Changes to the game.

On "buying a game" we went way off topic and began discussion changes. Good and Bad. So here it has its own place.

What changes have you experienced? Were they good or bad?

TheLyth

OK I'll start the ball rolling.

The change from 1.62" to 1.68" ball.

Why our American friends decided that they were going to play Golf with a bigger ball I don't know, maybe it was as simple as they always do things bigger than everyone else.

When it was announced that we were all going to have to play with the bigger 1.68" ball loads of FACTS? were tossed about.

It will be harder to putt with.

It will be impossible to control it in a high wind.

It will make some par 4,s impossible.

And the best of all

It will never catch on.

TheLyth

I would love to see some of the modern breed attempt to play greenside shots from a bare lie with the small ball.

I'm not sure about this but I don't think they made the Dunlop 65 in the big ball, but there was a 65i along with the MaxFli range.

The 1.62" balls were also mostly wound and kids used to get hold of a 'Cut' ball (happened a lot) and tear off the outer coating and then unwind the rubber until they reached the Lead-paint sack and then squashed that, spurtting the paint all over. Oh, what kept us amused in the 60's & early 70's.

Thin a wound Ball and that was the end of its life. Some also became mis-shaped and you would open a wrapper and find an egg-shaped ball rather than round. You'd had them stored in too high a heat.

TheLyth

Here is another massive change that doesn't get talked about as much as Club & Ball Technology, but has had such a big impact.

THE COURSE

Today agronomists are employed to organise the way a course is looked after. Some courses, like Wentworth West even take up their Greens and relay them with a different type of grass. Water Sprinklers are now common place and the mowers that cut Tees, Fairways and Greens are set lower than they were. So we get faster running courses which allows for longer shots.

How many remember reaching a Green that was in the middle of been watered with an old Sprinkler. Who took a club and layed in onto the spring so stopping the sprinkler from turning, allowing you to putt out and carry on.

Back in the 50's a course (even for The Open) had only the Greens watered and that was only to keep the grass alive.

The greens were also cut with Hand Machines, giving that wonderful sight of stripes. When the Ride-On arrived, the grass was not being cut as short as today so it was 'laid' rather than 'Cut' because the new machines were being driven too fast. This caused Knap and a new element put into reading greens. A 6ft straight putt today may have been right lip or left lip, depending which way the grass had been cut. It also slowed and quickened putts.

TheLyth

But thats it Wayne, you are not "Old", we are just older than the twenty somethings who think they know everything.

TheLyth

Martin,

I can remember in the early 70's building a Ball Rack for the shop. We sold Balls singularly then, that is apart from our special 3 for £1 re-covers. I do know that the Balls I got from 1973, under contract were the Big Ball, so we Pro's changed well before the R&A made it a Rule. I'll check the actual dates.

TheLyth

In January 1932 the Royal & Ancient Golf Association and the U.S.G.A reached a partial compromise on weight and size with the maximum weight being 1.62 oz and a minimum of 1.62” in diameter. The U.S.G.A accepted the new weight but maintained 1.68” as the diameter

It may be hard to believe but it was only 1990 when the small 1.62" ball disappeared from our Game.

TheLyth

I am sure that I was playing the USA ball in the sixties, I am also sure that at the Brabazon in 1970 the ball one was using was put through a ring on the first tee at Little Aston.

The 1974 Open at Lytham was the first with the compulsory Big Ball Rule.

TheLyth

Yes, David, I already knew that, but when was it made illegal for the club golfer.

1990 John. although each Club could say "1.68" only" before then.

TheLyth

1990 .....I just missed it by the sounds, never even seen the smaller ball. 

 I remember vivdly when the 'big ball' came in. I was about fourteen or so and a few of the lower handicap players at Gotts Park (a name that sorings to mind was Wally Edmondson) used to play comps with them. It was said that it'd improve your striking as a fade with a small ball would become a slice and you didn't hit it as far which seemed to be the case. I have found a couple of old balls in the undergrowth and they look like marbles. JP's comment re hitting a chip from a bare lie ring true.