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Ancient equipment

Started by GolfNut57, July 20, 2017, 12:18:55 pm

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GolfNut57

How far on average do you think golf balls were hit back in the days of using gutta percha, or featherie type balls and using clubs with hickory shafts?
"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented." Arnold Palmer.

hawgon

They could hit gutties pretty far...200 yards and better for the better players.

I read about Young Tom Morris making a 3 on a 510 yard hole in one of the Opens he won.  So, the better players could get it on out there.

 

GolfNut57

Quote from: hawgon on July 20, 2017, 03:13:04 pm
They could hit gutties pretty far...200 yards and better for the better players.

I read about Young Tom Morris making a 3 on a 510 yard hole in one of the Opens he won.  So, the better players could get it on out there.

3 on a 510 hole? Was the 3 with a putt or holing out from some unknown  distance in the fairway? Two swings that net you 400 yards total only leaves 110 to the hole and hitting three.
"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented." Arnold Palmer.

hawgon

Apparently feathery balls were hard enough to kill people if they got hit with them.  Like a lot of things from those days, I'm not sure we can recreate exactly what they had.  So, a lot of our thoughts are guesses.

EastexHawg

The fact that they had a par 5 that was 510 yards long shows they could hit the ball pretty far.   Well,  I'm assuming it was a par 5.

hawgon

Quote from: EastexHawg on July 24, 2017, 09:46:16 pm
The fact that they had a par 5 that was 510 yards long shows they could hit the ball pretty far.   Well,  I'm assuming it was a par 5.

It was generally thought to be a par 6 for most people.

hawgon

This says that the official record for a feathery was 361 yards.  A test in 1786 with feathery balls averaged just under 200 yards.

http://www.scottishgolfhistory.org/origin-of-golf-terms/golf-ball-feathery-gutty-haskell/

GolfNut57

Quote from: hawgon on July 24, 2017, 10:05:53 pm
It was generally thought to be a par 6 for most people.

If Golf had par 6 holes I just might be able to break 80 all the time...................maybe.... ;)
"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented." Arnold Palmer.

GolfNut57

Quote from: hawgon on July 24, 2017, 10:15:21 pm
This says that the official record for a feathery was 361 yards. A test in 1786 with feathery balls averaged just under 200 yards.

http://www.scottishgolfhistory.org/origin-of-golf-terms/golf-ball-feathery-gutty-haskell/

According to that article that 361 yard drive was wind aided.
"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented." Arnold Palmer.

hawgon

Quote from: GolfNut57 on July 25, 2017, 09:06:57 am
According to that article that 361 yard drive was wind aided.

Your point?  It is still a long way.

hawgon

This stuff is really fascinating.  There was a time in the 1920s where the balls were going as far or farther than they are now.  That was well into the wound ball era and the machines for wrapping the Haskell wound ball had become quite sophisticated.  They were getting really tight wraps.  It was also before weight and diameter of the ball had been standardized by rule on either side of the pond.  So manufacturers were able to make heavier balls with smaller diameters and the big hitters were routinely hitting 350 and even 400 yards and just blowing away courses.  So, they standardized the ball at the current diameter and weight to dial back distance.

GolfNut57

Quote from: hawgon on July 25, 2017, 10:33:14 am
Your point?  It is still a long way.

Considering the average drive was 200 yards according to that article, the drive that was recorded at 361 yards and wind aided is somewhat suspect.
"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented." Arnold Palmer.

hawgon

Quote from: GolfNut57 on July 25, 2017, 12:50:21 pm
Considering the average drive was 200 yards according to that article, the drive that was recorded at 361 yards and wind aided is somewhat suspect.

Did anyone claim it was average or anything other than unusual? 

 

kingofdequeen

Quote from: hawgon on July 25, 2017, 11:45:56 am
This stuff is really fascinating.  There was a time in the 1920s where the balls were going as far or farther than they are now.  That was well into the wound ball era and the machines for wrapping the Haskell wound ball had become quite sophisticated.  They were getting really tight wraps.  It was also before weight and diameter of the ball had been standardized by rule on either side of the pond.  So manufacturers were able to make heavier balls with smaller diameters and the big hitters were routinely hitting 350 and even 400 yards and just blowing away courses.  So, they standardized the ball at the current diameter and weight to dial back distance.

and then the TopFlite Magna.   an oversized ball.   dumbest idea ever until the single length iron set.

kingofdequeen

Quote from: GolfNut57 on July 25, 2017, 12:50:21 pm
Considering the average drive was 200 yards according to that article, the drive that was recorded at 361 yards and wind aided is somewhat suspect.

