THE world’s oldest golf club maker says it faces a ‘challenge’ to find new people to learn the traditional skills and keep the craft alive.
St. Andrews Golf Company was established in 1881 and is now Scotland’s last remaining golf club manufacturer.
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St. Andrews Golf Company was established in 1881 and is now Scotland’s last remaining golf club manufacturerCredit: SWNS
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The company produces around 2,000 individual clubs per yearCredit: SWNS
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They have a team of three full-time clubmakers and three part-timersCredit: SWNS
It is home to three brands – George Nicoll, Tom Stewart, and St. Andrews Golf clubs.
Led by chairman Hamish Steedman, the company prides itself on being the last clubmaker in the world to use traditional skills to craft both modern clubs and vintage-style hickory clubs.
The company produces around 2,000 individual clubs per year, with a team of three full-time clubmakers and three part-timers.
But as staff retire, Hamish says the company faces challenges with finding and training new staff in the art.
Hamish, who has been with the company for 25 years, said: “We are the oldest continuous manufacturers in the world.
“Our passion to retain the skills and handcraft playable sets of hickory golf clubs makes us unique – we’re the last ones really doing that.
“We’ve been undergoing a bit of change recently.
“We’ve been lucky that we’ve had a very loyal workforce for many years.
“Some clubmakers started with George Nicoll when we were based in Dunfermline back in the 60s and 70s, and they’ve now retired, so we have to find new clubmakers.
“You can’t go down to the job centre and pick up half a dozen clubmakers – you have to train them and work with them, so that’s been a challenge recently.”
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The company ships most of their clubs out internationally, with a large customer base in the United States – and they have crafted clubs for golfing legends, including three time Open champion Henry Cotton, and 1930s Grand Slam victor Bobby Jones.
“George Nicoll has exported clubs to every country in the world where golf is played, particularly in the early 50s,” said Hamish.
“Sometimes they’d be sending out 10,000 sets of clubs a month.
“Sir Henry Cotton, who won the Open championship three times, was a lifetime ambassador for George Nicoll.
“We are represented globally – around 85% of what we manufacture is exported.
“That’s the most exciting thing about working in this industry – the people you meet internationally.”
Hamish, who has a passion for keeping the clubmaking craft alive, has described St.
Andrews Golf Company is one of Scotland’s “best kept secrets” – but says he is always eager to open the doors to anyone interested to learn more about the trade.
“Our doors are open – we’re always happy to invite people to the factory to have a look around, and visit our workshop to learn how to grip their own clubs,” he said.
“I think it’s hugely important to keep this craft alive.
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“We see so many skills being lost for the sake of keeping shareholders happy or trying to improve the bottom line.
“But we think there’s a balance to be struck and we need to retain some of the traditional skills that have been an important part of our country and our heritage.”
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The company prides itself on being the last clubmaker in the world to use traditional skills to craftCredit: SWNS
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The company ships most of their clubs out internationally, with a large customer base in the United StatesCredit: SWNS