Classic. Refined. Handmade.
John Hayes Custom Built
Classic.
Refined.
Handmade.
Built by Hand
John Hayes creates custom persimmon golf clubs with traditional methods and personal attention. Every club is built by hand from raw wood and shaped into a one-of-a-kind piece. These clubs are made for players who appreciate classic materials, thoughtful craftsmanship, and the feel of something truly unique.
Based in Boston, John works on each club one at a time, focusing on quality, detail, and performance.
About John Hayes
John Hayes grew up in Barrington, RI and learned the game of golf as a caddy at Rhode Island Country Club. RICC is a beautiful Donald Ross-designed course on Narragansett Bay, and churned out world-class golfers including Brad Faxon, Billy Andrade, and Brett and Dana Quigley.
John didn’t often get the best loops, but got lucky one day when he caddied for Frank McBride. McBride, a veteran and former Rhode Island Amateur champion, also happened to be the guy in Rhode Island for refinishing classic persimmon woods.
John and Frank became great friends, and over countless hours in his basement workshop, or just sitting in the driveway watching cars go by and talking, Frank gave John something to care about. He shared his love of finely crafted persimmon woods, and how to restore and repair them the right way.
Apart from a few years in college, John has never stopped working on and collecting classic persimmon. 2021 marked a big year for John Hayes Custom Built, when he purchased the manufacturing equipment and specialized tools used by the former Joe Powell Golf company.
Since then, he’s been practicing, making and remaking, refinishing, experimenting, and developing his own style. Some of the world’s top players, including Rory McIlroy, Lucas Herbert, and Ryan Fox, have clubs John has made.
Creativity, attention to detail, and a willingness to put in the time, along with the ability to blend non-traditional materials with old-school fine craftsmanship, set his work apart. A perfectionist, he agonizes over every detail and will not ship a club if it doesn’t suit his eye.
John is still making clubs the old-fashioned way, one at a time, with no shortcuts, just as Elmore Just, Joe Powell, Toney Penna, and Frank McBride did.
Career Slam Driver
Back in June I was lucky enough to be asked to make a driver commemorating Rory’s Career Slam. I made this driver for Joe Powell Golf Co. The person who commissioned the driver did not offer or request any specific design, only that it should include his 4 majors.
It was a bit of a time crunch; the club was shipped out to Scotland within a month of learning about the project. I knew immediately that I wanted a poppy in the design. I sent that general idea to my graphic designer, who fine-tuned it, and with a few changes here and there came up with the design.
I made the Eye-O-Matic insert from G10, which is an extremely hard material (+50,000 PSI), in red and white for Northern Ireland. I laminated a very thin strip of green G10 as well. The Joe Powell Co. made a nice leather matching headcover for it. I am very glad (and relieved) that he liked it!
The shaft is a taper-tipped X200 Dynamic Gold Shaft, finished with a NOS Neumann leather grip.
Cole's Jumbo WW
This driver was fun to make. Cole wanted a head similar to a MacGregor Jumbo and requested a white and red color scheme. I was able to have the head turned from an original MacGregor Jumbo Master.
A few weeks earlier, I had restored a set of 1954 Toney Penna WW Specials, and after much trial and error I finally got the white finish right. Perfect timing.
I installed a red fiber insert with a five-screw pattern, a sweepback soleplate, and five screws in the soleplate, all matching the original MacGregor. I also hand-engraved his signature on the crown.
I think it came out nicely and is a good example of what I like to do. I make Persimmon woods that are completely custom, contemporary, and one-of-a-kind, built on a firm foundation in the classics of the Golden Age of Persimmon. Made and meant for no one other than the person I build it for.
Cory's Retro Golf Club
Cory Crelan is a great guy. He is a Francis Ouimet Caddie Scholar and Golf Professional who, in 2022, founded Retro Golf Club. Please check out Retro Golf Club here: www.retrogolfclub.com
The only aesthetic/design requests Cory gave me were that he wanted it painted black and with a firing pin. For the head, I used a NOS Joe Powell Co. PT1W head. A classic, medium-deep, pear-shaped head. A beautiful, classic head.
Sometimes I have a clear idea what I will make; many times, improvisation is required.
I originally had not planned on putting the large screw in the middle of the pin. However, the final head weight was about 4 grams lighter than I needed. I knew I had to add weight somewhere, so I put a 5 g brass screw in the pin, which, after filing and blending, brought it up 4 grams exactly.
No one likes beautiful persimmon grain more than me, believe me. That said, a painted black club can be really beautiful if done correctly. Making this club was a ton of fun. Thanks for all you do for Vintage Golf, Cory!
Contact John
Thanks for checking out my site!
You may have noticed there is not a "Clubs for sale" section.
The reason for that is that the drivers I make are all custom. Every one is made for a specific person, and the design is completely unique.
I hope to add a section of "stock" woods that are available for sale in the near future.
If you are thinking of a Unique, custom driver, send me an email and let me know what you are looking for. Please include any ideas or questions you have.
I will get back to you.
Your information is safe with us. Thank you for inquiry.
How Each Club Is Made
Every club follows a careful process from start to finish:
1. Shape the head from raw persimmon
2. Set the face angle, loft, and lie
3. Cut scoring lines and install screws
4. Seal areas with lacquer to control stain
5. Apply aniline dye by hand
6. Use lacquer thinner to clean and reveal details
7. Add wood filler to highlight the grain
8. Install the shaft and finish the surface
The goal is always the same.
A club that performs well, feels right, and looks beautiful.