Voluntary Equipment Rollback Need some help!!

[cheers big ears]

Hi All, I've decided that I'm going to make a one man stand, and roll back all my gear. With the purpose of removing straight shots, and hitting longer clubs into par 4s with the hope of bringing some of the original strategy from my formative years in the 90s.

 

I need some help rolling back!

 

Irons are easy, i can get even a modern set of blades or cbs, and bend them weak.

 

Drivers are a bit of a challenge, im not sure how i can replicate the lack of forgiveness and c of g position without going yo an actual driver of the era. Which, given courses are longer, may be rolling back too far to achieve what i want? Open to suggestions on this...

 

Putters and wedges, are easy.

But what about a ball! I honestly cant begin to identify anything that would approximate a wound ball. Any ideas? Im not even sure i know what characteristics i would need? Have balls really changed that much given im rolling back the rest of the gear....

[James the Hogan Fan]

I think as far as woods you should go to the era, something like a 975D or an original Big Bertha. (or you could always go persimmon if it suited you). They are going to be pretty cheap anyway, thrift shops will often have them by the bucketload.

 

As far as ball, the Wilson Duo Urethane/DX3 have been mentioned as the most 'wound feeling' of the modern balls, but I don't think there is much on the market for the hyperspin afforded by a wound balata ball.

[cheers big ears]

975d could be an idea, i just need to make sure i can get it out far enough, i think going back to persimmon (i already have some ;)) would mean i was too short to really acieve what im after, im hoping to play courses as designed, so would need to get it out to 230-250, which at 105ish swingspeed might be a hard task with persimmon. Ill have a look at the wilson, i am less worried about feel though and could live with a harder ball as long as i could get the flight. Maybe will be less of an issue than i think, might do some testing!!

[jblough99]

Maybe take a look at the Taylormade Original One Mini driver for your driver, or some of the other "mini" drivers from a few years ago. You will get the smaller size of drivers from years ago but still modern tech so you can get the ball out to the distance you need.

[setter02]

I wouldn't go as far back as the 97X models, and stick with the 983 K/E and 980 3/5 woods, all with steel shafts. Never played the OG BB gear as I was a 'Titleist guy' and those clubs were the first real ones (OEM) I bought for myself, so can't comment.

But also easier gear to find in decent shape.

[puttingmatt]

Just create a vintage bag, and yes use a persimmons driver.

As far as the ball, use a 2 piece , as a wound ball is almost non existent.

But, you can search the bay, to get everything you want

[J13]

Or just use a modern day 4 wood as a driver. Distance will be comparable

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Persimmon will make you realise how important it is to find the sweet spot. With modern balls, you won't be *that* far behind your modern driver on good strikes (especially if you have carbon-shafted persimmon woods), but you will be hitting around 2 clubs more in to most holes.

The other option is, as has been stated, leave your driver at home. If hitting more club into the greens is your goal, I think this is the simplest solution.

[cgasucks]

Finding clubs to 90's specs and tech is easy. The lofts today's player's CB and blades haven't changed since the 90s. As for drivers and woods, one can get them used for a song (like a 975D or a GBB). The ball will be the hardest to replicate since 99.9% of all balls available are multi-layered and solid core with no rubber windings which now dominate the ball market since the early 2000s. I suggest you might have to find some used or new Titleist Professionals or Maxfli Revolutions on Ebay or other site and cross your fingers. If you do find them, it won't be cheap.

[cheers big ears]

Thanks for the advice! My main worry is that traditional long irons have all but dissapesred as they need the spin to stay in the air. Be interesting to see if a modern ball can be used with old 2 irons with any success...

[jvincent]

For the ball you need to find the softest, spinnies ball off the driver you can.

 

On a sort of related note, I am trying an experiment with a low launch, low spin "driving iron". I took an old Golfsmith Tour Cavity Forged 3i head I had in the basement, put a C-taper lite into it, and bent it to 15.5* of loft. The goal here is low bullets that have very little spin.

 

My fingers are anticipating the sting when I take it to the range tomorrow.

[deepred]

I have an old Snake Eyes 2 iron head in the drawer I was thinking of shafting and giving a try.

[caniac6]

I can usually find Eye 2s or similar vintage at Plat it Again Sports. I think the ball will be the biggest issue. Also, I've hit a modern ball with a persimmon driver, and the ball didn't seem to spin enough to stay in the air. Matching the driver and the ball is going to be tough.