Vintage Masters WITB Shots

[MoaningM]

Great photos,

 

Is that a set of Wison Staff FG 17 in Langer's bag? I got a set of those around here - great irons!

[jaskanski]

Great post, Matt.

I love to look at the old stuff. Plenty of lead tape for Langer and Faldo! I remember Olly's bag quite well. I got a peek into his bag at the 1993 Ryder Cup. I dreamt of having a set of Marumans once. When Olly won using the prototype Burner Bubble (the first metal head driver at the Masters I think), I just had to get one myself. Like everyone else, I got swept along with the hype surrounding the Bubble shaft and I finally got to purchase one in 1995. A very pricey £239 at the time. Happy days.

[birdieputt]

Interesting pics. Love Langer's Raylor with the steel shaft. Still amazes me how square toe'd blades used to be, just, a little before my time i suppose.

[mat562]

That wood of Langer's was shafted up with the beloved old Flex Twist Graphite shaft - as played by yours truly until only three or four years ago.

 

Those FG17s of Langer's were amazing things. Possibly the most knackered set I've ever seen in a pro's bag by the time they were finally retired. The toes on them were ground to be especially square and it looks like they had a sale on for lead tape where he got them. That Wood Brothers Texan driver signalled the end of an era; as alluded to above it was the last wooden driver to win at Augusta and ended up being one of the last persimmon drivers in play on the European Tour along with Anders Forsbrand's old MacGregor.

 

I also managed to get hold of one of those first TM Bubble drivers - with the same grey head as Ollie's and the all-black Bubble shaft. Cracking driver - but I foolishly sold it and ended up with a regular orange-headed one that was a piece of junk instead.

 

That Cobra wedge was a rare one to find (at least over here in the UK) and, as well as Crenshaw winning with one, it was also in Greg Norman's bag for his Open Championship win at Sandwich.

 

I'll try and fish out a few more old photos for old fogies like us to have a gawp at. From the days when men were men, balls were balata and a 'hybrid' was a thing from the local garden centre.

[freddiec]

Matt,

You gotta post some more pics like this if you have any more in any of your magazines. I love this stuff. I love all the older equipment played in the 80s. It was so different to the cyber techie stuff we play today. Please post more!!! I love it. Especially if you got some persimmon shots. I know Bob Tway used to use a similar Texas driver like Ollie. Great post!!!

[Dire Wolf]

Tiger's old bag still looks DAMN good to me!

[mikey634w]

All Metal woods should have been banned years ago..

Woods are called woods for a reason... they are supposed to be made of wood..

 

Could you imagine if Major League Baseball went to aluminum bats or even worse, titanium bats...

and to top it off, made the bats as wide around as grapefruits? Then every second baseman could hit

100 plus homers a year and break Ruths records..

 

Welcome to the USGA..

 

I can't believe they allowed this to happen..

 

they sold out the game...

 

pathetic..

And irons aren't made out of iron anymore so let's change that as well!

 

Your sentiments do ring true though. Only the other day I was speaking to the creator of this thread regarding the death of ball striking. Everyone fears long irons now and anyone born after 1985 probably hasn't hit a wooden headed driver!

 

The fact is though that they all play with the same equipment. No-one has an advantage of another because of what they use. Courses have gotten longer and more difficult to accomodate and as a result, scores haven't dramatically reduced in the last 20 years. Add to that the fact that modern equipment has allowed more people to play the game and then all of a sudden, it's not such a bad thing.

 

Great pics by the way. Another chance to reminisce on when men were men and still hit long irons.

 

The bore-through deep face wasn't made specifically for Tiger but you didn't see many of them about. I want to say that Payne Stewart used one for a short time but I could be wrong. I believe Cobra produced a limited number of comemorative versions after Tigers '97 Masters win.

 

You are both very correct. While scores haven't changed and 2009 courses look different than 1979 courses the game has changed. Golf could also be called "smash the ball" while it used to be called "control the ball." The modern game allows for more money and interest to flow through it but I'm not sure it's a better game for it. I would have loved to live in an era where you could find a great set of clubs and play them for 20 years.

[SwingLikeElk]

I disagree.

 

New clubs have made the game more enjoyable for a guy who plays five times a year who can't hit a forged iron, etc.

 

It really hasn't made the Tour level player a great deal better. Possibly a bit more refined. At their level, it's still a shot makers game.

