Hawes St. Andrews West Hickory Golf Clubs
The Story Behind Hawes St. Andrews West Golf Clubs
It was sweltering — the kind of heat that makes the air itself feel heavy. I was sitting in a small country church in St. Andrews West, Ontario, the thermometer was 36 degrees Celsius with the humidex it felt like 42 degrees. That is over 107 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s Arizona hot. But as they say, it was not so much the heat as the humidity. The focused light from the stained glass windows was searing into my face. I was certain that I’d have the 5th station of the cross burned into my skin as a permanent tattoo. The priest was droning on in French, his voice slow and melodic, OMG my head bobbed as the heat pressed down, I found myself drifting somewhere between consciousness and fantasy.
In order to stay upright, my thoughts went to the other heaven, a golf course and jumping into Poppies Pond - and that’s when it happened — my epiphany.
Perhaps it was the delirium of the heat, but the idea struck with the clarity of divine inspiration:
Create a simple, sturdy, and affordable set of Hickory golf clubs for beginners — Something reliable enough to learn with, authentic enough to feel the spirit of the game, and accessible enough that anyone could join in.
In that moment, Hawes St. Andrews West was born.
The concept was straightforward: a “short set” of carefully chosen clubs — a Niblick, Mashie-Niblick, Mashie, Jigger/Midiron, Brassie, and a Putter — all the essentials a player would ever need to embrace the game’s timeless charm. Each club crafted from an original Maxwell with balance, beauty, and the resilience to withstand both the learning curve and the test of time.
And the price? The cost of a modern driver.
Crazy? Perhaps — but possible. And I did it. It is now approved for play by the Society of Hickory Golfers SoHG! The goal was never luxury for luxury’s sake. It was about lowering the barrier to Hickory golf, giving new players a set that demanded little maintenance but offered all the magic — the soft sound of meeting the ball, the feel of the swing, the tempo, the connection to golf’s roots.
From that small church in St. Andrews West, a vision took flight — to make Hickory golf not just a curiosity of the past, but a living, breathing experience for anyone curious enough to try. In a nutshell, that is Hawes St. Andrews West — born of heat, faith, and a touch of divine inspiration.
The Hawes St. Andrews West Short Set: Six Clubs
That Capture the Soul of Hickory Golf
Each club in the set is hand-selected to serve a unique purpose — together they cover the full range of shots you’ll ever need, from tee to green; while keeping the experience pure and uncluttered. Hickory golf isn’t about having fourteen clubs; it’s about learning the feel, the rhythm, and the creativity of every strike.
The “Short Set” Philosophy
This six-club configuration reflects golf’s earliest ethos — simplicity and creativity over complexity. With these clubs, a beginner can learn every shot: drive, fairway wood, long iron, approach, chip, and putt — without being overwhelmed.
The idea isn’t to limit — it’s to liberate.
When you can make these six clubs sing, you’ve truly learned the game.
1. Brassie
Modern equivalent: 2-wood or strong 3-wood
Typical loft: 13°–16°
The Brassie is the hickory-era club used for longer tee shots or fairway approaches when a driver might be too much. Its brass sole plate gives it durability when hitting from rough or hard turf — hence the name.
In today’s Hickory play, the Brassie is your power club. It’s for the confident strike down the fairway, the sweeping swing that feels like a link to golf’s early pioneers. You’ll use it for most tee shots and the longer second shots on par-5s.
2. Mid-Iron / Jigger
Modern equivalent: Between a 4-iron and 7-iron, depending on loft
Typical loft: 28°–34°
The Mid-Iron/ Jigger, depending on the maker) is the workhorse of the set — a low-lofted iron ideal for bump-and-runs, firm links greens, and tight lies.
Players love it for its versatility: a knock-down punch under the wind, a tidy approach that skips and rolls, or even a short chip from the fringe. In the hands of a clever player, the Jigger replaces half the modern bag.
3. Mashie
Modern equivalent: 6-iron
Typical loft: 33°–37°
The Mashie is the most trusted club in a Hickory golfer’s quiver — the all-purpose approach club.
It’s perfect for controlled shots from 120–150 yards, where precision matters more than brute distance. A well-struck Mashie carries beautifully and lands softly, ideal for links conditions or firm, fast greens. It’s the club Bobby Jones once said he could “never be without.”
4. Mashie-Niblick
Modern equivalent: 8- or 9-iron
Typical loft: 40°–45°
The Mashie-Niblick bridges the gap between the approach and the wedge. It’s for short-range precision — those delicate shots that need loft and control without full swing effort.
