All posts by Alan McDonald

What’s In My Bag – Darron Watt

October 9, 2013 Alan McDonald

A certain commercial site sends me a periodical email which always finishes with an article describing “What’s In The Bag” of a particular professional player. It occurred to me that there might be some interest in similar articles based on the play sets of AGHS members, so I approached member Darron Watt for input purely on the grounds of his detailed responses to the recent membership survey. I reckon I made a pretty good choice. I’ll be chasing up other members for their input in the future – anyone that wishes to volunteer can reach me via this email address. Go on – you know you want to. – Steve.

Name: Darron Watt
Club: Wagga Wagga Country Club NSW
Handicap: 2.5

Hickory Achievements:

2013 – 2^nd Place Australian Hickory Open, Carnarvon Golf Club, Sydney, Australia
2013 – 10^th Place World Hickory Open – Montrose, Scotland
2012 – 2^nd Place Australian Hickory Open, Carnarvon Golf Club, Sydney, Australia (First ever 18 hole round with hickory). (Darron is perhaps being a bit modest here. The runners-up were only decided after two holes of sudden death play-off. )

Best Rounds with Hickory:
72 – Wagga Wagga Country Club ( par 72)
70 – Monifieth Ashludie, Scotland ( par 70)

WattWorldHickoryOpenMontrose — Darron at the World Hickory Open Championship – Montrose, 2013.

