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The debate about the distance the best players in the
world are hitting the golf ball seems for now to be on hold.
In the entire world the number of professionals and elite
amateurs who pound the ball past 300-yards is certainly
less than 1,000 and but even that small a number have
caused the USGA to adjust the rules of golf.
First it was the about the driver face coefficient of
restitution followed by club length and moment of inertia.
Then it was ball’s overall distance which resulted in the
new standards to rein in how far the ball travels when
struck by a trained athlete landing on fairways groomed
so as to allow the ball to run like it did on greens 50 years
ago.
The point being the rules were changed because a few
golfers could hit the ball farther than the United States Golf
Association thought was proper. Regular golfers weren’t
asked if the rules should be jimmied and no one-in spite
of words from the USGA to the contrary-seems to care
about the effect on them.
Put another way, golf is a very hard game. One that’s
never mastered and anything that increases the
enjoyment of regular golfers should be viewed as a good
thing.
If you want proof look at the most recent rules adjustment
concerning grooves; not the grooves on all clubs just
those with 25 degrees (essentially a 5-iron) or more of
loft. The USGA is saying, “Go ahead and blast ‘em off the
tee but you’ll pay the price if you hit in the rough ‘cause
with the new grooves you won’t stop the ball on the green.”
world are hitting the golf ball seems for now to be on hold.
In the entire world the number of professionals and elite
amateurs who pound the ball past 300-yards is certainly
less than 1,000 and but even that small a number have
caused the USGA to adjust the rules of golf.
First it was the about the driver face coefficient of
restitution followed by club length and moment of inertia.
Then it was ball’s overall distance which resulted in the
new standards to rein in how far the ball travels when
struck by a trained athlete landing on fairways groomed
so as to allow the ball to run like it did on greens 50 years
ago.
The point being the rules were changed because a few
golfers could hit the ball farther than the United States Golf
Association thought was proper. Regular golfers weren’t
asked if the rules should be jimmied and no one-in spite
of words from the USGA to the contrary-seems to care
about the effect on them.
Put another way, golf is a very hard game. One that’s
never mastered and anything that increases the
enjoyment of regular golfers should be viewed as a good
thing.
If you want proof look at the most recent rules adjustment
concerning grooves; not the grooves on all clubs just
those with 25 degrees (essentially a 5-iron) or more of
loft. The USGA is saying, “Go ahead and blast ‘em off the
tee but you’ll pay the price if you hit in the rough ‘cause
with the new grooves you won’t stop the ball on the green.”
Curiouser and curiouser
Driving distance through the looking glass
By ED TRAVIS
Driving distance through the looking glass
By ED TRAVIS
The argument often rolled out that all the fine old courses
have been made obsolete by the distance pros are hitting
the ball doesn’t hold water either.
Many have been lengthened if needed, the rough allowed
to grow, new bunkering added, etc. A case in point is to
simply look at the adjustments annually made to Augusta
National Golf Club since the course opened in 1933. Many
were made by Bob Jones himself though in truth not all
were made to lengthen the course.
The home of the Masters is the only course any of the four
major championships returns to each year. The rest of the
fine old courses will either get with the times or live with
the possibility of lower scoring.
have been made obsolete by the distance pros are hitting
the ball doesn’t hold water either.
Many have been lengthened if needed, the rough allowed
to grow, new bunkering added, etc. A case in point is to
simply look at the adjustments annually made to Augusta
National Golf Club since the course opened in 1933. Many
were made by Bob Jones himself though in truth not all
were made to lengthen the course.
The home of the Masters is the only course any of the four
major championships returns to each year. The rest of the
fine old courses will either get with the times or live with
the possibility of lower scoring.
In the history golf there have been evolutionary and
revolutionary changes which have caused alarm by those
who think change ruins the game.
*Gutta percha balls supplanted those of goose feathers.
*Rubber replaced gutta percha.
*Harry Vardon showed how to swing in a way that
generated more clubhead speed and thus more distance.
*Steel shafts replaced hickory though Bob Jones and a
few others back then still hit 300-yard drives with wooden
shafted drivers.
*Mowers replaced sheep and after WWII mowers, course
equipment, irrigation and agronomy allowed smoother,
more consistent and faster playing surfaces.
*Ben Hogan showing proper practice makes for great
performance.
* Jack Nicklaus hit with towering drives over 300-yards
with a persimmon headed driver.
*Titleist brought out the Pro V1, a solid ball with a soft
cover which within months replaced wound balls for top
level play and gave everyone more distance.
*The advent of graphite, first for shafts and then club
heads, lighter and stronger and when married with
titanium even in enormous 460 cc heads made for much
higher swing speeds.
*Gary Player and then Tiger Woods showed the benefits
of physical fitness, how it produced distance and control.
Every advance has been said by a few to be ruining the
game but over hundreds of years golf has survived each
naysayer and grown more popular.
Today is no different.
revolutionary changes which have caused alarm by those
who think change ruins the game.
*Gutta percha balls supplanted those of goose feathers.
*Rubber replaced gutta percha.
*Harry Vardon showed how to swing in a way that
generated more clubhead speed and thus more distance.
*Steel shafts replaced hickory though Bob Jones and a
few others back then still hit 300-yard drives with wooden
shafted drivers.
*Mowers replaced sheep and after WWII mowers, course
equipment, irrigation and agronomy allowed smoother,
more consistent and faster playing surfaces.
*Ben Hogan showing proper practice makes for great
performance.
* Jack Nicklaus hit with towering drives over 300-yards
with a persimmon headed driver.
*Titleist brought out the Pro V1, a solid ball with a soft
cover which within months replaced wound balls for top
level play and gave everyone more distance.
*The advent of graphite, first for shafts and then club
heads, lighter and stronger and when married with
titanium even in enormous 460 cc heads made for much
higher swing speeds.
*Gary Player and then Tiger Woods showed the benefits
of physical fitness, how it produced distance and control.
Every advance has been said by a few to be ruining the
game but over hundreds of years golf has survived each
naysayer and grown more popular.
Today is no different.