LDA dudes hit it 150 yards farther than PGA pros.

Wildhog

I need some of them tightly wound, prohibition era golf balls. 
Arkansas Razorbacks Football National Championships:
1909/1964/1965/1977

kingofdequeen

December 14, 2017, 04:48:51 pm #16 Last Edit: December 14, 2017, 07:31:15 pm by kingofdequeen
hawgon may have brought this up or it could've been an old crusty golf magazine in my dad's pooper ...either way....

they took an untouched dozen of the ball Nicklaus played in the 70s and hit them with an iron bryon.  most flew almost 15 yards off line. 

Ah!!!  old crusty golf mag.

http://golfweek.com/2009/11/25/looking-back-macgregors-golf-balls/   

joeyself

Quote from: GolfNut57 on July 25, 2017, 09:01:17 am
If Golf had par 6 holes I just might be able to break 80 all the time...................maybe.... ;)

I only remember playing one par 6 hole.  Pottsville has one on the back 9--670 yards, I think.   Hard dogleg right, and best I can recall, it is about 450 from the tee to the dogleg (woods on the right), and 220 on in.  I've never made less than 6 on it, but I've not played it more than a half-dozen times, and even playing at my best, I'm lucky to shoot bogey.

JcS
"Real failure always starts with someone doing something stupid."  Anna Conroy in SLINGS AND ARROWS

jkstock04

Quote from: kingofdequeen on December 14, 2017, 04:48:51 pm
hawgon may have brought this up or it could've been an old crusty golf magazine in my dad's pooper ...either way....

they took an untouched dozen of the ball Nicklaus played in the 70s and hit them with an iron bryon.  most flew almost 15 yards off line. 

Ah!!!  old crusty golf mag.

http://golfweek.com/2009/11/25/looking-back-macgregors-golf-balls/   
Excellent read. Makes you wonder if cheap balls these days will fly off line as well. I don't play enough therefore wouldn't be good enough to know the difference.
Thanks for the F Shack. 

Love,

Dirty Mike and the Boys

OneTuskOverTheLine™

Quote from: GolfNut57 on July 20, 2017, 04:08:47 pm
3 on a 510 hole? Was the 3 with a putt or holing out from some unknown  distance in the fairway? Two swings that net you 400 yards total only leaves 110 to the hole and hitting three.
Sounds like you answered you're own question...
Quote from: capehog on March 12, 2010...
My ex wife had a pet monkey I used to play with. That was one of the few things I liked about her

quote from: golf2day on June 19, 2014....
I'm disgusted, but kinda excited. Now I'm disgusted that I'm excited.

hawgon

Quote from: jkstock04 on December 16, 2017, 08:07:56 am
Excellent read. Makes you wonder if cheap balls these days will fly off line as well. I don't play enough therefore wouldn't be good enough to know the difference.

Probably not like that.  The MacGregor balls literally weren't round.  They were shockingly bad considering that by then the wound ball was fifty or sixty year old technology.

GolfNut57

Ancient equipment.........aka members of the group called DPS...............(dead pecker society) There used to be a weekly mens golfing group that played at Rebsamen Park GC with that moniker back in the late 80's.
"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented." Arnold Palmer.

kingofdequeen

Quote from: hawgon on December 19, 2017, 10:50:25 am
Probably not like that.  The MacGregor balls literally weren't round.  They were shockingly bad considering that by then the wound ball was fifty or sixty year old technology.

Wound balls are no more.  Manufacturing tolerances, better materials, etc etc etc.   I'd be surprised if they do.


Jackrabbit Hog

Quote from: GolfNut57 on December 19, 2017, 06:31:14 pm
Ancient equipment.........aka members of the group called DPS...............(dead pecker society) There used to be a weekly mens golfing group that played at Rebsamen Park GC with that moniker back in the late 80's.

Yeah, I used to be in a foursome right behind some of those guys.  Gotta love those 6 hour rounds...
Quote from: JIMMY BOARFFETT on June 29, 2018, 03:47:07 pm
I'm sure it's nothing that a $500 retainer can't fix.  Contact JackRabbit Hog for payment instructions.

 

kingofdequeen

Quote from: Jackrabbit Hog on January 18, 2018, 11:15:51 am
Yeah, I used to be in a foursome right behind some of those guys.  Gotta love those 6 hour rounds...

with rare exception, i've never been able to get around rebs faster than 5 hours if there was any traffic at all.   