 

The last 4 holes in Hawaii where Zach Johnson won this past weekend are sharp doglegs left. He can't bomb tee shots over the trouble so he had to shape the ball. He beat everyone including players who out drive him by 40 yards. David Toms, who finished second or third is also a short hitter who nearly won.

 

Back in the day, there were guys who bombed their "woods" past everyone and there were guys who shaped them. It's not the technology. It's the human.

[hos]

Langer's bag is to die for if you pulled that ugly 1 iron and metal wood out! Love the Wood Bros. driver. Still don't have one of those. I am refinishing my fg-17's this year. Think I'll skip that wicked toe grind though.

 

Bring on more pics.!!!! Great thread!

[mikey634w]

I disagree.

 

New clubs have made the game more enjoyable for a guy who plays five times a year who can't hit a forged iron, etc.

 

It really hasn't made the Tour level player a great deal better. Possibly a bit more refined. At their level, it's still a shot makers game.

 

The last 4 holes in Hawaii where Zach Johnson won this past weekend are sharp doglegs left. He can't bomb tee shots over the trouble so he had to shape the ball. He beat everyone including players who out drive him by 40 yards. David Toms, who finished second or third is also a short hitter who nearly won.

 

Back in the day, there were guys who bombed their "woods" past everyone and there were guys who shaped them. It's not the technology. It's the human.

 

Unfortunately it's not a debatable issue. How players get the ball in the hole today is different from 30 years ago. The ball flies different and players swings and equipment are much different. There have always been short and long hitters from the begining of time. It's somewhat sad that there might be a Cory Pavin out there somewhere that will never win a major because the modern premium is not on shotmaking. It would be cool to sit down with players who have played through the transition like a Faldo, Couples, Langer and others who can speak of the differences first hand. Yes, shotmaking will always play a role, but never before has that role been less significant than it is now.

[mshills]

New clubs have made the game more enjoyable for a guy who plays five times a year who can't hit a forged iron, etc.

 

***SNIP***

 

It's not the technology. It's the human.

 

Are you sure about that? I'm not spoiling for a fight here, but I seem to recall reading somewhere (I know, does not make it true...) that the average registered handicap has NOT decreased over the last 20+ years.

 

If that is true, I wonder if equipment has made the game easier at all. I do not think that it has, but I will also admit that most courses that I've seen constructed over the last decade or so are far longer and overall too difficult.

[SwingLikeElk]

I'm not looking for a fight either. Just was looking at some sweet old pix. However, I NEVER SAID new clubs would lower a handicap. I said they would make the game more enjoyable, and they surely do.

 

Hybrids, cavity backs, bigger sweet spots, for the casual player equate to longer and possibly a more impressive flight (deeper into the woods) and fewer bee stings, etc. That sort of thing.

[SwingLikeElk]

*QUOTED*Unfortunately it's not a debatable issue. How players get the ball in the hole today is different from 30 years ago. The ball flies different and players swings and equipment are much different. There have always been short and long hitters from the begining of time. It's somewhat sad that there might be a Cory Pavin out there somewhere that will never win a major because the modern premium is not on shotmaking. It would be cool to sit down with players who have played through the transition like a Faldo, Couples, Langer and others who can speak of the differences first hand. Yes, shotmaking will always play a role, but never before has that role been less significant than it is now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I realize this topic is to enjoy the old Masters clubs pix but if you feel golf is not really a shotmakers game anymore you are simply out of touch with reality.

 

Go ahead and bomb the hell out of it. That's great! But now you're 185 out with a cross wind and you need to carry water to a back left plateaued flag. Just bomb it again and we'll see how well you do. The game is all about shot making.

 

Tiger, for example, can save par from places that would make Seve look like Fred Funk and he doesn't always do it from the fairway! He has to create and visualize things I could never imagine. That is shotmaking. It doesn't matter if we all use lasers in 30 years. How you use the laser to create shots will be the most important thing.

 

Of course clubs are longer but it's an even playing field. Pavin, by the way, had a pretty good year last year and he won his major because of his shot making and his unique tenacity. If there is another Pavin out there somewhare, he will win a major one day, trust me.

