
It’s pouring outside at the moment. The real proverbial cats and dogs stuff that means it’s perfect blogging weather. Nothing else to do really but get stuck in, so why do I feel a bit like the weather?
It’s three days since I watched Bison – sorry, Bryson DeChambeau win the US Open at Winged Foot. Now, as you know, I absolutely love the majors but this one left me feeling a little depressed and anxious. Don’t get me wrong, there is much to admire about Bryson but in golfing terms I find I don’t feel energised about the game’s future or the path we seem to be inexorably following.
Over the last six decades there have been two dominant players in the men’s game – Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Jack arrived on the scene, winning his first major in 1962 and as my late brother-in-law, Dai Davies of The Guardian, wrote, “Jack hit the ball so hard he looked as if he might burst.” This was golf as we had never seen it before and all kids watching aspired to be Jack. I’m sure Tiger Woods was not the only youngster who had Jack’s record on his bedroom wall and went to sleep each night dreaming of winning as many majors as his idol.

Tiger and Jack have both spoken out in the past about the need to address the equipment issues threatening the game.
And then came April 1997 and the Masters. I was there, courtesy of tickets from Patricia and Dai, and set out to walk the first round with the phenom (horrible word) that was Tiger Woods. He was all over the place on that front nine, going out in 40 and I thought to myself, “Just what is all the fuss about?” I sloped off to enjoy a mint julep and watch some of the European contingent. And, yep, Tiger blitzed the back nine, came in in 30 and was never seen again by the rest of the field. He won his first major by 12 shots with a scoring record that stands to this day.
His game was impressive. He had length, he could shape the ball both ways, he could vary his trajectory and his chipping and pitching skills, aided by a vivid imagination, were sublime. His craft on the greens was equally impressive. He had it all, so in retaliation “Tiger-proofing” of courses began, which principally meant adding length and, in most cases, narrowing the fairways in order to challenge accuracy. And that has basically been the trend ever since. Throw in growing the rough to cabbage-like proportions and you begin to get the picture as far as presentation of courses goes.
Is it REALLY a surprise then that this sort of examination should inexorably determine the path of development that players and, indeed, equipment should take? Tiger (with apologies to Gary Player) forged the path of golfers training as athletes and these athletes over the past couple of decades have been able to work out how best to tackle the courses they now face on a weekly basis. Aided by brilliant, cutting-edge research and development in the arena of clubs and balls the game has moved to a position where accuracy is no longer a valued currency.
Twelve months ago, with a committed, visionary team around him, Bryson DeChambeau decided on a strategy to a level never hitherto attempted by a professional golfer. He decided to bulk up to massive proportions and concentrate on creating speed, speed, speed in his golf swing. He trained to swing freely and full out every time, recognising through copious study of stats that accuracy was vastly over-rated compared to power. What he has done is groundbreaking. He’s trying to do something that hasn’t been done before. He has already forged a path of having all his iron club shafts the same length and now he is training more like the long-driving champions while attempting to retain those fine motor skills needed around the greens.
As I said, there is much to admire about him, his work ethic, his single-mindedness, his commitment and the skills he has developed. But is this what we want golf to be like in the future? Frankly, the US Open was boring to watch. Nothing but smash it off the tee as hard as you could and then smash it again from the rough somewhere up around the green complexes. Granted Bryson’s putting and chipping were beautiful to set alongside his oh-so-impressive power but where were the demanding flighted long irons of Tiger’s day, the running shots, the high floaters, the left to righters, the right to lefters and even, whisper it, the occasional 3-wood second at a par five? There is an entire set of skills that is fast becoming obsolete and I think that’s what’s depressing me. There are huge numbers of vastly intelligent administrators in our sport and I can’t believe it is beyond them to carve out the best path for golf. Fear of possible legal proceedings from equipment companies is not a good enough excuse. NO excuse is good enough. Continue as we are and golf fans will continue to do what so many friends of mine did last Sunday – turn off their televisions and go and do something else.
Got it in one Maureen!
There seems to me to be no reason why they should not play with a “competition” ball which goes 75% of the distance.
In due course we will all want to play with it on shorter courses which take less time.
Hi Maureen, as you well know discussions over this have been going on since Bobby Jones (who was very long himself) was quoted as saying that “Mr Nicklaus plays a game with which I am unfamiliar.” Most golfers of my generation feel that the ball is the main reason for the length the players hit the ball. I still achieve similar distances as I did in my younger days which really should not be so. However I am soon brought down to earth when I hit balls on the range next to some youngster whose golf ball is still rising when mine has long since stopped rolling. If you have ever seen some of these long driving contests where participants can hit the ball 400 yards it makes you wonder what one of these giants would achieve if they had a short game to match. Maybe this is the road we are on. I do remember Gardner Dickinson, a Ben Hogan devotee, said in the 1960’s that eventually there would be a huge putting green with a dumbbell in the centre which you had to lift over your head 10 times to qualify to putt. Perhaps he had a premonition of things to come.
Hi David,
I’ve long been a fan of a “competition” ball but then I’ve long been a fan of bifurcation, that seemingly dirty word as far as the governing bodies are concerned.
What foresight from Mr Dickinson! I hadn’t heard that before = it conjures up a wonderful picture, doesn’t it?
Maureen
Long hitters have always had an advantage…as long as they had a short game to match! Sam Snead found that out when he was waxed by Paul Runyon in the PGA. Bill Casper found that out playing Harry Bradshaw in a Wonderful World of Golf episode. Bryson’s short game got him to -6. They all hit the ball long but the high rough played right into his hands.
Maureen, I appreciate your concern but we adapt or die! We could go back to persimmon!
I was relieved to note that the British commentators did take time to point out the gentle nine iron approach shots coming from Paul Casey and Shane Lowry – what a revelation they were and that others should be encouraged to produce similar shots instead of going with lob wedges etc.
CS
I just cannot watch the game I still love to play. It’s not golf anymore, I now call it ‘smash and grab’. I don’t have an answer: However, the game participation will only decline if it’s all about smash it 400+ yards and then see what we’re left with. Every tournament is virtually a long driving competition. 215-yard Par 3; Pros hit 7-irons and sometimes even less. Superbly written article.
These powerful players still have to hone their short game to win tournaments. Having been guilty in my youth of copying Jack and hitting the ball as hard as I could which earned me the nickname ‘Crusher’ with some of my friends (I never did quite manage to pitch, chip and putt to the level required). I still think Bobby Locke had a point with his famous ‘You drive for show but you putt for dough’ quote.
Hi Maureen,
I absolutely agree with you that the US Open was boring to watch and I wonder what the consequences will be for the professional game if the public are turned off in significant numbers. The money for the huge prizes they play for comes mostly from advertising and if those companies see the viewer numbers dwindling they may eventually decide to put their money elsewhere and pro golf would become a minority interest sport.
When I look back at old tournaments on You-tube I realize how much more interesting it was watching great players using their myriad skills to hit all sorts of different shots – wonderful.
I hope the authorities find an answer quickly but I think the paying public might force the issue sooner rather than later
Thanks for reading the blog.
I’m afraid I’ve come round to thinking the driver is now the most important club in the bag – not the putter.
Good point Graham.
Maureen, great writing as usual. And btw, in 1997 my brother and I also followed Tiger for nine holes and wandered off to watch “better” golf. Wish I knew you to say hello!
T.
Im think I’m still ‘Old school’ Maureen. It’s hard to make a birdie with a driver but easy to make a bogey!Even if the drive puts you in a great position you’ve still got to hole the putt!
True!
We should have all hung around for that back nine!