Opinion & Analysis
The 15 best inventions in golf history
I think we can all agree that the game of golf has changed immensely over time. From the days of mashie niblicks and featheries to adjustable drivers with graphite shafts, the game we now play bears little resemblance to the game of Scotland of yore. Most of the changes have been fairly recent and hugely innovative.
With new scientific discoveries made daily, not one among us would dare to predict where the game might be in 25 years, or even 10 years from now. So I thought it might be fun to think about some of the inventions that have most radically changed our game. Here’s my list of the 15 best innovations in golf history, and I invite your thoughts on the ones you think I missed.
I did not go into any depth with these, as they can all be explored elsewhere. The list is not in any particular order, but we will start in antiquity.
The Molded Golf Ball
From hard wooden balls, followed by Featheries, followed by the Haskell ball, then the Balata era and finally the solid core, multi-layer urethane, the modern golf ball hardly resembles its ancestors. The biggest impact here was clearly cost. While no one could argue that their aerodynamic performance was seriously enhanced with each passing era, the mass production of the molded golf ball made the game more affordable for everyone. A Featherie could cost as much as the modern day equivalent of $20 per ball… Of course, if we keep going we may be headed back there.
The Tee
Clumps of dirt and later sand were used to tee the ball for some 500 years before the first peg actually designed to stick in the ground was invented in the late 19th century. Imagine how dirty a golfer’s hands used to get by the back nine.
The Lawn Mower
Grazing sheep can nip grass down pretty tightly, but mowers can do it a LOT more quickly and over much greater areas. It is interesting that the game was played for hundreds of years before greens keepers and their staff started riding mowers. By the 1980s, the whole course was being mowed by riding mowers and we had better lies everywhere.
Steel Shafts
The first golf clubs were rather primitive looking things made mostly from hickory wood. Go into any collectors golf shop and you see them displayed conspicuously in the “unplayable classics” section. Golf clubmaking was an artful and tedious task in which some of the early golf professionals specialized, but because of this clubs were expensive and the game remained an elite affair.
The invention of mass produced steel-shafted clubs brought golf to more people because they could afford them, but steel had another effect — they played much differently than hickory shafts. It was said that one could hold the shaft of a hickory club in one hand and the head in the other hand and twist it almost halfway around. Compare that to the low torque graphite shafts of today, and the picture is quite clear: The same swing for both clubs is simply not going to work.
An interesting note: Bobby Jones retired from competitive golf when he was 28, allegedly to escape some of the pressures he faced and pursue his myriad other interests. It is also said that his golf swing never quite adjusted to the steel era, which was well under way by the mid 1930s (steel shafts were patented in 1910). Personally, I think he would have figured it out.
Irrigation
Mother nature in the form of precipitation watered golf courses for hundreds of years. The first fairway irrigation system was developed in Dallas, Texas, in 1925. The impact? Golf courses could be built where they previously could not. Irrigation and the roaring 20s saw a proliferation of golf courses like never before. Thus began the “greening of American golf,” an era from which we are only now beginning to recover. Courses in America and across the pond were so distinctly different, the first time Sam Snead saw the Old Course he asked what it was! Impact? American golf became an airborne affair, and yet another expense was added to our pastime.
The Stymie
Being blocked by an opponent’s ball, or being “stymied,” was outlawed in 1952. Match play, the oldest form of play, was never the same. I would love to see one tournament a year played with stymies still in effect.
The 14-Club Rule
It wasn’t really an “invention,” but it shaped a lot of future ones.
The year 1938 saw the end of unlimited clubs in the bag and I’m sure caddies all over the world rejoiced. Lawson Little, the great amateur player of the 1930s, once went to battle with 31 clubs in his bag. Shotmaking has evolved in the modern era, or at least it had until the ball became nearly impossible to curve.
Golf Carts
Although they were used as early as the 1930s, golf carts were everywhere by the 1950s. Their impact was immediate, bringing many more people to the game and allowing people who previously had trouble walking the course to play. In fact, the 1950s saw a huge wave of popularity in our game influenced largely by the emergence of fan-favorite Arnold Palmer and Dwight Eisenhower, a popular president who played a lot more golf than any of his predecessors and didn’t care who knew about it.
Television
Another 1950s legacy, the first televised golf event, was in 1954 at George May’s famous Tam O’Shanter Open. This was really the first time viewers could enjoy the game as spectators even if they didn’t play. A great surge, particularly of professional golf, followed and the game began to lose much of the pomposity many attached to it. The era of the blue collar golfer was just around the corner.
The Lob Wedge
Although not that new, the popularity of the lofted wedge has had a significant impact, particularly on professional golf. Where players once feared “short siding” themselves, they now are more apt to go for tucked hole locations because of the lob wedge. Even the amateurs who have suffered forever from the perennial condition of trying to flip more loft on the club have benefited greatly from the lob. It is underrated in its impact on modern golf.
Perimeter Weighting
If I had to pick one man who may be more responsible for changing the modern game more than any other, I would unequivocally choose Karsten Solheim. His concept of moving the weight from the center of the clubface to the perimeter of putters and then irons has made golf easier for all of us. I’m 66 years old and still play fairly well thanks to Karsten’s curiosity.
Investment Casting
A more efficient, economic way to make golf clubs, casting has pretty much sent forged clubs packing. Ninety percent of irons today are cast, and all the woods… or metals, I mean, are cast.
Metal Woods
This oxymoron has confounded some English teachers, but has been the single greatest blessing to the modern game of golf. It’s now almost inconceivable to think of driving a golf ball with a wooden club head. Think about how slow we were on this one: The idea arrived in the 1970s, meaning that the game was played for about 500 years before someone raised the question: Isn’t the wood absorbing a lot of the energy in the hit? Duh!
It’s a good thing, too. Let’s leave the trees alone! When I hit a solid drive in the persimmon/balata era, which was when I wore a younger man’s clothes, it might go 250. Now I’m on the mid-to-late back nine of my golfing life and I can still drive it 250. Let’s use another sport as an example. In college I could dunk a basketball, but now I can’t even touch the net.
Oversized Drivers
Some 25 years ago, Ely Callaway got to wondering if larger drivers might make the tee ball easier for golfers. He came out with the “Big Bertha” and the rest is history. My 460-cubic-centimeter driver looks perfectly normal to me now.
Graphite Shafts
Talk about taking over the game. Try finding a steel-shafted driver driver in any serious golfer’s bag now. Do you want to swing this thing or this other thing that is a third of the weight? Golfers are pretty smart, after all. Credit Frank Thomas for this concept.
—
Curiosity might kill cats, but in golf it has made the game easier for all of us. While it is true that there are downsides to some of the changes — the lively golf ball, hot drivers that require larger playing fields and the like — changes are inevitable, and if these changes help the average golfer enjoy this wonderful game just a little bit more I’m ok with that. I am an advocate of some degree of bifurcation and think it’s only a matter of time.
Again, I welcome your comments on other inventions I may have omitted.
