Golf: Tributes for Affleck, top clubmaker

By MARTIN DEMPTER
Published on 12/12/2012 00:00

TRIBUTES have been paid to one of golf’s great golf clubmakers following his death at the age of 74. Jimmy Affleck started his career at the Ben Sayers workshop in North Berwick and ran a golf shop in Lochrin Place in Edinburgh more than 30 years ago.

He tweaked clubs for several top players, including Tom Watson, Tony Jacklin, Lee Trevino and Ian Woosnam. Roger Cleveland, the founder of the golf equipment brand, also paid a visit to Affleck at his home in Aberlady.

He worked there in his garden shed, where assistants doing their PGA training were regular visitors to pick his brains on club-making.

“He probably knew more about that skill than anyone else alive,” said Mike Robson, one of the local amateurs who often went to Affleck to get his clubs tweaked. “He was an amazing wee man. You popped in for ten minutes and it was always the most enjoyable, interesting and amusing two hours you would spend that week.”