[OldSkoolTexan]

Unfortunately it's not a debatable issue. How players get the ball in the hole today is different from 30 years ago. The ball flies different and players swings and equipment are much different. There have always been short and long hitters from the begining of time. It's somewhat sad that there might be a Cory Pavin out there somewhere that will never win a major because the modern premium is not on shotmaking. It would be cool to sit down with players who have played through the transition like a Faldo, Couples, Langer and others who can speak of the differences first hand. Yes, shotmaking will always play a role, but never before has that role been less significant than it is now.

I realize this topic is to enjoy the old Masters clubs pix but if you feel golf is not really a shotmakers game anymore you are simply out of touch with reality. Go ahead and bomb the hell out of it. That's great! But now you're 185 out with a cross wind and you need to carry water to a back left plateaued flag. Just bomb it again and we'll see how well you do. The game is all about shot making.Tiger, for example, can save par from places that would make Seve look like Fred Funk and he doesn't always do it from the fairway! He has to create and visualize things I could never imagine. That is shotmaking. It doesn't matter if we all use lasers in 30 years. How you use the laser to create shots will be the most important thing.Of course clubs are longer but it's an even playing field. Pavin, by the way, had a pretty good year last year and he won his major because of his shot making and his unique tenacity. If there is another Pavin out there somewhare, he will win a major one day, trust me.

+1, I agree totally...  

 

btw: you're wasting your breath trying to explain the art of shotmaking to someone that cant understand it.....

[paddy2]

My grandfather on mums side said they are making the game so much fun with the new the new equipment while my grandad on my dads side said the game should remain the same,my dad still complains how far his grandson can hit the ball and how much easier the game is for him in this day and age while his grandma smiles every time he comes home and says how far he hit the ball.What I like is seeing my son make his gran smile.Twenty years ago we would not be having these conversations but due to technology we can listen to all manner of opinions,but the one thing technology will not change is the smile my great grandfather my grandfather my father and myself have whenever we have the time to play golf.

[Jack lives here]

I don't remember that Cobra driver being a bore-thru. Its also in the 3rd bag pic, non-bore-thru. Maybe the whole "Tour vs. Retail" dates back further than we thought....

 

 

 

 

May I suggest that Tiger, or at least some one in Tigers camp, has bored these clubs out with the idea of having the shaft go all the way through to the sole. I'm not sure what benefit this may create, however on the basis that one is a Cobra and the other a Titleist and the bores are similar it is safe to assume these were customized by Tiger.

 

Man he used to nuke that Cobra driver....perhaps he should put it back in the bag LOL

[mat562]

From what I remember, the original bore-through Titleist PTs were cobbled together by Titleist for Woods. Obviously there was a retail version with the silly tip size shaft that was made available to the mass market a few years later, but I remember reading that several original ones were made for Woods a few years before that. Presumably, that's one of them.

 

Mention of that Cobra driver is taking me back. I've still got my old faithful, complete with a two-tone Sandvik shaft in it, knocking about somewhere. Without a doubt, it's the best driver I've ever hit. God knows why I ever retired it for a 975D thinking back...

[Milo]

Cool find mate! Wow those clubs look mean!! :good:

 

I'm glad that I still keep a set of the MP-14 whose serial number on the ferrule is 07770 - very special; an entire set of 2-PW. I lef tthis set together with my old-school vokey wedges in Shanghai for business rounds.

 

MP-14 is definitely one of the classic sets that are difficult to play hahaha

 

Where do you play in Shanghai?

[Nate1693]

Does anyone know what type of Marumans are in Olazabal's bag in the second picture? I can read that they are some model of conductor, but can't make it all out. They appear really similar to the Maruman Curtis Strange signature blades. Just curious.

[bma725]

[quote name='Jack lives here' post='1815272' date='Jul 13 2009, 07:40 AM']May I suggest that Tiger, or at least some one in Tigers camp, has bored these clubs out with the idea of having the shaft go all the way through to the sole. I'm not sure what benefit this may create, however on the basis that one is a Cobra and the other a Titleist and the bores are similar it is safe to assume these were customized by Tiger.

Man he used to nuke that Cobra driver....perhaps he should put it back in the bag LOL[/quote]

Actually, they weren't customized for Tiger, they were customized for Greg Norman. The story on those drivers is that when Tiger and Norman were both clients of Butch before Tiger turned pro, they were seeing Butch at the same time and started fooling around with each others clubs. Tiger ended up loving a couple of Norman's clubs, so Norman had Cobra send Tiger a few drivers that were set up exactly like his, including the bore thru. That's also the reason that at least briefly, Tiger played a Cobra Greg Norman Grind Cavity back 1 iron.

