This particular Wulff 1848 play club is from a batch of clubs made of hard maple in February 2026 and is loosely based on the template of an 1840s McEwan play club that’s included in Elmer Nahum’s book Practical Clubmaking.

Traditionally, the material on the leading edge of the sole would have been made of ram’s horn, but on this club I’ve opted to use a dense hardwood native to North America called Osage Orange that’s secured with traditional hide glue and hickory pegs. The weight on the back of the head is poured and hammered lead.

The black finish is inspired by a traditional Japanese finishing technique called shou sugi ban, where a flame is used to char the surface of the wood. More commonly used on outdoor wood features such as fences and furniture, the charring creates a durable and water-resistant finish. I’ve added several coats of linseed oil on top of the charring to further enhance those benefits, but in the instance of any wear to the finish due to play, a few quick passes with a propane torch will restore the char.

The shaft on this club was made by Kelly Leonard and is a whippy flex, which makes it an ideal club for featherie. That said, the nice-and-easy swing recommended for all forms of hickory golf can make this a useful club no matter what ball you opt to play. It’s been tested successfully in an indoor simulator with both a Lane featherie and a synthetic gutta percha ball.

The red leather grip is a thicker strip of cowhide, smooth-side out. It’s secured to the end of the shaft in the traditional way with a bent nail.

• 17 degrees of loft

• C8 swing weight

• 41 inches long

$225 (price includes shipping to continental USA)