The History of Titanium and Golf Clubs
Titanium was discovered in 1791 by the Reverend William Gregor, an English pastor. The first game of golf was played in 1456 at Bruntsfield Links, located in Edinburgh, Scotland. So golf was played about 335 years before titanium was discovered, yet titanium has been around for billions of years.
History of Titanium
Pure titanium was first produced in 1910 by Matthew A Hunter, an American metallurgist. Titanium makes up about one percent of the earth’s crust and is the ninth most frequently found element in the earth’s crust. Titanium’s Atomic number is 22, and its atomic weight is 47.867.
It will melt at 3034 degrees F or boil at 5949 F. Its element classification is metal, and its name originates from the Greek word "Titans," the mythological "first sons of the Earth." Titanium oxide is used as a pigment to create white paint and accounts for the largest use of the element.
History of Golf and Golf Clubs
The word golf derives from the Scottish word "goulf" meaning to "strike or cuff". Golf courses have not always had eighteen holes. In the early 15th century St. Andrews Golf Club played a total of 22 holes. Actually the course had 11 featured holes laid out end to end from the clubhouse to the far end of the property. Once these were completed the player played the holes in reverse back to the clubhouse. In 1764, course officials, reacting to players’ complaints that several holes were too short, combined them, thereby reducing the total to 18.
Wood was used in the construction of the head and shaft until the early 1930s when metal made its introduction. People loved the improved durability, lighter weight, and increased distance on their drives.
Titanium Golf Clubs
In the early 1970s, the use of titanium to build golf club heads began. A few years later graphite shafts were combined with those titanium golf club heads to produce some of the longest drives golfers had ever seen.
Why Titanium Golf Clubs?
Titanium is a very strong and light metal which is stronger than aluminum but as strong as steel. It is 45% lighter than steel and only 60% heavier than aluminum, making it perfect for building golf clubs with. Titanium is not easily corroded by salt water, so if you play a "links" course on a regular basis, your clubs will not gradually deteriorate over time. Titanium is also used in airplanes, missiles, and rockets, because of its resistance to high temperatures, its low weight, and its high strength.
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