A. G. Spalding 2 Wood – 14 degrees (pictured right): The most recent purchase in my playing set. I have found it difficult to find a wood that works well off the tee and off the ground. Most clubs have a strong fade or draw bias for me. We have found that running this wood at 43 inches and placing a slight bend in the shaft to bring the hands back in line with the face have worked wonders. In our experience gripping down on woods promotes a better shaft flex through impact. I can consistently hit this wood 215-220 metres off the tee, and nearly as far off the deck.A. G. Spalding 3 Wood – 16 degrees (pictured right): This is an old favourite that has just found its way back into the bag. Back in 2012 in my first ever hickory round I hit every fairway I used it on. Unfortunately on the 18^th hole it cracked all along the face. With a complete rebuild and plenty of glue curing time, this club has wound up in the bag as my backup wood. Its range is consistently around the 200 metre mark.	A. G. Spalding 2 Wood – 14 degrees A. G. Spalding 3 Wood – 16 degrees
W. J. Gibson Kinghorn Wayrite 1 Iron – 20 degrees: This is my favourite club in the bag. It’s that good I could survive without a wood on some courses. Very strong flighted iron off the tee, and penetrates out to the 195-200 mark. Off the fairway this club is almost even better, allowing me to play a true links running long shot. A very thin flanged sole that is not typical of most of the clubs that I play.W. J. Gibson Kinghorn Star Maxwell Mid Iron – 25 degrees (R) Although the Wayrite is my favourite club, this mid iron was my go to club on long par threes due to its higher ball flight. Unfortunately last round I noticed a crack appear in the shaft. This shaft has been reglued and binding has been applied over the repaired areas. I need to regain my confidence with this club, learning to trust the shaft (which is stronger than before). Maximum distance – 170 metres.	W. J. Gibson Kinghorn Wayrite 1 Iron – 20 degrees W. J. Gibson Kinghorn Star Maxwell Mid Iron – 25 degrees
R. Forgan St. Andrews Scotia Mashie – 30 degrees (R): This club has a number of key roles in my bag. It is a strong mashie that produces a high ball flight with plenty of distance. Comfortably handles 160 metres. This club was one of my first hickory clubs, and it also ignited the hickory flame for my good friend, Lachie Wilson. This club reminds my regularly of the reason why I play hickory golf, and the friendships that I have built along the way.R. J. Gibson Royal Calcutta Triplex Mashie – 35 degrees (R) This is the prettiest club in my bag. I am a huge fan of blade golf irons, and this small head is a beautiful forging that would not look out of place in a modern set. This is my iron that I can work both ways and land a ball softly from 150 metres. On most medium range par threes this is a go to club. Strangely it has the markings of Royal Calcutta Golf Club – India I’m presuming – although research indicates that it is out of the Winton factory in England.	R. Forgan St. Andrews Scotia Mashie – 30 degrees R. J. Gibson Royal Calcutta Triplex Mashie – 35 degrees
W. J. Gibson Kinghorn Deep Faced Mashie – 40 degrees (R): My first ever hickory set was a four piece W. J. Gibson mid iron, deep faced mashie, mashie niblick and putter set. It hung on the wall as a collectable. After going through a period of poor health and golfing struggles I nearly walked away from the game. This club was the first ever club that I middled a golf ball out of, and it began my hickory odyssey. From 135 metres this slightly onset iron is deadly. The dot punched face is not very attractive but somehow it can generate a world of spin. This mashie is also my bump and run special when approaching greens. Most people struggle with the way it looks at address, but it is a great club.G. Brodie Breeze Mashie Niblick – 45 degrees (R): Once you get the hickory bug you begin a quest for some special clubs. One I wanted early was a niblick with a wide sole and plenty of bounce – you know – the kind that are better out of the sand than the knife like niblicks. This club originally run around 48 degrees and was just a little strong for the touch bunker shots. However it was always dynamite from the fairway around the 100 metre mark. As my set progressed I found that the biggest hole in my bag was around the 115 metre mark. After a lot of testing it was determined that this high bounce club could be strengthened to fill that gap. Now it plays very much like a modern pitching wedge / old school 9 iron. It is versatile on full shots, pitches, fairway bunkers and chip shots.	W. J. Gibson Kinghorn Deep Faced Mashie – 40 degrees G. Brodie Breeze Mashie Niblick – 45 degrees
Hoylake Southern Cross Niblick – 50 degrees (R): This is the only Australian forging in my bag. Stamped with an 8 on the sole I can see that is was once the most lofted club in its set. This niblick has a large tear drop face and minimal offset, looking very much like a modern wedge. A club that maxes out at 100 metres it is very playable from all distances inside that number. With a thinner sole than most of my shorter clubs I need to play the ball more forward in my stance to ensure a clean contact. Most of my lofted chips are played with this club.R. J. Gibson Royal Calcutta Niblick – 56 degrees (R): My one true indulgence is this wide flanged sole niblick. The frustration on not being able to get out the sand with the same reliability as a modern sand iron drove me on a quest to locate a true sand club. This is the only iron that I have purchased from outside of Australia. Every other iron has been found locally. Upon arrival this club was very upright, light in head mass and difficult to control. Now rebuilt, this niblick has given me confidence out of most bunkers. I am slowly learning to master the flop shot over bunkers with it as well.	Hoylake Southern Cross Niblick – 50 degrees R. J. Gibson Royal Calcutta Niblick – 56 degrees
A. H. Scott Monoplane Putter – 4 degrees (R): This was the most amazing find out of all my Australian purchases. Amongst 6 clubs advertised with minimal information I found this beautiful blade putter. The monoplane putter is famous for its low profile, long face, vertical groves on face and a flat side to the leading side of the shaft. I have added extra wraps of leather to this grip to build it up to settle my aging hands. If a sand club is a dream, a favourite putter is an essential. This club is the money maker in the bag. Even when playing a round with modern clubs, I always put in the hickory putter.	A. H. Scott Monoplane Putter – 4 degrees (R)

Best advice I can give you:

I played with a mixed bag of clubs for a while and thought I was doing okay. Then my good friend, Lachie Wilson, introduced me to the concept of analysing and fine tuning my clubs. Now my clubs all swing around the C6 mark. Have good quality grips, straightened shafts, reglued heads and adjusted lofts and lie angles. The old forgings are easily bent if you have access to good quality equipment and someone with an understanding of hickory clubs. My set has a consistent gap of 5 degrees between irons and all clubs feel and swing the same. If a shaft breaks we set out to replace the shaft as close as possible to the old profile.

“The one club you would like to have in you play set, and why”.
I am a huge fan of the W. J. Gibson clubs out of Kinghorn, Scotland. The dream club that I continually search the internet for is the Gibson Dominie Sander Niblick with Danga Wood Shaft. I probably shouldn’t be sharing this with you as it will ultimately make it harder for me to find. I have a Tad Moore Replica of this club and it is better than any modern sand iron I have ever hit. Tad modelled this club exactly from the Gibson original. Whilst replica clubs allow many people to access the hickory form of the game, our hearts truly lay with playing original clubs. A close second would be the George Nicoll of Leven Howitzer Niblick. A price cannot be placed on a wide flanged sole on a heavy and lofted niblick.

