Imagine Bobby Jones with a Titanium Driver

**jorruss** · May 20, 2009

I brought this topic up in another post, but thought it would be fun to expand the discussion:

How do you think the players of the past like Bobby Jones, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan would have done with modern equipment like Titanium heads and graphite shafts?

**opie** · May 20, 2009

I think about that a lot... Equipment has come so far but what I don't know is.. How different were the courses in those guys era's?? I mean were there 600 yd par 5's etc??

Dad's got a set of Golden Bear Irons from the 70's. We took them to the range one day to see how they hit. The 3 iron looks like a butter knife. lol

**iWALK18** · May 20, 2009

Well I think Bobby Jones' Swing is so long because he was using hickory shafts. I wonder if he would be using a senior flex shaft because of that, or what his preference would be. Maybe he would shorten his swing if he started using modern equipment.

**PiKapp23** · May 20, 2009

It's impossible to know simply because, assuming they were in the modern era with the modern equipment AND modern course designs/setups as well as modern teaching and training methods, they would be completely different golfers than what they were. However, if you were to simply take the modern equipment back in time and give it to them I'm sure it would change them, but I'm not sure how much. Hogan might have benefitted the most because he was very accurate and consistent but not know to be very long. He also might have benefited from modern putters since that was also a known weakness of his. Snead might have made that transition easier because of his smooth, easy tempo. From what I have seen of Jones and Nelson they had very long swings that I think would have been forced to change to benefit from the modern equipment. The modern ball might cause all of these players more problems than modern equipment, though.

**mdvaldosta** · May 20, 2009

Courses have changed as equipment has. Think about how many of the courses the pro's play today have been lengthened, rough thickened, firmer greens etc. Sure they'd probably play longer and more accurate with today's gear, but it wouldn't take the courses very long to move the 495 yard par 5's back another 50 yards and put a pond in front of it :)

***iacas*** · May 20, 2009

I brought this topic up in another post, but thought it would be fun to expand the discussion:

Incredibly poorly with the swings they had.

Maybe okay if you gave them lady flex shafts?

Of course, they'd figure out how to swing the club properly. That's just a bit of a joke... Assuming everyone else in their era had the same equipment, I think they'd do worse. Better equipment has a leveling effect that brings the lesser-skilled players closer to those at the top. That's what makes what Tiger Woods has been able to do - and to a lesser extent what Jack was able to do - all the more stunning.

**jorruss** · May 20, 2009

The courses have gotten longer for sure, partly because the modern players hit it so far, but I think it's a bit of a knee jerk reaction. The grand old courses with tight fairways and tight doglegs still challenge the players and force the driver out of their hands. At tournaments like Colonial and Harbour Town, hitting driver brings trouble into play. You have to work the ball around doglegs and such. Places like TPC also force drivers to stay in the bag out of intimidation.

I think the guys like Bobby Jones and Sam Snead would have to adjust more since they came up with hickory shafts, but there are plenty of options for them that wouldn't require them to shorten their swings. Just throw an A flex shaft in Bobby's driver and he would kill it.

Ben Hogan had more of a modern style swing, with stiff steel shafts in all his clubs. I think he would have been that much more effective as a ball striker with the modern irons and woods. But there is still a part of me that doesn't want to let go of the traditions of golf. Maybe that's why I still carry blades and have resisted hybrids. Can you imagine that famous photo of him at Merion with a hybrid? Just wouldn't be the same...

**CarlSpackler** · May 20, 2009

The other question would be; how would players of the past play with today's golf ball technology?

**Elvisliveson** · May 20, 2009

Assuming everyone else in their era had the same equipment, I think they'd do worse. Better equipment has a leveling effect that brings the lesser-skilled players closer to those at the top.

Yes, I absolutely agree. The better equipment puts more people into the mix.

**misty_mountainhop** · May 20, 2009

Flipping it around, I wonder what a strong swinger like Tiger would be able to do with hickory for a shaft?

Either way you cut it though, I'm sure the best players would still be the best no matter what. They'd be able to make the necessary changes and they'd still end up on top of the pile.

RC · May 20, 2009

I don't know if this is true, but I heard some pros talking about something and I am fairly sure it involved Brandt Snedeker. Snedeker supposedly used some vintage equipment (persimmon driver, tiny blade irons, older style balls (don't ask how he may have gotten those, I cannot imagine a preserved balata ball still being any good, so maybe it was just balls from a few years back) and tried a round -- could not break 80.

I wish I knew the real story in more detail.

My first set of clubs were hand me downs... and had cane shafts. I was an elementary school student. As I got older, I shattered every shaft, hitting a shot.

**Leftygolfer** · May 20, 2009

They would still be at the top. I think if our players of today went back in time tiger woods would still be number one. The game has changed but the game for the pros is about making putts. The reason tiger is number one is becuase of his putter. No one else compares in pressure situations.

Also note how much different courses are. The greens were half as fast and not nearly as long.

I really don't think it would change who is good and who is just getting by.

**RocketSauce** · May 20, 2009

ive heard Tiger say he wishes the PGA Tour was persimmon woods only. that would be cool to see

**DavidFehertysBike** · May 20, 2009

I imainge he wouldnt do very well with it. Those dudes back then had swings built around the way a hickory shaft bends. He'd probably hook everything with a modern driver until he figured out the how the flex works.

**PiKapp23** · May 20, 2009

I don't know if this is true, but I heard some pros talking about something and I am fairly sure it involved Brandt Snedeker. Snedeker supposedly used some vintage equipment (persimmon driver, tiny blade irons, older style balls (don't ask how he may have gotten those, I cannot imagine a preserved balata ball still being any good, so maybe it was just balls from a few years back) and tried a round -- could not break 80.

Just as an FYI: There is supposed to be a couse in WV near the Greenbrier resort that is played with only vintage equipment. I'm not sure what the name of it is but it was featured on The Golf Channel a couple years ago.

**jorruss** · May 20, 2009

Just as an FYI: There is supposed to be a couse in WV near the Greenbrier resort that is played with only vintage equipment. I'm not sure what the name of it is but it was featured on The Golf Channel a couple years ago.

Take a look at this site - it talks about the equipment and places to play, even tournaments for hickory clubs!

http://www.hickorygolf.com/index.html I've always wanted to play a round or two with the old equipment, just for kicks.

**tm22721** · May 20, 2009

Both Nicklaus and Woods admit that Hogan had the best swing of all time so he didn't need titanium. Bleeding hands from ten thousand hours of practice. The secret's in the dirt.

**Leftygolfer** · May 20, 2009

Take a look at this site - it talks about the equipment and places to play, even tournaments for hickory clubs!

No thanks. I like my technology. I am not that good with it.

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Imagine Bobby Jones with a Titanium Driver

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