As always, feel free to send a swing video to my Facebook page and I will do my best to give you my feedback.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 PGA Championship betting preview: Rising star ready to join the immortals at Valhalla
The second major of the 2024 season is upon us as the world’s best players will tee it up this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky to compete for the Wanamaker Trophy.
The last time we saw Valhalla host a major championship, Rory McIlroy fended off Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, Rickie Fowler and the creeping darkness that was descending upon the golf course. The Northern Irishman had the golf world in the palm of his hand, joining only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as players who’d won four major championships by the time they were 25 years old.
Valhalla is named after the great hall described in Norse mythology where the souls of Vikings feasted and celebrated with the Gods. The course is a Jack Nicklaus-design that has ranked among Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Courses” for three decades.
Valhalla Golf Club is a par-71 measuring 7,542 yards with Zoysia fairways and Bentgrass greens. The course has rolling hills and dangerous streams scattered throughout and the signature 13th hole is picturesque with limestone and unique bunkering protecting the green. The 2024 PGA Championship will mark the fourth time Valhalla has hosted the event.
The field this week will consist of 156 players, including 16 PGA Champions and 33 Major Champions.
Past Winners of the PGA Championship
- 2023: Brooks Koepka (-9) Oak Hill
- 2022: Justin Thomas (-5) Southern Hills
- 2021: Phil Mickelson (-6) Kiawah Island
- 2020: Collin Morikawa (-13) TPC Harding Park
- 2019: Brooks Koepka (-8) Bethpage Black
- 2018: Brooks Koepka (-16) Bellerive
- 2017: Justin Thomas (-8) Quail Hollow
- 2016: Jimmy Walker (-14) Baltusrol
- 2015: Jason Day (-20) Whistling Straits
- 2014: Rory McIlroy (-16) Valhalla
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats For Valhalla
Let’s take a look at five key metrics for Oak Hill to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.
1. Strokes Gained: Approach
Valhalla will play as a true all-around test of golf for the world’s best. Of course, it will take strong approach play to win a major championship.
Strokes Gained: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Shane Lowry (+1.25)
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.09)
- Jordan Smith (+1.05)
- Tom Hoge (+.96)
- Corey Conners (+.94)
2. Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Valhalla will play long and the rough will be penal. Players who are incredibly short off the tee and/or have a hard time hitting fairways will be all but eliminated from contention this week at the PGA Championship.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Bryson DeChambeau (+1.47)
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.11)
- Keith Mitchell (+.90)
- Alejandro Tosti (+.89)
- Ludvig Aberg (+.82)
Strokes Gained: Total on Nickalus Designs
Valhalla is a classic Nicklaus Design. Players who play well at Nicklaus designs should have an advantage coming into this major championship.
Strokes Gained: Total on Nicklaus Designs over past 36 rounds:
- Jon Rahm (+2.56)
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.48)
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.35)
- Collin Morikawa (+1.79)
- Shane Lowry (+1.57)
Strokes Gained: Tee to Green on Very Long Courses
Valhalla is going to play extremely long this week. Players who have had success playing very long golf courses should be better equipped to handle the conditions of this major championship.
Strokes Gained: Total on Very Long Courses Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.44)
- Rory McIlroy (+2.24)
- Will Zalatoris (+1.78)
- Viktor Hovland (+1.69)
- Xander Schauffele (+1.60)
Strokes Gained: Total in Major Championships
One factor that tends to play a large role in deciding major championships is which players have played well in previous majors leading up to the event.
Strokes Gained: Total in Major Championships over past 20 rounds:
- Scottie Scheffler (+3.14)
- Will Zalatoris (+2.64)
- Rory McIlroy (+2.49)
- Xander Schauffele (+2.48)
- Tommy Fleetwood (2.09)
Strokes Gained: Putting on Bentgrass Greens
Valhalla features pure Bentgrass putting surfaces. Players who are comfortable putting on this surface will have an advantage on the greens.
Strokes Gained: Putting on Bentgrass Greens over Past 24 Rounds:
- Ludvig Aberg (+1.12)
- Denny McCarthy (+1.08)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (+0.99)
- Justin Rose (+0.93)
- J.T. Poston (0.87)
Strokes Gained: Total on Zoysia Fairways
Valhalla features Zoysia fairways. Players who are comfortable playing on this surface will have an advantage on the field.
Strokes Gained: Total on Zoysia Fairways over past 36 rounds:
- Justin Thomas (+1.53)
- Will Zalatoris (+1.47)
- Xander Schauffele (+1.40)
- Brooks Koepka (+1.35)
- Rory McIlroy (+1.23)
2024 PGA Championship Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (25%), SG: Off the Tee (22%), SG: T2G on Very Long Courses (12%), SG: Putting on Bentgrass (+12%), SG: Total on Nicklaus Designs (12%). SG: Total on Zoysia Fairways (8%), and SG: Total in Major Championships (8%).
- Brooks Koepka
- Xander Schauffele
- Rory McIlroy
- Scottie Scheffler
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Shane Lowry
- Alex Noren
- Will Zalatoris
- Cameron Young
- Keith Mitchell
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Billy Horschel
- Patrick Cantlay
- Viktor Hovland
- Adam Schenk
- Chris Kirk
- Sahith Theegala
- Min Woo Lee
- Joaquin Niemann
- Justin Thomas
2024 PGA Championship Picks
Ludvig Aberg +1800 (BetMGM)
At The Masters, Ludvig Aberg announced to the golf world that he’s no longer an “up and coming” player. He’s one of the best players in the game of golf, regardless of experience.
Augusta National gave Aberg some necessary scar tissue and showed him what being in contention at a major championship felt like down the stretch. Unsurprisingly, he made a costly mistake, hitting it in the water left of the 11th hole, but showed his resilience by immediately bouncing back. He went on to birdie two of his next three holes and finished in solo second by three shots. With the type of demeanor that remains cool in pressure situations, I believe Ludvig has the right mental game to win a major at this point in his career.
Aberg has not finished outside of the top-25 in his past eight starts, which includes two runner-up finishes at both a “Signature Event” and a major championship. The 24-year-old is absolutely dominant with his driver, which will give him a major advantage this week. In the field he ranks, in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, and has gained strokes in the category in each of his past ten starts. Aberg is already one of the best drivers of the golf ball on the planet.
In Norse mythology, Valhalla is the great hall where the souls of Vikings feasted and celebrated with the Gods. The Swedes, who are of Old Norse origin, were the last of the three Scandinavian Kingdoms to abandon the Old Norse Gods. A Swede played a major role in the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla, and I believe another, Ludvig Aberg, will be the one to conquer Valhalla in 2024.
Bryson DeChambeau +2800 (BetMGM)
Bryson DeChambeau is one of the few players in the world that I believe has the game to go blow-for-blow with Scottie Scheffler. Although he isn’t as consistent as Scheffler, when he’s at his best, Bryson has the talent to beat him.
At The Masters, DeChambeau put forth a valiant effort at a golf course that simply does not suit his game. Valhalla, on the other hand, is a course that should be perfect for the 30-year-old. His ability to overpower a golf course with his driver will be a serious weapon this week.