“What is your preferred ball for hickory play, and why”.
I am a huge advocate of “the lower the compression, the better the ball” way of thinking. Initially I used the Precept Lady golf balls. A soft ball that, unfortunately, had a hard cover. My next move was too the Callaway HX Diablo ball. I found this ball to be the best combination of core softness and cover spin rate for my game. This ball was in my bag for the past year.

Recently I have begun testing the new Callaway Supersoft ball. I love the feeling of a super soft ball off my putter face and this ball is the softest I have encountered. It performs exactly like the Diablo with a slightly softer feel. If you ever get the chance the Macintyre mesh pattern replica ball is a great ball (see “Links” page for Macintyre Golf Company.). A Wilson duo core covered with a square mesh cover that simulates early 20th century golf balls. These balls roll better than any ball I have ever putted in my whole life.

WattKinghornScotland — Darron at Kinghorn, Scotland, 2013.

Oral History

Edgar Oakman Interview

April 22, 2013 Alan McDonald

Project Name: Australian Golf Heritage Society Oral History Project
For further information and a project brief, please contact: Curator/Collection Manager Australian Golf Heritage Society
Interview Length	01:38:34 – edited 01:40:38 – archival
Interview Number	No.3 of series
Timed log	X
Name of interviewee	Edgar Oakman
Date of Birth	28/08/1930
Date of Interview	22/4/2013
Place of Interview	Interviewee’s home/Bowral, NSW Australia

Technical Data – Sound Files

Brand and Model of Digital Recorder	Zoom H4N
Brand and type of microphones used (with split cable adapter)	Sony Condenser
Sound Storage Medium used – USB, CD – client	History Herstory has back-up copies
Location of Back-up	Home – various and Dropbox
Digital Recording Rate	Uncompressed WAV 24 bit 48 kHz archivalCD (WAV – 44.1/16) and MP3 – edited
Sound Field	Stereo

Technical Data – Photographs/Images

Full Title of each item	Edgar Oakman portraits
Place/location where photograph was taken	Bowral
Creator	Interviewer
Source Access/Restrictions/Copyright	Nil restrictions
Model of Digital Camera	Canon Digital SLR EOS 500D
File Format (eg JPEG, TIFF, RAW)	JPEG
Pixel dimension	12
No. of Images	1

Documentation

Signed Conditions of Interview Use Form	X
Signed release form for photos provided by interviewee	X
List of other relevant documentation	NA

