My Favourite Headcovers of all time – Part One
November 27, 2018
Who plays with bespoke golf equipment?
January 15, 2019
My kids baby grows
I have been involved in the design and making of literally thousands of headcovers but until last Christmas I have never had one designed for me. I now know what it feels like to have one of these little gems as a surprise and to be honest I was really taken back.
Unbeknown to me my wife had spoken to Emma about making me a cover from 2 baby grows which belonged to my daughter and son, it was to be my surprise Christmas present. My girls baby grow was covered with little hearts and flowers and my boys in robots. Emma made a cover which was split down the middle with half hearts and half robots with my kids names on either side. It was perfect.
I was later to find out that my cover was being made 6 feet behind me whilst I sat at my desk, I was completely oblivious. When I opened the box on Christmas morning I have to say that I was totally gobsmacked, needless to say it was the best Christmas present I’ve ever had. Actually, that’s not strictly true, I once had a Evel Knievel on a motorbike which had a winder on it, it shot off and did jumps. Sorry you just can’t beat that.
Unbeknown to me my wife had spoken to Emma about making me a cover from 2 baby grows which belonged to my daughter and son, it was to be my surprise Christmas present. My girls baby grow was covered with little hearts and flowers and my boys in robots. Emma made a cover which was split down the middle with half hearts and half robots with my kids names on either side. It was perfect.
I was later to find out that my cover was being made 6 feet behind me whilst I sat at my desk, I was completely oblivious. When I opened the box on Christmas morning I have to say that I was totally gobsmacked, needless to say it was the best Christmas present I’ve ever had. Actually, that’s not strictly true, I once had a Evel Knievel on a motorbike which had a winder on it, it shot off and did jumps. Sorry you just can’t beat that.
Mizuno
A few years ago, we were asked to design a range of covers for tour use only by our good friends at Mizuno. As long as we used the Mizuno branding the design was down to our vivid imagination. Our initial thought was that the covers needed to be bright so that they would leap out of the bag and stand out when seen on television.
The first run of covers were made from vintage Kimono silk which we sourced from Japan, some of the silks we used were over 100 years old! These beautiful silks are some of the most flamboyant, intricate and delicate fabrics we have ever used. The designs range from austere geometrics, floral motifs and festive celebrations inspired by the changing seasons along with the grace and beauty of Japan. Each cover would feature Mizuno branding on one side with our logo on the other, on the top was the Mizuno “Run Bird” with inspirational Kanji symbols, the symbols mean things like trust, belief, soul and fighting spirit.
The first run of covers were made from vintage Kimono silk which we sourced from Japan, some of the silks we used were over 100 years old! These beautiful silks are some of the most flamboyant, intricate and delicate fabrics we have ever used. The designs range from austere geometrics, floral motifs and festive celebrations inspired by the changing seasons along with the grace and beauty of Japan. Each cover would feature Mizuno branding on one side with our logo on the other, on the top was the Mizuno “Run Bird” with inspirational Kanji symbols, the symbols mean things like trust, belief, soul and fighting spirit.
For the second run we wanted to do something completely different and as far as I am aware something which has never been done before. We decided to go for the Mizuno staff colours of white and blue glitter vinyl for the base colour with Mizuno branding down the top and dancing run birds all over the covers in white embroidery. They looked pretty classy but let’s be honest they seemed to be lacking a bit of SRC oooooooooooooomph. I forgot to add one tiny detail, the covers were embroidered with a UV light sensitive thread which will change colour from white to a whole range of pastel colours the minute the covers are taken outside
Ian Poulter (IJP)
Early 2014 we received an email from the lead designer at IJP saying that they love what we do and they wanted visit us to discuss making covers for them. A month or so later 2 of Mr Poulters design team arrived at the golf club where I was the head pro, to be honest I was slightly nervous. At that point in time my workshop was a small and chilly room which was rammed full of equipment including an embroidery machine and a cutting table which was propped up on 4 house bricks and held together with spiders’ webs. The sewing machine was on a table in the pro shop back office and was also propped up on 4 house bricks, not exactly professional but it’s all we had.
The designers arrived and I walked them round the back of the clubhouse to my workshop. I tentatively opened the door, they stepped inside and almost gasped in disbelief. They absolutely loved it!!!! They went on to say that they visit loads of manufacturers who have spotless factories full of shiny machines but somehow they all feel soulless. Our workshop was full of old tools, a rusty vice, lots of pictures and loads of memorabilia, it was a place where people worked every day and even some nights.
The designers arrived and I walked them round the back of the clubhouse to my workshop. I tentatively opened the door, they stepped inside and almost gasped in disbelief. They absolutely loved it!!!! They went on to say that they visit loads of manufacturers who have spotless factories full of shiny machines but somehow they all feel soulless. Our workshop was full of old tools, a rusty vice, lots of pictures and loads of memorabilia, it was a place where people worked every day and even some nights.
After lunch we came up with the idea of making covers from the tartan fabrics which were used to make Ian Poulters trousers. We went on to make hundreds of these covers, sometimes from rolls of cloth and sometimes from panels which were pre-cut to make the trousers. The pattern is actually registered with the Tartan authority and is listed as a “Poulter Tartan”.
I have so many favourites and truth be known I love them all, it’s hard not to when you put your soul into every single headcover.
I have so many favourites and truth be known I love them all, it’s hard not to when you put your soul into every single headcover.
