The 'Hannigan on Amateurism' thread and the 'Golden Age Fairways' thread got me thinking of a best case scenario.

What indicators would you use to establish guidelines for the game of golf to be played from now on?

Example:
Architect - individual, style or era
-Tillinghast courses
Equipment - irons, woods, putter and importantly the ball
-Ben Hogan circa 1953 irons
-Taylor Made R7 Quad driver
-Gutta Percha ball
Course maintenance
-Creeping bent grass greens maintained at 2005 specs

This would be one persons idea of their best case scenario for golf as it would be played for the rest of their lives. I want to know who would want to roll back the clock on some, all or none of the different aspects that make up the golf experience. The assumption is that the specification you give will be the only option and technology or commercialism will not have any effect upon it.

I'd vote for pre-1860s, long before the whole concept of fairness entered the game.

Dan King

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday.
Suddenly, I’m not half the man I used to be,
There’s a shadow hanging over me.
Oh, yesterday came suddenly.
 --Lennon & McCarthy

Jim:

A most interesting question in the sense that the answers would be put together in a broad amalgam;

It reminds me of filling in the particulars of something very interesting Jim Finegan once told me (as well as filling in the particulars on ball and impliments);

"The best of the old courses and the old architecture was wonderful but don't forget that there have been some modern advancements that can make them better than they ever were."

I don't care which clubs you choose, just pick 7 max.  That would be my criteria.  As for courses, 6300 yardssh links with all the quirks and uncertainty, however, I would like the greens to roll at 9ish so there should be plenty of contours. Plentyof bunkers (perhaps 75-100 with some nasty ones on the ideal line of play).  A wicked little burn that comes into play on a few holes would not be remiss.  I don't care which ball is used.  

I would like the clubhouse old fashioned (loads of leather, wood and open fires) with views of the course and beyond.  There must be a natural sitting around the 18th so the piss can be taken.  A balcony would be helpful as well, this way you can take the piss of people on the 1st and 18th.  A few rooms for over-night stay would be welcome as well, perhaps even a dormy house.

Ciao

Sean

Jim:

A most interesting question in the sense that the answers would be put together in a broad amalgam;

"The best of the old courses and the old architecture was wonderful but don't forget that there have been some modern advancements that can make them better than they ever were."

Yes Tom, but who decides what of the modern advancements actually will "make them better"

Jim

In total I think the game is better when the ball curves and all of the 'advancements' in equipment have resulted in straighter shots. Unfortunately for some of us they are all too frequently straighter into the s**t.

Jim, I guess what I am asking is, would you be happiest playing wih the set of clubs you described because you think it would be more fun to play with that set which is how it sounds?  'Cause that seems to be a common feeling here at GCA. Of course, few who say the game is more fun that way actually go ahead and play the game that way so I am not really sure what the point is.
Hat tip to Sean, who I think is exactly right about 7 clubs.

The set described is how I would like to play because it would be the most fun for me, at the sites mentioned.
Maybe it is just this weekends foot of snow that makes me dream of my ideal golf situation, but I am wondering what are the best moments in golf thus far in terms of actual indicators.

Yeah, I'm just down the road (DC); I know what looking out the window and seeing nothing but white does to the imagination  
I am just as guilty as anyone else by the way-- I tell myself the game was more fun with old Staffs etc, but then I look in my bag and see the Pings, and well....

Aye, well there's the rub.  We go through this every so often - folks pining away for old eqipment / limited # of clubs / etc - but the problem is you do just kill yourself competitively if you go this route, so not many stay with it long-term.  We all know also that this game is plenty tough enough without purposefully making it tougher...

I used 7 clubs for awhile a few years ago, following my role model Dan King.  It was very fun for the short term.  But after awhile my wallet couldn't take the beating any more, and switching from half set to full and in between just became more of a problem than a help.  That is, you'd think I'd be a better player having to learn all of these creative shots using 7 clubs... but you'd think wrong.  The end result was paralysis by analysis in an odd way... thinking of TOO MANY silly ways to hit any given shot rather than just hitting the damn ball with a full swing.

I do still like to take out the 7 club set, from time to time... when I can play the game, that is... but over the long haul, as long as competitive play is still a part of my golf repetoire, I'm always gonna come back to the full set.

And that full set is as full of modern technical help as my budget can afford, you better believe it.

TH

If you play any competitive golf within your club, city, region or nationally you would not want to sacrifice the opportunity to use 'superior' equipment when everyone else is using it. Outside of that excuse I have no reason for not putting them in the bag.

Yeah, as Tom said, this does pop up now and then, and the reason  you mention also comes up, as does not wanting to lose bets and also just the ego issue of seeing your playing partners outhit you or outplay you when you 'know' you are better.
It seems to be an elusive dream.

You got it, Andy.  It takes a LOT of self-esteem and a complete lack of ego to keep this up for too long.

And JES, to be honest the question is too tough for me, as I simply can't narrow it down farther than I'll play links golf any time with anything to drink during and after.

By way of explanation, I've said too many times on here already this mantra:  I'd enjoy golf on a featureless asphalt parking lot if the friends are right and the beer is good.

So hopefully you can see this is not the question for me.  I just couldn't help commenting on the 7club issue, as I have been down this road.

TH

This should be and probably has been a different thread, but would reducing the number of clubs allowed from 14 to 12 effect the game at all?

I don't think so.  Two clubs less won't mean that much. Perhaps going to 10 or less might re-introduce a level of creativity that is slightly missing today... but my take is it doesn't matter how many clubs are used, the best players are still going to win.

So long as everyone plays by the same rules, that is.

 

1.  No non-wooden "woods" (only clubs under a (low) cc threshold can be made of non-wooden materials)
2.  Ban all goofy putters (broom handles, 3-balls, all these new ones that look like oversized IUDs)
3.  No need to change the ball or the irons if 1. above is adopted
4.  Drinks in the clubhouse must be plentiful, that's all.......

"This is the place for the MM Manifesto."

JES II;

Adam's right about that. A lot of this would be the "ideal maintenance meld" on a really good classic course. Perhaps you don't realize it but your own HVGC is probably the first and best example of a club going to the "Ideal Maintenance Meld" on their own I'm aware of.

So the best of the best may be for you to find a nice old persimon driver, your old 1980s irons, some "softer" three piece balata type balls and just go play your own course when it's really firm and dry with the greens around 11.

You may not have expected that and maybe that's not all that exciting to you since it's your home course but you may not quite realize just how "retro vanguard" HVGC has been for a number of years now.

When I was looking to figure out how often a superintendent could come up with the "ideal Maintenance Meld" I must've called fifty supers all over the place over about 2-3 years and asked them. Most said a few times a year spread out fairly well and providing various factors cooperated.

When I finally called Scott Anderson, I'll never forget it. When I explained to him what I meant by the "Ideal Maintenance Meld" he said; "So what's the question?" I said how often can you do it and he said it's that way all the time and so it was (obvously factoring out wet natural rain conditions). He said it took him about 6-7 years to figure out---that even the USGA didn't really want to touch it and he never could've done it without the initiative, direction and support from Linc Roden, your Dad and some others who brought the club around to accept it. During those 6-7 years of getting there Scott said there was a lot of OJT. He also said he's probably got the toughest grass anywhere---that even if he had five 100 degree days in a row he wouldn't have to do much to it after all this time. That's what he told me! Amazing stuff!