TWO LONG HOSEL PUTTERS: AN ALBERT WHITING "HIS OWN" BY JAMES GOURLAY OF CARNOUSTIE, AND A PATENT "No.2 OKE PUTTER", CIRCA 1920s

Both clubs with long, thin hosels



The iron with dot-punched markings on the face



Back stamped "No. 2 Oke Putter / Reg. No. 680298 / U.S.A. Patent Applied For / W.G. Oke / Fulwell G.C. / Special / Warranted Hand Forged / Made in England / Oke Brand' with an oaktree cleekmark



Hickory shaft is stamped "A.L. Johnson Co. / Boston" with a leather grip



The second long hosel putter is a rustless model



Blade with punching to face, the back of the blade stamped 'Albert Whiting / Folkestone / Warranted Rustless Iron / Guaranteed Hand Forged / Own Model / Putter" along with the anchor cleekmark of James Gourlay of Carnoustie



Hosel and square section of wooden shaft stamped "Albert Whiting / Special", varnished hickory shaft with a cherry-colored leather grip

TCA p. 184; TCA2 Vol. 1 p. 212

Oke putter in overall very good condition, some of the stamps are a little faint. Whiting club in overall excellent condition with little or no sign of use or wear. Please note that most lots describe a basic overall condition status. Please note that it is the nature of this type of memorabilia to be in excellent or very good condition and still have some age wear. To request individual detailed condition reports, please contact Lisa Ladish or Kevin Schwartz in Sotheby's Collectibles Department.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

William Oke's 1921 patent states that in order to perform well during the "delicate operation" of putting, the golfer must not be distracted. He thinned out the extraordinarily long and tapering shaft and hosel to make the putter unobtrusive to the player's eye when putting. Whiting's putter is similar to Oke's but with an even thinner square shaft and hosel. When it comes to hosel size, these two putters show the long and thin of it, at least during the wood shaft era.