The Impact of Time Travel

[Nave]

Golf Across Time: Navigating Different Eras

Imagine one day you are suddenly teeing off in the past in another era: You're playing by old rules, with ancient gear, and face different course maintenance. How would you fare? Let's dive into the fun of this thought experiment and chat about the wild differences we'd face when playing golf in the past. (E.g.: In the 1950s, yardage books weren’t used or as readily available as they are now).

Challenges from the Past:

• Equipment Hurdles: Navigating the course with less forgiving hickory shaft clubs and old-style featherie or gutta-percha balls.
• Lack of Modern Aids: Dealing with the absence of yardage markers, range-finding devices, and instant video feedback for swing analysis.
• Course Conditions: Playing on shorter, tighter courses with layouts quite different from today's designs and coping with less maintained hazards.
• Rules and Etiquette: Abiding by rules that could differ considerably from today's standards, influencing ball drops, penalties, and a more formal etiquette.
• Physical Demands: Playing in an era with less emphasis on fitness and walking the course solely on foot.
• Mental Resilience: Managing pressure and focus without the support of modern sports psychology techniques.

My Take:
The lack of GPS watches, yardage markers, and range finders from today would definitely be a curveball for me. Imagine having to gauge distances based on feel and visual cues alone. It's a different level of precision that could throw my game for a loop.

Alright, you seasoned golfers - what do you think? Share your thoughts on these or other challenges and how you'd adapt during your time travel!

[Vinsk]

Was never a fan of the ‘stymie’ in golf. I can’t imagine playing in tweed slacks and a tie, though I’d sport a white belt like there’s no tomorrow.😀 

I’d love to play a gutta perch or a feathery. I’d break a Hickory shaft club so quick with my shanks and probably wreck my hands doing it.

[snapfade]

If you went back in time to a certain area then I believe that would present some challenges, especially if you went all the way back to the Old Tom Morris days.

 

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by snapfade

[pganapathy]

Well, I started playing with wooden woods but steel shafts.  And that was before the multi-piece construction golf balls, but it was wound balls.

Could I adjust to even older technology.  Probably I could though I would need to get realistic about my distances and ability to spin the ball.

Distance isn't so much of an issue for me.  I don't use range finders or GPS apps for distance.  Mostly I use the distance markers on the course.  Of course, if those were missing it would be harder since I haven't really practiced visual cues over 100 yards max.

Golfing in a suit and tie is more complicated.  I can play in pants, no problem.  I did use metal spikes at one point so could probably adjust to whatever shoes they used then, though if it is formal shoes that would make it harder to play since they don;t have much grip or stability.  But the coat and tie is a problem for me.  In fact I don't even like wearing layers when I play.  I suppose that has to do with the fact that I have always played in warm weather countries and the most I need is an umbrella.  It is rarely cold enough for me to need another layer over the T-shirt.

Fitness isn't that big a deal because I walk most courses today, though I must admit I pull my clubs with a 2 wheeled trolley.  If I needed to carry my own bag, that would probably be an issue.

[boogielicious]

I would have died of cholera.😜

One myth that gets perpetuated is they didn’t know distances back in the day and did everything by feel. My father-in-law was a scratch golfer and caddy in the thirties. He told me they knew the distances down to the yard for everywhere on the course. They would notify the player of yardage before shots as it was there job. And this wasn’t at a super high end course either. They were in the Worcester MA area. 

I think we all would adapt to what we had on hand.

[StuM]

The worst part for me would be the tie, I do not handle heat well and I would look like Lucas Glover, not a pretty sight.   The less forgiving clubs would cause me issues.  

Edited August 23, 2023 by StuM
Fixed typo

[colin007]

I was really hoping this would be a discussion on the ramifications of actual time travel

[bkuehn1952]

I think the ball might be hard to get used to. Depending on how far back one goes, we could be playing a featherie.  

[StuM]

13 hours ago, snapfade said:

If you went back in time to a certain area then I believe that would present some challenges, especially if you went all the way back to the Old Tom Morris days.

 

 

I've only watched a little but I found it interesting that in the past they would play the course in either clockwise or counter-clockwise.  It would be a totally different course teeing off from what we know as @18 tees and hitting towards the #17 Green.  I'll have to watch more of the video but seeing a side-by side of playing the #17 as we do today verse playing it in reverse as #2 might be an intesting optic.  Hopefully they have that.

[snapfade]

If we went back in time from today to say Prestwick circa 1867 and played Old Tom with the same clubs, clothing, etc. he used to win the Open, then we would more or less get our butts kicked at least until we figured out the best way to swing them. Now the question is, are we stuck in that era or we there just for the round? Lets make it interesting. We play Old Tom in a match play. If we loose, we are stuck in 1870, if we win we go back to 2023 no harm done. In the round with Old Tom would we be playing "lift, clean and cheat?' haha LOL 

[StuM]

3 minutes ago, snapfade said:

If we went back in time from today to say Prestwick circa 1867 and played Old Tom with the same clubs, clothing, etc. he used to win the Open, then we would more or less get our butts kicked at least until we figured out the best way to swing them. Now the question is, are we stuck in that era or we there just for the round? Lets make it interesting. We play Old Tom in a match play. If we loose, we are stuck in 1870, if we win we go back to 2023 no harm done. In the round with Old Tom would we be playing "lift, clean and cheat?' haha LOL 

At least can you say, we are stuck in 1870 until we beat him as opposed to having 1 match trap us for eternity?  As for LCP I do not think it existed back then so, in that era, no, we would not be playing LCP.  

