My parents have an antique putter, a flanged John Letters Golden Goose from Scotland. This is a very special putter for those of you who might be unfamiliar with it. The Golden Goose putter range was launched in 1945 by John Logan and Company which was later changed to John Letters in 2005. John Letters clubs were used by eight out of ten British team players in the Ryder Cup in 1949.
The new equipment range from John Letters is available and produced from small works by the River Clyde in Glasgow in St Andrews. Their work is very much focused on details and every club gets a handmade sticker, while the customer is encouraged to go test the club at the nearby Fairmont hotel. They customize clubs and initial them on request too.
With the majority of manufacturers assembling their equipment in the Far East, John Letters is bucking the trend by hand-assembling everything in the country where it all began and, if you’re in or around the Auld Grey Toun, it is well worth a visit.
John Letters Timeline
1918 Letters Logan & Company founded in Glasgow
1923 Company renamed John Letters
1929 Become one of the first companies in Europe to experiment with steel shafts
1946 Launch of the now famous Golden Goose putter
1947 Launch of the original Master Model irons
1949 8 of GB&I’s 10-man Ryder Cup team use John Letters clubs
1952 Launch of the Silver Swan putter
1957 Dunlop Sporting Company purchase John Letters
1971 Sam Torrance joins
1973 Hope Letters introduces carbon fibre technology, inspired by changes in bicycle frame manufacturing
1983 Jimmy and Hope Letters buy John Letters back from Dunlop
1989 Trilogy irons launched – the first mixed cavity/blade set
1990 Paul Lawrie joins as staff player
1991 Darren Clarke joins
1991 Tim Morrison purchases John Letters from Scottish Heritable Trust
2000 Gordon and Marlon White purchase John Letters
2006 PGA professional John Andrew buys, and relaunches, John Letters
2010 Sam Torrance re-signs and T9+ range is launched
2011 Master Model irons and Golden Goose putter relaunched. Showroom and Workshop opens in St Andrews
John Letters History
Dunlop acquired John Letters in 1957, before the Letters family bought it back 25 years later. A number of different owners tried to revive the business, but the golf industry had moved on and the brand limped into the new millennium before finally collapsing into administration. The company’s classic Golden Goose putter was used by Lee Trevino and Gary Player, and can still be found lurking in the golf bag of 16-handicap seniors who have just won the monthly stableford with 45 points.
New John Letters Club Ranges
John Letters club ranges now include the new Tour Black wedges and new Master Model irons. Scotland’s finest clubmaker since 1918 has a history that is synonymous with The Open Championship, with former staff players Fred Daly, Gary Player and Lee Trevino all winning the Claret Jug using John Letters equipment. Having unveiled the new limited edition Master Model Tour Black irons and driver as well as re-launching of the Golden Goose and Silver Swan Putter ranges to the media the week before at Royal St George’s, the John Letters R&D and product testing team were also out in force at Walton Heath testing new prototypes of the next generation of Letters equipment.
Conclusion
In conclusion I would like to point out that you can get your own second hand version of these wonderful antiques on various platforms, by doing a simple search online.
Alternatively, I would recommend the getting yourself one of the new clubs this fine company has to offer through Amazon or something similar. These clubs are great!
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Meet Barry, the brains behind Barry’s Hobbies, a golfing haven. A true golf enthusiast, his passion shines through detailed explorations of the sport. Unveiling golf’s secrets with a touch of expertise. Join the golfing journey at Barry’s Hobbies, where knowledge meets genuine love for the game.
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