Plus Four Podcast

Gillian Kirkwood possesses a wealth of golf knowledge and business experience and is a past Ladies Golf Union (LGU) Councilor and past Chairman of the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association. She is also a highly experienced rules official and, reflecting her keen interest in the history of ladies’ golf, chaired the Board of Trustees of the Women Golfers’ Museum. She had the distinction of serving as President of the LGU during the time of its merger with the R&A in 2017. Together with her husband, David, she owns and operates the Heritage of Golf Museum in the pro shop of Gullane Golf Club in East Lothian. I invited Gillian to reminisce about the early era of women's golf in Scotland and the British Isles, and to touch on the myriad projects she has had under her guidance seemingly every day since she was a lass. Her legacy in support of women's golf may be unparalleled in the modern era, and I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with her. Gillian was also Captain of Midlothian County Ladies Golf Association from 1991-1993 and was the Ladies Captain of Broomieknowe Golf Club from 1982-84 and from 2004-2006, and was most recently Vice-Captain of Gullane Ladies' Golf Club.

Researcher, author, and historian, Michael B. Morrison, published an exhaustive account in 2022 of the rise of golf in England which is a must-read for those who wish to better understand the origins of the modern game. In this episode, we speak about the process Morrison subjected himself to— over many years— in order to assemble the most complete record of the growth of the game in England, ever. During the course of his work, Michael became able to draw conclusions about the advancement of the game that differs from conventional wisdom, and is based on empirical data that, while perhaps painstaking to amass, provides the foundation for the evolution of the sport within the changing social demographics, geographies, and economic circumstances between the years 1864 and 1914. I feel confident that golfers everywhere will want to stop what they are doing, read-up on the fascinating and, in some ways, parallel development of the game to that in Scotland, and get to England as soon as possible to embrace the wealth of styles and historic golf courses that are today the envy of nations the world over. To order his book (which is self-published), you may contact Michael directly, details for which occur at the 1-hour-6-minute mark in our episode. I hope you enjoy this insight into the Great English Golf Boom! To see the BBC News interview with Michael on the course at Cambridge University, click here.

Since 2013, the Happy Hickory Golfers in Japan have been a force in hickory golf. We've seen them represented with great joy at the World Hickory Open, for instance, and marvel at their event photos from countless outings in their home country. Alex Bruce— a native Scotsman— is one of the founders of the group, and a deeply dedicated advocate for hickory golf, worldwide. "How dedicated?" one might ask. So dedicated that he has one of the world's only hickory golf retail stores and he has been a guiding hand in supporting the World Hickory Open and St. Andrews Golf Company, organizations with long associations to his home turf in Scotland. In this episode, I speak with Alex about his upbringing, his second life in Japan (where he has lived and worked and grown his family for decades now), and the challenges of growing a national hickory organization to scale over nine regions, 47 prefectures, and in a country of more than 2,300 golf courses, the oldest of which (Kobe Golf Course) dates to 1903. We speak about the first-ever AsiaPAC Open, as well, which debuts September 3-5, 2023, in Australia. Alex is a joy to spend time with and our conversation makes it obvious why his endeavor in Japan is covered in nothing but enduring success. 2013 年以来、日本のハッピー ヒッコリー ゴルファーはヒッコリー ゴルフの中心人物となっています。たとえば、ワールド ヒッコリー オープンで彼らが大喜びで代表を務めるのを私たちは見てきましたし、母国での数え切れないほどの試合の写真を見て驚嘆しました。アレックス ブルース - 生粋のスコットランド人 - はグループの創設者の 1 人であり、世界中でヒッコリー ゴルフの熱心な擁護者です。 「どれほど献身的なのですか？」と尋ねる人もいるかもしれない。彼は世界で唯一のヒッコリー ゴルフ小売店の 1 つを経営するほど献身的であり、故郷スコットランドと長年のつながりを持つ団体であるワールド ヒッコリー オープンとセント アンドリュース ゴルフ カンパニーをサポートする指導者でもあります。 このエピソードでは、私はアレックスに、彼の生い立ち、日本での第二の人生（彼は何十年もそこで暮らし、働き、家族を育ててきた）、そして全国的なヒッコリー組織を47都道府県の9つの地域に拡大するまでに成長させるという課題について話します。この国には 2,300 以上のゴルフコースがあり、その中で最も古いもの (神戸ゴルフコース) は 1903 年に遡ります。2023 年 9 月 3 ～ 5 日にオーストラリアで初開催される、史上初のアジア PAC オープンについてもお話します。 アレックスは一緒に時間を過ごすのが楽しい人で、私たちの会話から、なぜ彼の日本での取り組みが永続的な成功に終始しているのかが明らかになりました。

