Willie Park and the Standardised Ball in 1910

[Niall C]

Following on from Neil's excellent thread on increased driving distances, I thought that some might like to read an excerpt from a letter Willie Park wrote to Golf Illustrated in October 1910 following a professional tournament at Sunningdale the week before;

"Dear Sir,

The principal topic of conversation at Sunningdale last week was the standardisation of the golf ball. When one sees the first hole, measuring 500 yards, driven with a drive and an iron shot, and eleven years ago, in the "gutta" days, when I made the course, it took two full shots and a pitch to get to the green, it is surely time that something was done to prevent golf courses from being entirely spoilt."

One hundred years later not much has changed it would seem in terms of the burning issues of the day, although personally speaking I can't imagine I could reach any 500 yard hole with a drive and an iron, hard running links excepted, and I suspect that the vast majority of club golfers might be the same.

Niall     

[Melvyn Morrow]

Thanks Niall

And The R&A are still in charge – they certainly are a hard nut to crack

Who actually thinks they know what they are doing, just think of the money wasted or squandered due to their inability to take action – ops sorry they approved carts and distance aids and we know what they have done to the good old golf courses.

It’s not that they have not been advised or aware, they just do not seem to care.

Melvyn

[Jeff_Brauer]

I am sure they are aware of all the money that has been MADE rather than squandered.  Given golf's near miraculous growth and staying power even in lean periods like now, its hard to argue that the ruling bodies have'nt done a lot right.  Especially since there is no evidence that longer courses has decreased the popularity of golf.  Ditto distance aids.

I believe course shortening will happen ONLY when water/environmental restrictions force them to.  And, then, it will be interesting to see how golf holds up when everyone is playing what will be percieved as a Camen Islands ball.

Just saying.  I'm in Texas, so I guess I shouldn't really be fanning the flames.

BTW, Melvyn, do you have running water and indoor plumbing?  Horse and buggy or car?  Why the hell are you on the internet if the old way is so superior?  Why should golf be exempt from new products, thinking, and progress?  If you are so against it, why do you even play?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Jeff

Nothing wrong with technology, but it needs to be controlled and it is not in golf.

As for the R&A, I believe they have slept the last 100 years and do not put the success of the game at their feet - Christ far from it, because they never knew what they had or have.

Melvyn

[Tony_Muldoon]

Great find Niall.

The contrarian in me would like to point out that Darwin wrote something like "I doubt any course was so improved by the coming of the wound ball as Sunnigdale".

Of course Park could also have been guilty of a little bit of re advertisng it as his course, after Colt had started his changes. If possible could you post the whole letter?

[Garland Bayley]

I am sure they are aware of all the money that has been MADE rather than squandered.  Given golf's near miraculous growth and staying power even in lean periods like now, its hard to argue that the ruling bodies have'nt done a lot right.  Especially since there is no evidence that longer courses has decreased the popularity of golf.  Ditto distance aids.

I believe course shortening will happen ONLY when water/environmental restrictions force them to.  And, then, it will be interesting to see how golf holds up when everyone is playing what will be percieved as a Camen Islands ball.

Just saying.  I'm in Texas, so I guess I shouldn't really be fanning the flames.

BTW, Melvyn, do you have running water and indoor plumbing?  Horse and buggy or car?  Why the hell are you on the internet if the old way is so superior?  Why should golf be exempt from new products, thinking, and progress?  If you are so against it, why do you even play?

Jeff,

If I play bridge, should I mark the cards so I can play better, or should I work on improving my God given talents so I can play better?
If I play baseball, should I insist that all baseball rules allow metal bats so I can hit the ball farther?

What the heck does running water and indoor plumbing have to do with playing a traditional game outdoors?

Two more questions.

Does it cost more money to build and maintain longer courses?
Where does that money come from?

[Tom MacWood]

I am disgusted by the current state of affairs and escalating yardage, but I don't think there is any doubt that there was a direct correlation between the rapid development of golf architecture and the introduction of the Haskel. That is not to say I believe we are going to enjoy a similar architectural illumination today...the circumstances are completely different.

[Niall C]

Tony

I think Bernard was quite right. How many courses really come alive years later when their scientifically designed holes have been effectively reduced in length to half par holes, much more interesting than "fair" hole lengths. Also you've got to think that Colt's revisions at Sunnigdale made a difference as you suggest.

As for advocating something be done now to curb the ball, their was a big push for ball standardisation with many of the leading players signing up for it including top architects like Colt, Fowler, Simpson and CH Alison. Many of them members of the R&A, and it still got no where. Interesting to think though that while standardisation failed, then what followed was golfs first golden age. Who's to say that couldn't happen again !

If it does, then I suggest maybe one change might be the move away from lengthening par 5's to make them 3 shotters and just accepting they take up to much room (Colt idea btw) and doing away with the ludicrously wide fairways of some moderns courses  .

Just a thought.

Niall