Back in the old daze...

[Hacker James]

just musing over all the equipment changes over the years. Oddly enough, most went by unnoticed by me during my periods of "other interests".  I remember my first set of clubs were some old Bobby Jones. They were quite heavy (something like E2), had leather grips,  woods still marked with the old names i.e. Driver, spoon, e.t.c. I think I had a driver, 2,3,4,5 wood, full set of irons 1 through sand. As I progressed, I remember going through a few sets of MacGregor Tourneys. Steel shafts of course. Then came the metals by TaylorMade with graphite shafts (green) that I managed to break and ended up with having shards of very sharp material going through my arms feeling like "cactus" and very painful.  The first Titanium head I owned, was the Titleist Howitzer. Then the 976R.

Since then, I had tried the larger 460 drivers and hated them. This was the time that many had come on the scene unnoticed by me. But of course, I did eventually get back into the game and started using modern equipment with moveable head weight technology e.t.c. (currently have an R-7 limited) which I am very satisfied with as it does not have such a behemoth looking appearance. I still bring out the Persimmons once in awhile and it is usually a fun day and don't notice losing much distance off the tee.

I still prefer the older irons (forged) and am hitting Hogan Edges. I briefly had a set of Adams Tight Lies. I had sold a perfectly good set of Titleist DTR Blacks which I wish I had kept.

Now, in full retirement, I am really getting back in the game, probably a bit too late as even though I am told I have a good swing e.t.c, I can no longer wield it the same distances. My handicap is high, but improving week by week. In many ways, I am better than I ever was being to create "specialty" shots and to replicate them.  I do know, that I am enjoying the sport much more now that I do not worry much about being competitive. Even though I don't really "compete", I seem to hear the comments "Nice Shot" a lot now!

My putting is better now also and I could probably give Stockton a run for his money in that department.

Heck, even the language has changed.  Whatever happened to "sand traps" and not "bunkers". You say "bunker" to me and I instinctively cover my head and listen for "incoming".

Sorry for getting so "verbose", just had a shot of memory lane I guess.

[zipazoid]

I saw from your introductory post that you're 71...are you saying your first set was hickory shafts?

My first "set" of clubs were actually my dad's. I would take his 5-iron & go to a local park and swat balls around. The only problem is I was left handed & my dad's club was right-handed. So I would flip the club over so the toe rested on the ground so I could swing lefty.

When I was 10 (1968), my parents bought me my first set of clubs - a 'Starter Set' of Spalding Johnny (not Arnold) Palmer's - 1 & 3 woods, 3, 5, 7, & 9 irons, putter. The woods were made of "Persimmonite" whatever then heck that was.

By the time I was 14 I had gotten decent at the game & my dad noticed. I was shooting regularly in the 80s....and I had pretty much worn out the, ahem, Persimmonite on the Johnny Palmers. So he got me my first full set of clubs - Dunlop Bob Charles - 1, 3, 4 & 5 woods laminated, 2 thru 9, PW & SW. That took me thru high school.

When I made the high school golf team I noticed all my teammates rocked Pings. Peer pressure being what it was, I followed suit & got a used set of Karsten 2's. Since then it has been upgrades of Pings. I still have those K2's along with a full sett of Eye 2s & Eye 3s.

Those were the irons. With my woods I've been all over the place. Currently I have a Nike Ignite 9.5. I've tried newer drivers but I keep going back to the Nike. My fairway woods are Callaways.

Putter is a Ping B-60, which I've used for about 10 years. Before that it was a Bulls-Eye Reuter Junior. Same one Corey Pavin uses. I don't change putters - they're like women. If I try out a different putter my B-60 gets jealous & refuses to let me make any putts with it.

[bkuehn1952]

It is fun to think about all the changes.  I certainly do not date back to hickory shafts but when I started woods had wooden heads and irons were all forged.  Never owned a persimmon club.  Laminated maple was the option for the great unwashed masses.  The insert was screwed in and led to the phrase "I hit it on the screws" to indicate a well struck shot.

Kilties were common on golf shoes; a fashion statement I don't miss.  Golf gloves were pre-Velcro and had a wrist band with a snap.  You could put a "smile" in your golf ball with a bladed iron.  All golf bags had a single strap and if you carried, you just laid the bag down on the ground because "stands" had not been invented.  The one advantage of the single strap was one could carry on either side and pick-up and swing it on the shoulder with either hand.

Tees were what, 2 inches or an inch and a half long?  Chi Chi used to use pencils to tee it high. Irrigation systems were not that ubiquitous and I recall many a mid-summer round where large swathes of the course's rough was baked so white that the glare off the turf hurt one's eyes.  Of course, one could hit it a mile on that hard pan but it was usually going in the wrong direction.

I like many of the changes that have occurred and really don't long for the good old days.  Still, I am glad I experienced it all.

