Hugh Philp was born in 1783 and died in 1856.  In 1819 he was appointed the official clubmaker to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. He set up his shop next to the 18th hole of the Old Course (which shop Tom Morris eventually took over and used). Philp's reputation as an outstanding clubmaker was quickly established, and he became renown for his work during his lifetime. His penchant for being meticulous was legendary. His clubs were the gold standard.

in 1897, Harper's Weekly published the following comments about Hugh Philp: "It was Hugh Philp who first departed from these primitive models of the stone age and began to make golf clubs that looked as though they were intended for some gentler work than the crushing in of an enemy's skull or the manufacture of broken flint for road-building. Philp had an eye for graceful lines and curves, and his slim, elegant models remain to-day things of beauty, though their usefulness has long since departed…. The few specimens that sill exist are acknowledged 'old masters' and are only to be exchanged against much fine gold." (Harper's Weekly, October, 2, 1897)

Decades after his death, Golf Illustrated acknowledged Philp's continuing reputation as the finest clubmaker the game had ever seen: "The Prince of putter makers, by common consent, was Hugh Philp, who flourished at St. Andrews more than 50 years ago. This genius made such beautiful and perfect wooden putters that he has come to be regarded as the Amati or Stradivarious of Golf, and a genuine 'Philp' to-day is worth untold gold. The long narrow faces of these clubs and their perfect balance are well known to connoisseurs." (Golf Illustrated, Oct. 6, 1900)

Today, Philp clubs remain highly sought after, and his clubs still command "much fine gold!"  The genuine Hugh Philp grassed driver offered here is wonderful example. Grassed drivers were the same length as play clubs and, like play clubs, used from the tee.  Both play clubs and grassed drivers could be employed through the green if the ball had a particularly good lie and maximum distance was needed. Grassed drivers, however, had slightly more loft than a regular play club, to help the golfer get the ball up in the air. 

Dating to the 1840s, this Hugh Philp play club is magnificent.  The extra-long 45" hickory shaft, sheepskin grip, whipping, lead, horn, pegs, name stamp, and finish, are all original. The head itself, which measures 1 7/8" wide, 1" deep, and 5 3/4" long, has a most attractive shape.  The lower portion of the shaft is quite slender as is typical of clubs made towards the end of the feather ball era. The sheepskin grip and even the whipping on the grip is original and in great shape.  

There is a repair to the sole near the lead—brown filler was used to fill a small damaged area. There is a shallow grain separation line atop the club just behind the topline.  These two thing, however, while certainly considerations, are minor when compared to the overall elegance and originality of this club and the desirability of Hugh Philp's work. The stamp is deep and clear, the original finish is rich, the face is nicely hooked and has Philp's scoring. The horn, lead and neck whipping are original. The shaft measures a full 45-inches in length. The grip is little used.  When you take hold of this club and address an imaginary ball, you step back in time and golf in the 1840s looks fabulous!!

This club is on the left in the accompanying group image.