Opinion & Analysis
Louisville Golf: Post time for persimmon
“I knew I had to give it a shot. If I had tried and it didn’t work out, I would’ve been okay with that. But I had to go after my passion and see where it went.”
Jeremy Wright gets it. Taking over at Louisville Golf is not for everybody. This isn’t a multi-billion-dollar revenue generating machine with private research facilities and elaborate corporate complexes. It’s not about money…or fame…or 385-yard drives. Gerard Just, the youngest of the Just brothers who started Louisville Golf might have summed it up best:
“You know, I guess you could say we’re simple people. We don’t really go on vacations. But we work hard and we enjoy what we do. We don’t make a lot of money. I don’t think my kids could afford to work here to be honest, but they hate their jobs. We never really had that problem.”
Louisville Golf was established in 1974 by Elmore Just and Steve Taylor when they left Hillerich & Bradsby (crafters of Louisville Slugger baseball bats and Power-Bilt golf clubs). Elmore ran the business side of the company and Steve oversaw the manufacturing aspect. Back then, in the heyday of persimmon, the club manufacturers were on an allotment. Since persimmon (remarkably well-suited for golf clubs due to its strength and density) is a relatively slow-growing wood, there was only so much material to go around and upstart Louisville Golf had to fight for every block they got. Eventually, they built the business into a major player, making 800 clubs a day for the likes of Hogan, MacGregor, Wilson, Spalding, and others.
Master models for Louisville Golf persimmon club heads
Some of Louisville Golf’s more well-known woods that won on the PGA Tour were the Wilson Whale that Payne Stewart used to win the 1989 PGA Championship and the Hogan Apex that Tom Kite used to win the 1992 US Open at Pebble Beach. Then metal woods came into the picture and sales dwindled. When Callaway launched the Big Bertha, sales basically dried up overnight.
Though metal woods took off like a rocket in the 1990’s, there were some holdouts. Justin Leonard, Davis Love III, and Mark Calcavecchia held onto their persimmon woods into the late 90s. The last man standing was widely considered to be Bob Estes, who used his Louisville Golf Smart ProBE (a club Just developed specifically for Estes) in the Accenture Match Play in 2001.
When Elmore Just passed away in April of 2001, his brother Mike assumed control of the company. Elmore is actually buried at Persimmon Ridge Golf Club in Louisville, an Arthur Hills course he developed in the 1980’s. When Mike took the reins, though the company had successfully limped along through the metal wood revolution, the hard reality was that they needed to reinvent themselves if they were going to remain profitable. Mike left his mark on the company in 2004 by deciding to leverage Louisville Golf’s unique expertise into crafting period-correct hickory shafted golf clubs and restoring vintage specimens. That decision marked a resurgence of sorts, as the niche has served Louisville Golf well. Today, Louisville Golf and St. Andrews Golf Co. are the only large scale manufacturers of such equipment.
Louisville Golf club heads ready for final assembly
It’s a peculiar set of circumstances to be sure, but oddly enough, many golfers in the 21st century have found Louisville Golf through 100-year-old golf clubs. This is exactly how Jeremy Wright came into the picture. Jeremy was a medical sales representative in Houston, TX with a wife, three kids, and a serious golfing hobby. He had recently gone on a search for an exotic shaft upgrade for his Scotty Cameron putter. On a whim, he googled wooden shafts, stumbled across hickory golf clubs, and the rest was history.
“One of the things I learned in that search was that, when the golf industry transitioned from hickory shafts to steel, a lot of players either kept their old hickory putters or would fit their new putters with hickory shafts for decades after that transition because the feel was so much better.
“So I kept digging into hickory golf and tried to learn what it was all about. I discovered there were hickory tournaments and the winners shot like 75-78 and I thought, ‘I can do that. I’m going to get a hickory set together and figure this out.’ From that point on, I was hooked. There was no going back.”
So hooked, in fact, that when Jeremy heard the Just family was fielding offers for the company as a result of Mike’s passing in October of 2016, he put his name in the hat. It just so happened that Jeremy and his wife were both at a point in their careers where they were looking for more. Burned out and tired of the cyclical corporate rat race, they decided to go all-in on Jeremy’s passion, submitted an offer to the Just family, and ultimately were selected from multiple potential suitors to carry on the legacy of the company.