Bryson has had some success at Jack Nicklaus designs throughout his career as he won the Memorial at Muirfield Village back in 2018. He’s also had incredible results on Bentgrass greens for the entirety of his professional career. Of his 10 wins, nine of them have come on Bentgrass greens, with the only exception being the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. He also has second place finishes at Medinah and TPC Summerlin, which feature Bentgrass greens.
Love him or hate him, it’s impossible to argue that Bryson isn’t one of the most exciting and important players in the game of golf. He’s also one of the best players in the world. A second major is coming soon for DeChambeau, and I believe he should be amongst the favorites to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy this week.
Patrick Cantlay +4000 (FanDuel)
There’s no way of getting around it: Patrick Cantlay has been dissapointing in major championships throughout his professional career. He’s been one of the top players on Tour for a handful of years and has yet to truly contend at a major championship, with the arguable exception of the 2019 Masters.
Despite not winning majors, Cantlay has won some big events. The 32-year-old has won two BMW Championships, two Memorial Tournaments as well as a Tour Championship. His victories at Memorial indicate how much Cantlay loves Nicklaus designs, where he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Total over his past 36 rounds behind only Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm.
Cantlay also loves Bentgrass greens. Six of Cantlay’s seven individual wins on the PGA Tour have come on Bentgrass greens and he also was one of the best putters at the 2023 Ryder cup at Marco Simone (also Bentgrass). At Caves Valley (2021 BMW Championship), he gained over 12 strokes putting to outduel another Bentgrass specialist, Bryson DeChambeau.
Cantlay finished 22nd in The Masters, which was a solid result considering how many elite players struggled that week. He also has two top-ten finishes in his past five PGA Championships. He’s undeniably one of the best players in the field, therefore, it comes down to believing Cantlay has the mental fortitude to win a major, which I do.
Joaquin Niemann +4000 (BetMGM)
I believe Joaquin Niemann is one of the best players in the world. He has three worldwide wins since December and has continued to improve over the course of his impressive career thus far. Still only 25, the Chilean has all the tools to be a serious contender in major championships for years to come.
Niemann has been the best player on LIV this season. Plenty will argue with the format or source of the money on LIV, but no one can argue that beating players such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith is an unremarkable achievement. Niemann is an elite driver of the golf ball who hits it farther than just about anyone in the field not named Bryson DeChambeau or (arguably) Rory McIlroy.
Niemann is another player who has been fantastic throughout his career on Bentgrass greens. Prior to leaving the PGA Tour, Bentgrass was the only green surface in which Joaco was a positive putter. It’s clearly a surface that he is very comfortable putting on and should fare around and on the greens this week.
Niemann is a perfect fit for Valhalla. His low and penetrating ball flight will get him plenty of runout this week on the fairways and he should have shorter shots into the green complexes than his competitors. To this point in his career, the former top ranked amateur in the world (2018) has been underwhelming in major championships, but I don’t believe that will last much longer. Joaquin Niemann is a major championship caliber player and has a real chance to contend this week at Valhalla.
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In my last post, I explained the basic performance dynamics of “smash factor” and “gear effect” as they apply to your wedges and your wedge play success. If you missed that post, you can read it here.
At the end of that post, I promised “part 2” of this discussion of what makes a wedge work the way it does. So, let’s dive into the other two components of any wedge – the shaft and the grip.
It’s long been said that the shaft is “the engine of the golf club.” The shaft (and grip) are your only connection to all the technologies that are packed into the head of any golf club, whether it be a driver, fairway, hybrid, iron, wedge or even putter.
And you cannot ignore those two components of your wedges if your goal is optimizing your performance.
I’ve long been an advocate of what I call a “seamless transition” from your irons into your wedges, so that the feel and performance do not disconnect when you choose a gap wedge, for example, instead of your iron-set-matching “P-club.” In today’s golf equipment marketplace, more and more golfers are making the investment of time and money to experience an iron fitting, going through trial and error and launch monitor measuring to get just the right shaft in their irons.
But then so many of those same golfers just go into a store and choose wedges off the retail display, with no similar science involved at all. And that’s why I see so many golfers with a huge disconnect between their custom-fitted irons, often with lighter and/or softer graphite or light steel shafts . . . and their off-the-rack wedges with the stock stiff steel ‘wedge flex’ shaft common to those stock offerings.
If your wedge shafts are significantly heavier and stiffer than the shafts in your irons, it is physically impossible for you to make the same swing. Period.
To quickly improve your wedge play, one of the first things you can do is have your wedges re-shafted with the same or similar shaft that is in your irons.
There’s another side of that shaft weight equation; if you don’t have the forearm and hand strength of a PGA Tour professional, you simply cannot “handle” the same weight shaft that those guys play to master the myriad of ‘touch shots’ around the greens.
Now, let’s move on to the third and other key component of your wedges – the grips. If those are not similar in shape and feel to the grips on your irons, you have another disconnect. Have your grips checked by a qualified golf club professionals to make sure you are in sync there.
The one caveat to that advice is that I am a proponent of a reduced taper in your wedge grips – putting two to four more layers of tape under the lower hand, or selecting one of the many reduced taper grips on the market. That accomplishes two goals for your scoring.
First, it helps reduce overactive hands in your full and near-full wedge swings. Quiet hands are key to good wedge shots.
And secondly, it provides a more consistent feel of the wedge in your hands as you grip down for those shorter and more delicate shots around the greens. And you should always grip down as you get into those touch shots. I call it “getting closer to your work.”
So, if you will spend as much time selecting the shafts and grips for your wedges as you do choosing the brand, model, and loft of them, your scoring range performance will get better.
More from the Wedge Guy
- The Wedge Guy: What really makes a wedge work? Part 1
- The Wedge Guy: The easiest-to-learn golf basic
- The Wedge Guy: Golf mastery begins with your wedge game
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 Wells Fargo Championship betting preview: Tommy Fleetwood ready to finally land maiden PGA Tour title
The PGA Tour season ramps back up this week for another “signature event,” as golf fans look forward to the year’s second major championship next week.
After two weaker-field events in the Zurich Classic and the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, most of the best players in the world will head to historic Quail Hollow for one of the best non-major tournaments of the year.
Last season, Wyndham Clark won the event by four shots.
Quail Hollow is a par-71 measuring 7,521 yards that features Bermudagrass greens. The tree-lined, parkland style course can play quite difficult and features one of the most difficult three-hole stretches in golf known as “The Green Mile,” which makes up holes 16-18: two mammoth par 4s and a 221-yard par 3. All three holes have an average score over par, and water is in play in each of the last five holes on the course.
The field is excellent this week with 68 golfers teeing it up without a cut. All of the golfers who’ve qualified are set to tee it up, with the exception of Scottie Scheffler, who is expecting the birth of his first child.