It’s a favourite for players learning touch and trajectory, a perfect teacher of feel over force. It can lift the ball gently over a bunker or nip a chip close to the pin with satisfying spin.
5. Niblick
Modern equivalent: Wedge (roughly 50°–55°)
Typical loft: 50°–56°
The Niblick is the short-game artisan’s club — used for high, soft shots, bunker escapes, or short pitches that demand precision.
In Hickory play, the Niblick teaches creativity: how to open the face, adjust stance, and use the sole’s bounce to slide through turf. Every golfer eventually develops a personal relationship with their Niblick — it’s the club that saves more strokes than any other.
6. Putter
Modern equivalent: Putter
Typical design: Blade with a solid Hickory shaft
The Putter finishes the journey. In Hickory sets, putters are made with brass, aluminium, or steel heads — often with more feel than forgiveness.
The Hawes St. Andrews West Putter stays true to that tradition, offering feedback and balance rather than modern mechanical precision. It encourages a smooth stroke and rewards the golfer who learns to trust instinct over alignment aids.
The Hawes Green “Sunday” Carry Bag
Traditional Craft. Modern Ease. Timeless Style.
The Hawes Green Sunday Carry Bag was designed with one guiding principle — to carry only what you need and everything that matters. Inspired by the classic walking bags of the 1920s, it’s lightweight, handsome, and built to complement the minimalist spirit of Hickory golf.
Each bag is crafted in deep Hawes Green, a rich heritage tone that evokes rolling Irish fairways and the calm of the links at dusk. The exterior is made from weather-resistant canvas and full-grain leather trim, chosen for durability, flexibility, and that subtle patina that only improves with time.
Design Details
Weight: Under 4 pounds — easy to carry the full round without fatigue.
Structure: Reinforced leather top collar and base, ensuring stability and long-lasting form.
Strap: Padded single-shoulder sling for effortless comfort and balance while walking.
Pockets:
A full-length apparel pocket for jacket or sweater. (Also serves as a cover)
A ball and tee pocket with brass zipper pull.
Divider: Single open tube (true to Hickory tradition), with leather spacers, allowing the golfer to feel and organize the clubs naturally by hand.
Towel ring and leather umbrella loop: Polished brass fittings with antique finish.
Base: Leather-reinforced bottom with brass feet for stability and protection on damp ground.
The Mark of Heritage
Proudly embossed and stitched on the main panel is the Hawes St. Andrews West logo — an amalgamated symbol of both heritage and innovation. The crest, stamped in antique gold, reflects the dual spirit of the brand: reverence for golf’s origins, and commitment to making the game accessible to modern players discovering Hickory for the first time.
The logo serves not just as decoration but as declaration — every Hawes bag carries a story.
Our Pricing Philosophy
Rediscovering Golf — One Swing at a Time
At Hawes St. Andrews West, we believe the true joy of golf lies not in overpowering the course, but in learning to play it — to understand its slopes, winds, and subtleties the way the early masters did.
Modern technology has made it easier to hit farther — but in doing so, it often strips away the art of feel, imagination, and shot-making. Hickory golf restores that artistry. Every swing demands thought, touch, and rhythm. Every round becomes a conversation with the course rather than a contest against it.
That’s why we offer a complete set of authentic Hickory clubs for the price of a single modern driver — because golf was never meant to be a game of distance alone. Our goal is to make this timeless experience accessible to all: the sound of wood meeting ball, the satisfaction of a perfectly judged bump-and-run, the pride of mastering a game of finesse rather than force.
By simplifying the game — and the equipment — we bring back what made it great in the first place.
Hickory golf rewards patience, creativity, and understanding. It teaches you to swing within yourself, to adapt to the elements, and to cherish every well-struck shot, not because it went the farthest, but because it was honest and true.
Our philosophy is simple:
Play the course — don’t overpower it. Rediscover golf the way it was meant to be played.
Each Hawes St. Andrews West Hickory club is more than a tool — it’s a piece of functional art. Every shaft is hand-turned from select Hickory, chosen for its grain, balance, and natural resilience. The soft sheen of the wood, the polished steel of the iron heads, the precisely wrapped suede grips all speak to a bygone era when craftsmanship mattered more than mass production. Subtle variations in each club’s finish means that no two sets are exactly alike — a quiet reminder that golf, like art, is about individuality and expression. Together, they evoke a sense of tradition and timeless beauty, connecting every golfer to the artistry of the game itself.
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