What Has Happened to Golf?

[308 Ragin Cajun]

BCoggins, 

 I feel your pain. I remember what it felt like to hit a balata ball on the screws with a persimmon driver, and I have a set of 66 MacGregor Silver Scots that my father gave me when I was 16. Those were great clubs, in their day. I miss the clackety clack of steel spikes on the clubhouse floor, and the golf shoes that looked like your daddy's Sunday dress shoes, except that they had funny little flaps on the front. But time waits for no man, and when I was in my thirties, I realized that.the old clubs had seen their day, and  I needed to get into the current century when it came to golf equipment. I'm still a bit of a curmudgeon at 66, as I'm playing a set of Tommy Armour Silver backs that I've had about 15 years, and i still don't know what it feels like to hit a full iron shot with a cast club. But this year, I broke down and bought a driver with an adjustable hosel, and I like it just fine. Sometimes us old dinosaurs have to bow to technology, or we will truly be dinosaurs, and technology is nothing to.fear. The fact that I'm sitting here talking to you on the Internet is proof of that.

I wish you luck in your recovery from the stroke, and i hope like hell you get to play this great game again.

 

Scott

[ghalfaire]

@BCoggins

I feel your pain too.  Although my injuries happened long before I ever picked up a club. But they have to some degree caused me to have to adapt my swing to my capabilities.  Good luck with your rehab and return to the game.  For what ever it is worth my first set of clubs I bought at a department store. I couldn't afford persimmon so bought a 2 and 4 wood (laminated) and a half set of irons (2, 4, 6, 8, PW) all blades.  I don't recall any GI irons in those days.    Today's equipment is much better for hackers like me and make the game more enjoyable, however it is still the archer and the bow or arrow.  The largest Iron I carry is a 6 iron, all longer clubs are either hybrids or metal woods. But these days I play mostly for fun and the joy of being out with my buddies and the challenges of the game.  I did spend a few $ on some new irons here about 3 years ago, but my driver and 3 wood are probably 15 years old (Cobra when Cobra was Cobra) and my putter is an old bull's eye.  I am thinking this year I might invest in a new driver and 3 wood.  Probably from some second hand store like 2ond swing. Take care, work hard at rehab, and enjoy the game.

 

[NJpatbee]

Good luck to you and if you come back play whatever clubs you like.  For myself, I started at age 40 with hand me down persimmons and blades and 210 yards (carry and roll) was a great drive for me.  I did advance to GI irons and the Big Bertha, Taylor Made 320, and Ping 460cc drivers which I still play.  At one time I could drive 230-240 but now I am back to 210 being a great drive.  The only wood I carry is the driver followed by 5 hybrids (2-6) and a few irons.  Technology has been great to casual golfers like myself and I score better now than my first few years of playing golf.  You sound as if you have a much better swing than I ever had and if you can hit the tiny sweet spot on you persimmon driver on a regular basis.  Whatever you decide, best of luck to you.

[Aguirre]

Okay. You, the helmet rule in golf guy, and guy who wants a different handicap for walkers go straight to hell.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 8/27/2018 at 9:42 AM, iacas said:

Minimum wage in 1953 was $0.75/hour.

Today it's $7.25.

Even when I was working in the steel mill and making fairly decent money i still had to lay away my first "good" set of clubs, Haig Ultradyne II's. They replaced my old Sam Snead Blue Ridge.

I will agree that there's nothing quite like the sound of a well struck persimmon Driver. Those things would "crack" like rifle shots! 

Edited November 17, 2018 by Buckeyebowman

[Hoganman1]

It's fun for us old guys to reminisce about the old days of golf. The feel of a balata ball, leather grips, metal spikes, and persimmon woods. Remember golf shoes with kilts over the laces and Sansabelt polyester pants? I remember golf carts with only one wheel on the front. Heck, I even carried a 1 iron back in the 70s ( though I rarely got it airborne). Yes, it's a very different game now, but it's still here. My heart goes out to those of you who can no longer play. I fear I'll be in your ranks much sooner that I would like. Until then like Jack Lemmon's character in BAGGER VANCE, I will play on.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

[mighty]

The question I want to ask is, why has technology made the drivers and woods sound so terrible? I prefer to play better sounding woods from over 10 years ago if the distance gain is insignificant. 

[boogielicious]

5 hours ago, mighty said:

The question I want to ask is, why has technology made the drivers and woods sound so terrible? I prefer to play better sounding woods from over 10 years ago if the distance gain is insignificant. 

It is a bit off topic, but the addition of composite materials changes the sound of the head. OEMs study this a lot, but they are balancing performance versus feel/sound, which are related. Carbon fiber will definitely dampen vibration and therefor sound. But is it light and strong, so it has performance benefits.

I agree that sound plays an important factor for me in picking woods.