The First Day

[Peter Pallotta]

A question, for those of you old enough and/or who have been playing golf for long enough to remember:

That first day, when, for *you*, the persimmon era ended and the titanium one began, when the wound-balata balls were relegated to the garage and you put in 6 brand new solid core golf balls in your bag, was the experience of playing your home course immediately different than it was just the day before?

That first day, maybe in the late 1990s or early 2000s, when your classic home course/members club likely hadn't been renovated/lengthened for decades, and you showed up with a Titleist 983K or a Ping TiSI or a TaylorMade 320TI, were some traditionally irksome fairway bunkers suddenly no longer in play for you? Did your course immediately seem shorter than the day before? Did you enjoy that first round more? Did you score better?

In short: on that first day*, did the game of golf change for you, and did your impression of/experience with your home course change too?       

Thanks
Peter

*Metaphorically speaking of course - that 'first day' could have lasted/taken place over a week, or a month etc.

[Ira Fishman]

Peter,


The advent of "modern" technology coincided with two related facts in my life:  my kids were old enough for me to start playing again after a 15 year or so break and hence I was starting to get old.  And I am a traditionalist so I hung onto my persimmon for a while longer (finally gave up the four wood around 10 years ago).  Modern technology has therefore done nothing but screw with my mind. I am quite certain that I hit it further in the good old days and remain frustrated that the new technologies still leave me lagging even though I know it is age, lack of exercise, diminished hand-eye coordination, etc that is the true cause of the problem.  Yet, I allow unreasonable expectations to get into my head so over swing, get ticked off, etc which of course just compound the problem. 


I clearly need a shrink, not a golf pro nor even newer equipment.


Ira

[Jim_Kennedy]

No.

[Sean_A]

Pietro


The transition was natural for me as I quit the game in 1982 and when I returned 10 or so years later the clubs had changed. It didn't seem at all odd and was easy to accept. I don't have much memory about the differences until later when I first tried graphite shafts. The real difference was the courses because when I returned to golf it was with a far better understanding of design then I was quickly introduced to links golf. The courses rather than the equipment was far more important to me and still is.


Ciao

[Tommy Williamsen]

I actually do remember. It was sometime in the early middle 80's. It was a Taylor Made Pittsburgh Persimmon. It was hot, especially with a Pinnacle. It jumped off the club. There was one problem, the club didn't allow me to hit certain shots. For instance, I had learned to hit a toe hook of my Power Built persimmon. I couldn't do it with metal. I switched back to persimmon.  I made the switch permanently about 1996. I still hate them. They sound awful, feel awful but they go farther and at 71 they are in my bag permanently or at least until the next big thing comes out.


The next big change was to cast irons. I hated them. I only used the 2-5 irons. I kept my Haig Ultra 6-pw for shots around the greens. I never fully switched to cast irons. I did give up my muscle backs for Mizuno.


I have played Titleist since I was a kid. I still have a sleeve of 100 compression Professionals. Once in a while I will take them to the practice green and putt with them. They are soft and beautiful. The first day I played the ProV1 it felt as though I had found a long lost friend.

[Daryl David]

The first day I played the ProV1 it felt as though I had found a long lost friend.

I can relate. I remember when the Prov1 was released they were impossible to get in stores. Supplies were on allocation. I ended up buying a dozen on EBay for double retail just to try them. Raced out to my club and took a sleeve to the first tee. Hit all three and was 10-15 yards further around the dogleg than I had ever been. I chalked  it up to excitement until I hit three of my regular Titleists and watched them fall short. Couldn’t wait for Saturday’s money game.

[jeffwarne]

Things I remember
Ping Eye 2's in 1983-super hot off the cast face resulting in their eventual change to square grooves to reduce fliers of the cast faces.
Next year's had box grooves that cut balls, leading them to introduce the cambered edge to reduce ball damage which led to argument with USGA about where groove actually begins


J Driver  and winning a long drive with a borrowed oversized Yonex (I wasn't long normlly)


Titleist professional balls and then ProV 1s-I resisted for 2 years due to fear of fliers but finally the lure of what was a club and a half of distance won me over


Best driver I ever had was a Ping 7 degree before the low spin high launch era


I miss being able to draw the ball and miss right a lot due to ivsualizing draws that don't come off with low spin sclubs
Low spin drivers have really helped those with out to in or neutral paths.
Inside out players struggle with modern equipment or adjust their path to compensate.


i still use a 20 year old Callaway 5 metal-lower ball speed but predictable


Mostly I miss my Eye 2  P,S, L wedges (bounce and grind)


I can't say I miss persimmon as I used laminated Wilson Staff drivers for years and loved them

[JMEvensky]

Mostly I miss my Eye 2  P,S, L wedges (bounce and grind)

Especially in beryllium copper. Ping says their new wedges are available with the Eye 2 grind but they seem different somehow--might just be a rose colored memory.

[jeffwarne]

Mostly I miss my Eye 2  P,S, L wedges (bounce and grind)

Especially in beryllium copper. Ping says their new wedges are available with the Eye 2 grind but they seem different somehow--might just be a rose colored memory.

Totally different-much sharper and much shorter.
i hit my old ping SW 105 (still) and the new one about 90-and chunk it a lot.
ground the L wedge enough I can hit bunker shots with it but how hard should it be to copy your own grind?

[Thomas Dai]

Some memories from a few decades ago - bit Golfwrx'y I'm afraid!

Lots of offset on Ping Eye wedges and a very curved leading edge on the Eye-2's. Groves on steel Pings could indeed be unpredicabale. BeCu ones were more consistent. Ball chewers though.
Ping laminate fairways with the sole shape/weight were great for getting the ball up into the air or out of the rough....bit like Ginty's (or modern rescues).
Early Taylor Made drivers and fairway metals were erratic in shape...some sat closed, some sat open.
Quality of the graphite shafts from the same era seemed unpredictable....think shaft splining in the modern game.
Those early Yonex went miles. The famous 'J' came in another brand (sister company?), the much cheaper softer shafted 'copy' by Mitsasheba. Tiny head by modern standards though.
The Titleist Professional ball was wonderful...wish they were still the norm. Control, feel, softness, durability (in comparison to balata) and didn't go as far as 'moderns' so course lengths didn't need lengthening. The Maxfli Revolution ball seemed pretty similar but was cheaper. Spalding's Tour Edition felt hard and 'clicky' but really span when nipped or hit spot-on.
Early ProV1's....pitching and long chipping with clean grooves....one bounce and grab (stop) was what I recall. Early Vokeys the same. Ball chewers though.
Memories, memories, memories!
Quite a number of quality irons and persimmons at pretty cheap prices available on eBay if you fancy trying some out.
atb

[Cal Seifert]

I’m still playing eye2 irons and love them!