The Process
How do we make our markers?
All our ball markers are made by hand in Scotland by our in-house artist, Kate Ive. You can read more about her artwork and sculpture practice here. Graham handles all the project planning, enquiries and commissions, promoting and developing INGOT golf.
The process begins with a design meeting with our founders, where they select which courses to represent and what should feature on our markers.
From there Kate creates sketches of the obverse and reverse designs for approval, before beginning the process of sculpting and carving them in clay. She makes moulds of the clay originals and casts wax versions of the markers. The waxes are then used to create the markers in bronze using the Lost Wax Casting technique.
The wax markers are covered in ceramic shell and melted out to create the space to pour in the molten bronze. The bronze melts a 1150°C and is carefully poured into the ceramic moulds. The markers are cast in fine art quality, silicon bronze. Once they have cooled they are fettled, chased, patinated and waxed.
Finally they are checked and boxed, ready for delivery.
Handmade in Bronze
Kate has been casting bronze for 15 years and draws on her experience at the Royal Mint’s Engraving Department to ensure each marker has the right level of detail to be captured in metal. She has built 3 furnaces for casting bronze and iron, including the small portable furnace seen in these images.
She has created medals and markers that are in museum collections around the world, including the British Museum in London and the Royal Mint Museum.