Tad Moore and his hickory golf clubs

SELMA, Ala. (WSFA) – Tad Moore has been around the game of golf ever since he could walk.

“My whole family played golf,” said Moore, who owns Tad Moore Golf.

While he loved to play, Moore also took an interest in a different part of the game.

“I got into watching the guy who took care of the clubs at the golf course. That was kind of interesting and I wanted to see if I could do it. That’s what got me into making golf clubs,” Moore said.

He got into the golf business in the late 80′s. After decades in the business, his friend gave him a challenge he couldn’t pass up.

“My friend said to me one night at St. Andrews, you make all those clubs for tour players, so you can certainly make a wood shaft club,” Moore said.

That’s how it started.

“We get our hickory up in Tennessee so the stuff weighs more than a modern shaft of steel or graphite. The clubs are a little heavier but they have a great response and feel,” Moore added.

Making a hickory shaft club is different.

“I can build a modern golf club like wood or a putter in 10 minutes. This takes three days,” Moore said.

It’s quite a process.

“We start with a perfectly round dowel 7/8 inches in diameter. When it comes out it has a taper. So this is how you get the flex. Then you put it into an old pencil sharpener and we turn this so it fits into the head,” Moore said.

After that it’s stained and all the finishing details are done by hand. Then, these clubs could end up anywhere.

“We also sell to New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, the UK, Canada, just about anywhere people play golf, they’re now starting to experience hickory golf.”

Tad Moore Golf does almost all of its business online but you can visit the shop in Selma. Moore hopes to have an indoor hitting area and a putting green in the near future.

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