Persimmon Drivers?

[MGPT]

I'm considering getting a steel shafted persimmon driver, just for a bit of fun.

 

What can I expect in terms of accuracy, distance and feel?

 

And is there a particuarly nice model to look out for on the bay?

[dangolf]

You better find some old golf balls then. I think it was bubba or another pga pro trying to hit a persimmon and he couldn't get the ball past 50 yards. The golf balls we use today just don't spin enough to get the ball in the air.

[Nessism]

Persimmon has a very soft quiet sound on center strikes. Distance will be shorter, partly because the shafts are shorter, and partly because the COR is lower than modern drivers. Accuracy should be good on center strikes.

I don't think spin with the modern ball is a problem. I used to use wood clubs and rock hard Top Flites, which didn't spin for crap, and had no problems.

[golftejas]

I used to have some PowerBilt persimmons back in the day, and always liked them - - might look for those on the bay. I think the head size would psych me out if I ever tried them these days

[somaplr]

[quote name='dangolf' timestamp='1348832616' post='5709843'] You better find some old golf balls then. I think it was bubba or another pga pro trying to hit a persimmon and he couldn't get the ball past 50 yards. The golf balls we use today just don't spin enough to get the ball in the air. [/quote]

Well, if he DID say that...I'm sure he was being facetious. I have several pers drivers and I can hit them 250+.

[FLOGMR]

[quote name='dangolf' timestamp='1348832616' post='5709843']
You better find some old golf balls then. I think it was bubba or another pga pro trying to hit a persimmon and he couldn't get the ball past 50 yards. The golf balls we use today just don't spin enough to get the ball in the air.
[/quote]
That is utter nonsense!!!!.......I have a classic set which includes persimmon driver, 3 wood and 5 wood..........they all fly Pro V1s just fine. Yet another golf myth perpetuated by repeating it over and over.
Compared to my current titanium driver (See signature) I hit the persimmon clubs about 10% shorter but just as straight and just as high. I have been on a LM with it and the spin rates are almost identical to my current "modern" set.
Take a look at Louisville Golf for some nice persimmons.
http://www.louisvillegolf.com/

[i am taylor(made)]

persimmons are so much better than the crap they make today. You will hit the ball shorter but you will be so much more accurate. Plus if you make a bad swing you will know it. with todays technology even a bad swing/misshit shot could be good.

[somaplr]

[quote name='i am taylor(made)' timestamp='1348843433' post='5710955'] persimmons are so much better than the crap they make today. You will hit the ball shorter but you will be so much more accurate. Plus if you make a bad swing you will know it. with todays technology even a bad swing/misshit shot could be good. [/quote]

That's insane.

So you're saying you play Pers drivers?

[rufus mangler]

Cleveland Classics, MacGregors, PowerBilt Citations were all good, but the inserts on some old ones might be brittle.

You may have to throttle it back a bit to ensure better contact. They're tiny compared to what we've grown accustomed to and go funky places when mishit.

[NRJyzr]

You can find some nice deals on fleabay. You can also find some folks who seemingly ingest hallucinogens before setting their auction price.

The biggest thing to do is find something with a shaft that is close to a fit for you. Then bang away.

Most persimmon drivers have a higher loft than what you might play in a Ti driver, they tend to spin the ball less and hit the ball lower, loft for loft. Don't worry too much about this, it won't be a problem unless you already play a 13° Ti driver, in which case you should look for a 2 wood.

Also, don't worry about the ball. Modern balls are not the same as the rocks of old, they'll all work. You don't need a wound ball, you don't need a low compression ball. Use what you feel like using.

As for distance, you might lose a few yards to a lower COR, and a few yards to a shorter club length, unless you're already playing a driver under 44". Aside from that, they're not really any shorter, and they're DEFINITELY more accurate. The fabled gear effect is real. It's great fun watching your heeled or toed drive coming back to the fairway.

You can find all sorts of info on Louisville Golf's website. They make new persimmons, so you could absolutely get something that fits you if you so choose. Just not as cheap as fleabay.

