The Giant Niblick

The c.1920 hickory shaft, Super-Giant Niblick made by J.P.Cochrane & Co, has the biggest head of all Giant Niblicks, measuring 4¾” deep x 6½” wide. Although intended for actual play, the huge dimensions of the head made it more likely usable as a sales mans sample to demonstrate and promote the Companies skill at producing clubs, in the same way that miniature clubs, that would fit into a mans hand, were made. The Super Giant Niblick is certainly the rarest of all the over size Niblicks to find, with less than a dozen known to be in collectors hands. Only one has ever been sold at auction, in 1990, realising around $14,000. However the biggest Giant Niblick ever produced, even larger than Cochrane’s, was specially made as a one off club, for the trick shot Golfing Professional Joe Kirkwood, and is on display at the Foxburg Country Club in Pennsylvania, USA.

A whole family of various hickory shafted oversize Niblicks were Wm. Good - The Skoogie Niblick made by the leading Scottish club making firms of the day and include J.P.Cochrane & Co, Edinburgh, Hendry & Bishop, Edinburgh, James Gourlay, Carnoustie and J. Winton of Montrose. The larger the head as found in the Giant Niblicks the more value they have to a collector. The smaller the head through the various models produced the less value they have.

J.P.Cochrane produced the Super Giant Niblick, the Mammoth Niblick (value £650) and Junior Mammoth Niblick (value £150).

James Gourlay produced the Giant Niblick (value £750)

Hendry & Bishop produced the Cardinal Giant Niblick (value £850).

Winton made the Giant model (value £750).

Other collectable and valuable Niblicks include:

Dreadnought Niblick (value £100).

Jumbo Niblick (value £100).

Skoogie Niblick (value £175).

Rut Niblick (value upwards of £50)