Old wooden-shaft clubs by Wilson have relatively little value as collectibles. Millions of clubs with wooden shafts were made and sold in America from 1920 to 1935. Wilson was a major seller of clubs during this era, represented by such stars as Gene Sarazen, Sam Sneed and Patty Berg. There are still, in 2011, too many wooden shaft clubs in basements and garages to make them very valuable. Only wooden shaft clubs from Wilson or other golf manufacturers that are distinctive in some way have significant value to collectors.
Rarity
The law of supply and demand hold sway when it comes to pricing collectibles. Since millions of golf clubs with wooden shafts were sold by major manufacturers such as Wilson, Spalding, and MacGregor and numerous other companies in the early and mid- 20th century, they are generally considered "common" in collectible circles. Chuck Furjanic, former World Senior Hickory Champion and owner of the collectors website, "Golf for All Ages" says that 99% of these wood shaft clubs are common, with "no value beyond decorative, conversational and playable items." You might be able to sell such clubs for $10 to $20 if the clubs are in good condition.
Condition
As with any other collectible, condition is a key factor in determining how much an item is worth. Wilson wood-shaft clubs were bought to be used, and most of the surviving clubs are nicked and dinged and otherwise suffering from wear and tear. Furjanic notes, "clubs that have been restored, cleaned, have warped or cracked shafts and or hosels, heavy rusting, pitting, bad or missing grips bring substantially less." On the other hand, if you are lucky enough to discover a set of pristine Wilson wood shaft clubs from the 1930s that are still in their original box, you have a rarity that is in mint condition. In short, a collectible that would be quite valuable.
Fashion
Wood shaft clubs are not in fashion in 2011. There were plenty of buyers for such clubs late in the 20th century, fueled in part by the Japanese golf boom during that period, but demand has dropped and wood shaft clubs have little cachet today. Coupled with plentiful supply, prices for common clubs, including Wilson wood shafts, have dropped by 50 percent or more in recent years.
Prices
At the online site Vintage Golf Clubs for Sale, you can purchase a Wilson Sam Sneed Blue Ridge 6-iron for just $5.99. A Gene Sarazen 4250 driver, not as commonplace, goes for $60.00. Wood shaft clubs with distinctive features or limited edition models can fetch anywhere from $25 to over $200. An excellent resource for golf club collectible buyers and sellers is "Antique Golf Collectibles: A Price and Reference Guide."
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