Good luck with the potential new toy.

[Altiman94]

My dad still plays persimmon woods. He plays normal balls as well. Expect less distance.

[johnstitch]

I loved the look of Persimmon and had Powerbilt, McGregor, Mizuno and Clevelands. All looked gorgeous but with steel shafts I was an appalling driver of the ball. Then I picked up a Joe Powell Lamaglass with an Aldila graphite shaft...fantastic club. The quality of the head was amazing, never changed shape, the varnish was bullet proof and it felt amazing. I sold it for $100 and bought a steel TM and hey presto became a much better driver!! Like old cars and watches nice to own but new is better.

[Badgergolfer2]

Bob Burns Golf makes some nice persimmons too. They definetly arent cheap though.

[dangolf]

I NEVER said he said it. BUT there is a video of it somewhere. Do a search its there.

[somaplr]

[quote name='dangolf' timestamp='1348852007' post='5712173'] I NEVER said he said it. BUT there is a video of it somewhere. Do a search its there. [/quote]

Nah that was a joke video he did about hitting watermelons and bananas and hitting a persimmon driver out of the sand.

[morebeerbettergolf]

You guys think a persimmon driver looks scary small, check this thing out:

[url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GOLF-CLUB-ORIZABA-MINI-WOOD-CALLED-BUSTR-LENGTH-42-RH-STEEL-SHAFT-/251145800652"]http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GOLF-CLUB-ORIZABA-MINI-WOOD-CALLED-BUSTR-LENGTH-42-RH-STEEL-SHAFT-/251145800652[/url]

Buddy showed up with one at our Tuesday night scramble and I hit some balls with it. Surprisingly easy and long. It actually looks smaller in person than in the pics. Definitely makes you slow it down.

[vintage golfer]

If you poke around in Goodwill and other second hand/consignment type stores, you are bound to run across older wooden headed drivers and fairway woods. As other posters have said, look for Powerbilt, Hogan, Spalding, Mcgregor, and Wilson, and you should find plenty in good condition. One of my favorites from the 60s was the Wilson strata blocs which I could bomb. You might try a soft ball like the Wilson duo but,some folks do hit the ProV with wooden heads.

[wfrogge1]

[quote name='dangolf' timestamp='1348832616' post='5709843']
You better find some old golf balls then. I think it was bubba or another pga pro trying to hit a persimmon and he couldn't get the ball past 50 yards. The golf balls we use today just don't spin enough to get the ball in the air.
[/quote]


Will have to find a link but remember hearing Bubba say that Ping made him a persimmon driver and he hit it over 300 with today's balls.

[wfrogge1]

Here is an interesting link

[url="http://www.golf.com/equipment/i-can-break-par-strong50-year-old-clubsstrong-no-problem"]http://www.golf.com/equipment/i-can-break-par-strong50-year-old-clubsstrong-no-problem[/url]

[Roboturner913]

I have a matching set Wilson Staff 4300 1 3 and 4. I tend to hit them a little low, but it's hard to miss a fairway unless you really screw up. Compared to my Launcher 3 and 5 woods the heads aren't much smaller at all.

[NRJyzr]

[quote name='Roboturner913' timestamp='1348877808' post='5714439']
I have a matching set Wilson Staff 4300 1 3 and 4. I tend to hit them a little low, but it's hard to miss a fairway unless you really screw up. [b]Compared to my Launcher 3 and 5 woods the heads aren't much smaller at all.[/b]
[/quote]

The above line that I bolded is something I think folks sometimes forget. Most folks play fairway woods, or even hybrids, that are about the same size as persimmon drivers. Sometimes, they're even smaller.

Doesn't seem to be an issue then. <shrug>

It's not a big deal playing persimmon off the tee. You lose the ability for the huge bomb, but you gain control. It seems to me most folks would benefit from that.

