How long did it take you to start finding the middle of your persimmon grux?
Hogan, Snead and Nelson were just really really great.
I don’t ever recall a player from back then seeming happy with finishing 2nd. Of course, we don’t have the media coverage we have today. I know a lot of players today say they want to win, but they seem quite satisfied if they finish in 2nd place because two 2nd place finishes almost guarantee you will keep your Tour card.
Geoff Mangum posted this on his Web site a while ago with regards to the difference between teaching amateurs and teaching Tour pros. I’m paraphrasing, but he stated that he preferred the amateur because the amateurs are much more likely to do anything you tell them in order to become the best putter they can possibly be. The Tour pros look at it more like they just want to beat the person in front of them because that means keeping their Tour card. So trying something new that may possibly risk losing that Tour card is out of the question.
And a lot of Tour pros had club jobs well into the 60’s. They had to. The Tour didn’t pay a lot and I would imagine that the travel was horrendous. I think it’s part of the folly in comparing Tiger to Jack. Nicklaus’ career was essentially cut short because he had to get into other business ventures because once he stopped making Tour money, he really needed to find other sources of income. So he got heavily into course design, golf equipment, etc. And it was other pros that got involved as well like Floyd, Player, Palmer, etc.
While Tiger is designing some courses now, it’s more or less something enjoyable to try and any money earned is a nice little benefit. I think somebody like Nicklaus or Floyd really had to think about their financial future and one way to take care of it was going into course design while cutting back on their commitment to playing on Tour.
3JACK
I started hitting them last fall and it took a few weeks to get some what comfortable. I played a fluke 9 holes in November (I live in the Northeast) and hit some good drives. I just started abs a few weeks ago and am anxious to see my ball flight this Spring. I do enjoy the sound and feel of the ball coming off of persimmon.
Did you ever play on tour grux? To what level did you/are you play(ing)
Nope never played on tour. However, I am a pga professional. My goal when I got into the golf business was to become a head pro at a country club (I didn’t have the pedigree or game to compete at a high level. However, I will never give up my dream of playing high level tournament golf. I have changed my swing many times but was never satisfied with the results. I am looking forward to being a hitter and testing out my swing under tournament conditions. Do you play professionally or carry a handicap?
chron.com/sports/golf/articl … 422343.php
this article was in my local small town paper today 
interesting take on the way one of the best ever looks at the state of the game, and a nice tid bit on trevino’s ties to houston.
i went to high school in sharpstown and i still play it every so often. it has been a well known goat track for decades (but it is my low round anywhere so i will always defend her honor) but what really struck me about this article was trevino’s claim that it was the first tournament he ever played in (he won, then won the next year).
granted, the texas state open is not nor ever was a pga tour event (the houston open was played at S-town the 2 previous years but then moved to champions)
but still, he comes out of hustling suckers in dallas at a muni, tees it up with pros and wins back to back. other winners include homero blancas, crenshaw (three times), maggert (three times), blaine mccallister, bobby walzel, keith fergus. the legend has it that trevino had to have the proshop cash the check so he could get back to dallas…
those who don’t know homero blancas, he shot a 55 in a “college” tournment in 1962 while attending U of H. i think it was actually more of a calcutta on the long defunct bbq circuit. the course was super short, but still 55? i think he still teaches in the houston area.
anyone else have local legend stuff, throw it out there. i love it.
Grux, Handicap is 3.7 currently. Lowest was 1.6 but after drifting out it is headed in the right direction again.
LAg, what do you think about Grux taking a few weeks to get used to persimmon?
Still sure you would take any current PGA player?
Christ-on-a-bicycle, Styles! I play persimmon about 1/4 of my rounds. It took me even less time to get used to using the old sticks…in fact, I was hitting them well right off the bat. It shocked the hell out of me and my playing partners. Does that make me some wunder-kind?! No. Not outside the bedroom anyway.
Captain Chaos
Why the massive over reaction cc?
John has stated many times he would take any of the current crop of pga stars if they were forced to use persimmon because they couldn’t adapt. first grux then you have said you adapted quickly. I think my question is fair.
Because you are being a pest and adding nothing to any discussion on this site. We come here to learn and try to improve our games. What do you come here for?
Styles,
Some might adapt over time… but it would be a big wake up call if they had to play persimmon on a real US Open type golf course. BIG BIG wake up call. I wish I had recorded some of the interviews from last years Canadian Open. A lot of crying going on… and that was playing it with modern gear.
If these kids had to compete in the real era of top tier competitive golf with the style of play they have now, they would be getting their heads served back to them on a platter.
When people resort to petty insults it is clear that they are the ones who are adding nothing to the discussion. I asked a reasonable question.
With regards learning and improving your games you are welcome to the rest of the site, there are few other topics that interest me. This topic does because I see it as an unjustified rant against modern players.
That would be a wake up call for anyone.
Styles,
Are you intentionally this condescending and patronising or does it just happen without having to try?
I don’t see the relevance of your question
Naturally, you don’t and clearly you aren’t even taking responsibility for your tone. Let me clue you in on something, I’m not the only one that finds your “questions” snarky, dismissive and condescending. If multiple people kept approaching me in a less than genial manner regarding motive and my questionable conduct - even being the independent character that I am; I would assess the way I am coming across to others and perhaps even modulate my tone. But, hey…that’s just me…
Captain Chaos
Has Anyone thought that maybe the USGA wants golf to be how it is these days? guys smashing the ball miles in the air, playing miracle hooks/slices around trees, blasting wedges out of rough, flop shots over grand-stands ect.Can make for exciting viewing at times for some poeple pending taste… actually Sounds like how most 18 handicappers play golf…lol.
Maybe the USGA deems the old persimmon era of fairway after fairway being hit is boring to watch…
While there’s some people(like this site) who really appreciate good shot making, it amazes me how many golfers only care about how far dudes Bomb the ball and watching amazing recovery shots.
How can the written word even have a tone?
In any case, just pretend my “voice” is like stewie griffin’s. I always think of yours cc, as dom deluise 
I think this idea has lots of merit. For many people, this is real golf … and has been since Tiger tore Augusta a new one bombing it miles down the course.
“He plays a game with which I am not familiar.” – Bobby Jomes about Jack Nicklaus
Lots of people define this as success in golf … hitting it to places on the course not seen before. Many get giddy about distance.
So, yes, to answer your question, I have no doubt that there are some that want it this way. I am positive that there are people that cannot wait for the next iteration of bomber to come out so that Tiger can say the famous line… as Jack did about him and as Bobby Jones did about Jack. Who will make Tiger feel overpowered???