THE FUTURE IS HERE.... DO WE WANT TO GO BACK?

I don't think many of you missed watching the PGA Championship last week, and I can say, without a doubt, that the "future" all of us who were born before 1970 dreamed of, is here.

Even the 80's and 90's. When I saw a "bird's eye" overview of the golf course, I knew a mere mortal could not possibly break 100 on that course from the back tees, and that only someone who can carry the ball 270 or more could play it. What I did not know is that 17 under par would come in second place! Seventeen under par, that is three 70-66-65-69 on a 7,600 yard course, and you don't take the trophy home! INSANE!

Okay, so it was "only" playing 627. Easy, huh?

Even Jordan Spieth was amazed at Jason Day's tee shot on #11... 378 yards that was effectively 430 after cutting the dog-leg! Let's put it like this: can you imagine teeing off on #15 from the back tees, and then hitting a wedge to a green on Hwy 6, by #17 green in Elk City? And by the way, your tee shot is across the water! So, a hole that will take you and me all day to reach (645 yards from the "tips"), Jason Day hit drive and wedge!).

Of course the "future" began with Arnie, who before Jack Nicklaus was the "longest-straightest" hitter of his time, and then Jack came along and "Fat-Jack" hit it farther. There were some challengers, Seve and Johnny Miller among them, but they were challengers, not contenders.

Older blade irons are similar in size and
shape. The difference is lofts. Newer irons
have stronger lofts, thus, a new 8 iron, is the
same loft as an old 6 iron; so, in a sense,
a modern 3 iron is same loft as old 1 iron!

Then, of course came Tiger, after whom, many thought they "tiger-proofed" golf courses like Augusta National did after Tiger's win in 1997. They never did such big changes after Nicklaus ('63) or Ray Floyd ('76) won with 17 under par. A 17 under par well earned, with wedges and long irons (Ray Floyd used a 7 wood with a 5 wood shaft). Tiger did so with short irons to shoot 18 under, one better than Floyd and Nicklaus. He did the same at the Old Course in St. Andrews, where he shot 19 under, by flying over all of the deadly bunkers, and broke Nick Faldo's record of 18 under by one. Faldo, who, in his best day, never hit the ball within 50 yards of Tiger, had to plan his way around the course and shoot 18 under with great long and mid iron shots.

Here is a statistic that you will understand: in 1975, with old balls and steel shafts, Jack Nicklaus hit a great drive on #15 and a 1 iron for that set up a birdie, and eventually beat Tom Weiskopf and Johhny Miller by one. In 1986, Jack again, hit #15 in two, this time with a 4 iron at age 46 to eagle the hole and beat Greg Norman and Tom Kite by one. Then, in 1997, 11 years later, Tiger hit the same green, a hole then 15 yards longer

Tiger Woods's Cobra Driver (middle) in 1997, was not much bigger than Jack's 
driver in 1986 (wooden club). Both were 43" long and both had steel shafts (the 
one pictured here is graphite). Look at how clubs have changed: the Big Bertha
(second from the left), then Ping G-30 (1st on the left); and a hybrid on far
right, almost as big as old drivers. But using same ball, though noticeable,
not much difference in distance.

than Jack played in 1986, with a drive and a sand-wedge, to win by 12! No one else in the field could hit it that long. Tiger was using a Cobra Driver with a steel shaft that didn't go any farther than persimmon woods.

Tiger became "the new longest-straightest hitter" of all. He was using the new Titleist Prov1, 3 piece, solid core ball, Nicklaus had used a wound balata ball in 1986. Both used steel shafts in their clubs in both wins. Again, the main difference was the ball.

Welcome a new era of fitness, where many golfers are athletes as well (*).

With his strength and length, Augusta was a short par 68 course, so, his 17 under par, was, for all practical purposes, a one under par. It was like playing against young boys.

The Titleist Tour Balata 100 that many pros used in the 90's. This ball
was already much longer than it's predecessor of the 80's and 70's, with
very little change in equipment.

Many people say, including professionals, that the ball goes too long now. And it is true. The aerodynamics of a golf ball, plus the core and cover have improved much faster than the rest of the equipment. If you hit an old golf ball and a new one with the same club, the new ball will go much farther than if you are trying a new ball with old or new equipment (I'm talking 70's and 80's equipment and not 1930's wooden shafts).

Because of this, I believe that the golfers of the 70's and 80's, were much better than the golfers now. In those cases, not only the ball did not go as far as now days, but it curved tremendously. You think you have a slice now? Try an old ball and you'll probably quit golf. Playing in the wind was much harder then than now, as it was playing in cold weather! I remember in the 70's, going to the course on cold mornings and always taking a few balls out of the bag and warming them up on the way to the course with the "defrost" hot air in my car, otherwise, the balls would feel like steel bearings like rocks.

Tour professionals of the 90's, hit the ball just as far now days than then, many of them hit it farther in their 60's than they did in their 40's. Compared to a wound Titleist, balata covered ball to the new and popular Titleist ProV, the balata covered ball would feel like a marsh mellow.

Picture of my trusty Titleist Prov1-x #7 on #2 tee here. It is the same size and
weight of the Tour Balata, but the inside is much, much different. It is
like putting a Porche's motor in a VW Beattle. Both VW's would look the 
same, but one would go much faster.

I remember when Spalding Golf first came with the Top-Flite ball in the early 70's. To my recollection, it was the first 2-Piece ball, or at least, the first premium 2-Piece ball that professionals could use. Into the wind, or with irons, it went farther than any other ball, with the wind, you could not beat a Titleist or a Hogan ball. Professionals -and then amateurs- got smart. They packed a few Top-Flites in their bags, and when they were faced with a long par-3 hole or a hole into the wind, out their Top-Flites came! It was far easier to hit a 4 iron than a 3 wood. Then, Titleist came out with the new, wound, surlyn covered Titlist DT 100 and DT 90. It went as far as Top Flite, but you could spin the ball better around the greens not as good as a balata ball, but for the average golfer, it did the trick.

In fact, in 1986, I attended a Rules seminar hosted by the PGA of America. One of the speakers was a man from the USGA. During a break, I curiously asked which was the longest and legal ball they had ever tested, "I know you cannot advertise for any company, but I am very curious because they all claim to be the longest". He said Titleist DT 90 by far when averaging all clubs, and particularly with the woods. Top-Flite was still the longest with irons. Guess what ball I used for a couple of years before they came out with the Prov1? Now, pros played balata balls when they needed to land softly on the greens, and DT's or Top-Flites when distance was needed. Some stuck with DT's because it had relatively good spin and lots of distance. Smart guys.... but the USGA and the PGA got smarter, and the "One Ball Rule" was born: once you started a round, you could not switch ball types or brands during your round.

Now, all we need is to have a "one ball rule" for the touring pros. You can change brands every year! (**)

(*) -  The Olympics of 2016 in Brazil, will host a number of golfers. I do not think that golf should be part of the Olympics unless two things are included:
1) The golfer MUST CARRY HIS OWN BAG (Come on! have you ever seen a caddy for the biathlon athletes?)
2) If this is supposed to be a sport, and not merely a game -by the way, the greatest game ever played!-, then, there should be some sort of speed involved with the game. If this is the case, don't send Kevin Nah!

(**) - All the national long drive contests use the same ball. No one knows where they get it from, it could be a Pinnacle Gold, or a Titleist NXT. They are totally white ad have no markings. Why not do that in USGA National Championships and PGA Tour?