What's made the biggest difference.....?

[NWJocko]

Was reading an older GM the other day on the train and it was talking about advancements in all areas of golf technology wise.

Got me wondering what has made the biggest difference to you personally and also what, from your observations, has had the biggest impact on others if different?

Is it metal woods, large headed drivers, hybrids, cavity back irons, custom fitting and the wider choice of shafts, the ball itself etc etc. Could even be electric trolleys if it has helped you keep playing and enjoying the game longer...

For me personally it would be the ball itself. Much straighter these days and, whilst still a difference between "distance" balls and "spin/control" balls it is not as big as in the past from a distance point of view so you don't really sacrifice much(in my opinion).

For others, from what I have seen, I think I would have to say hybrids (albeit a close call with the drivers). A lot more golfers seem more comfortable hitting long shots with a 3h or 4h than using more "traditional" 2/3/4/ irons. Rarely see a golf bag without at least one these days, although I have never tried one myself.....yet

So, whats your opinion?

 

[brendy]

The actual golf bag for me, I used to lug a tourbag everywhere. I now use a stand bag which weighs half as much but can still hold a jacket and the rest of the usual stuff, balls, tees, gloves etc.
Looking back 12 years, I was playing of 6, used a callaway biggest big bertha, naff woods and a set of mizuno tzoid 2 irons.

Driver heads have gotten larger but I think the shaft has a lot to do with the extra distance as my old BBB went really well and is still comparable to drivers today twice its size.

 

[USER1999]

Modern fabrics
Water proof shoes
Wooden tees
Lawn mowers
Plastic cleats
Big headed drivers
Modern balls
Massive ugly high MOI putters
Hybrids
Cavity back irons
Offset
Graphite


But for me, not playing in a suit, with a tie on. I'd be even worse at golf if I had to play in that get up.

 

[bobmac]

What's the biggest difference?
Letting women play golf
(Hope Jan doesn't see this)

 

[richy]

The current equipment is the only kind I've know as I hadn't swung a club prior to a year and a half ago.

I sure in 20 years time I'll be able to have a good whinge about all the new kinds of clubs and how they're making the game too easy for newbies

 

[Oddsocks]

bigger drivers for sure, i found my old TM Burner 12* with flextwist shaft (one of the earliest models made of the burner) the other night in the garage, it was smaller than my current Burner 5w, no wonder i used to just use a 3wood off the tee.

 

[lobthewedge]

I would agree with the bigger drivers, amazing when you compare to how small the old head size was.

Would also say the ball technology as well, I remember playing with old balatas that would cut to shreds if you werent striking it well.

Also, what about todays juniors? Every one of them seems to dress like Ian frickin Poulter, strutting around with the best of gear and using electric trolleys and bags that they could probably fit in! What ever happened to playing with an old cut down set, wearing your school trousers and a massive jumper stolen from your dads drawer, and actually CARRYING YOUR FECKIN CLUBS YOU LAZY LITTLE BAST....

 

[richart]

Changing from the old small ball to the larger ball in the 70's. My game has never recovered, and even with all the new equipment, i still can't hit the ball as well as i did with old blades, persimmon woods with steel shafts and dunlop 65 balls. Mind you i don't play as much now, and i was a young buck in the 70's.

 

[Alex1975]

I think it is easy for the perception to be that the bigger headed drivers win out in this post but a 3 wood with a similar head size to the old days but with new materials and design can go alot further than it would have done back in the day.

I think even with that said, the big head driver and hybrids did change my golfing life when I first started using them. Ironically I am considering removing my 21* hybrid for a 4 iron and I would consider a 440cc driver next time round.

I’ll stop wittering and lay my hat on: Materials (especially shaft) and custom fitting.
If I was brand new to golf this year I would have a different set of priorities and would say big drivers and hybrids.

 

[timgolfy]

Video technology?
Youtube / t'interweb?

I don't know how the game has changed over the years, but I've learned so much from various online resources that would have been impossible 10 years ago.

 

[EZprophet]

Without a doubt Hybrids for me.

I now have a club that I can put some absoutely horrible swings on from the tee, and it still ends up in the center of the fairway. The height you get with them compared to a long irons is awesome, great for holding greens from a long way off, and out of the rough they are so easy compared to long irons that it feels like cheating!

 

[MashieNiblick]

What's the biggest difference?
Letting women play golf
(Hope Jan doesn't see this)

Crikey Bob. I thought the jokes about your age were exaggerated but wasn't Mary Queen of Scots the first documented woman golfer.

For me it would be big headed drivers. I grew up with small wooden headed ones. Unless it came out of the middle it went nowhere. On Saturday one of my better drives left a mark at about 11 O'Clock on the face of my 460cc monster. Gone from being one of the hardest clubs to hit to being one of the easiest.

Agree that hybrids have also had a similar impact. Also no comparison in the quality of the balls nowadays. Makes me wonder how I ever used to get round the course at all with what we used to use.

 

[Crow]

GPS devices, knowing how far to the next hazard makes all the difference.

 

[doubletripledouble]

As the average handicap hasn't actually dropped in the last couple of decades, i'd say very little...

 

[Toby_LeRhone]

It has to be laser eye surgery for me.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

There are so many. Balls is a big one and it's nice to have achance to use the same one for all 18 rather than a balata that may give you 6-9 holes at best and one shot if you thinned it. Drivers are definitely easier to hit but that is down to weight, head size and shaft. Shafts of course are much bigger business now and its easier for average guys like us to get a C/F shaft that 20 years ago when it was either very expensive to get a C/F set or the preserve of top players.

There are loads of others. Electric trollies, waterproofs, shoes, GPS, hybrids, putters (although there were some exotic designs even then), green keeping technology (not sure ours ever really caught up ) and of course the interweb and the GM forum