Among
the most visual and storied antique golf clubs are Francis Brewster's
Simplex clubs. Brewster's first patent for his center-shafted
creations was dated April 14, 1897. He described his clubhead as
boat-like, with a sole cambered both heel to toe and front to back, and
made from wood. In 1897 he produced a booklet that described how to
golf with his clubs and how his clubs superseded irons. Brewster even
played in the 1899 British Open using his Simplex clubs. In 1904 he
formed the Simplex Golf Association, hoping to incorporate new users to
his clubs and method of play. His 1906 patent called for making simplex
clubs from aluminum, as it required great quantities of time and highly
skilled craftsmanship to produced simplex clubheads from wood. Despite
all of Brewster's efforts, Simplex clubs never caught on. But they do
strike a great pose!
This wooden
Simplex putter is an outstanding example in all respects, showing very
little wear. The top of the head is stamped “Simplex Patent No. 9514,
1897". The shaft is original, and extends all the way through the head.
The sheepskin grip is also original. The finish is original and shows
little wear.
Looking for a
club with great eye appeal? When hanging on a wall, the most collectible
patent clubs can usually be spotted with ease from 10 feet away, with
no need to squint eyes and look close or wait for a story. With this
center-shafted-like-a-hammer club, a person can see that it is unique
from clear across a large room!
One of the images show the simplex, for perspective, with two other putters—lot 22 and lot 21.
TCA2 Vol 1, p 240-242