Sole plates for Louisville Golf persimmon fairway woods
As for where Louisville Golf goes from here, you can probably expect a lot more of what got them here in the first place. After all, one of the biggest reasons Jeremy was selected to take the reins at Louisville Golf was his commitment to preserving its heritage. Louisville Golf may not be rubbing elbows with the major OEM’s anymore, but these days, they’re not trying to either. Just like the rest of us golfers, they’re getting by with grit, optimism, and respect for the game. They’ve also seen the fortunate bounces and bad lies that come with a life dedicated to golf, but as the old adage says, the most important shot is always the next one. Time marches on. And so does Louisville Golf. They remain committed to what has brought them this far and see that as a springboard into the future.
“We’ve got some products in the works that I think are really innovative and will show what persimmon is really capable of. I think if you’re a better player who can find the sweet spot on a consistent basis, you really should think seriously about persimmon. Especially if you’re looking to get a specific yardage out of your clubs like with a fairway wood or hybrid. There was a video circulating a few years ago with Rickie Fowler using a steel shafted persimmon fairway wood and he was getting a 1.49 smash factor. You can’t get much better than that. The way the bulge and roll is shaped on a persimmon wood and also the location of the CG allows for a bigger gear effect than modern titanium woods. Persimmons do impart more spin on the ball (especially on a mishit), so we acknowledge the ball may not go as far, but that spin also brings the ball back to the target, too. That’s one of the biggest advantages of persimmon. You’ll be shorter but in the fairway as opposed to long and in the trees.
“The people that find us are looking for a deeper connection to the tradition and the spirit of the game. They’re tired of paying for marketing fluff and silly catch phrases. We make viable alternatives for the modern golfer, we make classic reproductions of the steel shaft/persimmon head era of golf, and we make spot-on hickory shafted clubs as well, so we think we have a place in just about everyone’s bag depending on how you prefer to experience the game. Nothing compares to the joy of a purely struck golf shot with a wooden golf club. You just feel like you’re playing golf the way it was meant to be played.”
A visit to Louisville Golf reveals a group of people who have dedicated their lives to exactly that: playing the game the way it was meant to be played. Hard work, attention to detail, a commitment to quality, and having a lot of fun along the way are the hallmarks of their operation. One strike directly on that persimmon sweet spot will send all of those vibes straight into your bones. Playing golf with persimmon woods in the 21st century may be taking the road less traveled, but it could make all the difference.
- LIKE410
- LEGIT33
- WOW31
- LOL1
- IDHT1
- FLOP1
- OB0
- SHANK6
19th Hole
Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again
After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.
Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.
Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”
Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.
“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.
Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.
“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”
“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”
As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.
In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.
“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”
Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.
Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:
Fairways Hit
1.) Louis Oosthuizen
2.) Anirban Lahiri
3.) Jon Rahm
4.) Brendan Steele
5.) Cameron Tringale
Greens in Regulation
1.) Brooks Koepka
2.) Brendan Steele
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Cameron Tringale
5.) Anirban Lahiri
Birdies Made
1.) Brendan Steele
2.) Dean Burmester
3.) Thomas Pieters
4.) Patrick Reed
5.) Carlos Ortiz
LIV Golf Individual Standings:
1.) Joaquin Niemann
2.) Jon Rahm
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Louis Oosthuizen
5.) Abraham Ancer
LIV Golf Team Standings:
1.) Crushers
2.) Legion XIII
3.) Torque
4.) Stinger GC
5.) Ripper GC
LIV Golf Singapore Picks
Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)
Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.
This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.
Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)
Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.
This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.
It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.
Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)
Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.
Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.
Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.
Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)
Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.
Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.
If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.
- LIKE3
- LEGIT3
- WOW1
- LOL2
- IDHT0
- FLOP2
- OB0
- SHANK0
In Tampa, there is a golf course that boasts carts that do not work, a water range, and a group of players none of which have any chance to break 80. The course is overseen by a staff of crusty men who have succeeded at nothing in life but ending up at the worst-run course in America. However, this place is no failure. With several other local courses going out of business — and boasting outstanding greens — the place is booked full.
While I came for the great greens, I stayed to watch our resident instructor; a poor-tempered, method teacher who caters to the hopeless. At first, it was simply hilarious. However, after months of listening and watching, something clicked. I realized I had a front-row seat to the worst golf instructor in America.
