# Chapter 5: Equipment & Technology

Golf · Chapter 5: Equipment & Technology · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/golf/interesting-facts/chapter-5-equipment-technology/)

Equipment and technology: golf balls, Ping, oversized drivers, famous putters, carts, grips and shoes, tees, greenkeeping science, new materials and ranges and simulators.

## 5.51 Balls Through the Ages

From the bramble to the two-piece ball: patterns, covers and the limits on the ball.

### Test 1: Golf balls

- Dimples soon replaced raised patterns. (Source: British Golf Museum, equipment collection; USGA Museum, equipment history)
- It was one of the best-selling balls in Britain for decades. (Source: British Golf Museum, equipment collection)
- He went on to make balls that were checked the same way. (Source: Acushnet Company, Titleist history)
- A tree sap that cut easily but spun well. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history)
- A solid core and a tough cover, built to last. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history)
- That is 1.62 ounces. (Source: The R&A and USGA, Equipment Standards)
- Balls are tested by a machine before approval. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history, equipment testing)
- The 1840s, about 1900, 1968 and 2000. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history)
- 1935, 1971 and 2000. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history; Acushnet Company)
- The pattern looked like a blackberry. (Source: British Golf Museum, equipment collection)

## 5.52 Ping and Karsten Solheim

The engineer who made a putter in his garage, the Anser and the colour code.

### Test 1: Ping

- The first putter made a clear ringing note. (Source: PING, company history)
- He built his first putter in his garage. (Source: PING, company history)
- His family moved to the USA when he was a child. (Source: PING, company history)
- His wife Louise suggested 'answer'. (Source: PING, company history)
- The copies are kept in the company's vault. (Source: PING, company history, Gold Putter Vault)
- The case was settled in 1990. (Source: PING, company history; USGA)
- In Phoenix, since the 1960s. (Source: PING, company history)
- 1959, 1966, 1982 and 1990. (Source: PING, company history)
- The marks show whether the toe or heel dug in. (Source: PING, company history, fitting system)
- Each colour is a step more upright or flatter. (Source: PING, company history, colour code chart)

## 5.53 Big Bertha and Oversized Drivers

How drivers went from wood to steel and titanium, and grew until the Rules stopped them.

### Test 1: Oversized drivers

- The name promised power. (Source: Callaway Golf, company history)
- Its oversized steel head was a huge hit. (Source: Callaway Golf, company history)
- He was in his sixties when the golf company took off. (Source: Callaway Golf, company history)
- Steel from Pittsburgh replacing the old wood. (Source: TaylorMade Golf, company history)
- Lighter than steel, so the head could grow. (Source: Callaway Golf, company history)
- A pendulum test measures the contact time. (Source: The R&A and USGA, Equipment Standards)
- Four screw-in weights changed the flight. (Source: TaylorMade Golf, company history)
- 1979, 1991, 2004 and 2008. (Source: Callaway Golf, company history; TaylorMade; USGA)
- About 150, 190 and 460 cubic centimetres. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history; Callaway Golf, company history)
- Weight towards the heel helps a draw. (Source: TaylorMade Golf; USGA)

## 5.54 Famous Putters

Calamity Jane, the big Response ZT, Tiger's Newport, Little Ben and the long-putter era.

### Test 1: Famous putters

- A rusty blade with a hickory shaft. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history; Bobby Jones Golf)
- Its big head sold out within weeks. (Source: Masters.com, 1986; MacGregor Golf)
- He changed it only rarely. (Source: Titleist, Scotty Cameron history)
- He used it from his teens. (Source: Wilson Golf; USGA Museum)
- Cabrera lost the play-off. (Source: Masters.com, 2013)
- Long putters stayed legal if not anchored. (Source: The R&A and USGA, Rules history)
- He then putted side-saddle instead. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history, Rules history)
- 1968, 1986, 2013 and 2016. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history; Masters.com)
- About 34, 42 and 50 inches. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history, equipment)
- Launched in 2001, it became a best-seller. (Source: Odyssey Golf, company history)

## 5.55 Golf Carts

Cart makers, cart towns, the Casey Martin case and the cart rules of the course.

### Test 1: Golf carts

- Also home of the Masters. (Source: E-Z-GO and Club Car, company histories)
- It has around a hundred miles of cart paths. (Source: City of Peachtree City, golf cart paths)
- A circulation disorder made walking painful. (Source: US Supreme Court, PGA Tour v. Martin (2001))
- Residents ride them to shops and clubs. (Source: The Villages, Florida, golf cart guide)
- Unless given a medical exemption. (Source: PGA Tour, player regulations)
- Usually after heavy rain. (Source: PGA of America, course etiquette guide)
- Some can also order food to the turn. (Source: PGA of America, course technology guide)
- 1954, 1958 and 2001. (Source: Company histories; US Supreme Court)
- Taking a few clubs saves a second trip. (Source: PGA of America, course etiquette guide)
- It spreads the wear across the fairway. (Source: PGA of America, course etiquette guide)

## 5.56 Grips, Gloves and Shoes

Rubber grips, leather gloves, metal and soft spikes, and spikeless shoes.

