The hickory test

[T_MacWood]

Does playing with hickory make you a better, more astute judge of architecture? Conversely does state of the art technology distort or effect your abilitly to appreciate architecture?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I really do not think so. I can see how many golfer get caught up in a distance game but that was the case in the 50's and 60's as well. I feel an appreciation of stategy and architecture is taught to most and comes naturally to a few.

[Brad Klein]

Absolutely, Tom. Hickory shafts make you more aware of the ground game, strategic options and contours. I wrote a column about this in Golfweek in Dec. 2003 and am more convinced than ever of it now.

Of course if you're a total blockhead about design it'll make no difference, but then neither would GCA or anything you read. In any case, hickories make you feel the landforms more.

[JakaB]

Tom,

I play quite a bit with my hickories...just got a new driver to replace the magic spoon.   You don't really believe I am an astute judge of architecture because of it...that would be silly.  

[Willie_Dow]

Yes!  The bump and run game, the Paul Azinger "low, boring shots" which puts him in contention at the Sony in Honolulu, or Brett Quigley who learned the game on the windy shores of New England - all back up the theory of the hickory flight of the ball.

What a fun way to play!

[JakaB]

You gotta love this club...and I didn't even know it was going to make me smarter...  .05K on ebay if you want to know..

[Willie_Dow]

Anyone know of any Willie Dow hickories around?  I have the niblick, but gave my mashie to the Prestwick collection some years ago.  I hope it is still in their trophy case.

Willie

[JakaB]

I just need to be explained how hickories make a difference....with a balata and my nutmeg you can hit it as high and as soft as you ever need.   You guys need to play these clubs a bit to get over the hype of the new stuff.   The only thing missing is the modern grip, a lob wedge and a touch of distance..

[Michael Moore]

Amen brother B . . . I play persimmon for the attention that I cannot gain with my scores . . .

[Alfie]

"Does playing with hickory make you a better, more astute judge of architecture? Conversely does state of the art technology distort or effect your abilitly to appreciate architecture? "

I think Brad hit the nut on the head with his reply.

But the main problem with trying to compare hickory play of today is that it is usually (almost always) totally out of sync with the architecture and also, essentially with the ball !
The ground itself had a major part to pay in the olde game where the general concept spoke for itself ; Play the ball as it lies - and take the course as you find it !

Believe it or not - I don't think the club technology has been "all" bad in some ways ? Making life that little bit easier for the potential "quitters" ? It's that damned ball that needs some urgent attention !

Technology HAS been distorting architecture since the advent of the Haskell ! (and I think that was great for the game too !) We just lost CONTROL !

Alfie.

[A_Clay_Man]

I cant wholeheartedly agree with whether it opens up someones eye to the ground, more. Using any "wrong club", should get the same circumspection of the options, the terrain offers.

After watching Barn hit his hicks, and learning where he got them, I bought me a Mashie Niblick. It's been in the bag for two rounds, (yesters and t'day) and I've holed out twice with it, already. It's replacing my 100 yard club. And is my chipper of choice.

What was it once, akin to an 8 iron?

[T_MacWood]

I'm currious how many have played a round with a full set of hickories?

[TEPaul]

"Does playing with hickory make you a better, more astute judge of architecture?"

Probably.

"Conversely does state of the art technology distort or effect your abilitly to appreciate architecture?"

That's probably true too. But the best way and by far the most effective way to get golfers to appreciate or understand architecture better is not to encourage them to use hickory, the best way to make them understand and appreciate golf architecture better is to come up with various ways to minimize their complete reliance on the aerial game.

How do you do that most effectively? It's obvious---you do it not through balls and equipment, you do it through maintenance practices!!!

If you want golfers to go to the ground more often you have to bring the ground game back to its maximum effectiveness and at this point I think we all know what that means (establishing faster, running conditions, particularly approaches).

But that's not enough! Even if you have fast and running conditions on courses, even in the approaches, too many golfers who are adept at using the aerial game are going to use the aerial option ALL DAY LONG if maintenance practices are such that they can COMPLETELY RELY ON THE AERIAL GAME ALL DAY LONG!!

The only way to dial down on their complete reliance on the aerial game all day long is to firm up the green surfaces to that point where they can't and won't rely on the aerial game all day long (very light dent--not pitch marks that pull up dirt!!!). At that point they'll at least begin to look to the ground and the ground game even if it's to some degree defensively!

That's when you'll get golfers to begin understanding and appreciating golf course architecture better!

I call it the "Ideal Maintenance Meld"! It's when the available options come into some form of balance or equilibrium in the minds of golfers trying to decide what shot to hit that's most effective for them or even what shot is the least detrimental to them. In a general sense this can be done most effectively not by encouraging them to use hickory clubs but by "maintaining" a golf course to highlight all it's available architecture and options in a form of "balance" or "equilbrium"!

It's completely obvious once you see it done properly.

[Ted Kramer]

I have never played with hickories, but I have had another opportunity to learn about the ground game and I am very glad for it. Playing golf through the winter on Long Island (Lido is open tee to green all year long) and hitting into greens that are frozen solid teaches you pretty quickly to appreciate the art of "bouncing the ball in". If hickory shafts can help to teach the same aspects of the game, I would imagine that playing a round or two with them in the bag would be a very enjoyable and educational way for any avid golfer to spend some time.

-Ted

[Alfie]

Tom MacWood,

I reckon I've seen about 1000 golfers of 'every' calibre round Arbory before it went belly up, including the highly proficient Mr Gracely and a certain Mr Jim Dodson. I could also adorn this thread with their comments of what the experience really meant to them ! A common statement at the end of each day was - "I understand where you're coming from - NOW !"
Theory is one thing - hands on is another !


There are loads of people out there (in the big world) toying with hickory clubs in some way or another, but I have to say that they're not all doing it right and getting the max in fun nor education ? In most cases it's just not possible for  the golfer to be authentic with his/her hickories either in equipment or architecture. But it's great they're doing it !
They include the Golf Collectors Society's of the US and Britain (Europe) - your own Oakhurst Links, West Virginia - and a few punters like myself trying to earn a crust from it.

Also, a typical bag (not matched set) of hickories (circa 1900) consisted of a Brassie, cleek, mid iron, mashie, mashie niblick, niblick and putter. A US friend of mine just recently e-mailed me to say that he was trying to have the niblick thrown out of the bag when they play at Lewis Keller's Oakhurst Hickory Champ this year ? Now that would make for some interesting play if they decide to go thru with it ?

Alfie

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