Here are some of my key takeaways.
Method Teacher
It is widely accepted that there are three types of golf instructors: system teachers, non-system teachers, and method teachers. Method teachers prescribe the same antidote for each student based on a preamble which teachers can learn in a couple day certification.
Method teaching allows anyone to be certified. This process caters to the lowest caliber instructor, creating the illusion of competency. This empowers these underqualified instructors with the moniker of “certified” to prey on the innocent and uninformed.
The Cult of Stack and Jilt
The Stack and Tilt website proudly boasts, “A golfer swings his hands inward in the backswing as opposed to straight back to 1) create power, similar to a field goal kicker moving his leg in an arc and 2) to promote a swing that is in-to-out, which produces a draw (and eliminates a slice).”
Now, let me tell you something, there is this law of the universe which says “energy can either be created or destroyed,” so either these guys are defying physics or they have no idea what they are taking about. Further, the idea that the first move of the backswing determines impact is conjecture with a splash of utter fantasy.
These are the pontifications of a method — a set of prescriptions applied to everyone with the hope of some success through the placebo effect. It is one thing for a naive student to believe, for a golf instructor to drink and then dispel this Kool-Aid is malpractice.
Fooled by Randomness
In flipping a coin, or even a March Madness bet, there is a 50-50 chance of success. In golf, especially for new players, results are asymmetric. Simply put: Anything can happen. The problem is that when bad instructors work with high handicappers, each and every shot gets its own diagnosis and prescription. Soon the student is overwhelmed.
Now here’s the sinister thing: The overwhelming information is by design. In this case, the coach is not trying to make you better, they are trying to make you reliant on them for information. A quasi Stockholm syndrome of codependency.
Practice
One of the most important scientists of the 20th century was Ivan Pavlov. As you might recall, he found that animals, including humans, could be conditioned into biological responses. In golf, the idea of practice has made millions of hackers salivate that they are one lesson or practice session from “the secret.”
Sunk Cost
The idea for the worst golf instructor is to create control and dependency so that clients ignore the sunk cost of not getting better. Instead, they are held hostage by the idea that they are one lesson or tip away from unlocking their potential.
Cliches
Cliches have the effect of terminating thoughts. However, they are the weapon of choice for this instructor. Add some hyperbole and students actually get no information. As a result, these players couldn’t play golf. When they did, they had no real scheme. With no idea what they are doing, they would descend into a spiral of no idea what to do, bad results, lower confidence, and running back to the lesson tee from more cliches.
The fact is that poor instruction is about conditioning players to become reliant members of your cult. To take away autonomy. To use practice as a form of control. To sell more golf lessons not by making people better but through the guise that without the teacher, the student can never reach their full potential. All under the umbrella of being “certified” (in a 2-day course!) and a melee of cliches.
This of course is not just happening at my muni but is a systemic problem around the country and around the world, the consequences of which are giving people a great reason to stop playing golf. But hey, at least it’s selling a lot of golf balls…
- LIKE17
- LEGIT2
- WOW0
- LOL4
- IDHT1
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK19
The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
- LIKE8
- LEGIT3
- WOW1
- LOL1
- IDHT0
- FLOP3
- OB1
- SHANK2
Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
John Daly stuns fans into silence with brutal opening tee shot on PGA Tour Champions
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Kris Kim WITB 2024 (May)
Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here....
Richy Werenski WITB 2024 (May)
Richy Werenski what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Houston Open. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1...
Wesley Bryan WITB 2024 (May)
Wesley Bryan what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple...
Adam Scott WITB 2024 (May)
Adam Scott what’s in the bag accurate as of the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (10.5 degrees)...
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
-
19th Hole1 week agoLET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
-
Equipment2 weeks agoJason Day on his recent switch into Srixon ZX5 and ZX7 Mk II irons
Pingback: 2020 GolfWRX Holiday Gift Guide: Golf gifts for the Purist – GolfWRX
John L.
Dec 16, 2018 at 4:29 pm
Fantastic article. I’m an avid golfer who caddied and began playing during the late persimmon era of the 1980s, but, like many others, jumped to metal woods in search of more distance…under the mistaken notion that more distance would equal more “fun”.
