and first amateur to win the British Open. 

·    Robert Brand receives British patent number 9,015 on June 11th for making wood shape heads from celluloid or xylonite.  

·    H. G. Alexander receives British Patent number 4,901 on March 28th for a mold that would make a sand tee.  It was bell shaped, made of wood with a handle.

·    Clubmaker James Anderson is listed as an employee of R. Forgan & Son until 1884.

·    Bogey is invented by Hugh Rotherham, as the score of the hypothetical golfer playing perfect golf at every hole. Rotherham calls this a "Ground Score," but Dr. Thomas Brown, honorary Secretary of the Great Yarmouth Club, christens this hypothetical man a "Bogey Man," after a popular song of the day, and christens his score a "Bogey." With the invention of the rubber-cored ball golfers are able to reach the greens in fewer strokes, and so bogey has come to represent one over the par score for the hole.

1891

·    Introduction of Scafe’s spikeless patent golf shoes and boots, using small rubber knobs to improve grip.

·    An iron head is found in inside a cornerstone dated 1682 with a coin dated 1682.  The iron head provides a gauge for dating other iron heads.

·    Time allowed in searching for a ball reduced from 10 to five minutes.

·    Alfred Schacht of Royal Blackheath Golf Club introduces "strap on" golf shoes, which fit over the golfers normal footwear employing spikes to increase traction.

·     W. Thomson patents the metal-faced wooden club.

·    Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is founded.

·    First advertisements for steel shafts although ruled nonconforming by both the USGA and the R&A.

·    In January Alexander M. Ross applied for British patent number 1,458 to cover his negative loft putter.  He abandon the application since golfer quickly rejected his putter.

·    Robert Anderson receives British patent number 3,794 dated March 3rd for socket joint woods.

·    The first patent for a metal wood was British patent number 5,741 granted to William Currie, Jr. on April 3rd.  It was for a clubhead made of brass filled with elastic material exposed on the face. It also calls for attaching the metal wood head to its shaft with a hosel socket formed like an iron's.  Mr. Currie was a manufacturer of India rubber in Edinburgh, Scotland.

·    J. Fisher receives British patent 6,501 on April 16th for a practice mat and rubber cup.

·     A British patent number 6,682 was granted to Frank Fairlie on April 18th for an iron with the bottom of the hosel bent forward to position the blade in front of the hosel.