Comments on: Golf Clubs that Changed the Game

By: stickmaan

stickmaan — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:14:57 +0000

What about consideration for Tommy Armour 693,945 and m85 of the late 40's - early 50's all of which was oil hardened persimmon....and the Wilson irons bullet and button back along with all the fluid feel (black dot).
8802 putter style, bullseye style. Most important the Killer Bee; first super long driver mass marketed. Ping K-1 woods too. I think your list is way too incomplete.

By: Jim Brooks

Jim Brooks — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:28:53 +0000

Enjoyed your listing of innovative changes to the game! Heaven knows you could have made that one long list if you really wanted to : )! I have been a collector for over 40 years and like yourself, have seen many changes, as well as, read about those that took place well into our past! The one area that I am surprised about that was neglected, was the creation of the metal/steel shaft... then later, obviously, ALL of the others!!! That single innovation eventually brought a "cheaper" club to the masses, allowed more people into an otherwise very expensive game/hobie and started the whole concept of club fitting!! Next to the advent of the gutty ball in 1850... the surlyn ball of the 1960's and the "oversized' behemouths of the 2000's... I think you have all covered : ))!

By: Ronald Phipps

Ronald Phipps — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 19:35:35 +0000

Is there a golf course in the United States

or Canada, that equally challenges

right-handed and left-handed golfers?

Meaning: the front and back nine are

mirror images. There are equal amount of

doglegs to the left and right.

On the surface, it may appear that a dogleg

to the right, favours a leftie; through the

option to drive over trees. However, even

a rightie with reliable FADE, may re-think

his or her game, if they are faced with

trees sitting too close to their left when

driving off the tee.

By: Scott Sigman

Scott Sigman — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 07:25:51 +0000

A delightful article with a perspective on the history of the equipment itself. Call me an idiot, or a traditionalist, but I am still using persimmon woods during just 30 years of playing the game, from the time I was 13. The PGAtour.com website cites the fact(?) that the same distance can be achieved with wood woods as with metal drivers. Are what some call advances, really just changes and not really any progression, per se?
Sure, the last hickory shaft stick used to win a major event (U.S. Amatuer) was pre-World War II, but hear this here first: could a PGA Tour event be held (like in auto racing, with a historic series), where only equipment from days of yore is authorized and allowed? The tour sponsors could bring back a whole realm of name brands and prove their tenured pedigrees, and hype their usual new and improved models to generate interest. The hounds for equipment at garage sales would be prompted to be more competitive, and who knows, maybe the modernists as well as the traditionalists (the idiots?) among us, would be shown a thing or two.

By: stevei

stevei — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 07:27:20 +0000

Thank you for the responses

I have played with a custom set of Riley's for about 20 years now and yes I play with new tech woods but I am yet to find irons that beat these. I have few freinds that can hit better with new technology the only thing I need is re finishing and sharper groves.

By: tartanjack

tartanjack — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:08:26 +0000

The Riley driver did have a unique core. The reason I listed the Pittsburgh Persimmon was that it was clearly the first metal driver to capture (and ultimately change) the market.

One of the first companies to jump on the metal driver bandwagon was The Founders Club which, for a time, were almost as popular as the Taylor Made's. Alas, they never ascended to the position where they could be bought by addidas and continue to be part of the evolution.

By: Larry

Larry — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 19:59:18 +0000

Larry said on July 13, 2006:

I thought John Riley patented the first metal driver?

Hard to say. The basis for the Riley patent appears to be a plastic core inside the metal head. Other metal drivers without plastic cores could have pre-dated Riley.

By: Steve I

Steve I — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 01:27:31 +0000

I thought John Riley patented the first metal driver? It says this on their web site as well

By: tartanjack

tartanjack — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 20:06:05 +0000

Thanks for the comments and additions, guys!

Actually, the baffler, the TaylorMade Raylor and the Ginty trouble wood almost made the list. As I understand the story, Gary McCord approached TaylorMade with the idea of combining the attributes of the Ginty with the Raylor to produce the first hybrid. But since that was hard to trace down and because, in fact, the distinction may belong to all three, I left them off this list.

I also purposely left out balls... for the moment. Maybe we'll trace that history in a future column!

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 18:08:50 +0000

Very entertaining stroll down memory lane.

What about the Cobra Baffler...the grandaddy of all hybrids?