DMoriarty - agreed! How great would it be for some of these golden age golf courses to offer hickory club rentals with period appropriate golf balls?
Rob, I've played a handful of truly great American courses with hickories, including a few of my very favorites. Despite the best efforts of some to mock me for having done so, I am sure glad I did.
Many years ago, when Ran used to post, he suggested that playing these old courses with the appropriate era clubs was the best (only?) way to really understand the architecture. I am not sure I'd go that far but seeing the course from the perspective of a hickory player certainly doesn't hurt one's understanding. I like to joke that had I not played Merion with hickories, I'd have never noticed that Merion East was a CBM course at its bones, but unfortunately most don't see the humor in that.
Regardless, it sure is fun to play these old courses with equipment for which the course was designed. I highly recommend it to anyone not afraid of a little ribbing, good natured or otherwise.
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Melvyn, I am not sure I understand your post, or that you understood mine. I don't wield
"a TaylorMade R9 SuperTri (8.5°) with Mitsubishi Rayon Fubuki 70 Alpha shaft." I didn't pull that description from my bag, but from some internet "what's in the bag" description of a Ryder Cup player. I do play with relatively modern equipment some of the time, and I play with older equipment some of the time as well.
And I don't play modern equipment to improve my score. I largely play it (when I do) so my matches against those who only play modern equipment are more enjoyable for all. I don't like a match where the players have to play different tees, and I think my opponents more enjoy pummeling me when I don't have the excuse of old equipment to fall back on.
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines." -Ralph Waldo Emerson