Robert Tyre Bobby Jones was the most successful amateur golfer in history. During his peak playing days on the links from 1923 to 30 he dominated top-level amateur competition and competed very successfully against the world's best professional golfers. In many instances Jones beat such standouts as Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen who were considered the era's top pros. Jones earned his living primarily as a lawyer and competed in golf only as an amateur on a part-time basis and chose to retire from competition at age 28. He did however earn substantial money from golf after that both as an instructor and equipment designer. In fact Jones founded and helped design the Augusta National Golf Club and co-founded the Masters Tournament.

Shown here is a Robert T. Jones 4 iron that has never before been offered publicly. His name appears in script on the back of the club head. This particular 4 iron was made for Jones by A.G. Spalding during the late 1920s. He did not use this in competition as his competition clubs are well documented and on display at a few golf clubs in his home state of Georgia and with the USGA. This club however was almost certainly among his selection of personal clubs he used outside of tournament play and kept on hand as a candidate for professional competition. The shaft appears to be original although it lacks the "Robt T Jones" shaft stamp thats usually found on the handful of other such clubs Spalding made for Jones. The grip is longer than the grips on the irons he used in competition and the whipping at the top and bottom of the grip are two different colors but it looks to be old and professionally installed. This is among only a handful of clubs know that were custom crafted for Jones prior to his initial Spalding endorsement deal which was signed in 1931 and most of those were made by Tom Stewart of St. Andrews the home of golf. A screw hole in the shaft indicates that this club was once on display otherwise the club appears to be in top condition. Like the bat of Babe Ruth or the violin of Tchaikovsky this is the tool of a genius likely used by Booby Jones to hone his skill and become the most revolutionary golfer in the sports history.

Comes with a Letter of Provenance from the Helms Athletic Foundation/LA84 Collection where it was held on display at the museum.