One of the great things about national and international hickory golf events, is that one never knows whom one might meet along the way. In 2021, I flew out to Wisconsin to play in the Wisconsin Hickory Golfers Whistling Straights Hickory Challenge, as I had always wanted to see the course. Well, one of the nights, I ended up sitting at dinner with a table full of new friends I had never met before, one of whom—I came to learn—was Bert Coghill. “Coghill? Did you say?” Yes…that Coghill.  You see, Bert’s Great grandfather and his two brothers started Cog Hill Golf & Country Club outside of Chicago a few years before the Great Depression, and because of their keen abilities, they managed to keep the course open and thriving throughout the worst economic climate of the past 100 years. I learned that the hickory scene in Chicago is still fledgling, but with players like Bert, Peter Flory, and others sitting at the table, I knew I was in the presence of some serious talent. On a trip to Chicago in the spring of 2023, I decided to call Bert to see if I could learn more about his life in golf in the Chicago region. As a side note, this podcast is being released in June 2023. And as it happens, there is a completely engrossing and fascinating series out right now through The Fire Pit Collective, with Matt Ginella, detailing the so-called “Club Pro Crisis” which I highly recommend listening to, if you are not yet familiar with it. It is worth your time, and it is both comprehensive and extensive. Go to firepitcollective.com to find the full series which details the modern challenges with recruiting and retaining club professionals in today’s times. As I edited my discussion with Bert, I could not help but to draw parallels and connections to that series. You see, Bert grew up in golf, and spent his entire career in one region… 7 days a week, tending to his customers, the family’s course, Silver Lake Country Club, in Orland Park, Illinois, and immersed in the day-to-day events that have undoubtedly brought so much joy to his members and their guests.  Before arriving at his home, I drove up to the clubhouse and took in the scene. Silver Lake boasts 45 holes over three courses that the public can play, with a robust set of leagues, youth programs, and professional instruction. If you’re a hickory player, and will be in the Chicago area, I suggest you book a time and see this fantastic Club.

When I contacted Jim McCormick to see if he would allow me to view his heralded private collection in Chicago, he was explicit. "Budget three hours for the tour," he warned, "four to five, tops." I'm embarrassed to say that I stayed seven-and-one-half hours— taking him away from his charming wife, Laura, for far too much time—yet, we probably only explored less than half of his priceless items. If that weren’t enough, I sheepishly asked if I could come back before I flew home to the West Coast two days later, and he granted me an additional 2.5 hours in order to share his extensive documents collection, the majority of which is too extensive (and rare) to display. His isn't simply an impressive collection in golf, every item has a specific importance to the legacy of the game tied a definable event, a notable victory, the definitive origins of Scottish and English golfing societies, an exacting connection to a place, person, or a pivotal moment in time. Jim cares about history and the lives of those we can only now read about such as Vardon, Robertson, Park, Morris, Evans, Jones, Hogan, Barnes, Stranahan, and Locke, among scores of others. He cares for original works by Hodge, Rodger, Shortspoon, and Lees, among many others too…if you have to ask, you don’t know. We began our discussion in the salon of his 19th century brownstone in Chicago and wended our way into side rooms, display cases, cabinets, bookshelves, sitting rooms, bedrooms, and the home's entire upper floor. With an eye for detail, McCormick has every item labeled as well as recorded in a closely-guarded spreadsheet, documenting its source, provenance, sales price, date, and related references. Best of all, Jim still derives as much joy from his role as steward of the priceless collection and its continual evolution. In this episode, we speak of the thrill of the chase, the strategies that sometimes influence the sale of items at the top end of the global market, the doors his collecting passion has opened, and the advice that young collector's ought to heed when starting an initial collection in golf.