Past Winners at Quail Hollow
- 2023: Wyndham Clark (-19)
- 2022: Max Homa (-8)
- 2021: Rory McIlroy (-10)
- 2019: Max Homa (-15)
- 2018: Jason Day (-12)
- 2017: Justin Thomas (-8) (PGA Championship)
- 2016: James Hahn (-9)
- 2015: Rory McIlroy (-21)
Key Stats For Quail Hollow
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes gained: Approach will be extremely important this week as second shots at Quail Hollow can be very difficult.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Akshay Bhatia (+1.16)
- Tom Hoge (+1.12)
- Corey Conners (+1.01)
- Shane Lowry (+0.93)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.82)
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Quail Hollow is a long course on which it is important to play from the fairway. Both distance and accuracy are important, as shorter tee shots will result in approach shots from 200 or more yards. With most of the holes heavily tree lined, errant drives will create some real trouble for the players.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Past 24 Rounds:
- Ludvig Aberg (+0.73)
- Rory McIlroy (+0.69)
- Xander Schauffele (+0.62)
- Viktor Hovland (+0.58)
- Chris Kirk (+0.52)
Proximity: 175-200
The 175-200 range is key at Quail Hollow. Players who can hit their long irons well will rise to the top of the leaderboard.
Proximity: 175-200+ over past 24 rounds:
- Cameron Young (28’2″)
- Akshay Bhatia (29’6″)
- Ludvig Aberg (+30’6″)
- Sam Burns (+30’6″)
- Collin Morikawa (+30’9″)
SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs
Players who thrive on Tom Fazio designs get a bump for me at Quail Hollow this week.
SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs over past 36 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.10)
- Rory McIlroy (+1.95)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.68)
- Austin Eckroat (+1.60)
- Will Zalatoris (+1.57)
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass)
Strokes Gained: Putting has historically graded out as the most important statistic at Quail Hollow. While it isn’t always predictable, I do want to have it in the model to bump up golfers who prefer to putt on Bermudagrass.
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Taylor Moore (+0.82)
- Nick Dunlap (+.76)
- Wyndham Clark (+.69)
- Emiliano Grillo (+.64)
- Cam Davis (+.61)
Course History
This stat will incorporate players that have played well in the past at Quail Hollow.
Course History over past 36 rounds (per round):
- Rory McIlroy (+2.50)
- Justin Thomas (+1.96)
- Jason Day (+1.92)
- Rickie Fowler (+1.83)
- Viktor Hovland (+1.78)
Wells Fargo Championship Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: Off the Tee (23%), SG: Total on Fazio designs (12%), Proximity: 175-200 (12%), SG: Putting Bermuda grass (12%), and Course History (14%).
- Wyndham Clark
- Rory McIlroy
- Xander Schauffele
- Shane Lowry
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Viktor Hovland
- Cameron Young
- Austin Eckroat
- Byeong Hun An
- Justin Thomas
2024 Wells Fargo Championship Picks
Tommy Fleetwood +2500 (DraftKings)
I know many out there have Tommy fatigue when it comes to betting, which is completely understandable given his lack of ability to win on the PGA Tour thus far in his career. However, history has shown us that players with Fleetwood’s talent eventually break though, and I believe for Tommy, it’s just a matter of time.
Fleetwood has been excellent on Tom Fazio designs. Over his past 36 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on Fazio tracks. He’s also been incredibly reliable off the tee this season. He’s gained strokes in the category in eight of his past nine starts, including at The Masters, the PLAYERS and the three “signature events” of the season. Tommy is a golfer built for tougher courses and can grind it out in difficult conditions.
Last year, Fleetwood was the first-round leader at this event, firing a Thursday 65. He finished the event in a tie for 5th place.
For those worried about Fleetwood’s disappointing start his last time out at Harbour Town, he’s bounced back nicely after plenty of poor outings this season. His T7 at the Valero Texas Open was after a MC and T35 in his prior two starts and his win at the Dubai Invitational came after a T47 at the Sentry.
I expect Tommy to bounce back this week and contend at Quail Hollow.
Justin Thomas +3000 (DraftKings)
It’s been a rough couple of years for Justin Thomas, but I don’t believe things are quite as bad as they seem for JT. He got caught in the bad side of the draw at Augusta for last month’s Masters and has gained strokes on approach in seven of his nine starts in 2024.
Thomas may have found something in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage. He finished T5 at a course that he isn’t the best fit for on paper. He also finally got the putter working and ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting for the week.
The two-time PGA champion captured the first of his two major championships at Quail Hollow back in 2017, and some good vibes from the course may be enough to get JT out of his slump.
Thomas hasn’t won an event in just about two years. However, I still believe that will change soon as he’s been one of the most prolific winners throughout his PGA Tour career. Since 2015, he has 15 PGA Tour wins.
Course history is pretty sticky at Quail Hollow, with players who like the course playing well there on a regular basis. In addition to JT’s PGA Championship win in 2017, he went 4-1 at the 2022 Presidents Cup and finished T14 at the event last year despite being in poor form. Thomas can return as one of the top players on the PGA Tour with a win at a “signature event” this week.
Cameron Young +3500 (DraftKings)
For many golf bettors, it’s been frustrating backing Cam Young this season. His talent is undeniable, and one of the best and most consistent performers on the PGA Tour. He just hasn’t broken through with a victory yet. Quail Hollow has been a great place for elite players to get their first victory. Rory McIlroy, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark all notched their first PGA Tour win at Quail.
Throughout Cam Young’s career, he has thrived at tougher courses with strong fields. This season, he finished T16 at Riviera and T9 at Augusta National, demonstrating his preference of a tough test. His ability to hit the ball long and straight off the tee make him an ideal fit for Quail Hollow, despite playing pretty poorly his first time out in 2023 (T59). Young should be comfortable playing in the region as he played his college golf at Wake Forest, which is about an hour’s drive from Quail Hollow.
The 26-year-old has played well at Tom Fazio designs in the past and ranks 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on those courses in his last 36 rounds. Perhaps most importantly, this season, Young is the best player on the PGA Tour in terms of proximity from 175-200 in the fairway, which is where a plurality and many crucial shots will come from this week.
Young is an elite talent and Quail Hollow has been kind to players of his ilk who’ve yet to win on Tour.
Byeong Hun An +5000 (FanDuel)
Byeong Hun An missed some opportunities last weekend at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He finished T4 and played some outstanding golf, but a couple of missed short putts prevented him from getting to the winning score of -23. Despite not getting the win, it’s hard to view An’s performance as anything other than an overwhelming success. It was An’s fourth top-ten finish of the season.
Last week, An gained 6.5 strokes ball striking, which was 7th in the field. He also ranked 12th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The South Korean has been hitting the ball so well from tee to green all season long and he now heads to a golf course that should reward his precision.
An’s driver and long irons are absolute weapons. At Quail Hollow, players will see plenty of approach shots from the 175-200 range as well as some from 200+. In his past 24 rounds, Ben ranks 3rd in the field in proximity from 175-200 and 12th in proximity from 200+. Playing in an event that will not end up being a “birdie” fest should help An, who can separate from the field with his strong tee to green play. The putter may not always cooperate but getting to -15 is much easier than getting to -23 for elite ball strikers who tend to struggle on the greens.
Winning a “signature event” feels like a tall task for An this week with so many elite players in the field. However, he’s finished T16 at the Genesis Invitational, T16 at The Masters and T8 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 32-year-old’s game has improved drastically this season and I believe he’s ready to get the biggest win of his career.
