Let's Talk About Golf

Featherie golf ball. Longest recorded drive with one was 200 yards.

First recorded use of forged metal heads. If you could lift them you could hit them!

Hickory Shafts introduced. Where were the tree huggers then?

Gutta Percha ball. A 100 compression featherie.

First Golf bag appears. And no, it didn't have those folding legs!

First Rubber ball introduced. First hit by John Daly's great–grandfather, it went more than 400 yards!

Drop forging invented. 100 years later, weekend golfers still can't hit forged.

Wood club-heads, hand-made by pros until 1910. Pretty but no R & D behind them.

From smooth to grooved club heads. Square grooves came later.

"Modern" ball with wound construction introduced. Marked the beginning of the modern dimple wars.

Persimmon takes over as wood of choice for club heads. Nice to look at but would be reduced to toothpicks by today's club-head speeds.

Steel shaft introduced. Harder to break in a fit of temper.

First major tournament won with steel shafts (US Open). This was before the networks had 18 hole coverage.

Sand wedge invented. Thanks Gene!

14 club rule instituted. Some guys still don't get it. Remember little Woosie at the Open?

First powered golf car introduced. Three wheels and slooowww!

Casting methods for irons commercially available. This is considered by many to have signaled the beginning of the hacker revolution.

Graphite shafts debuted. It took 20 years to figure them out.

Metal "woods" hit the market in mass. Remember the Pittsburgh Persimmon? It was the best thing to come along since the rubber cored ball.

"Utility" clubs make their mark. Remember the Ginty, or the Baffler?

Big Bertha introduced. Compared to today's drivers, those heads look like five woods!

1st long putters came on the scene. Now you can anchor it on the chin, chest or belly and it's legal. Caused inside the leather gimmes to eventually be outlawed.

Edible tees invented. 77 flavors came later.

First recorded broken bone inflicted by a swing training device. Actually it was a shoulder separation followed by a loud snap.

Golf instructors finally admit that the simple "crotch hook" is the most effective device in keeping the head down. It was never commercially produced because they couldn't find anyone stupid enough to test it.

The first 500 cc driver is introduced. Considered a "monster" by the standards of the day, it was quickly banned from the tour and branded a gimmick.

The Golf Channel surpasses actual programming content with infomercials about gimmicky golf equipment. Just when you thought golf had all the gimmick clubs and training aids it needs!