The Ladies' Golf Union (LGU) was the original governing body for women's and girls' amateur golf in Great Britain and Ireland. It was founded in 1893 and was based in St. Andrews, Scotland until merging with The R&A in 2017. In this episode, Lauren Beatty, a Collaborative Doctorate Partnership student enrolled at Glasgow Caledonian University and working with the R&A World Golf Museum in St Andrews, discusses her oral history PhD project exploring women’s participation in club golf during the period 1945-1995. Beatty's research intends to explore women’s personal experiences of playing golf post Second World War in Scotland and aims to make these stories available to the public through the collections of the R&A World Golf Museum. Lauren's research blog can be found here. Finally, you can read about the R&A's Women in Golf Charter here. Images property of R&A World Golf Museum

Kevin McGimpsey is the British Golf Collectors Society’s Murdock Medal winner of 2004 for his seminal book, The Story of the Golf Ball. A former Captain in the Parachute Regiment, Kevin traded his red beret for a career in antique and collectible golfing memorabilia. In May 2003, Kevin was appointed the lead golf expert at Bonhams1793 auction house. Responsible for their prestigious golf sales in both the UK and the USA, he oversaw the insurance valuations for renowned Golf Clubs, including Carnoustie and Royal Troon. His most recent publication resulted from a trip to the Los Angeles Golf Country Club. Kevin was there to catalogue their golf ball collection. As he completed the assignment, he uncovered previously undocumented golf balls. This inspired Kevin to embark on three years of research which culminated in The Collectible Golf Ball Directory 1845-1945. Collecting golf balls is a robust pursuit in the sport. In this podcast, we discuss why this area of collecting inspires so many people, why they seem willing to part with so much money to compile their collections, and how the evolution of the golf ball revolutionized the game of golf, and still does so today. Click here for a link to my article (with photos) on the private collection of Mr. Dick Estey.

Alastair J. Johnston has traveled a long way from Glasgow since his days as a lad. One might say that he has had a knack of being in the right place and the right time, but he might caution—to some degree—that one makes his own luck. In this episode, we learn about Johnston's magnanimous and unprecedented recent donation to the R&A of the entire contents of his 34,000-volume golf book collection; of his unrivaled relationship with Mr. Arnold Palmer, to whom he served as representative at IMG, the global agency in entertainment, sports and fashion; and of the origins of the PNC Championship, held annually in December in Florida—Johnston's brainchild honoring the unique connection the game of golf provides to generations of families, and the bond it nourishes between parent and child. Of the donation, Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are very grateful to Alastair for this generous gift. We are excited to continue his vision and support his desire to display this collection in its entirety in Scotland. I can think of no more appropriate place than St Andrews to create the world’s most comprehensive library of golf books." Your host wishes to thank Michael Morrison (author and historian), first, for tweeting an image of The Chronicles of Golf: 1457 to 1857, Johnston's 700-page chronology of the earliest legacies of the game. That tweet led me to discover Mr. Johnston's published works, including The Clapcott Papers, which is discussed in the episode; and Seattle-based golf book dealer, Peter Yagi, for making the connection for me to contact Alastair for the podcast. As is mentioned in the pod, the Johnston library collection—I submit—represents a true legacy gift to golfers forevermore. 100 years from now, serious students of the game will wish, as many of us do today, that they could thank those (like Alastair) who so thoughtfully and carefully stewarded the tradition and history of the game in their time, for we are all better for it. Well played, Mr. Johnston.

Sometimes in life, you meet a kindred spirit. Peter Grunwell, co-owner of Fine Golf Books of St. Andrews, is just this person. He, along with his wife, Anke Bruxmeier, have been in the golf world for more than 55 years, combined. Peter was a British PGA professional and a member of the United States Golf Collector's Society. Anke, a native of Germany, was a PGA professional as well for over 25 years. Together, they are living the modern-day dream. They live in St. Andrews, collect antique, rare, and new golf books as well as memorabilia, play golf in the epicenter of the royal and ancient game, and have unending opportunities to meet golfers and golf collectors nearly every day of their lives. Fine Golf Books does more than just sell books—they also deal in authenticated autographs, support the independent publishing of important titles, sell varying valuable works on paper, and the occasional golf-related collectible. In this episode, host Robert Birman speaks with Peter about his journey to building one of the leading sites for antiquarian and rare golf book buyers, and his observations about the field, its avid collectors, and the variables that face book lovers, dealers, and publishers today.

