Lot # 97: Simpson's Cast Steel Premier Putter

Starting Bid: $200.00

Bids: 0 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Summer 2022",
which ran from 7/7/2022 12:00 PM to
7/23/2022 8:00 PM



Robert Simpson introduced his Premier putter with its cast steel long-nose-style head in 1903. A Simpson advertisement noted that the Premier was made from the "finest malleable cast steel" and was practically indestructible.

A long-nose-style putter head made from cast steel is highly unusual because aluminum was the material of choice when clubmakers produced long-nose-style putters heads from metal.  On the center of both the sole and the crown of this head is the outline of a circular plug made from the same material as the head. Plugs were used in order to make the head hollow. A putter head of this shape would be much too heavy to use if made out of solid iron or steel. Historically speaking, this club is a monumental step forward—the first putter to locate its weight over the entire perimeter of its head. Unfortunately, the benefits of a high MOI was lost on the golfing mind of 1903.

What appears to be the original grip was once a little longer than it is now, as evidence by the remaining red stain and nail hole in the shaft below the grip. The rarity of Simpson's Premier putter indicates that it was produced for only a short period of time.

For more on this club, see TCA2 v1 p378.

This club is easily recognized in the accompanying group image.



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