Several years ago, after burning out after buying the latest $400 460cc monster driver, I finally realized the error of my ways. I abandoned the 7,200 yard tees and moved up to 6,300…and began playing either a set of vintage steel shafted blades and persimmon woods or a set of hickory shafted clubs with persimmon heads.
Golf is once again fun…and I am now playing golf SHOTS, and not just the bomb & gouge game of “hit”.
Thank you Louisville and Jeremy. I own several of your clubs and I love them !!! You are restoring the art of shotmaking to the game…and bringing back the fun as well.
Well played Sir…well played.
sergizmo
Dec 15, 2018 at 9:56 pm
Hopefully Louisville can survive and possibly thrive going forward. Probably the one “made in USA” club manufacturer left.
In 2019 I’m gaming 1-3-5 Classic 50’s woods all year. Bought them several years ago direct from Lousiville and played them on and off but not all year. I need t commit to it. It’s so much more enjoyable than the modern stuff. I also have a Smart Pro BE with graphite and a steel shafted 9 Niblick but don’t get along with them as much as the Classic 50s.
Thank you Just family for your excellent customer service, craftsmanship, value (for the work that goes into these things, they are very reasonable) and left handed availability.
stevek
Dec 13, 2018 at 3:32 pm
A persimmon driver head with a stiff steel shaft is completely different than one with a whippy hickory shaft. Why?
Ed Nelson
Dec 13, 2018 at 7:42 am
I worked at LG between the peak and trough of persimmon. I consider it an honor. I played golf at Persimmon Ridge with Mike in a regular Saturday foursome. I still remember fondly rounds in the high humidity of the Ohio River Valley, carrying our clubs and experiencing golf as it was meant to be—-tough!
jack
Dec 13, 2018 at 6:33 am
not post time for persimmon but “past” time …
James Bucher
Dec 12, 2018 at 11:30 pm
A nice read about the folks at LG. I learned about them when I first started playing hickory golf. There is nothing like striping a hickory driver straight down the fairway! It really surprises me that more people don’t play and practice with Hickory/ classic persimmon clubs. When going back to my modern clubs after playing Hickory clubs my ball striking is more pure.
OGO put your modern bag in the corner and play with some Hickory clubs and find out if you play them?
Dick Verinder
Dec 14, 2018 at 11:39 am
My modern bag and clubs is no longer ‘in the corner’; not even in the garage – tis a vague memory of long ago. Louisville’s hickories are a blessing for older golfers.
Keith Finley
Dec 12, 2018 at 5:32 pm
I still practice with my MacGregor Jumbo Ozaki model. Has a factory Aldila HM 40. Great club.
Loy Seal
Dec 12, 2018 at 3:48 pm
I began working on clubs in 1974 and soon discovered Louisville Golf. I sold a lot of drivers made with their heads and still have my personal driver (deep face, mahogany finish with my Seal logo on the crown, DGS300 shaft and Victory grip). I will have to put it back in my bag to try again. I don’t know about the stiff shaft though.
One of my favorite things to do was to refinish persimmon woods back to the factory finish, complete with the factory decals. I made a lot of money with persimmon.
TONEY P
Dec 12, 2018 at 1:30 pm
I started hitting golf balls with a few hickory clubs my dad had. Nothing felt better than a well striped shot and persimmon heads were beautiful. Golf has changed alot since then.
Jim Lynch
Dec 12, 2018 at 12:35 pm
I’ve been a club builder since the mid-80’s (my pro still asks me to whip the random persimmon head coming in for repairs cause he can’t do it!) and recall “buying out” a lot of the inventory of LG when they were winding down and almost OOB back in maybe 1989-ish? I still have a few boxes of pre-whipped heads and some one-offs that I can’t seem to part with. Great company and thank God they are still around and thriving. I do some business with Linksoul and saw that they have their own line of LG-built woods at some serious prices. Kudos to them as well for helping to keep persimmon out there and available to a new generation. As far as the technical discussion about playability…I took my DG S300 shafted circa-’88 LG #4 wood out to the range to compare with my Ping hybrids last fall and it flew by my 18-degree G30 by at least 10 yards. No lie. All day. It’s back in the bag already.
