When I see this, I see a correctly proportioned golf club, weighted correctly with the mass behind the sweetspot and a masterful player ready to confidently execute a golf shot with precision. This is class, maintains historical relevance, and really separates the pros from the amateurs. To strike a persimmon the way Woosnam did took great talent and focus. He made it look easy because for him at that time… it was. The feedback he got from using a compact heavy headed persimmon did nothing but help him build this great golf swing and develop confidence in his ball striking. It just screams player. A lot of guys were already into metal woods… but with a swing like this… he had no problem whipping everyone with persimmon.
Taking a little thin bladed long iron and hoisting it up high to hold the green on the par 5… talent… impressive stuff. Great golf swing… I’m sorry but I just can’t get excited watching guys hit these hybrids that are really made for hackers. The fact Woosnam could pull this off and flag it from here in the heat of The Masters… this is great stuff. He can take that to the grave… and I can’t say that for today’s players chipping a short iron into this hole after driving a Pro V with a frying pan. It took a lot more skill, precision and talent to do what Woosnam was doing here.
Holding wrist cock… rotating level… LSTC for those who know. Top stuff.
Inside take away, great position at the top, a little cup on the left wrist starting down aids in keep the face open which gives the green light to rotate level and strike hard. Classic finish… just what I like… upright with the spine, upper left arm parallel to the ground… great Mod 3 work.
I really miss seeing these great golf swings that developed from blade irons… persimmon, heavier gear and balata.
Nothing but inspiring.
So this pretty much says it all. A masterful player holding a club that is sitting properly on the ground for both the shot and the swing vs an oversized upright frying pan that has the toe up… not properly fitted, puts the player in an uncomfortable position and will offer very poor feedback over the course of time.
His second shot into 15 the last day is very impressive to me. He had 220 to the hole and brought it in very soft with long iron over the water. He made that shot look very easy.
I sometimes get the feeling that there are individuals at the USGA or many of the clubmakers that are simply angry at golf. Because it is such a difficult game, they want to break the game… overcome it’s difficulties, slay the dragon so to speak. Similar to a “bow and arrow” vs a machine gun. Two ways to hunt the wild game. The modern view’s goal is to take down the animal… period. Let’s just beat up on the creature with our superior technology.
But are we really improving ourselves? Is there not a noble skill set existing within the archer? While I am not a hunter… and have only shot an arrow at the Renaissance fair… I can speculate that it takes more patience, camouflaging the body and learning to be still, and quite for long periods. Much more disciplined and articulate than simply pointing a laser beam at the soon to be victim and pulling the trigger from 300 yards away.
Why learn to fly fish? Wouldn’t a net be easier? Or a gun? Not many people are hunting these days for survival. It’s sport.
Golf is sport also.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with professional golf before. It was difficult, but beautiful. Challenging but not impossible. It tested the players from 1 iron to wedge… from a small headed persimmon to a putter. The high spinning ball took the players shot design right into the side spin on the green. Trajectory was much more important. The game looked better… it made better sense when even pros played long irons into par 4’s. It gave them the chance to really shine and show their ability in a way amateurs could never do.
Woosnam, Seve, Nicklaus swinging a frying pan… not the same game.
I was lucky enough to play with Woosie in an event and in a practice round with Woosie Westwood & McGinley at Carnoustie 99 British Open
The purity & sound of Woosies strike stood out in that persimmon era/ small metalwood transition. The thing I noticed was how he would ride the right shoulder high post impact and get his shoulders working level and around. Had a couple of fun off course times with the Wee Welshman- but thats another story!!! Great player and good bloke with desire to win