### Test 1: Grips, gloves and shoes

- Before that, grips were wrapped by hand. (Source: Golf Pride, company history)
- A thin, soft sheepskin. (Source: FootJoy, glove guide)
- They left marks on the putting surface. (Source: USGA Green Section Record)
- He finished sixth wearing them. (Source: Masters.com, 2010)
- Gloves are allowed on the green. (Source: PGA of America, instruction)
- It began with leather grips in Chicago. (Source: Lamkin, company history)
- They can be worn off the course too. (Source: FootJoy, shoe guide)
- Early 1900s, 1950s, 1990s and 2010s. (Source: Golf Pride; FootJoy; USGA Museum)
- The solvent lets the grip slide, then dries. (Source: Golf Pride, regripping guide)
- They grip without tearing the greens. (Source: USGA Green Section Record)

## 5.57 Tees and Small Inventions

The wooden tee, the Reddy Tee, sand tees and the hole cutter.

### Test 1: Tees and small inventions

- A Boston dentist and the first African American on Harvard's dental faculty. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history; Harvard School of Dental Medicine)
- He was a New Jersey dentist. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history)
- He toured with trick-shot artist Joe Kirkwood. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history)
- Hence the name. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history)
- Made in 1829; the R&A adopted its size in 1891. (Source: British Golf Museum, equipment collection; The R&A, Rules history)
- Players made a small sand cone for the ball. (Source: British Golf Museum, equipment collection)
- Some plastic tees have a step to set the height. (Source: PGA of America, equipment guide)
- 1829, 1899, 1921 and 1935. (Source: British Golf Museum, equipment collection; USGA Museum, equipment history)
- Caddies often made the tee. (Source: British Golf Museum, equipment collection)
- A brush inside cleans the ball. (Source: PGA of America, course equipment)

## 5.58 Grass and Greenkeeping Science

Mowers, the Stimpmeter, grasses for heat, cold and salt, and how greens are built.

### Test 1: Greenkeeping science

- The holes are then filled with sand. (Source: USGA Green Section, turf research)
- An English engineer; mowers soon replaced sheep and scythes. (Source: Science Museum Group, Budding lawnmower)
- They had been Bermuda before. (Source: Masters.com, course history)
- It grows well in the cool sea air. (Source: USGA Green Section, turf research; Pebble Beach Company)
- It copes with salt better than most. (Source: USGA Green Section, turf research)
- It keeps the course green in winter. (Source: USGA Green Section, turf research)
- Sand drains well and resists packing. (Source: USGA Green Section, turf research, green construction)
- 1830, 1935, 1960 and 1981. (Source: USGA Green Section, turf research; Science Museum Group)
- From a few millimetres up to several centimetres. (Source: USGA Green Section, turf research)
- It keeps the greens firm in any weather. (Source: Masters.com; SubAir Systems)

## 5.59 New Materials

Steel, graphite, titanium, tungsten and carbon fibre in the modern club.

### Test 1: New materials

- Makers cut the twist, or torque, over the years. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history)
- He later became the USGA's technical director. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history)
- A little of it moves the centre of gravity a lot. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history, equipment)
- A low centre of gravity helps launch. (Source: TaylorMade Golf; Callaway Golf)
- Sixty layers of carbon sheet. (Source: TaylorMade Golf, Stealth launch (2022))
- Software tried thousands of face shapes. (Source: Callaway Golf, Epic Flash launch (2019))
- Hickory varied from shaft to shaft. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history)
- The 1920s and 1930s, about 1970, the 1990s and 2022. (Source: USGA Museum, equipment history; TaylorMade)
- About 1.6, 4.5, 7.8 and 19.3 grams per cubic centimetre. (Source: Materials data; USGA)
- It weighs far less than metal. (Source: TaylorMade Golf; Callaway Golf)

## 5.60 Ranges, Simulators and Topgolf

Topgolf, radar launch monitors, screen golf and city ranges.

### Test 1: Ranges and simulators

- At Watford, north of London. (Source: Topgolf, company history)
- Targets read the chip. (Source: Topgolf, company history)
- They wanted to make range practice a game. (Source: Topgolf, company history)
- It began in Sweden as Protracer. (Source: Topgolf, Toptracer history)
- Golf courses there are few and costly. (Source: Golfzon, company history)
- Many golfers there practise far more than they play. (Source: Japan Golf Association, golf in Japan)
- They are often lower-grade balls too. (Source: PGA of America, range operations)
- 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2021. (Source: Topgolf, company history; Trackman)
- Closer to the centre scores more. (Source: Topgolf, company history)
- The venues have bars and music. (Source: Topgolf, company history)

Sources: Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia: the USGA Museum, the British Golf Museum, The R&A and USGA Equipment Standards, the USGA Green Section, maker histories. Facts already asked in golf Knowledge Testing (feathery, gutty, Haskell, ball size, persimmon, hickory, shaft flexes, the Pro V1, ball testing) are left out.

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