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kev
Feb 23, 2015 at 7:29 am
I have a golf idea /invention how do I get it off the groud . Anyone know
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Jeff
Nov 10, 2014 at 6:42 pm
If it wasn’t for a cart I’d never be able to take my 3 year old neice to the course when I play and get her around the course. I know you all can say what you want, “3 year Olds don’t belong on the golf course.” Well, she likes it, she loves golf now. She can hit the ball and she’s 3. I pay my greens fees, she stays mostly in the cart, I will drive up and tell anyone I see on the course to feel free to play through. The course gets the cart revenue. I keep playing, she’ll keep playing the rest of her life.
Carts aren’t evil, lazy golfers are. If you took carts away the same assholes would be decking out their pushcarts with padded seats, retaking yardage on their watch, taking a sip of their warmed beverage, and missing the green, and repeating it every shot. Carts aren’t the only thing making these guys slow.
Taylor
Nov 7, 2014 at 3:50 pm
What a bunch of snobs!!! You guys blasting carts have absolutely ZERO understanding of what golf has evolved to.
I was a pro for many years. Wife still is a pro who also played professionally. I love the game passionately. But that is what it is. A game. Golf is not a not a sport. Its recreation. I rarely ride. I much prefer to walk. That’s just my personal preference. My wife and daughter ride and I walk along as we play. However, carts are an absolute accepted part of the game and more importantly the industry. Try running a charity tournament without one. Try pulling cart revenue out of the game and watch just about every course you play go out of business.
I agree that walking is a far superior way to experience a round of golf. But carts have expanded the reach of the game to levels it never could have dreamed of without them. Golf is more accessible because of them. It is more social because of them. From my years in the biz, I can say that most of the golf snobs are far more detrimental than the majority of the beer swilling (Hey, they’re buying 5 dollar beer and generating revenue, never see a walker doing that) golf illiterate cart riders I’ve encountered.
Rant over.
Barney Adams
Nov 6, 2014 at 9:04 pm
Dennis. The graphite shaft was Jim Flood. As for the 60 deg wedge I could argue that all but a very few should consider using one. Would replace with soft spikes in a heartbeat.
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 9:16 pm
I want to hear why most shouldn’t use it pls
Al385
Nov 8, 2014 at 4:08 am
The most used clubs in my bag: putter and 60º lob wedge
barney adams
Nov 8, 2014 at 11:37 am
It’s too often a risk reward shot that requires a high degree of skill. The flop over the trap slightly under-hit ends up semi buried in the sand because of the spin. I’ll skip the skulls some of which have never been found.
you can hit a great flop and end up 7′ from the hole still odds on to 2 putt and if you don’t hit it perfectly it’s a disaster.
The key is practice, lots and lots. not something a lot of amateurs do and even if they wanted there aren’t many adequate facilities.
A full swing 60,70 yd shot you can do the same with a SW and avoid the beauty that goes straight up.
Some folks do fine, I’m talking about the majority.
have you noticed how much better putting surfaces have become since softspikes
Dennis Clark
Nov 8, 2014 at 3:17 pm
putting surfaces have improved certainly; putting stats have not kept pace but thats another story.
Quite the opposite on the 60. mid-high handicapper can be more aggressive with attack angle and body rotation on short pitches with more loft on club. Shallow attack angles from backing up or chicken winging from early release can all benefit from MORE loft around the greens. It’s when they don’t have enough loft that they get in trouble. I have a 64 I use for teaching, But of course this is a teachers perspective. Theorettically i agree… they don’t know how to use it from so many years of flipping loft on the club. Its like a player using too stiff a shaft to too little loft and hanging back to
get loft on the club. Give them a ladies shaft and 13 degrees of loft and you’ll see them start turning through the shot with mess less right side bend. Promoting bad swings with clubs that off set the mistake is not something I prefer as a teacher.
Dennis Clark
Nov 8, 2014 at 3:49 pm
I mist my steel spikes when I walk on the cart path!! Loved the old sound: 🙂
Jack Wullkotte
Nov 29, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Hi Barney,
First of all, I still can’t believe Flip is gone. I thought he would live forever. As far as the different wedges they now make, I’m still all for the old fashioned way of opening the face of the sand iron to whatever degree of loft that you need. Throughout the 49 years that I was Jack’s personal clubmaker, he used a 52 degree pitching wedge and a 58 degree sand wedge. Some critics say he was never a good wedge player. Are they serious? Try winning 20 majors (includes 2 US Amateurs) without a few good wedge shots. True, if he would have had Gary Player’s short game, he would have consistently shot scores in the 50’s. 🙂
See you at the show.
Jack Wullkotte
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 9:23 pm
Power Pod Jim…
barney adams
Nov 8, 2014 at 11:41 am
and graphite shafts as he started Aldila, ( I researched this one with a couple of my ancient contemporaries) and the backassward putter and a bunch of other things. I loved the power pod the face was about 7deg closed !
I have a dual strap stand bag next to the wall in my office from 1870 ! Interesting how long it took for a modern version.
Dennis Clark
Nov 12, 2014 at 6:31 pm
Barney my friend, what’s up? See below.
http://www.golfchannel.com/media/ul-innovation-series-graphite-shafts/
Jack Wullkotte
Nov 29, 2014 at 1:31 pm
Having worked with Toney Penna for 20 years at the MacGregor Golf Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio and then 6 years with him at the Penna Golf Co. in Jupiter , FL, here are some of the innovations he brought to the manufacturing area of golf. In 1950, he designed the MT model, which was essentially the precursor of the low profile iron that was supposedly started in the 1970’s. He also went to cycolac, aluminum, and graphite face inserts in the 1960’s. As far as I know, he was the first manufacturer to feature a whole set of investment cast irons. From what I can remember, Ping only made putters at that time and a small company named Tomahawk Golf Co. made putters and wedges. Toney also featured the Colo-Krome faces on the Tommy Armour irons in the late 1950’s and the black ceramic faces in several iron models in the early 1960’s. He was the first one to feature “bounce” on the soles of iron heads. He created antique finishes on wood heads in the late 1950’s and 60’s. He was one of the first manufacturers to begin producing complete sets of irons with Aldila graphite shafts. Unfortunately, it was a big mistake because he installed them in his short necked forgings, and all the shafts snapped at the top of the hosel. Not the fault of Aldila. Toney designed the jumbo LHHLTFF model in the 1960’s. LHHLTFF stood for “Left hip high and let the f—– fly.” I know there were other firsts that were initiated by Toney, but that should be sufficient to bring some comments that are either informative, corrective, or complimentary.
