I was watching the golf channel yesterday and it was showing a best ball match between Player/Palmer vs Snead/Kroll(?).
On some of the drives they were saying that these guys were driving 285-295. They had Snead driving it around 300 yards on one drive and Palmer was estimated to have about 315 on another. It seemed legit. They said before they teed off that the hole was 410 yards. Then, Palmer's second shot was 95 with a wedge, which looked correct - and the math adds up. I didn't notice any severe tailwind or any major elevations as far as tee boxes. Is this for real? Or do you think the producers fudged the distances a bit to attact more viewers?
It seems hard to believe with the old equipment they had to use back then. But I also remember hearing that DLIII used to regularly drive around 300 yards with persimmon drivers too. Plus it almost seems like the golfers from that era swung even harder than they do now - especially guys like Palmer, Nicklaus, Player and Johnny Miller. What do you guys think?
In article <bAxce.2813$zu.2284@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com>, "ak" <akang-serco@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
I was watching the golf channel yesterday and it was showing a best ball> match between Player/Palmer vs Snead/Kroll(?).>
On some of the drives they were saying that these guys were driving 285-295.> They had Snead driving it around 300 yards on one drive and Palmer was> estimated to have about 315 on another. It seemed legit. They said before> they teed off that the hole was 410 yards. Then, Palmer's second shot was> 95 with a wedge, which looked correct - and the math adds up. I didn't> notice any severe tailwind or any major elevations as far as tee boxes. Is> this for real? Or do you think the producers fudged the distances a bit to> attact more viewers?>
It seems hard to believe with the old equipment they had to use back then.> But I also remember hearing that DLIII used to regularly drive around 300> yards with persimmon drivers too. Plus it almost seems like the golfers> from that era swung even harder than they do now - especially guys like> Palmer, Nicklaus, Player and Johnny Miller. What do you guys think?
On a boring day, I did some reading about persimmon vs metal. The consensus was that you give up very little with wood and that the prime reason for going to metal was to lower the cost of production.
Anecdotally, I can generally drive with my Louisville Golf persimmon nearly as fas as with my Nike Ti.
I have a collection of beautiful old wooden drivers and on the days when I venture out with primarily vintage gear, the drives go about as far as a 440 cc titanium of same loft. When I get one right on the spot, they fly great and sound wonderful. The problem is consistency and forgiveness of off-center hits ... The steel shafts help some but not enough. The fairway woods seem to do just about as well as the metal ones too.
This is a problem for a duffer like me but not for a tour quality player who can play blade irons and have a wear spot right over the sweet spot about the size of a dime. Forgiveness is real!
-- Jerry Jerry E. Wesch Chicago
"ak" <akang-serco@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message news:bAxce.2813$zu.2284@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com...> I was watching the golf channel yesterday and it was showing a best ball> match between Player/Palmer vs Snead/Kroll(?).>
On some of the drives they were saying that these guys were driving
285-295.> They had Snead driving it around 300 yards on one drive and Palmer was> estimated to have about 315 on another. It seemed legit. They said before> they teed off that the hole was 410 yards. Then, Palmer's second shot was> 95 with a wedge, which looked correct - and the math adds up. I didn't> notice any severe tailwind or any major elevations as far as tee boxes. Is> this for real? Or do you think the producers fudged the distances a bit
attact more viewers?>
It seems hard to believe with the old equipment they had to use back then.> But I also remember hearing that DLIII used to regularly drive around 300> yards with persimmon drivers too. Plus it almost seems like the golfers> from that era swung even harder than they do now - especially guys like> Palmer, Nicklaus, Player and Johnny Miller. What do you guys think?>
I think you are talking about two of the best ever golfers in their prime hitting great shots. They probably could of used the best equipment of the day and achieved the results you were seeing pretty consistently. But these were the best of the day, and the pie was much smaller back when these events were filmed. Modern club technology helps the best for sure but it helps the average golfer even more. There are more & Better golfers now then there were when the film you were seeing was made. The pie has gotten bigger and the equipment has made the game easier for more people.