[bma725]

[quote name='ragu421' post='1122970' date='Jun 17 2008, 04:06 PM'][quote name='lagpressure' post='1041316' date='Apr 27 2008, 03:21 PM']All Metal woods should have been banned years ago..
Woods are called woods for a reason... they are supposed to be made of wood..

Could you imagine if Major League Baseball went to aluminum bats or even worse, titanium bats...
and to top it off, made the bats as wide around as grapefruits? Then every second baseman could hit
100 plus homers a year and break Ruths records..

Welcome to the USGA..

I can't believe they allowed this to happen..

they sold out the game...

pathetic..[/quote]
Whaaaaat? WOW! Ive never heard this statement before.Whats in YOUR bag? Surely you arent still hitting "wood" woods?
[/quote]

Actually he is.

For those who don't know, LagPressure is former Canadian Tour Winner and Australian Tour player John Erikson. He's one of the guys behing the TRGA, Traditional Rules of Golf Association which enforces a set of rules that basically roll equipment back to the 1950s and prior. That means no metal woods, no graphite shafts, no cavity backs, no lob wedges, no square grooves, no belly or long putters etc.

So when he says that, he's serious.

[mthompson370]

Actually, the MP14's are still made, just not by Mizuno. When Tiger signed w/Titleist they sent him to Miura who made 3 sets of irons for him that are just about exactly the same. Titleist then marketed them as the "T" model, making 2500 sets, then they came out with the 681's for market. Tiger hasn't switched any equipment, just manufacturers. His Nike blades are the same or so similar it doesn't make a dif. We can't buy what he plays with. His Newport putter is exactly the same as the Ping Anser 2 he used as an amateur. Look up Scotty Cameron on Wikipedia and it's all there. Anser 2 cost was @$100, Cameron @$350. It's all marketing to get us to buy NEW clubs that are still the same as those made in the 90's. The only thing that's changed is the chroming process over the forged steel. They got away from the dual layer high copper inner and high nickle outer layer and have gone to a single high nickel layer for reduced cost and time. Just take a look and compare. The MP14's did have a dual coat chrome layer. Miura may have circumvented the patent by only using single layer. Not guessing, I'm a research nut!

[TimeToFly]

very cool. that was back in the day when players didnt have new clubs for practically every other round, hehe. love it

[big_mac]

Cool pix Matt! Thanks for the post.

[Caldymat]

Will have to dig out my TM Raylor from the garage, what a club that was!!! hal sutton used it for ages too.

Those PT fairways where definately easier to hit though.
I'd like to know what Marumans they used also.

[Janga549]

Wow, thanks for the pictures and the information. And for the inputs of everyone.

I play old time blades Ben Hogan Apex 2's, and for what i give up in distance with the regular degrees of that time, i think it makes up in accuracy. Yes one does have to have a better swing because there isnt any forgiveness. There is no two ways about blades, learn to swing them or go with the "new technology".

If the golf club manufacturer's couldnt sell something new (with the implied promise of improvement) then they would go out of business. Seems to be that people are always looking for an easy way out. I bet there is a ground assayer just waiting to make a buck on Ben Hogan's "the secret is in the dirt."

Golfer know thy self.

[DaveTrom]

Nick Faldos Mizuno Irons look pretty awesome back then

[stickman]

Pretty neat pics... loving Faldo's MP14s!

[The Gachet]

[quote name='DaveTrom' timestamp='1277940199' post='2547729']
Nick Faldos Mizuno Irons look pretty awesome back then
[/quote]
[quote name='stickman' timestamp='1277941101' post='2547757']
Pretty neat pics... loving Faldo's MP14s!
[/quote]
Yeah, they were the European Tour issue model Mizuno 'Tour Proven' TP-19's.

[335hosel]

[quote name='mat562' timestamp='1209171011' post='1039479']
For those who are interested, some shots of the bags of former Masters winners:

'93 to '97 Inclusive; Langer, Olazabal, Crenshaw, Faldo, Woods.
[/quote]


I am also surprised that no one commented on the King Cobra Fairway woods in Crenshaws bag? There is a little word stamped below the bottom line that says, "tour". Try finding one of those anywhere? Probably as hard to find that 3 and 4 wood as it is to find a deep face with a bore thru shaft!