Tom Wishon
Dec 12, 2018 at 12:17 pm
It truly was one of my greatest honors and memories to have been friends and to have worked in business with the Just brothers, Elmore, Mike and Ron as well as the superb people who shared the vision including Art Henry and Mike Lenahan. These were people who did it for the right reasons – pride and craftsmanship with money way down the list. Elmore also was the vision behind forming the first professional organization for custom clubmakers and his commitment to the game through the development of the Persimmon Ridge GC was just an overflow of the golf passion he had and his brothers shared. I’m pleased to hear that the company is going forward because the world and the golf industry needs more companies and people like this. Good on you Peter Schmitt for shining a light on Louisville Golf.
Peter Schmitt
Dec 13, 2018 at 9:47 am
Thanks for chiming in, Tom! Cheers!
David Palosaari
Dec 12, 2018 at 11:33 am
I am your typical 61 year old hack. Used set of Hogan Apex was my first set of clubs.
I think I was reading an article about this company and called them to see what they were all about. I talked with Elmore must have been a year or two before he passed 99,2000 somewhere in there I believe. So excited to talk about their clubs. So I bought a driver. Most beautiful club I own! I am proud to say I own a Louisville Golf driver! Now I don’t use it because I don’t want to scuff it up. I actually think the old blades and persimmon woods tended to make us TRY and hit the ball more squarely. Great article thanks
joro
Dec 12, 2018 at 11:15 am
As an old wood club maker I did all the custom clubs for the Pros and others. We made some good Woods at Cobra in the 70s and early 80s until Metal took over. They required a lot of steps to make and build in the desired specs;, but it was really fun. They weren’t as long as todays Drivers but the feel and sound was wonderful. I would like to go back to those days on the Tour so the Bombers would have to work harder and use their skills more. The 450 Par 4s would not be a drive and a wedge, and although they would still be the longest it would help equalize things for the shorter hitter.
Their is nothing like hitting a good shot with wood,
Locust
Dec 12, 2018 at 8:37 am
Peter, well done my friend. I have been following your persimmon journey along with the Louisville Golf renaissance for the past year or so. I sense the momentum created by those of us who are tired of the game being bastardized by over commercialization. As many people have come to realize, the game has grown too far way from it’s roots. Jeremy Wright is a pleasure to work with and I encourage everyone to take a strong look at his company. The craftsmanship at Louisville is undeniable. Playing persimmon will help you find your game, and quite possibly, even your soul.
Brad
Dec 12, 2018 at 2:48 am
This is real, honest golf. I admit that I do love smashing metal “woods” miles down the fairway. But, there is something about hitting a real wood right out of the middle that nothing can quite beat.
Peter Schmitt
Dec 12, 2018 at 9:11 am
Well said. Cheers to that!
David Perez
Dec 11, 2018 at 8:40 pm
As Jeremy’s former medical sales partner in Houston, I can attest to His passion for Golf. He is a student of the game and I’m just so happy he is one of the “lucky ones” who had not only the ability, but guts to go all-in on something he loves every single day! He was a successful medical sales Consultant (not rep, as he was probably being modest in his description of his former glory days) and I’m not surprised at his commitment and success in this endeavor. All the best to you, Jeremy. May every drive be straight and true. dp
chuck harvey iv
Dec 11, 2018 at 8:27 pm
It has been a long time since I played persimmon, when I rarely missed a fairway. I used Bailey&Izett woods persimmon & still have my 3&4 wood. Would love to have a driver. Keep us informed. The best to you.
Chuck
Scott
Dec 11, 2018 at 6:47 pm
Well done, Peter! Jeremy and the incredible craftsman at LG ensure the finest replicated hickory clubs available. The hickory game encompasses ALL aspects of the way the game used to be…and what it has seemingly lost over time. The style (knickers/Plus Fours), artistry, camraderie, fine scotch (wee nip), and required skill are all part of the true experience. I hope empassioned, distinguished players will take a moment to google “hickory golf”, visit sites like the Society of Hickory Golfers, and consider expanding and enriching their connection to the game…and the people with whom they share it. There are growing groups, hickory days, and tournaments in all regions of the country…and all are welcomed by deep sincere friendship, rarely found in the modern game. If golf is in your soul, come play
the hickory game…a tie that binds.
Visit: http://www.hickorygolfers.com
ogo
Dec 11, 2018 at 8:08 pm
Not for the average recreational golfer who can’t break 100 honestly by the rules. A lovely persimmon driver in their hands would be scuffed with skymarks all over the varnish paint finish to reveal his abject incompetence and clownish play.
