Who Needs Titanium? '82 Long Drive

[MattBarbier13]

 

 

Here is some sweet footage I found, it really makes me think that the old timber was just as long anything today.

[Oldplayer]

Great viewing! Thanks for sharing. Very interesting to compare the equipment and the swings then to now.

[Guia]

Nice find.

In the early 1980's when I was in the Philippines I got to play with Big Cat Williams. He was one of the first Long Drive Champions, a really good showman and a very outgoing person. I was a fairly big hitter in those days (using persimmon) and averaged in the low 270's, Big Cat out drove our group by 30 - 40 yards on every hole. That was really long in those days. He hit his 5 iron 200 yards with ease. He said in conversation that he sometimes broke the 100 compression titles balls.

I haven't tried the persimmon driver with the new balls, but curious how they would measure up.

[Kathy Marie]

Wow, that was [i]REALLY FUN!!![/i]

Thanks Matt!!





KM

[scomac2002]

How bout that Wilson fella? Four balls in a row at 320 right in the middle!

[oldschoolrocker]

GUIs,
Lots of info abput new balls and persommon in this section. Some not as bad as youvwould think, some downright outstanding, of course the flight characteristics are a bit different than the old balatas.

[Blade Junkie]

Great video - thanks for posting.

By the look of it, it is the YouTube account of the guy that came second ?

[mocokid]

There was a caddy at Hackensack GC (NJ) in the 70's, Lewis H, who according to a 3rd party, Big Cat said was longer than him. Saw Lewis hit a few on the driving range on caddy day one time. Had his Tommy Armour driver open at address about 20*, and had a leather wrap grip on top of a standard grip. Dude could bomb it. Longer than Big Cat? who knows. Fun times !!

[mocokid]

Awesome video. Notice: evil Pittsburgh persimmon rears its head. NO one knew it was the beginning of the end for persimmon and the great brands.

[LittleLeftToRight]

Those persimmon woods and balata balls ruined the game! They went too far! Golf was better with Gutta Percha.




[size=2]Just wanted to be the first to say that.[/size]

[mocokid]

Fick has a Hogan driver, you can see the speedslot. Can't identify Winrow's sole plate ,??? Zoeller has H&B Citation. Harney has Pitts Persimmon. Wilson has a Hagen/Wilson ?? Was Hinkle a Hogan staff player= Hogan driver ??

[Ironmaster Oddities]

Cool. Lon Hinkle.. Back in the day, he was deep, esp for a tour player. 341 with a wood clubhead. Noticed one contestant was using a new metal headed driver. A friend gave it to him. Pittsburgh Persimon. Taylormade's first TV exposure?

[jonnygrouville]

Very enjoyable. But so is modern long drive. Just a different discipline eh?

Further to our other discussion, interesting how the physique of the contenders has changed, as well as the equipment. These guys just looked like the biggest of the biggest guys from golf clubs, not the biggest guys from gyms.

Interesting as well. 1981 and they have to hit the fairway. 2015 and they have to keep it on the range...

[NRJyzr]

The modern grid isn't all *that* wide, I'd be surprised if it's that much different from 1981.

Just looked it up, it's wider than I remember it being. Vector physics being what they are, I wonder if they've accounted for the longer distances.

It's interesting, the first 400 yd drive was in 1997.

[jonnygrouville]

Also got curious and looked it up. The grid was 70 yards wide in 2012. Yes, the further you go, the wider it gets, just interesting.

Would love to know more about the clubs these guys were using. Guessing longer than standard, extra stiff shafts, but what sort of heads? Heavy? Deep faced?

[Covert]

I think it's interesting that a few of these guys have shorter backswings as well. A couple don't even make it to parallel.

Great find!