The Long and the short of it

As a kid I grew up watching Star Trek fascinated by future technology, but then communicators where fantasy and know we all have mobile phones, unthinkable back then. Even when The Next Generation came out in 1987 they crew where using computer tablets 20 years before we saw an I pad.

But as life goes on we grow to embrace the newest of technology, well apart from golf maybe.

Every now and again a few ne’er-do-wells bemoan the MOI of drivers, changes in the balls etc. and demand technological advancement be curtailed.

I for one have never hit a wooden wood, a hickory shaft or a feathery golf ball. I doubt whether I have the required technical skill to use any.

All my golf has been played with metal woods, cavity back irons and modern balls.

Now don’t get me wrong without a shadow of a doubt I hit my Taylor Made R11 a good 40 yards further than my first driver and due to shaft technology with a lot less spin, I have Wilson Staff short irons that produce spin where I had none before, but am I playing of scratch ? Well no.

Technology in golf has little bearing on players at my level, but without doubt has a huge influence on pro’s and good armatures.

Most golfers today are like a single 40 year old woman, obsessed with length.

While many, particularly in the media, are quick to jump on the anti technology band wagon, especially regarding golf balls, let us not forget the advancement made by players fitness.

Tiger, yes get ready for it, set the bar as regards golf fitness, closely followed by Annika Sorenstam, the two of them took it to a new level.

The vast majority of pros now spend as much time in the gym as they do on the range and there are also diet changes as well.

The modern day golf pro if very much a fine tuned athlete, this has to contribute to the distances they hit the ball, doesn’t it ?

But the cold hard truth is to the average unfit 14 handicap golfer technology makes very little difference.

You can go and buy the most expensive ball on the market, as used by the pro’s, but if you do not generate their swing speed it will make no difference to you, a mid range ball will perform just as well, if not better.

The same goes with a diver.

I had the pleasure of being up close and personal with Bubba Watson last year, the way that man strikes a ball is phenomenal, but could I hit his driver, with his shaft ?? Never in a million years! His torque and swing sweet are just in a different league to anything I have seen.

But I do have one major gripe, because everyone is so obsessed with length the average golfer is suffering, par 4’s at 500 yards, 230 yard par 3’s ! Really guys come on.

The Postage Stamp at Royal Troon is 123 yards, yet its one of the hardest par 3’s in Major golf.

We all complain about slow play, long par 3’s and 200+ yard carries on par 4 and 5’s are a major contribution to this.

Old classic courses are getting destroyed by so called golf architects looking to extend holes with stupid new tee boxes! Why?? Because bit hitters can now clear the hazards‘.

Here’s a thought, instead of stretching courses out why not install new bunkers and hazards ??

Would that not make more sense ?

We can not stop people hitting the ball further but we can make it harder for them rather than make it impossible for the rest of us.

One to beam up Scotty.