Jack Wullkotte
Jack Wullkotte
Nov 29, 2014 at 3:22 pm
Barney, Here’s a little incident that occurred at the Penna Golf Co. in 1973 when I was the plant supervisor. Jim Flood came to our plant with some of his Aldila shafts, intent on selling Toney the idea of using graphite shafts in all of our clubs. Toney instead, demeaned the graphite shaft as having more torque than hickory shafts, more flex than hickory shafts, and too light, along with the fact that he thought they would break too easily. Flood then took one of the shafts, put the tip end of the shaft on the lowest rung of a chair, and the butt end of the shaft on the floor, and stepped on the middle of the shaft. The shaft bent, but did not break. Toney was impressed. I tried to make Toney aware of the fact that the middle of the shaft touched the floor before it ever got to the breaking point, but he told me to mind my own business. Because of that demonstration, Toney ordered a ton of Aldila shafts. After the shafts were delivered, a contingent of executives from the ATO Co., our parent company, came to Jupiter for a visit. Toney gave them a tour of the plant and then we all went back to Toney’s office. That’s when he unveiled the Aldila graphite shaft. He used Flood’s method to demonstrate how strong and limber the shaft was. The only problem was, Toney put the tip of the shaft on a higher rung with the butt end on the floor. The shaft was at a much more severe angle than Flood had it. After Toney had set the shaft in position, he stepped back and sent his foot into the middle of the shaft. Naturally, the shaft snapped in two with one part going one way and the other going the other way. He literally screamed, “that dirty SOB, I’ll kill him.” Eventually, Toney tried to get Aldila to take the shafts back, but they wouldn’t do it, so, Toney began putting Aldila shafts in all the iron heads. Most all of the shafts broke, because of the short hosels. By then, I had quit Penna’s, so I don’t know what went on from there.
True story.
Jack Wullkotte
Dennis Clark
Dec 2, 2014 at 3:00 pm
LOL Jack, that’s a great story!! To get back to the issue, I’m discussing with Barney, did Flood or Frank Thomas first come up with idea for graphite? On the putter, are you saying that Karsten was first responsible for the idea of perimeter weighting, but Penna built that concept into his irons before Karsten? Thx for reading my column.
Tom Beavers
Nov 6, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Dual strap stand bags. The thing old guys put on the putter grip to pull the ball out of the hole. Lightweight waterproof golf shoes. And the headcover that keeps a beer cold !
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 9:04 pm
I wish they had the double strap bag when I carried!
Dan
Nov 6, 2014 at 11:44 am
As stated golf carts are a neccesary evil only to those who can still walk a course. I carried my bag for over 25 years but, got sick and can’t handle walking 18 holes anymore or even 9. I wish I could because I loved to walk the fairways and had time to think about my next shot but, the fact is I would have had to give up the game I love without golf carts. Adding GPS to carts was maybe not an invention but, a way to speed a round up for those of us who don’t own personal GPS devices IMHO.
Straightdriver235
Nov 6, 2014 at 12:49 pm
These are labeled the “best inventions”–the golf cart is not among them. Time for you to give up the game, or play in that cart when no one else is around, dude. The caddy provided more jobs around the course and introduced lower class youth to the game. We are much worse for it, not to mention paths are built way too close to fairways and greens. I am sympathetic to Casey Martin, but for the masses, no. Tghe cart is a lazy excuse for claiming you are playing golf. Absent a medical waiver it is not golf when you ride a cart.
Jeremy
Nov 6, 2014 at 2:18 pm
“It’s not golf unless you pay a lower class child to do the heavy labor, dude.”
-You
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 6:03 pm
i think your medical exemption is exactly what carts should be for. i think some of the comments are more directed to the “abusers”. Actually at many courses they are MANDATORY now, a revenue source of course.
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 6:05 pm
i certainly agree on the caddy. its how i started and many more like me. Growing up on the “other side of the tracks” had it not been for caddying , no golf.
Dan
Nov 7, 2014 at 1:17 pm
I hope and pray you stay young and never get sick enough to need a cart. I’m not making an issue of this but, as I said, I walked for over 25 years (even before dual straps) and I miss it a lot but, I’m not giving up the game I love because I have to use a cart. Good Luck to you as you grow older.
Jem
Nov 8, 2014 at 11:22 pm
“Time for you to give up the game”? Seriously? Who do you think pays the bills at that course you play? Old guys in carts. Remember that before you take away their clubs and stick them in a nursing home. I love to walk, but it’s hard to find playing partners who share that desire, so sometimes I use a cart. I agree that, in my opinion at least, the game is better when walked, but it’s not up to me to judge how another guy wants to play. As long as they’re not running over me, more power to them in the cart.
bok006
Nov 6, 2014 at 10:26 am
I still get stymied now and then.
Not by opponents ball but trees, bushes, rocks……..
Simon Hubbard
Nov 6, 2014 at 6:23 am
Not an invention really but the USGA and the R&A. Some would argue that they don’t get things right all the time, but the intent is there to preserve the heritage of the game.
And again not an invention but the book written by Dr Alastair Cochran, the search for the perfect swing, still current and used after 40 years. This has helped our overall understanding of what happens when a ball is struck.
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 7:29 am
Spot on wih Search. Soooo far ahead of its time. I still use a lot of the information in there in my teaching and its over 45 years old! Good call.
Shakers97
Nov 6, 2014 at 1:13 am
Golf gps watch, stand bag, mallet putter, trackman, video analysis……
Terry
Nov 6, 2014 at 1:23 pm
The Velcro glove!
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 9:01 pm
Remember the old button down gloves? Hard to imagine now!
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leftright
Nov 5, 2014 at 8:17 pm
Personally I wish graphite shafts had never been invented. If I was omnipotent I would do away with them. They have caused more frustration, money and confusion than anything else in the game. You think I’m crazy just ask Barney Adams. The earliest ones would send the ball into the next county and now they create more confusion and bankruptcies than the Democratic party.
marcel
Nov 5, 2014 at 6:49 pm
Robin Williams is missing there
Phil
Nov 5, 2014 at 4:51 pm
What about the Cart/Beverage Babe? It’s gotta be up there….
Nathan
Nov 5, 2014 at 2:43 pm
What about Soft Spikes or Golf Chain Retail Stores?
SMH
Nov 5, 2014 at 1:34 pm
This article is complete garbage, the best inventions were the last 5 TMAG drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids
Andrew
Nov 5, 2014 at 10:36 pm
Dagnabbit…I can’t find mention of screws, slots and white paint anywhere…
Bernhard
Nov 5, 2014 at 1:10 pm
You forgot anchoring with longer putters. This great invention has allowed us to lower handicaps by 10 or more, enabled us to make just about every putt within 30 feet, cured the yips, and made us taller and better looking. God knows where the game would have gone if the higher ups would have allowed it to continue….
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Made us younger, more virile and so on…:)
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 3:34 pm
well we know that experiment was short lived by USGA standards. What will Keegan do in a year and a half???
Tom WIshon
Nov 5, 2014 at 1:03 pm
1, Titanium alloys – they not only taught the industry about COR to open the door to a little more distance with drivers, but its lower density with the same or higher strength than traditional stainless alloys allowed larger driver heads with much higher MOI for much better off center hit forgiveness.
2. Launch Monitors – they opened the door to having the information to lead to more in depth clubfitting research which in turn offers golfers a much greater chance to play to the best of their given abilities.