The R&A World Golf Museum is a 'must-see' destination for every first-time visitor to St. Andrews. The modern-day successor of the former British Golf Museum, it raises its ambition to play a pivotal role in delivering on one of the R&A of St. Andrews' core objectives—to be a leading body within the world of golf that engages and supports activities to ensure golf is a thriving sport for all on a global scale. Following three weeks of hickory golf throughout Scotland, podcast host Robert Birman had an opportunity to tour the Museum's newly-reimagined exhibitions, which were extremely impressive, and to speak with the longstanding and visionary director of the R&A World Golf Museum, Angela Howe. This episode recaps the final week of our 21-day visit to the Glasgow are, Ayrshire, the Mull of Kintyre, the Highlands, Moray, Aberdeen, and St. Andrews, and highlights Ms. Howe's creative work leading the Museum and overseeing the collections of the R&A since 2009. images used with permission courtesy of the R&A World Golf Museum

In 1887, Robert Finlay became a benefactor and founder member of the Nairn Golf Club. He was President from 1911-1929. Horace Hutchinson, who won back-to-back Amateur Championships at St. Andrews and Hoylake in 1886-87, is associated with Nairn. The Nairn Golf Club archive has helped to trace back the details of Hutchinson’s link, which involved affiliations with Scottish national politicians. FA (Frank) Fairlie was Captain of the Nairn Golf Club in 1901-02. Fairlie was fourth son of James Ogilvie Fairlie, the man who enticed Tom Morris from St. Andrews to Prestwick in 1851 a crucial factor in the establishment of the Open Championship in 1860. Many hands have shaped Nairn golf course and in 1887 Andrew Simpson Keeper of the Green at Royal Aberdeen laid out the original design. In 1890, Old Tom Morris revised the course and extended it westward over the Earl of Cawdor’s property. Twenty years on, and the most prominent impact on the layout of the Championship course was from the five-time Open Champion James Braid (and the first to break 70 at Nairn with a 69 in 1901) altered tees and bunkers before creating new greens of singular subtlety. Then in 1920, new holes at Delnies were designed by the irrepressible Ben Sayers of North Berwick before, once more, Braid returned to contribute his expertise. And in 2018 the Club undertook a large renovation project of the Championship course from renowned Architects Mackenzie and Ebert. We sat down during the 2022 World Hickory Open to speak to the newly appointed archivist at Nairn, Hugh Sutherland, about the collection, its importance, and the ways in which it informs the membership.

The first podcast from our 21-day journey in Scotland features week one in Glasgow, Ayr, and Campbeltown, getting to know golf on the west coast of Scotland. This episode features conversations with the archivist at Prestwick Golf Club, Mr. Andrew Lochhead, just prior to the official 150th anniversary of the first Open on October 17, 1860. It also includes information from the archivist at Western Gailes Golf Club, Mr. Turner Bone, who's course boasts a decidedly different path towards becoming one of the great links in the nation. Playing Prestwick and Western Gailes was enough of a joy for any man, but to sit and bear witness—particularly in the case of Prestwick—to the volumes of paper archives the Club has retained since 1851, including most (if not all) of Tom Morris' receipts for his wages, and an original set of clubs he made personally for one of the early members was a life-changing experience. In this episode, both stewards of their Club's pasts share insights into their collections, each club's history, and some of what resonates with them most. Seeing these 19th century links has proven to me that golf was an adventure sport, pure and simple. Their is a boldness and audaciousness to both layouts, as well as the others mentioned in this audio postcard, namely Dunaverty, Machrihanish, and Irvine Bogside. Some of the documents discussed at Prestwick can be seen in Geoff Shackelford's blog, here. There is also a great piece from Golf Illustrated here on the Prestwick Golf Club and it's legacy. You can click on the image of Mr. Lochhead to watch the Cookie Jar Golf film about the famed and beloved club.

The World Hickory Open returns in October 2022, after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. A group of ten intrepid hickory golf enthusiasts from the Pacific Northwest are making their way to this year's event at Royal Dornoch, Nairn, and Castle Stuart, following a 21-day itinerary that begins on the Glasgow coast at Western Gailes and ends with six nights in St Andrews, with rounds every single day and— often— twice per day for those who are up for it. Host, Robert Birman, outlines the itinerary for this journey and provides a sneak peek into some of the special interviews arranged during the epic trip-of-a-lifetime, including visits with archivists of numerous courses in Scotland, the owner/operators of Fine Golf Books in St Andrews, and the Director of the R&A World Golf Museum. Courses on this trip include: Irvine Bogside, Western Gailes, Prestwick St Nicholas, Prestwick, Shiskine, Dunaverty, Machrihanish, Machrihanish Dunes, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Traigh, Brora, Boat of Garten, Golspie, Nairn, Castle Stuart, Royal Dornoch, Cruden Bay, Cullen, Fraserburgh, Stonehaven, The Old Course, New Course, Eden, Jubilee, Renaissance Club, North Berwick, and others TBA.

