How would the best players do with old equipment?

[Dave McCollum]

I found this interesting:  today's best players playing old clubs and soft balls.  The implications for course architecture are pretty obvious.

http://golfweek.com/news/2016/feb/16/pga-tour-rory-mcilroy-riviera-10th-hole-drive/

[Ian Mackenzie]

That was hardly a test.


I remember reading a great article in USA today a few years ago that chronicled two rounds at Sea Island with Brendt Snedeker.
The first round was with persimmons and blades from the late 70's, the second round with the latest gear, I think from Bridgestone.


Round 1 - Sneds shot 80.
Round 2 - Sneds shot 71.


Not much upside for anyone to see this done again on a big stage.

[Thomas Dai]

It would be interesting to see the trajectory 'arc' of the shots hit (as shown from the side of the fairway) and also the distance/roll after initial landing. The 'soft ball' type and spec would be nice to know as well.


This was held a couple of years ago - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pa8_L5BF6E


Didn't Sandy Lyle play a practice round at The Masters last year with clubs that all had hickory shafts? I think he used a hickory shafted putter in the competitive rounds as well.


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[Ben Hollerbach]

Didn't Sandy Lyle play a practice round at The Masters last year with clubs that all had hickory shafts? I think he used a hickory shafted putter in the competitive rounds as well.

Sandy has before, from the masters tee box was able to carry his drive on 1 up to the top level. He hits his hickory driver over 270, and when Dustin Johnson hit it it was over 285.  Something seems a bit off on these hickory numbers from Riviera. I know numerous hickory players that hit their drivers well over 230 yards. I wonder if it was in fact a driver they were using or was it more like a brassie or spoon.

[Dave McCollum]

I think they were measuring carry distance with a Trackman, not overall distance. 

[Ben Hollerbach]

ahh, yes, that might explain it

[David_Tepper]

Video showing some of the guys hitting the clubs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2STQwqLvcQ

[Jay Mickle]

Here is a comparison of three eras of drivers starting in the 1880s through modern. While the overall distance was only 18 yards, note that the 460cc driver was used with a ball on a tee. Also a brassie circa 1920 is a 3 wood equivalent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLV6rM1vtrA

[Josh Stevens]

Clayton talked about it 10 years ago
http://www.theage.com.au/news/golf/truth-behind-the-power-game/2005/12/17/1134703645839.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2

[John McCarthy]

10 at Riviera has a severe front to back slope on the right side (from the tee). 

With the low spin ball today, a wedge hit past the pin (on the right side) can't check up or even back up. 

What I am trying to get at is that particular hole may be much more playable with a balata ball.  The rest of the course, not so much.

[Wade Whitehead]

I wish they'd superimposed ShotTracker graphics of the three equipment eras.

The best shot I've ever seen with a hickory driver was Kevin Lynch's carry to the first fairway from the back tee (yes, the very back tee) on #1 at Ballyhack.  It was epic!

WW

[Pat Burke]

I hit my Honma persimmon driver and my Aeroburner a few times in december
It was pretty dry


In a long drive in our golf employee skin game we use the persimmon for the long drive contest.
It was surprising that most guys actually hit pretty good ones.
Our first assistant hit one 285 (a little down hill) to win.  I hit one as good as I can and got just past 280.


On the course messing around, my good ones with ProV1x balls were about 10 yards behind my Aeroburner.
It was very difficult to get the ProV1 airborne, but trying a high cut seemed to work.


I had a sleeve of Titleist Professionals, and it was very easy to get the ball in the air, and it flew about the same yardage as the Prov1, with both drivers!  Maybe a 5 yard difference overall.
Mishits with the Honma had major drop off though compared to the new weapon

[Thomas Dai]

Interesting observation from Pat regarding the trajectory of ProV1's and Titleist Professionals (a damn fine ball).


The modern high spec ball being engineered to flight lower to counteract modern clubs hitting it higher?



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[Mark Smolens]

Alas, I just recall how many times I mishit a Titleist Professional and then found it to be nearly oblong -- completely unable to fit in that old ball sized ring that I used to carry.

I can play a new premium golf ball until I lose it... wondering if the new Callaway Soft Chrome's cover plays any differently from last year's model -- can't wait for it to warm up enough to find out.