"ak" <akang-serco@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message news:bAxce.2813$zu.2284@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com...>I was watching the golf channel yesterday and it was showing a best ball> match between Player/Palmer vs Snead/Kroll(?).>
On some of the drives they were saying that these guys were driving > 285-295.> They had Snead driving it around 300 yards on one drive and Palmer was> estimated to have about 315 on another. It seemed legit. They said > before> they teed off that the hole was 410 yards. Then, Palmer's second shot was> 95 with a wedge, which looked correct - and the math adds up. I didn't> notice any severe tailwind or any major elevations as far as tee boxes. Is> this for real? Or do you think the producers fudged the distances a bit > to> attact more viewers?>
It seems hard to believe with the old equipment they had to use back then.> But I also remember hearing that DLIII used to regularly drive around 300> yards with persimmon drivers too. Plus it almost seems like the golfers> from that era swung even harder than they do now - especially guys like> Palmer, Nicklaus, Player and Johnny Miller. What do you guys think?>
ak wrote:> I was watching the golf channel yesterday and it was showing a best ball> match between Player/Palmer vs Snead/Kroll(?).>
On some of the drives they were saying that these guys were driving 285-295.> They had Snead driving it around 300 yards on one drive and Palmer was> estimated to have about 315 on another. It seemed legit. They said before> they teed off that the hole was 410 yards. Then, Palmer's second shot was> 95 with a wedge, which looked correct - and the math adds up. I didn't> notice any severe tailwind or any major elevations as far as tee boxes. Is> this for real? Or do you think the producers fudged the distances a bit to> attact more viewers?>
It seems hard to believe with the old equipment they had to use back then.> But I also remember hearing that DLIII used to regularly drive around 300> yards with persimmon drivers too. Plus it almost seems like the golfers> from that era swung even harder than they do now - especially guys like> Palmer, Nicklaus, Player and Johnny Miller. What do you guys think?>
Nicklaus and Miller were reaching clubspeeds of 120+ mph with 43-inch steel-shafted drivers (not sure about Palmer, Player). Watson is known to have a swing speed of 120 mph with driver.
There was also less watering. Palmer played Erskine in South Bend in the 1960's and because the course was not watered as it is today he was able to reach the par 5 610-yard 10th hole in two. The owner of my company was in attendance as an honorary caddie (selected for being one of the best city players at the time) and attested to a drive well over 350. The last 200 or so is uphill.
That aside, in the hands of a Pro, 300 yards with a persimmon driver and a balata ball isn't really that great a feat.
-- Ron
CHARTER MEMBER, Irrecoverable DarkSiders Association email me at striker1 at csinet dot net
On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 21:22:15 GMT, "ak" <akang-serco@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
I was watching the golf channel yesterday and it was showing a best ball>match between Player/Palmer vs Snead/Kroll(?).>
On some of the drives they were saying that these guys were driving 285-295.>They had Snead driving it around 300 yards on one drive and Palmer was>estimated to have about 315 on another. It seemed legit. They said before>they teed off that the hole was 410 yards. Then, Palmer's second shot was>95 with a wedge, which looked correct - and the math adds up. I didn't>notice any severe tailwind or any major elevations as far as tee boxes. Is>this for real? Or do you think the producers fudged the distances a bit to>attact more viewers?>
It seems hard to believe with the old equipment they had to use back then.>But I also remember hearing that DLIII used to regularly drive around 300>yards with persimmon drivers too. Plus it almost seems like the golfers>from that era swung even harder than they do now - especially guys like>Palmer, Nicklaus, Player and Johnny Miller. What do you guys think?
On the other hand, I've watched some of those "Big Three Golf" reruns on The Golf Channel, with Palmer, Nicklaus, and Player, and their drives were generally going from 240 to 270, as shown on the graphics. I think that was more the norm for tour pros back in the 60's. There's no doubt that today's equipment is superior and produces much longer drives. There was no such thing as high launch/low spin, high COR, aerodynamic dimples, etc. back in them days.
"JE Wesch" <jerrywesch@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message news:i5zce.1511$2f2.1231@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com...>I have a collection of beautiful old wooden drivers and on the days when I> venture out with primarily vintage gear, the drives go about as far as a> 440> cc titanium of same loft. When I get one right on the spot, they fly> great> and sound wonderful. The problem is consistency and forgiveness of> off-center hits ... The steel shafts help some but not enough. The fairway> woods seem to do just about as well as the metal ones too.> ............
Many of the pros from that era used low-lofted drivers, in order to get the ball rolling on hard fairways. They were talented enough to send those hot screamers in the right direction. They also hit it between the screws with great consistency.
I still have some nice wood clubs, and I agree with some others here who believe there's not that much difference. But you have hit the bulls-eye.... Those wooden clubs work just fine, IF you hit them dead center. With my titanium driver, I can hit it virtually anywhere on the front side of the club and get good results. Mishits don't sting either. Playing mostly in the PNW, metal clubs don't rot and get dinged up like the old persimmon clubs.