[Hacker James]

Yah, we all have stories. No, my first set was not Hickory. I don't know who made the Bobby Jones, I would guess Spalding. The woods were laminated. I did not get to use Persimmons until 1997 when Scotty Cameron gave me one as a gift. (I worked for Tiitleist for a few years). The wooden heads are readily available on ebay. I even have one listed there, but so far no bids. I did manage to sell a TaylorMade Burner Bubble and a Mid Size Series 2 though. I still like hitting those "standard" size clubs from time to time. I wish I could find some old Balatas in good shape to see if there is any difference in hitting them with the clubs of the same era. I am told that they don't perform as well with the newer balls.  I still carry a one iron and find it useful on a lot of occasions.

Thanks for the responses.

[Hacker James]

funny you mentioned Corey Pavin....I worked with his brother John at Titleist.  I don't know if Corey was ever sponsored by Titleist. As far as I know, he was not. Tiger Woods used to be early in his career. I remember him and his father coming to the plant once and his father falling asleep in the machine shop. I guess he just wanted to find a little spot to cop a few Z's. I used to watch Chi Chi play at the Desert Inn in Vegas and I watched Trevino hit a few on the driving range.

[Motley01]

Originally Posted by Hacker James

funny you mentioned Corey Pavin....I worked with his brother John at Titleist.  I don't know if Corey was ever sponsored by Titleist. As far as I know, he was not. Tiger Woods used to be early in his career. I remember him and his father coming to the plant once and his father falling asleep in the machine shop. I guess he just wanted to find a little spot to cop a few Z's. I used to watch Chi Chi play at the Desert Inn in Vegas and I watched Trevino hit a few on the driving range.

As a HHHHHUUUUUUUGGGGGGE Phil Mickelson fan, I was really mad when he left Titleist, after being sponsored with them for quite a few years. Titleist does't hore out their money, like other golf companies. They don't have to, because their equipment speaks for itself. Long history, etc.

Now take Nike, they didn't know crap about golf, got into the market really late, then with all their money, bought, (not sponsored) Tiger. I can't stand Nike golf products. They should have stuck with shoes, they make them really good.

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by bkuehn1952

It is fun to think about all the changes.  I certainly do not date back to hickory shafts but when I started woods had wooden heads and irons were all forged.  Never owned a persimmon club.  Laminated maple was the option for the great unwashed masses.  The insert was screwed in and led to the phrase "I hit it on the screws" to indicate a well struck shot.

Kilties were common on golf shoes; a fashion statement I don't miss.  Golf gloves were pre-Velcro and had a wrist band with a snap.  You could put a "smile" in your golf ball with a bladed iron.  All golf bags had a single strap and if you carried, you just laid the bag down on the ground because "stands" had not been invented.  The one advantage of the single strap was one could carry on either side and pick-up and swing it on the shoulder with either hand.

Tees were what, 2 inches or an inch and a half long?  Chi Chi used to use pencils to tee it high. Irrigation systems were not that ubiquitous and I recall many a mid-summer round where large swathes of the course's rough was baked so white that the glare off the turf hurt one's eyes.  Of course, one could hit it a mile on that hard pan but it was usually going in the wrong direction.

I like many of the changes that have occurred and really don't long for the good old days.  Still, I am glad I experienced it all.

My father still has his driver with the wooden head and screws with an "amber" looking insert that is screwed into it. The wood is slightly cracked throughout and he hasn't used them in over 18 years, but he still has them in his garage on display and I laugh every time I pick one up. The driver's head is just about as big as my Cobra AMP 3 Hybrid. The funniest part are his irons, which I have no idea what the hell they are, but I remember my mother and I visiting a Golfsmith back in 1989 when I was 5 and she dropped nearly $1400 on the set when it was all said and done. The forged irons are so small that it looks like a mishit off the toe will produce a 180° spray to your right, or a clean hosel hit (no room for error whatsoever).

He did pull out his TM putter though and he's been putting with it again lately and it cracks me up. The original grip is now petrified rubber, but it's nostalgia that counts for him on the green I guess. He's kicking my ass in putts, so who am I to judge or laugh when I pull my fancy and shiny Odyssey out of the bag with a $20 grip and 3 putt, when he's lipping out 15 footers with a putter old enough to be my little brother!

[Ernest Jones]

As a HHHHHUUUUUUUGGGGGGE Phil Mickelson fan, I was really mad when he left Titleist, after being sponsored with them for quite a few years. Titleist does't hore out their money, like other golf companies. They don't have to, because their equipment speaks for itself. Long history, etc. Now take Nike, they didn't know crap about golf, got into the market really late, then with all their money, bought, (not sponsored) Tiger. I can't stand Nike golf products. They should have stuck with shoes, they make them really good.

I didn't expect to like Nike and don't have any experience with most of their products but I bought an SV Tour 56* SW and I love this club. Feels just right in my hands. Chip, pitch, flop, explosion from sand and/or junk it does it all. Only pull my mizzy 60* when shortsided and the lie is good. Although if the mizzy had more bounce it would see more action.