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 3:32 pm
True. true. I suppose anything with its own atomic number should be on the list of greatest everything; like aerospace, medicine, nuclear waste…Still blows my mind that anything that light could be that strong! Raise the COR for amateurs!! 🙂
brian
Nov 5, 2014 at 12:55 pm
How about the “Arnold Palmer”. The 19th hole has never been the same since that was invented haha
Paul Wilson
Nov 5, 2014 at 12:09 pm
You forgot Iron Byron. Not only did it test golf clubs and balls but it is also responsible for gathering important swing data which is found in today’s launch monitors.
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 3:35 pm
I was at the testing facility one time when a club broke on that thing; talk about some freaked out observers!
ProAmDuffer
Nov 5, 2014 at 11:30 am
I believe the author in many instances here is confused between a discovery and an invention.
hayesh
Nov 5, 2014 at 11:19 am
Lightweight and WATERPROOF golf shoes have to be on the list. Remember when you’d play on a normal morning, and just the dew from the course would soak into your leather soles and they’d weigh a ton by the second hole? Your socks would even be damp by the third hole. Great shoes make walking so much more enjoyable.
As do lightweight carry bags, with legs.
LRRY
Nov 5, 2014 at 11:18 am
yOU MENTION FRANK THOMAS IN YOUR STORY, HOW GREAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN TO HAVE FRANK THOMAS AND BERNY ADAMS TOGEATHER TO TALK GOLF CLUBS AND BALLS…BOTH THESE MEN TELL IT LIKE IT IS..
Crabgrass
Nov 5, 2014 at 10:03 am
Is the 14 club rule an “invention”?
I’d like to see the ‘stymie’ in action sometime, but, again, not sure it can be called an invention.
When did grooves appear on clubs? That seems like a biggie.
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 3:38 pm
Not technically but but a huge impact nonetheless. I think most got my drift…
Yeas grooves were like dimples on the ball; hard to imagine the game without them.
other paul
Nov 5, 2014 at 9:05 am
You said it was getting harder to curve the golf ball. Not sure why, I can slice it 50 yards and hook it 30 no problem. Also small draws and fades aren’t to difficult.
Daniel
Nov 5, 2014 at 7:11 am
You have the lob wedge but how would we all do if we didn’t have BOUNCE?
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 7:32 am
very true, bounce comes under Sarazen’s invention in 1932, the SAND wedge. Story has it that after he came up with the idea, he actually turned the club upside down in his bag so competitors wouldn’t copy it:)
Jack Wullkotte
Nov 29, 2014 at 2:32 pm
I mentioned bounce as one of Toney Penna’s innovations from the late 1950’s. Gene Sarazan might have put it on his sand iron, but Toney did it on the whole set irons.
John
Nov 5, 2014 at 2:13 am
I play a lot of hickory golf, and while the clubs certainly have more torque than a modern club, saying you could twist the head “halfway around” is a huge exaggeration. Someone would have to have enormous “Bo Jackson in his prime” strength to do that.
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 6:56 am
It sounded far fetched to me too; I went back looking for where I read it and can’t find it…It HAS to be exaggerated I agree but it made the point, there was a LOT of twist in those shaft. Where do you play hickory golf? And why?
John
Nov 6, 2014 at 1:01 am
I’m a member of the Society of Hickory golfers, an organization founded in 2000 by a small group of hickory players including famed club designer Tad Moore. In the insuring 14 years this organization has grown by leaps and bounds. There are now several thousand hickory players in the US and abroad. There is a hickory tourmanment somewhere just about every week save Dec. and Jan. There are, in the US, five “major championships”, the US Hickory Open and four others. The USHO was won this year by Jeremy Moe, a club pro from Arkansas who shot 69/68 at the Asheville (NC) CC, the World Hickory Open was played in Scotland this year with Sandy Lyle (yes, that Sandy Lyle) winning with 74/69. Those are great scores with hickory. So that’s a bit of what, and now the why. It’s more fun. It’s creative, most guys carry 9 to 10 clubs so you’re inventing shots as you go along. A 6100 yard course is not obsolete. No glove, no Trackman. No rangefinders. Simple, straightforward golf. Harry Vardon won major championships with 8 to 9 clubs and his gift to get the best out of them. Those 15 inventions? Ours pretty much stops after the tee. Modern golf is in decline for a number of reasons, many of them discussed in detail by Barney and others on this site. Our version of golf is growing, fast.
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 7:39 pm
One of the inventions I did not list but certainly has had a great impact on the game is modern, earth moving equipment. For example, tractors, backhoes, etc. Remember golf course used to be built with mules and drag pans…a developer can now have almost any piece of ground developed into a golf course. Couldn’t do that years ago
Iman
Nov 4, 2014 at 6:22 pm
I’d add launch monitor/flightscope to the list. Not only it measures distance/spin/etc, it “changes” the way we hit the ball.
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 6:57 am
what do you feel you’ve done differently in the hit since LMs?
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Golf carts come under the “necessary evil” tag i suppose…the WRX readers are among the most upper echelon of true golfers who love the pure aspect of the game. But I fear to think how the might shrink if we removed the cart. Would anyone play in Colorado or on really hot days or over the age of 70 or…:)
bradford
Nov 5, 2014 at 8:23 am
Unfortunately, they’re a mode of profit now rather than accessibility. Most don’t “need” them, nor do they speed up play, but you’ll be forced on a Saturday morning to pay for it whether you take one or not. Granted it’s changed the game, but I would say for the worse. The exception for me is for those who could not play without it, but not for those who simply would not.
I WOULD add the 2-strapped carry bag to the list.
dot dot
Nov 5, 2014 at 10:20 am
Carts are great. Best thing that ever happened to golf. Who carries a bag any more? Barbarians!
PAUL GRAY
Nov 5, 2014 at 12:45 pm
Proper golfers that appreciate proper golf course architect, that’s who.
bradford
Nov 6, 2014 at 10:39 am
The sarcastic tone means we may actually agree on something for once?
Busterpar
Nov 7, 2014 at 1:41 pm
That’s what pushcarts are for! Outlaw carts – they lead to too long courses, housing developments with no personality courses attached, 200 yards between tees, and rude inconsiderate people that don’t/won’t play ready golf because they can just ride to their ball. Then take 43 practice swings, reline the shot, 37 more practice swings……you know the ones.
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Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 5:09 pm
Range finders are a great addition to the list; where they’d fall on the impact scale i don’t know, Certainly down from the tee and modern ball but maybe ahead of some other things. How much have they made the game easier? Im not sure really. If you know the target is precisely 167 yards, you have to be able to hit the ball that far. And hitting the ball that far comes back to steel clubs, graphite shaft, the modern ball, and on and on down the list. so its an INDIRECT influence i suppose. Thoughts?
Jeremy
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Perhaps it falls under the category of Television, but I’d include YouTube/the internet. I worked my way down to about a 7 handicap without ever having a teacher or coach, just copying what I see the best in the world doing on TV and the internet. Throw in the super-slow-motion camera while you’re at it. Frankly, I can’t imagine how people ever played golf before having access to the wealth of instruction that’s now available.
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Agreed, the internet has helped a lot of golfers! Great invention by no less than the US government through the defense department largely!