Precision is a word that aptly applies to Dr. David Brown, owner of McIntyre Golf Company, the leading manufacturer of replica golf balls in the world. (He even plays Nicoll Precision irons from the mid-1910s.) An orthopedic surgeon by training, specializing in knees and overall sports medicine, he meticulously crafts gutta percha balls, brambles, mesh pattern and small dimple balls appropriate for play with pre-1935 clubs. And like his predecessor, Chris McIntyre, he brings a relentless curiosity and scientific rigor to the process, from sourcing raw materials to creating the perfect systems and processes to replicate these precious items for thousands of players from here to Japan. Brown is an avid runner and bicyclist, and frequent guest at tournaments throughout the U.S. and British Isles. He has represented America at the International Hickory Cup (now Freeman Cup) and is an enduring presence at the Hickory Grail tournaments, held every other year in a true Ryder Cup format; it's Europe vs. America for hickory Golf. He's one of the true gents in the gentlemen's game, and is quietly helping new generations to experience the sport we all love with a touch of the past. Brown is a member of the Nebraska Hickory Golf association, one of the leading regional groups in the United States, and the only one that boasts a hickory golf Hall of Fame. In this episode, we'll explore the wide range of products that Dave oversees and travel vicariously through his exploits in the game.

Their 2021 Trip to East Lothian and Fife While enduring the pandemic, hickory golfers everywhere dreamed of a return to the links and the prospect of getting back to international competition, camaraderie, and travel. Many of us suffered months of travel bans and course closures. Lingering for many was the potential that the 2021 World Hickory Open in St. Andrews would be our moment—our triumphant 'return to normalcy' and the first, big international opportunity to reengage with our brothers and sisters from around the globe in a convivial and memorable summit. As they say, the best laid plans... Scotland hadn't lifted the quarantine by the time decisions needed to be made. The 2021 W.H.O. was officially canceled. Two intrepid players—cofounders of the Southern Hickory Golf Society in the U.S.A.—said, "phooey, we're going!" [Sanitized for your consumption] No W.H.O.? We'll chart our own plan. And what followed proved to be a magical experience among new friends and old, on some of the most hallowed grounds for golf, culminating in a final day on The Old Course to cap off what was already a trip of a lifetime. Join us as we relive their trip and hear about the intricacies of planning and performing for 11 straight days in East Lothian and Fife, including 36-holes at Muirfield and the resplendent lunch with their members. St. Andrews photos copyright of Foremost Golf Photography

Jeffery Ellis began collecting golf clubs at an early age and found that the literature that was available for up-and-coming collectors of antique golf instruments was sorely lacking. What is an ambitious and enterprising person to do, but set one's mind to creating the most definitive and authoritative publication of antique golf clubs and their history. Nothing stops Jeff Ellis—whether on an auction floor or in achieving his goals. Heck, he even created his own publishing company, Zephyr Productions, to make his dream a reality in 1997. Ellis has since published a two volume expanded edition of The Clubmaker's Art which features over 400 new images and extensive new information. Many exceedingly rare and historically important clubs have been added to every chapter in the book. The section on fakes and replicas is five times as large as that in the first edition. Mr. Ellis also recently published the history of Ping by personal invitation of the Solheim family (And The Putter Went ... PING). Ellis runs his own golf club auction site where we accepts consignments of authentic golf collectibles. His painstaking research and lifelong obsession is a gift to all hickory golf enthusiasts, now for time everlasting. He also published The Golf Club which features rare treasures made by Scotland's Old Tom Morris known as "The Grand Old Man of Golf" and Hugh Philp often called the Stradivarius of clubmakers. You will also find modern masterpieces by Ping, Spalding, Callaway, MacGregor, Titleist, Nike and others. In this episode, we discuss his early years in collecting, how prices and competition has changed in the last 30 years, and a few of the special clubs featured in his nearly 800 page compendium. The Clubmaker's Art is a must-have for every hickory golf club collector!

