Significent club developments.

Where to start? I guess metal woods with larger sweetspots and lighter weight was the first real breakthrough. Even having persimmon and not laminated woods there was still a wealth of difference hitting a metal for the first time.

After that I guess it was the introduction of specialist wedges which was ironic as Wimbledon Common didn't have bunkers!

Finally it would have to be cavity backed irons which as my age increased and so did my handicap have been a boon in helping me at least find a plateau of respectability and even the technology to move forward again
 
Graphite shaft advancements.
I remember someone with a driver when graphite was first used. he had as many shaft renewals as he had rounds ofgolf
 
Every generation brings out the best club development at that point in history.
The hickory shaft, the graphite shaft, the Calllaway Big bertha driver, over sized cavity backed irons.
 
I started with Petron Impala blades ( and damn fine clubs there were too, at the price ).

But when I first saw someone with Ping Eye 2 irons I new the game would never be the same - I thought they would make it way too easy.

Ha, how wrong can you be.

:D
 
square grooves are probably the biggest advance. So will be interesting when the new semi return to a more "V" shape groove happens. It wont be the "V" shape of old.

So when it happens it'll be de-evolution & will be significant.

Yes cavity backed irons & metal woods are perhaps the biggest other advance in the world of golf. At least in the fact of making the game accessable to all to try & play.

I'm really in two minds as to the real development issues, as making something easier to get good results out of to me detracts from the ability needed to get the most out of the clubs. Though in reality the jury is probably still out on whether or not cavity backed irons & big headed drivers are really that helpful or that forgiving over anything else.

The really big & significant developments in my opinion for the game, have not so much been to do with the clubs, but the ball used, as it developed through wooden, to featheries, to solid moulded rubber, to wrapped, to the development of the dimples etc, add this & the groove technologies & face technologies together & we get some idea of how the modern game has developed from its earliest origins.


But hands up who would be interested enough to try old fashioned forged bladed irons, wooden woods, all with wooden shafts, with old vee grooves, hand made by golfing luthiers, then try these clubs with both the modern ball & some examples of older types of balls...

I know I'd be putting my hand up right now.
 
But hands up who would be interested enough to try old fashioned forged bladed irons, wooden woods, all with wooden shafts, with old vee grooves, hand made by golfing luthiers, then try these clubs with both the modern ball & some examples of older types of balls...

I know I'd be putting my hand up right now.
Click to expand...

There have been some articles in GM and another golf periodical on this recently. It made interesting reading.
 
I've still got my hand made persimmon 3 wood my parents had made for my 18th (C/F). I tried it a few months back. OK the grip was old hard and shiny but I couldn't get over what a different swing you had to put on it. It needed a much slower but harder hit (not a lunge) to get any sort of reaction from the shaft but there was still a great feel when one found the middle. Couldn't imagine trying to play 18 with one now though.
 
the development of the specialist wedge, eg the chipper!

(runs and hides
scared0012.gif
)
 
For me it has to be this beauty.......


gbb.jpg


The Great Big Bertha driver.
253cc of Titanium. Cally's first.

How many of us use a Titanium driver these days?
Almost all of us.
This club is one of the main reasons I got my handicap down to 8 in the 90's.
 
Not sure how long mallet headed putters have been around but they have helped me. Saw an original Ben Sayers Benny putter round my folks house and could never have putted with that
 
Biggest development has to be steel shafts. It enabled sets of clubs to be made with matched shafts, rather than the individuality of hickory.
 
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