CD
Nov 4, 2014 at 5:41 pm
Internet was invented by Tim Beners-Lee (British)
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 6:12 pm
The world wide web was first conceived by Berners lee. Military research was done years before that…A good book on the subject: “Digital Disconnect”
ams165
Nov 5, 2014 at 12:34 am
ahhhh no…
it was Al Gore…….insert sarcasm laugh..
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 6:59 am
actually bad rap on Gore, but it WAS funny. He DID push for a lot of funding during his time in office though. Again for the military research.
1GolfJones
Nov 6, 2014 at 4:53 am
Albert Arnold Gore was born on March 31,1948 exactly 9 months to the day after the Roswell, New Mexico incident. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Gustavo
Nov 7, 2014 at 2:54 pm
you know how people played golf before YouTube…they went out to the course and practiced and played. They also could sit and watch a live PGA teaching pro in person, that is just as good, if not better then sitting at a computer and getting “YouTube Lessons”.
TRocket
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:20 pm
George Franklin Grant
George Franklin Grant. in Chester, New Hampshire George Franklin Grant (September 15, 1846 – August 21, 1910) was the first African American professor at Harvard. He was also a Boston dentist, and an inventor of a wooden golf tee.
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Great stuff; I heard a dentist from Maplewood NJ somewhere in my travels, but I can’t recall I ever read that so your discovery may very well be accurate
Archie Bunker
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:07 pm
What? Where’s THE HAMMER on this list? BAM!
Not Brandel
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:22 pm
“I JUST HIT IT OVER A MOUNTAIN!!!”
Jeff
Nov 10, 2014 at 6:22 pm
The Hammer X! BOOM
D
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:49 pm
I would nominate the “beverage girl” to the best innovation list and remove the lob wedge.
adolfo
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:24 pm
Take the carts out and put in the Rangefinder. A Cart is not going to help you hit the ball closer to the pin
birly-shirly
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:17 pm
Depends on your criteria for inclusion. I think way more people play golf because they can ride around in a cart than care about the precise yardage. Not saying that’s necessarily a good or healthy thing, just an observation.
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:58 pm
I agree Birly, the IMPACT of carts was probably greater, good or bad?
Rich
Nov 5, 2014 at 9:45 am
I wouldn’t include the Rangefinder, as the only difference I see it making when I play is slowing everyone down. How many people on here constantly find themselves waiting for playing partners to laser a yardage only to watch them miss the green altogether? The majority of us mere mortals need to focus on just hitting greens in the first place and as our skill level improves then tool like this become more useful…
bradford
Nov 6, 2014 at 10:46 am
Fully agree, I’m a 6.3 index right now, and I can get by 100% on the 100, 150, and 200 yard markers. It does not help a 20hcp to know the difference between 160 and 170, because he’s not consistent enough to know which club that would be anyway. The ONLY time I wish I had more info is for trouble off the teebox.
Tom Henman
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:23 pm
How about the sand wedge? Seems to be to be a bigger thing than the lob wedge.
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:52 pm
True, the sand wedge could easily have been on the top list, I agree! 1932 Gene Sarazen! Certainly made the game easier for every golfer; though it amazes me how many people cannot use it correctly
CD
Nov 4, 2014 at 5:43 pm
Sand wedge used correctly = biggest difference or steel shafts. Hmm!
Mandark
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:21 pm
No turbulators.
CM
Nov 4, 2014 at 8:32 pm
+1
bradford
Nov 6, 2014 at 10:47 am
or face slots?
steven j
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:18 pm
How about some of the items that make it easier to walk the course such as the lightweight golf bag, golf stand bag, dual shoulder straps and the golf push cart?
in mentioning irrigation and riding mowers, along with that group could come the drainage systems on greens and beyond.
Jafar
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:47 pm
I think GPS rangefinders take some of the fun out of the game.
Dave S
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Have to respectfully disagree. Nothing worse than hitting exactly the shot you mean to hit, only to see it fall short or go long and off the green. Professionals have caddies that give then exact yardage, wind direction and suggestions on what to hit and hot to hit it. Us weekend warriors have none of that, and have a far smaller margin of error on our shots. Knowing the distance to the green as made golf more fun (for me at least) and has sped up play… no more searching for the sprinkler head and then pacing off yardage.
TR1PTIK
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:21 pm
Agreed. I’m horrible at judging distances and wouldn’t stand a chance if not for GPS.
CD
Nov 5, 2014 at 2:37 am
I think that it is a key thing to learn and which improves you as a player – acquiring ‘feel’ and judging by eye. There is knowing a distance and then adjusting to it anyway. I think it can be learned and taught and is another under-rated thing that separates good players, especially in the short game. Including and perhaps especially where there is a trompe l’oeil from the course architect.
Dave S
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:34 pm
How about modern golf apparel? I realize this is less of an “invention” and more of an evolution over time, but enough cannot be said about how much better it is to play wearing moisture-wicking shorts and polo (while walking the course in any one of the number of incredibly comfortable golf shoes on the market) vs. wearing plus-fours and a shirt/tie/jacket combo.
Also on my list would be laser rangefinders/personal GPS devices. The biggest game-changer golf purchase I’ve made in the last 10 years was buying a gps watch. Nothing else (including various drivers, putters, irons and wedges) comes close.
Bob Gom
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:31 pm
Have to agree….rangefinder should not been left out.
Danny
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:29 pm
I’m assuming you have the bubble burner shaft at number 16
Jadon
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:25 pm
The range finder/GPS technology has been a game changer for me personally. That’s pretty weird to think about. Download an app on your phone to tell you how far away you are from the green.
Big_5_Hole
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:23 pm
No mention of the pencil with an eraser on the end?
JJC
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:21 pm
golf carts? really? if it were up to me they would be banned without a medical certificate. the game was meant to be walked and with the obesity epidemic in this country, a lot of people would be well served to hoof it around the course.
Derek
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:08 pm
^^^ truer words have not been spoken. Leave the carts for the medically unable.
TR1PTIK
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Absolutely agree. And, I hate trying to deal with slow play from a group with carts when I’m walking. I feel like they never want to let me play through because they don’t want to wait long enough for me to walk by them even though I have to wait on nearly every shot. Carts should only be an option for the elderly and disabled.
Jeremy
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:36 pm
And the hungover, of course.
Justin
Nov 4, 2014 at 5:23 pm
One could argue that the igloo ice chest coupled with the golf cart had a tremendous impact on the popularity of the game. At least where I live, way more people happen to play golf while they are drinking beer instead of drink beer when they are playing golf. Remove the cold beverage and a vehicle to tote it around with and we would lose 70% of our golfing public!
Sad truth. Maybe we need a little bit of that pomposity back?
Fatty
Nov 5, 2014 at 1:16 am
Derek,
As they do, at the Old Course – you have to have a handicap certificate to rent a buggy.
That’s why you don’t see too many fat, lazy American golfers playing that course on their golf vacation
Oldplayer
Nov 6, 2014 at 5:47 am
Agree. Carts are a blight on the game and should not be allowed for able bodied golfers.
Busterpar
Nov 7, 2014 at 1:47 pm
So bloody true!!!!! And this from someone with a new knee. Walk, walk, walk!