[wrmiller]

I have a set of Wilson Staff persimmons, and a Powerbuilt given to me by an acquaintance here. The powerbuilt is my fav, with a rifle 6.0 steel shaft in it. I have hammered it out there past 280 with this thing, but my average is about 255-260. I don't swing as hard with the Staffs as they are not in as good a shape.

I loose about 20 yds on average with the persimmon vs my i20 with a clean strike on both. And if you're any kind of decent golfer you can pretty much launch these at whatever angle you want. I use ProV1s when I play my vintage clubs.

[Bella Woods]

wrmillers results sound pretty typical.

Somewhere around 10% distance loss. I play
the Pro V1s with classic and hickory clubs
as well. Some of the distance loss has to do
with the weight of the club.

280 is (and was) a pretty good poke with the persimmons.

[vintage golfer]

On the size issue, here is a Callaway S2H2 surrounded by a Powerbilt 2 wood, and a Confidence driver.

[wrmiller]

If I could find a matching 3 and 5 for this PB driver, I'd be tempted to replace the metals in my bag. Easier to work the ball with a persimmon IMO.

I look occasionally (when I think of it) on Ebay, but haven't found any in good enough condition that I'd trust 'em. The driver still looks brand new.

[quote name='Bella Woods' timestamp='1348880393' post='5714693']

280 is (and was) a pretty good poke with the persimmons.
[/quote]

[rtv]

You can find a lot of great clubs from the 80's on ebay at almost any time. Search for names like Toney Penna, Cleveland and Powerbuilt. Toney Penna Mod 65's are great drivers for example, and there are a couple on sale right now for almost nothing.

[rtv]

[quote name='somaplr' timestamp='1348843635' post='5710981']
That's insane.

So you're saying you play Pers drivers?
[/quote]

I've played three rounds this season with titanium woods and about 130 with persimmons.

[dairic]

The thing I like about persimmon drivers is because of the smaller heads the sweet spot is closer to the shaft than modern drivers. I've never gotten 100% comfotable with modern supersize driver heads. Modern drivers look cartoonish compared to the classic look of persimmon. Also you can hit up with a persimmon driver but typically they are hit with a slightly descending attack angle which is something to get use to. On a good hit they feel fantastic and I'm always surprised to see how far the ball goes given the muted sound they make.

[NRJyzr]

[quote name='wfrogge1' timestamp='1348875289' post='5714255']
Here is an interesting link

[url="http://www.golf.com/equipment/i-can-break-par-strong50-year-old-clubsstrong-no-problem"]http://www.golf.com/...rong-no-problem[/url]
[/quote]

What's really interesting about that is looking at the launch conditions of the two clubs. The spin rate with the persimmon is some 800 rpm lower than with his usual driver.

That's crazy stuff.

Another interesting thing, with an extreme sub-optimal launch, he was only 6 yds shorter with the persimmon, in terms of total distance.

How about that.

[Nspiel58]

[quote name='NRJyzr' timestamp='1348965957' post='5720103']
[quote name='wfrogge1' timestamp='1348875289' post='5714255']
Here is an interesting link

[url="http://www.golf.com/equipment/i-can-break-par-strong50-year-old-clubsstrong-no-problem"]http://www.golf.com/...rong-no-problem[/url]
[/quote]

What's really interesting about that is looking at the launch conditions of the two clubs. The spin rate with the persimmon is some 800 rpm lower than with his usual driver.

That's crazy stuff.

Another interesting thing, with an extreme sub-optimal launch, he was only 6 yds shorter with the persimmon, in terms of total distance.

How about that.
[/quote]

And, if the clubs were the same length.... I'm assuming the persimmon wood was 43.5" long - the metal wood 45". Add a couple of inches and you've made up the distance with the old club.
Have a look at the fascinating topic on shafting steel shafts in the newer heads. Great read. Here's the link:
[url="wlmailhtml:{794443FC-7F1A-46D3-917A-E228E3C4288C}mid://00000002/!x-usc:http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/705558-now-this-is-how-a-cleveland-classic-should-look/unread/"]http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/705558-now-this-is-how-a-cleveland-classic-should-look/unread/[/url]