Still, the most annoying thing about the place is having to hit off mats.   

hawgon

Quote from: kingofdequeen on January 18, 2018, 10:56:28 am
Wound balls are no more.  Manufacturing tolerances, better materials, etc etc etc.   I'd be surprised if they do.

So you agree with me then?

kingofdequeen


kingofdequeen

$50 a dozen balls better freakin work.

Jackrabbit Hog

Quote from: kingofdequeen on January 18, 2018, 11:19:46 am
with rare exception, i've never been able to get around rebs faster than 5 hours if there was any traffic at all.   

Still, the most annoying thing about the place is having to hit off mats.

Forgot about the mats.  Nice touch.

Oh, and we used to call Rebsamen "Geezertown."
Quote from: JIMMY BOARFFETT on June 29, 2018, 03:47:07 pm
I'm sure it's nothing that a $500 retainer can't fix.  Contact JackRabbit Hog for payment instructions.

kingofdequeen

Rebs floods.  CCLR laughs from on high.

Proletariat v. Bourgeoisie 

EastexHawg

Quote from: kingofdequeen on December 14, 2017, 04:48:51 pm
hawgon may have brought this up or it could've been an old crusty golf magazine in my dad's pooper ...either way....

they took an untouched dozen of the ball Nicklaus played in the 70s and hit them with an iron bryon.  most flew almost 15 yards off line. 

Ah!!!  old crusty golf mag.

http://golfweek.com/2009/11/25/looking-back-macgregors-golf-balls/   

Makes the 271 Nicklaus shot at the 1965 Masters even more amazing.  Steel shafts...persimmon woods...lousy golf balls.

Dillar Dog

Possibly the worst modern ball of all time.

GolfNut57

Quote from: kingofdequeen on January 18, 2018, 11:19:46 am
with rare exception, i've never been able to get around rebs faster than 5 hours if there was any traffic at all.   

Still, the most annoying thing about the place is having to hit off mats.

Been a few years since I played Rebsamen. You're saying that they have golfers hitting off mats on the tee boxes now and not just the driving range? How bad can their tee boxes be for that to happen?

Last time I experienced something like that was on a chintzy nine hole course off of Colonel Glenn called Rock Creek. Strangely though there was actually a decent 18 hole course just a little further down that same street called Western Hills CC, which went under many years ago. And I believe now that the First Tee course off of University has incorporated some of the holes from both the old Rock Creek and Western Hills both into their 18 hole teaching facility.
"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented." Arnold Palmer.

kingofdequeen

Quote from: GolfNut57 on January 18, 2018, 04:43:35 pm
Been a few years since I played Rebsamen. You're saying that they have golfers hitting off mats on the tee boxes now and not just the driving range? How bad can their tee boxes be for that to happen?

Last time I experienced something like that was on a chintzy nine hole course off of Colonel Glenn called Rock Creek. Strangely though there was actually a decent 18 hole course just a little further down that same street called Western Hills CC, which went under many years ago. And I believe now that the First Tee course off of University has incorporated some of the holes from both the old Rock Creek and Western Hills both into their 18 hole teaching facility.

On the range - grass is perfect.  b/c they never let people hit off it. 


Sadly, i've played only one course that had mats for the tees - an exec course in Newport Beach, CA when i was 13.

I just realized that was a quarter century ago.  my god.

GolfNut57

Quote from: kingofdequeen on January 18, 2018, 04:46:20 pm
On the range - grass is perfect.  b/c they never let people hit off it. 


Sadly, i've played only one course that had mats for the tees - an exec course in Newport Beach, CA when i was 13.

I just realized that was a quarter century ago.  my god.

ah......ok...yeah it has been that way there for years as far as mats on the range. I think the Greens at North Hills in Sherwood does that too these days. Rarely is their tee boxes on the range suitable for hitting balls off of without the mats.
"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented." Arnold Palmer.

OneTuskOverTheLine™

Quote from: Jackrabbit Hog on January 18, 2018, 11:15:51 am
Yeah, I used to be in a foursome right behind some of those guys.  Gotta love those 6 hour rounds...
LOL..! One of my buddies hurried us onto the first tee at Rebsamen once saying, "We gotta beat the Dead Peckers"... I thought he was just rude to old people. I didn't think to ask for an explanation. Who'd have thought I'd get it 25 years later.
Quote from: capehog on March 12, 2010...
My ex wife had a pet monkey I used to play with. That was one of the few things I liked about her

quote from: golf2day on June 19, 2014....
I'm disgusted, but kinda excited. Now I'm disgusted that I'm excited.