TIMED INTERVIEW SUMMARY

Time	Subjects	Proper Names
0:00	Project introduction – born 1930	AGHS –Australian Golf Heritage Society
0:03:57	Extensive overview of professional career. Left High school in war years. Caddied at 8 years of age at Pymble golf Club where Kel Nagle worked. Scouted balls in the depression years. Played as a youngster with Kel Nagle who advised Edgar to continue with golf. At Avondale golf club behind PLC he got an apprenticeship with Keith Clark, son of Carnegie Clark who had 6 professionals working with him in Rose Bay golf factory – outstanding golf equipment manufacturer / associated with Rose Bay Golf Club. Edgar moved from Avondale to the factory as business was booming and he stayed there for 7 and a half years and could not turn professional because of rules re turning professional at the time. Edgar was a good golf tradesman as well as a good golfer. After 7 and a half years he worked for Jimmy McGuiness – pro at Killara Golf Club. Stayed there 2 years then won Rose Bay golf tournament. Other tournament successes as well. Then moved to Moss Vale Golf Club in the Southern Highlands as pro. Disaster at Moss Vale because of the very low numbers of golfers (20) players – couldn’t make a living / also terrible weather conditions. As a result Edgar had a nervous breakdown. Jim Eve, Secretary of PGA offered him opportunity at Rabaul Golf Club in New Guinea – had to be a pro and manage the bar – previously alcohol was stolen. The club had to show a profit because they had to service 16 golf mowers because the grass grew so quickly – daily mowing. Edgar and his wife loved the ‘natives’, loved Rabaul, banked 32 pounds weekly. Flew with Qantas to New Island, Booker Passage and Guadalcanal to teach/service. Left after 4 years as Edgar had been losing weight because of the conditions. Returned to Sydney but there was no work so then he went to Dunedin in New Zealand. Stayed there for 9 months without his family. Didn’t really like NZ – harsh Conditions. Moved from there to Katoomba Golf Club in Blue Mountains as first ever professional and stayed for 10 years – 5 day a week job. Weekends consisted of 1 day gardening and 1 day exploring region. Then moved to Nelson Bay as a professional. He had a good reputation because he was reliable, didn’t drink, was good at golf and didn’t associate with members (always a tricky issue because of jealousies between club members) – stayed 4 years. Then moved back to the Blue Mountains to Wentworth Falls Golf Course. Excellent new club house, introduction of Chinese cuisine / best job he ever had at Wentworth Falls. Bought Wycherly – created outstanding garden of Japanese influence. Moved from there to Tilga, near Secret Place and stayed for 6 years then again to Wentworth Falls before finally moving to Bowral. Edgar’s wife Joan passed away about 3 or 4 years ago.	PLC – Pymble Ladies College Dudley Jones – President Rabaul Golf Club Jim Parry – Qantas pilot *Interviewer’s note: Edgar Oakman is a highly respected and accomplished gardener.*
31:00	In 1947 was 17 years old when he started. Had a 73 at Pymble when he was 13 years old and working as a caddie.
32:46	Club Professional work – maintained the course, Edgar diverts here to his time in New Guinea – climate/grass/ PNG workers / Employment conditions / Levers company/winning the New Britain Open 4 years in a row / ‘you black bastard’/going back to New Guinea.	Lever Brothers – soap manufacturers
36:24	Role of golf professional / Conditions in Australia / attitudes. Professionals were not allowed in the Golf houses. Gary Player’s wife was not allowed in the clubhouse – mid 60s. Professionals were looked down upon – kept in their place / treated as second class citizens. Jimmy Adams left Australia because of the way his wife was a treated when she went in the club house.	Jim / Jimmy Adams UK professional
37:50	Caddies were kept in a compound at Pymble Golf Club, 1938 at end of Depression /even 40 year old men, not allowed out until they had a job.
38:33	Golf Collection. Donated over 100 clubs. The best and oldest club was a one off club which cost 10 shillings at an auction in Springwood. Made by Auchterlonie in Scotland – intact, good condition / mid 60s. He treated all his acquisitions using correct protocol for old hand crafted/hand forged items. Carnoustie, near St Andrews. All pros could make golf clubs. Carnegie Clark items – most expensive/ best at time/differences between ladies/men. No matched clubs/ clubs were tailor made. Names stamped on clubs.	Tommy /Tom Moore AGHS Museum Ouchterlonie – unsure of spelling – please check the spelling on the club in the museum.
44:52	1956/1957 / When Fred Popplewell resigned from Rose Bay (just before Jimmy Adams came out from England) the old clubs of deceased members were no longer required. All the old golf clubs were burnt because no realised the significance of the clubs. Steel shafts had come in.	Fred Popplewell Australian Open championTom Popp
46:35	Purchased Lithograph at auction of 4 women on first tee on course in England. Bought it because of the horse and cart in the distance of the lithograph. The horse and cart would make a rut when fertilising with seaweed. So, a rutter club was created during this period to get balls out of ruts made by the wheels of the carts on the sandy fairways. The specially shaped rutter was the forerunner of the sand iron. Edgar donated 4 English rutters to the AGHS. Rutters were used in Australia prior to sand iron.	Donated lithograph to AGHS museum Rutters – phonetic interpretation for how the word would be spelled