James Kaiser
Dec 11, 2018 at 6:26 pm
Jeremy Wright is a very humble person. He shot 66- 72 to win the Heart of America by a bunch of shots this past summer, he’s one so many modern day hickory titles it would make your head spin, he is sort of like the new Tiger Woods of Hickory golf taking the title over from Randy Jensen. He also won the Foxboro Hickory championships playing reproduction Gutty Percha balls and set a course record he’s an amazing golfer. By the way Andy Just also won the Natuonal Hickory Golf Championship and is an amazing hickory golfer. I can pretty much guarantee you that if Andy or Jeremy play Tiger Woods and it was Tigers first time playing hickory golf he would get a run for his money by either one of these golfers. Been trying to get Justin Thomas out to play these guys too but Justin must be scared to play them????
ogo
Dec 11, 2018 at 8:03 pm
… on a 5200 yard golf course…?!!
Andrew Just
Dec 11, 2018 at 5:58 pm
Great article here. As the son of Elmore Just and a man who wanted to take over the business, I can honestly – jeremy is right for LG. I wish them nothing but the best. I am a lifelong tried and true customer who uses LG in both modern and hickory play.
Peter Schmitt
Dec 11, 2018 at 6:24 pm
Hi Andrew! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the kind words. Your family started something very special that you are no doubt very proud of so I consider your opinion high praise indeed. I look forward to building a proper stable of Louisville Golf clubs myself in the (hopefully) near future.
Robert T Leonard
Dec 11, 2018 at 5:21 pm
I have beautiful persimmons (refinished Clevelands from the 80’s) that I might like to occasionally play with. I usually play with ProV1’s or TP5’s golf balls. Should I play with a softer ball if using persimmon woods?
Peter Schmitt
Dec 11, 2018 at 5:56 pm
Yes I would advise a softer ball. The Wilson Duo lineup is very popular among the persimmon crowd due to its low compression. I think Chrome Soft (not the X) is relatively low as well. You’ll also find the feel to be super addicting IMO. Happy hunting. Isn’t it fun?
Robert T Leonard
Dec 11, 2018 at 6:37 pm
Will try the Wilson. Thank you.
Steve
Dec 11, 2018 at 2:28 pm
I have a set, driver and niblicks… the niblicks are a great idea except that I play on a lot of hardpan… the driver is brilliant, but I mostly use it for practice.
ogo
Dec 11, 2018 at 2:16 pm
Persimmon… no COR… no weight adjustment… no 460cc… no hosel adjustments… no impact crack… no annual status model change… just wood body, plastic faceplate, lead backweight, steel soleplate and varnish. That’s no fuuun…. 😛
Peter Schmitt
Dec 11, 2018 at 4:31 pm
If memory serves me right, I think the COR for a persimmon wood is generally around 0.78 for what it’s worth. Not exactly right at the 0.83 limit, but no slouch either. And Jeremy actually showed me a vintage hickory shafted persimmon wood with an adjustable hosel, so it was actually done long before it was considered “cool.”
Andrew Just
Dec 11, 2018 at 6:01 pm
People freak out when I hit a PROV1 with hickory shafts and Persimmon heads further than their Taylor Mades
ogo
Dec 11, 2018 at 8:00 pm
Thank you for your brave presence on this open fine forum provided by the fine GWRX folks… your personal responses are appreciated. Now… do you own a persimmon driver? I do, an old Powerbilt driver with an A-flex steel shaft, not exactly hickory. I love that or gasmic {{{THUD}}} upon impact between the scr ews… it’s glorious …!!
Peter Schmitt
Dec 11, 2018 at 9:10 pm
I own several steel-shafted persimmon woods and am hoping to dive head first into the hickory shafted realm in the near future. Like most people, I left persimmon behind back in the 90’s. Once I went back, though, I kind of forgot why I left. When you hit a balata ball perfectly with a persimmon wood, it changes you….
Tay
Dec 14, 2018 at 2:32 pm
You would love the hickory game. Give it a try. For me, it was like learning the game all over again (in a good way).
A. Commoner
Dec 11, 2018 at 1:50 pm
A really good article. We could use more writing like this.
Peter Schmitt
Dec 11, 2018 at 3:10 pm
We could use more comments like this too! Appreciate the kind words.