Food for thought.
- Thread starter Tommo21
- Start date
stevek1969
Money List Winner
Totally agree Thommo, these guys were the best of there time now these youngs would hit driver ,wedge or 9 iron to that hole its a different game.But where will it stop, companies are bringing out new balls that go longer and straighter all the time.
Swinger
Journeyman Pro
well it's down to the governing bodies to do something about the balls. Maybe we need to start some kind of petition to help make them listen.
I hit old metal woods and persimmon woods almost as far as modern clubs with a good ball. Granted not quite the same carry but not a bad carry distance.
Get back to get old Titleist Tour Balata, they went nowhere.
Am I right in saying that the old smaller balls went further before they were banned?? (i.e.Titleist Tour)
Not sure we could make the balls bigger but some distance and spin restrictions need to be put in place.
I hit old metal woods and persimmon woods almost as far as modern clubs with a good ball. Granted not quite the same carry but not a bad carry distance.
Get back to get old Titleist Tour Balata, they went nowhere.
Am I right in saying that the old smaller balls went further before they were banned?? (i.e.Titleist Tour)
Not sure we could make the balls bigger but some distance and spin restrictions need to be put in place.
stevek1969
Money List Winner
Ah the Titliest Tour Balata is was like hitting an orange ,there's to much money in the game now for the governing bodies to do anything just look at grooves issue and how players got round it.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Although I am in agreement with a need to put some sort of control on things, its down to technological advances that mean longer shots. The vid speaks of "forgotten the traditions of the game". Well just because the Old Boys used to hit Driver, 2 iron 450 yards doesn't make it a tradition that we have to keep going. If we took a similar view on other aspects of golf we'd still be using gutta balls coz that's what they used way back in the day.
The traditions of the game are founded in the ettiqutte that is at the beginning of the rule book not on how far Hogan or Sneed managed to blast the ball in their day.
Tech advances are apparent in all sports, all walks of life. I'd like to see Kevin Pieterson hit a 6 with a bat used by Don Bradman - he'd break his wrists it was so heavy!
Anyone remember heading an old, wet leather football? Nearly broke your neck.
Technology will always advance - you can't stop it. But what is needed is an ability by the governing bodies to limit the advances. How come balls keep going further when there is already a standard maximum length a ball can travel? Because the manufacturers get round the rules. They always will.
In reality the distance debate only matters to Pro and elite amateur players. We don't play the same game, we don't often play the same courses or with the same equipment. When was the last time you heard one of your playing partners complain that a hole was only a drive and a wedge instead of the driver, 4 iron that his Dad used to hit.
There will come a time when courses - even the 7500 yarders currently being churned out - will be too short. But by then there'll be no more land available to extend them further. Lets hope the authorities can get a handle on it before that happens.
The traditions of the game are founded in the ettiqutte that is at the beginning of the rule book not on how far Hogan or Sneed managed to blast the ball in their day.
Tech advances are apparent in all sports, all walks of life. I'd like to see Kevin Pieterson hit a 6 with a bat used by Don Bradman - he'd break his wrists it was so heavy!
Anyone remember heading an old, wet leather football? Nearly broke your neck.
Technology will always advance - you can't stop it. But what is needed is an ability by the governing bodies to limit the advances. How come balls keep going further when there is already a standard maximum length a ball can travel? Because the manufacturers get round the rules. They always will.
In reality the distance debate only matters to Pro and elite amateur players. We don't play the same game, we don't often play the same courses or with the same equipment. When was the last time you heard one of your playing partners complain that a hole was only a drive and a wedge instead of the driver, 4 iron that his Dad used to hit.
There will come a time when courses - even the 7500 yarders currently being churned out - will be too short. But by then there'll be no more land available to extend them further. Lets hope the authorities can get a handle on it before that happens.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
But the likes of Ted Ray used to hit 300 yards drives back then, with rubbish balls, hickory shafts, and fairways that we would call rough now. Todays golfers are not any longer than this.
On Titleist's web site (biased, maybe) they point out that in the last 20 years, fairways have been cut shorter and shorter, which increases roll. Maybe it isn't just the technology, but also the agronomy that is the problem.
On Titleist's web site (biased, maybe) they point out that in the last 20 years, fairways have been cut shorter and shorter, which increases roll. Maybe it isn't just the technology, but also the agronomy that is the problem.
TonyN
Money List Winner
Listen to the dinosaurs. Why is length so important?
I think golf is great the way it is. We have long par 4s short par 4s long 5s short 5s it give everyone a fair chance at scoring.
Not everyone can drive 300 yards so chances are they can't hit a second shot 250 to 270. But everyone can hit long,mid or wedge irons into greens it just means you have to be accurate to do well.
My last club had a 630 yard par 5 that was the worst hole on the course (granted it was down to design) but I didn't know anyone who could hit it in regulation. What's the point?
I think golf is great the way it is. We have long par 4s short par 4s long 5s short 5s it give everyone a fair chance at scoring.
Not everyone can drive 300 yards so chances are they can't hit a second shot 250 to 270. But everyone can hit long,mid or wedge irons into greens it just means you have to be accurate to do well.
My last club had a 630 yard par 5 that was the worst hole on the course (granted it was down to design) but I didn't know anyone who could hit it in regulation. What's the point?
B
birdieman
Guest
Agree with Tony N, golf is still really hard to play well so if technology makes it easier to play then that's a good thing, folks in this thread make it sound easy. Golf is struggling a bit now, memberships are decreasing, we want to make the game as accesible as possible by making it less hard imo.
Old golf courses can be defended by growing rough, narrowing fairways in strategic places, increasing bunkering, new water hazards/ditches introduced etc. Every year at US Open they use old courses but set them up hard so the winner is rarely much below par.
The youtube video could be applied to any sport, times change and things move on.
Balata, hickory, plus 4's etc etc can stay in the past thanks.
Old golf courses can be defended by growing rough, narrowing fairways in strategic places, increasing bunkering, new water hazards/ditches introduced etc. Every year at US Open they use old courses but set them up hard so the winner is rarely much below par.
The youtube video could be applied to any sport, times change and things move on.
Balata, hickory, plus 4's etc etc can stay in the past thanks.
