Golf Historical Society of Canada
1346 Clyde Rd.
Cambridge, ON N1R 5S7
Rogers, Jeff (President)
About Me
I was first introduced to the game of golf back in the 1960’s when my Dad purchased a new set of golf clubs and handed his old set to me. He thought I might be interested in learning the game and he was correct. That was all the push I needed. Since I was lucky enough Dad was a member of The Oshawa Golf & Curling Club, I became a junior member there. I was fortunate to be able to play during the summer months between school years and managed to play right up through my university days as well. As I started my working career, several of my employers were involved with client golf events and I was offered chances to represent them at some excellent venues including The National, Scarborough G&CC, Glen Abbey, and St. George’s.
At some point in the late 1990’s, my Dad and I made a trip to The Golf Museum at Glen Abbey to which he donated a number of hickory clubs and a golf bag stand. I have no idea how he came about owning them. My interest in the game’s history was perked while walking through the display areas that day, and I do remember acquiring a hickory Calamity Jane putter a few years later which I kept in the bag with my steel set.
In the early 2000’s, I was at a yard sale and purchased a ragtag hickory set of Spalding Kro Flite irons and mismatched woods. I discovered the GHSC on-line and my first event with these clubs was at BraeBen in Mississauga in 2011. I left them in the talented hands of Paul Deitz (“The Golf Club Doctor”) who reset and re-gripped them for me and I have used them right up until last season. That one game at BraeBen got me smitten with golf all over again and I never looked back. I readily admit that I now enjoy playing with hickories more than with my modern clubs and look forward to new travel adventures involving both old golf courses and old hickory clubs. This was the way that the game was designed to be played and just like fine Scotch, the recipe simply doesn’t need to be changed.
Jeff Rogers
Collecting Interests
The best word to describe my collecting interests would be eclectic. I have, however, focused on hickory clubs with cleek marks naming early Canadian Professionals, thereby celebrating golf’s great history in Canada. I’m also proud of a few very early trophies and Sabbath Sticks that I have been fortunate to add to my collection.
If I had to identify one special item, it would be a small handful of sea shells that I brought back from the walking path on Prestwick’s 5th hole (“Himalayas”) during a recent golf trip to Scotland.
My Historical Play Sets
I’ve been able to assemble a good collection of Stewart hickory irons including a 2, 3, 4 iron, Mashie and Sammy Iron, Mashie Niblick, Spade Mashie, Niblick and Sand Iron. I have a Carolina Hickory 12 degree Driver, generic 16-degree spoon and generic 21-degree wooden Cleek. My putter is a Hugh Logan Spalding Cherokee Mallet putter.
I’ve had a lot of fun putting this set together and hope to have just as much fun learning to become proficient using them.
My Favourite Courses
I’ve also been very fortunate to do some travelling since I retired and have taken full advantage of it with trips to Scotland and Monterey.
Nothing compares to the feeling of walking down the first fairway at Royal Troon in a cold driving rain with a bag of hickories over your shoulder and the realization that this was the exact scenario that Vardon and Ray experienced. It gave me goosebumps.
Closer to home, the traditionalist in me has to give the nod to St. Georges and Rosedale.
GHSC Participation
I joined the GHSC in 2011 and instantly enjoyed playing hickory golf with my new like minded friends. I am a very lucky guy indeed in that I also have a wife who tolerates this golf obsession of mine. The camaraderie and history provided a strong draw as did the list of great courses and fun events that we played each season.
I joined the Board of Directors in 2016 and have enjoyed time spent with this great group of people. They have taught me how to re-grip and whip a mashie, re-pin a putter, and refinish a cleek. They taught me about managing the nuances of arranging a hickory tournament and the differences between Plus Fours and Knickers.
But my best take away from the Board has been its fostering my genuine appreciation for the history of golf in Canada and encouraging me to do whatever I can to continue to generate interest in golf’s roots.