The Carolina Hickory Golf Association is dedicated to preserving the traditions of the ancient game of golf. Conceived in 2004, and formalized in 2005, it is one of the first—if not THE first—regional hickory golf association in the United States. The fortunate few who call the Carolinas their home know what it's like to play on sandy soil with whispering pines and a layer or two to keep the morning chill from your shoulders. I would argue—as I believe Donald Ross must have—it is one of the most ideal places in all of North America for the sport. CHGA grew from the legendary origins of the Mid Pines Hickory Open. In fact, the pro at Mid Pines was a co-founder of the Association, and is a guest in this episode. It was a treat to spend some time with founding captain "Lang Willie" Engelson, current captain Richard Schmidt, and PGA professional, Rob Pilewski. We spoke of their evolution, their association with LPGA member and World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, Peggy Kirk Bell, the estimable contributions of Jay Harris, Frank Boumphrey, and so much more. When a guest in the Carolinas, you're treated right. These three exemplify this culture and are a credit to the growth of hickory golf in the United States.

The Florida Hickory Golfers are a regional group of golfers dedicated to preserving the pureness and authenticity of golf by playing with hickory shafted clubs on traditional golf courses. At over 65,000 square miles, the state covers a vast territory, yet this group manages to build success upon success, now boasting a groundbreaking partnership with the Florida State Golf Association, which is exponentially elevating their presence and setting a new standard for other statewide regional playing groups in the United States. Like so many groups, FHG started as an offshoot of Golf Collector Society events. Collectors at these events would grab their 100 year-old clubs and hit the nearby links, thrilled to discover the old clubs still had quite a bit of game left in them. They now host the Temple Terrace United States Professional Hickory Golf Championship, Winter Park Hickory Classic, and the Race to Mount Dora, among many other monthly events. Captain Mike Stevens was joined by co-conspirators Bill Geisler and Rich Grula for a reflection on this progressive regional hickory golf organization that manages, in spite of their growing media presence and expanding annual events calendar, to keep it simple. Growing the game, enjoying one another's company, and welcoming new players is the hallmark of the Florida Hickory Golfers vibe. They give us all something to emulate as, as I note at the end of the conversation, they very well could become the fastest growing hickory association in the USA.

There aren't many people devoted to the craft of hand-making longnose clubs as they were made in the 19th century. Kelly Leonard is one of those rare exceptions. Based in Canada, Kelly is a one-man show. By day, he makes his living in construction, but in his free time, he's passionate about hand-shaping wood, horn, brass, and linen to create magical and modern instruments from start to finish that send the bearer back to the time before the modern golf ball was invented. A Leonard club is made for gutty or featherie golf, but as you'll hear in this episode, some have been using Kelly's longnose clubs for gutty and even casual rounds with a modern, low-compression golf ball with nothing but blissful feelings and that small connection one can conjure with players the likes of Robertson, Strath, Morris, Anderson, Park, Balfour-Melville and others. Kelly suspects every handmade longnose club has six solid hours of shaving, sanding, rasping, gluing, and finishing in them...and he's made more than 400 so far. This is serious stuff. Of late, he's been producing clubs on templates of some of the Greats, from McEwan, Forgan, Philp, Cossar, Park, and Dunn. What are you waiting for? If you love hickory golf, and you play with clubs from 1900-1935, and/or replicas, there's only a few centuries of other authentic versions of the period golf experience at your disposal! Kelly recommends using the McIntyre Park ball with his clubs, but whatever you do, look around, consider our forebears, and if you're curious, feel part of history in your hands and ears, and all of your senses, by swinging a longnose golf club. Find Kelly on Instagram

Author, inventor, craftsman, and bon vivant—Tim Alpaugh has an unassuming manner about him, but don't let that fool you. He possesses a keen eye for detail, and a passion for history. In this episode, we'll hear about Tim's journey from the fast-paced corporate world to a life-changing decision in the 1980s to give it all up and become a carpenter. Some of the same skills that propelled him in business, translate to the creation of bespoke cabinetry or to his growing popularity as a craftsman of hand-made divot tools, tees, trestle sticks, bag stands, and so much more. Tim's work is featured in the January 2021 issue of Golf Digest and he is completing a long-anticipated sequel to his first book, Claret Dreams: Historic Hickories in the Modern British Open. He's a founding member of the NY-area Metropolitan Hickory Society and has a loyal social media fan base to boot. I hope you'll gain inspiration from Tim's ingenuity and creativity, as I do. He's an original. You can contact Tim at claretdreamer@gmail.com and find him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/claretdreamer/ Images of Tim's work can also be found on the Plus Four podcast website.