That question comes up often, and the answer is never as clear as we would like. Still, we need to try to ensure that everyone has an understanding of which clubs are allowed and which are not.
During that transition time when the golf world was moving from wood shafted clubs to steel shafted clubs, club makers and club companies did some interesting things. Most notably was the coating of steel shafts to make them appear as wood, even though everyone knew they were steel. There was also the use of an “insert” for the hosel of wood shafted irons that would accept a steel shaft and be sellable/playable. There are some collectors out there who have a fine collection of such clubs.
But more to our question. During that transition period many club companies made the decision to offer clubs – the same head design – with hickory shafts or with steel shafts. The customer could order either shaft.
The SoHG has adopted the date of 1935 as the cutoff date for clubs to be used in SoHG-sanctioned events. The Society has allowed the “retro-fitting” of woods with steel shafts that were manufactured and sold pre-1935 and those woods have been approved for play. That means that those wood heads were already being made prior to 1935 and were made for hickory. The makers simply switched to steel after 1935. Any of these wood heads on hickory shafts are approved. After all, they were originally made for hickory shafts.
The Society has no such guideline that pertains to irons. Simply put, if the iron was designed and manufactured post-1935, it is not allowed.
Here’s where the waters get muddy.
We are now finding irons that may have been manufactured after 1935 that are of the design used pre-1935. Some of these were “special orders” for customers and most likely some were retailed to use up remaining inventory, usually at a reduced cost – think of a hickory shaft clear-out sale. All of those clubs would be accepted under SoHG guidelines. Kind of a “continuation” situation. By “continuation” it is meant that the iron head was designed and manufactured prior to 1935 and had “continuously” been produced in that design, even though the 1935 date had passed. But, the play of these clubs would have to be supported by documentation that proves their design/production prior to 1935. Irons that are of post-1935 design and shafted with a wood shaft would not be approved for play in SoHG sanctioned events.
Rob Ahlschwede
SoHG Equipment Chairman
swedeberger@gmail.com