May 20th telecast on the GC

[ronzo60]

What a treat to watch the ABC replay of Greatest Rounds, from the 1974 US Open! This reminds me of "why" the GC was created in the first place. I felt the most remarkable aspect is the advancement in the modern day optics. The Pros today would cry about that length of rough because they could'nt just get up and whack it. Forrest "Fuzzy" Fezzler, poster boy for the Reverse "C"!  Bert Yancey and the "Death Stare" at every hole. He must have had a heckler following him.

Although I don't hand them out on a regular basis, Kudos to the GC for actually showing something related to golf. The vomitous Big Break, another Tiger Woods Press Conference, the 2008 US Open were no where to be seen. Instead the viewer was treated to Henry Longhurst, Bill Fleming, Chris Schenkel and a young Jim McKay.

This may have been the first Tournament in a while I actually has the sound UP, not in Mute.

GC, show more Classics, so that todays golfer can get an appreciation for how difficult the game WAS, as opposed to 460 cc heads and balls that gooooo forever! It is good to gain perspective from time to time.

[Moppy]

I watched it too. What amazed me is the difference in putting between the two eras. The putting today is unbelievable compared to that US Open in '74, or so it seemed to me. I am not sure that is all equipment.

[ronzo60]

Agreed, but the ball was soooo different and allowed for so much more shot making. Anyone starting the game in the last 20 years wouldn't believe how much the ball used to curve. Those were US Open greens and the agronomy today has made for much smoother surfaces, no doubt.

I got a kick out the Arnie's animated responses to his shots, just a taste of why he was/is so popular. The robots created nowadays could'nt handle the mood swings that those gemtlemen went through. To watch a professional struggle with that course reminded me of the people who used to come to the Resort at which I taught, with Sam Snead Blue Ridge, Hogan Directors' and other seemingly impossible clubs to hit.

Let's not open that thread again about which Pros in what era were better. To have seen the comparison of club/ball in person, there is no debate.

[0ldblu3]

I suspect (could be wrong) that the greens keeping is also a long way ahead now too. That has probably affected the style of putting over the years. There aren't as many "pop" stroke putters now, which I think is better for slower greens. Or...I don't know what I'm talking about.

[ronzo60]

No, you're right on target. As I said, "The agronomy" improvements has made the playing field better. Pop putting or rather "wristy" putting was required due to the speed of the surface. That combined with different degrees of the putter face, something you don't hear much about these days due to the smoothness of the greens. I had a conversation with Mike Souchak about Augusta and he told me that back in the day, the guys used to miss #9 green short on purpose, so as to not have to putt downhill. LOL Funny story.

If you watched the telecast, did you get a load of the lie Arnie had on 11, just outside the bunker? Brutal. I think that the main reason the British Open was considered the truest test of golf, was because most of the courses on the rotation not that long ago had limited if any sprinkling systems. Yu got what you got.

Golf stills remains a tough, hard game no matter what. I mean look at the stroke averages over the years. It hasn't dropped all that much, even when you consider the advancements in every aspect of the game.

[Parker0065]

It was a joy to watch and listen to some of the old commentators, and hair styles, lol.

It was the year before I got into golf so it was a little bit of a journey back in time. I'd love to see the full broadcast of the 1975 Masters again. That was the one that hooked me into golf for life!

But I will say thank God for HDTV!

[PopFarmer]

The coolest part was definitely watching Arnie playing.  As a golfer in his 30's, I've always just seen him as an older man.  To watch him still in his prime (or at least not a Senior player) was awesome.  He just had a presence that was magnetic.

I loved the main play by play golf announcer, who was that?

[ronzo60]

The All Star announcers were in no particular order:

Jim McKay

Tony Jacklin

Frank Gifford

Bill Fleming

Henry Longhurst

On 18, you would have heard Chris Schenkel(famous for PBA bowling events), and Dave Marr ( 1965 PGA Champ, and who's son is on the Champions Tour announcing staff)

Guest Commentator of course was Lord Byron Nelson.

I agree about the HDTV aspect, but it is suprising how they had no clue as to how to follow the ball. No one knew where the golfers shot eneded up unless it was camera centered. Amazing advances over the years.

However, too bad the "Art" of speaking when appropriate was LOST............