49:17	Unusual clubs
50:00	Starting collection / Edgar scouted balls for Fred Popplewell / he had to replace 25 golf balls from Fred’s bag used when he taught students. If Fred didn’t collect 25 balls he had to search until he got 25 balls. On the second tee at Rose Bay Golf Club on the short course Fred found numerous old balls in the flax that had been left behind about 50 years previously. Rose Bay was built on land that had been a Chinese market garden. Balls could be identified by the markings and all in good condition because of the flax. Wealthy people from Rose Bay would have collected the balls as they travelled the world from USA, Scotland and England, Ireland and Canada. Donated about 60 balls.	Now Royal Sydney Golf Club
54:00	Oldest ball was just after a featherie. No featheries were found by Edgar as they were about 30 years previous to Edgar’s time. Also, featheries were very fragile. Clarks made featheries in Australia.
56:10	Haskell Balls – excellent balls but of no interest to Edgar because they were mass produced. Edgar describes structure of Haskell balls.
57:26	Tees. During and prior to the war as an 8 year old he had to tee up for players – Edgar describes the process of using sand and water before wood and plastic tees. GK Whiskey (1938/39, during war years) – (Australian company) made a special tee that would not fly away – ‘keepers’ / red and white in colour – donated to AGHS. Not a lot of emphasis on tees.	Laura Davies – current UK professional does not use a tee.
1:01	Caddie wages in Australia. Story of generosity of visiting recreational American player of particular significance to a family of 11 children during the Depression years. Each caddie working an18 holes round earned 2 and threepence. Edgar could take home 5 shillings to his mother. The American player gave Edgar as a 12 year old some gum, cigarettes and a ten shilling note – an amazing amount. Edgar’s mum was so astounded at the amount she phoned Tom Popple to check the veracity of the payment.	Yanks
01:05	Golf bags – Sunday bags (only used on a Sunday so held fewer clubs and smaller than normal golf bags) – donated 2 old bags from the 30s made by Plotkin – Australian manufacturer, made of canvas and very light. Edgar diverts to unsafe, unhealthy factory conditions when he worked in the golf factory at Rose Bay.
01:07	Golf Buggies – an American player came back with nylon rainwear and a ‘Bagboy’ (collapsible aluminium buggy) – took it to Avondale. The buggy replaced the caddie.
01:10	USA a stronger influence on golf in Australia than Scotland. USA more inventive than Scots who were more traditional. USA had advantage as well because of their huge population and willingness to experiment for the golf market. Carnegie Clark Senior’s son (very difficult man) threw a vice (just missed!) at Edgar when Edgar suggested some golf club design changes. General comments about Carnegie family men. Rose Bay Club guys who went to America – Norman Von Nida, Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle, Bruce Devlin, Bruce Crampton all brought back MacGregor clubs from the USA because they were better.	Carnegie Clark – Scottish – introduced golf to Australia.
01:14	Golf Clothing. Edgar didn’t collect clothing. Talks about everyone watching ‘The Von’. Clothing comments about Kel Nagle and Peter Thomson.	Norman Von Nida was ‘The Von”
01:15	Guttie era balls – description of how the guttie was developed. Edgar gave Tom his only, very rare gutta percha – a ball prior to the Haskell. Someone gave him 3 or 4 balls without realising its significance. Modern balls in Edgar’s opinion ‘ruined everything’ – reasons given for his thoughts on the ramifications for golf of modern balls.	Gutta Percha
01:19	Many American magazines donated to AGHS Museum including 2 very informative and rare pre-war magazines.
01:21	Sam Snead’s amusing comments on how golf should be played.
01:21:45	Comments and philosophy on golf teaching techniques, comments about Bobby Locke, The Von, Tom Popplewell and an amateur named Davidson. ‘Painting a picture’ for the student / simple approach to teaching / had great success as a teacher. Teaching with ‘hands’.
01:26	PGA – Edgar has not been involved since he retired. Carnegie Clark started the PGA at the pro shop in Rose Bay. Discusses the Sun 500 pound tournament – prior to war. Edgar not really ever involved in PGA because he was in the country or overseas. Tom Moore – outstanding – all excellent presidents. Still teaches at 83. Played until he was 70 when illness forced him to stop. Comment about runner up in 2013 USA Masters – playing with his ‘hands’/ talks about new teaching approaches.	PGA – Professional Golf AssociationAdam Scott (Scotty) – winner/AustralianAngel Cabrera – runner-up/ Argentinian
01: 34	Edgar’s daughter did not play golf
01:35	Why is golf a funny game? – It’s contrary to nature; eg you have to hit down to get the ball to go up.
01:36	Concluding comments / high costs of modern golf / joys of the game of golf.