Also, a technical note: "Lift, Clean & Place" (aka Preferred Lies) is allowed under the current rules and thus it cannot be considered "Cheating" now but if done in the 1870's it would have been cheating.  A road near my home used to be a limit of 45mph but then it was increased to 55mph.  Am I now breaking the speed limit because I drove it a 55mph?  NO, I am not.  We follow the rules as they are today and that cannot be considered cheating.  In this Time Travel Hypothosis I will assume we follow the rules of the time.  In regards to LCP I think that is 2004 and after.

[boogielicious]

We are thinking about us going back and playing, but what if Tiger went back? I think it would take him 15 minutes to figure things out and then he’d clean old Tom’s clock. The golfers now are far better athletes. Even the golfers of Jack’s era knew more about the game than Old Tom’s era. They would adjust pretty quickly. 

[StuM]

3 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

We are thinking about us going back and playing, but what if Tiger went back? I think it would take him 15 minutes to figure things out and then he’d clean old Tom’s clock. The golfers now are far better athletes. Even the golfers of Jack’s era knew more about the game than Old Tom’s era. They would adjust pretty quickly. 

Most likely true, but the OP specifically say "you are suddenly teeing off in the past in another era" so Tiger will need to speak for himself.  Maybe Tiger is lurking somewhere on TST under an anonymous ID.  Com'on Tiger, Speak Up if you are here!

[snapfade]

1 hour ago, StuM said:

At least can you say, we are stuck in 1870 until we beat him as opposed to having 1 match trap us for eternity?  As for LCP I do not think it existed back then so, in that era, no, we would not be playing LCP.  

Also, a technical note: "Lift, Clean & Place" (aka Preferred Lies) is allowed under the current rules and thus it cannot be considered "Cheating" now but if done in the 1870's it would have been cheating.  A road near my home used to be a limit of 45mph but then it was increased to 55mph.  Am I now breaking the speed limit because I drove it a 55mph?  NO, I am not.  We follow the rules as they are today and that cannot be considered cheating.  In this Time Travel Hypothosis I will assume we follow the rules of the time.  In regards to LCP I think that is 2004 and after.

You made the deal to go back in time, so you have to accept the terms. The terms are, you get one shot at beating Old Tom with clubs of that era. As for LCP, AKA LCC there is an individual here that will argue to the death over the subject. LOL 

 

8 hours ago, boogielicious said:

I would have died of cholera.😜

One myth that gets perpetuated is they didn’t know distances back in the day and did everything by feel. My father-in-law was a scratch golfer and caddy in the thirties. He told me they knew the distances down to the yard for everywhere on the course. They would notify the player of yardage before shots as it was there job. And this wasn’t at a super high end course either. They were in the Worcester MA area. 

I think we all would adapt to what we had on hand.

Cholera was out of Europe by 1837 and didn't really re-appear until 1886. It wasn't gone per say, but the pandemic of it was. However TB might get you or typhus and small pox, so you've got that to look forward to, which is nice. 

[Nave]

7 hours ago, StuM said:

Maybe Tiger is lurking somewhere on TST under an anonymous ID.

Or not … just type in “[at] Tiger” and a hand full of “Tiger” usernames will pop up, one of them even has the correct birth year in their username. 😃

11 hours ago, colin007 said:

I was really hoping this would be a discussion on the ramifications of actual time travel

LOL - would be interesting to see if the equivalent of “jet lag” (year lag?) would affect your play. 😃

Edited August 24, 2023 by Nave

[Maroon88]

I thought this would be about time travel to the future.   Wouldn't I be able to hit it further with the more modern equipment and balls?  That's what all the ads say, anyway.

[Carl3]

I would like to have been there at the interface of the wooden golf ball era to the feathery to see the ruckus that this development caused🤣. I would think that this put golf out of reach for the average Scotsman as a worker could produce only around 4 balls per day and they lasted maybe 2 rounds in dry conditions.

[pganapathy]

On 8/23/2023 at 5:26 AM, Nave said:

Challenges from the Past:

• Equipment Hurdles: Navigating the course with less forgiving hickory shaft clubs and old-style featherie or gutta-percha balls.
• Lack of Modern Aids: Dealing with the absence of yardage markers, range-finding devices, and instant video feedback for swing analysis.
• Course Conditions: Playing on shorter, tighter courses with layouts quite different from today's designs and coping with less maintained hazards.
• Rules and Etiquette: Abiding by rules that could differ considerably from today's standards, influencing ball drops, penalties, and a more formal etiquette.
• Physical Demands: Playing in an era with less emphasis on fitness and walking the course solely on foot.
• Mental Resilience: Managing pressure and focus without the support of modern sports psychology techniques.

Alright, you seasoned golfers - what do you think? Share your thoughts on these or other challenges and how you'd adapt during your time travel!

Equipment will definitely be somewhat of an issue for me.  I still have a set of steel shafted clubs from the mid 1980's which I occasionally play.  But if it is wooden shafts and feathery balls, then I may well face an issue.  I have played wound balls when I started.

The only modern aid I use is the fairway distance markers to let me know my approximate distance from the green.  The rest of it actually makes no difference to me.  I should actually start using modern technology to improve my game.

Course conditions don't really make a difference to me.  I play on varied types of courses and have never worried about it.

Rules and Etiquette I actually prefer the olden days.  They were more formal.  I really cannot handle seeing people playing in jeans, round neck T-shirts, hoodies, track pants etc.  Admittedly I never played in plus fours or even suits, but I like pants and collared T-shirts.  I believe there should be a minimum dress code in the game.

Physical demands I am good with.  I very rarely play with a buggy.  Most of my rounds I walk.  I either use a caddie or I pull a trolley.  I have never carried my own bag so not sure how I would cope with that.

Mental resilience is not something I have ever considered in the sense of outside help.  I do everything myself regarding that.