Tour News

The world’s best were outdriven by Arnold Palmer

Published

12 years ago

Sep 3, 2014

Remember when golfers would literally “hit it on the screws” with their driver? Modern technology has caused the phrase to become outdated (yet still fun to say), but it was briefly relevant at the BMW Championship on Tuesday.

In honor of Arnold’s Palmer’s historic drive at the 1960 U.S. Open, the world’s best players teed off on hole No. 1 with a persimmon driver at Cherry Hills Country Club during a Tuesday practice round for the BMW Championship.

At the 1960 U.S. Open, Palmer drove the first green, a 346-yard par 4, leaving himself 22 feet for eagle. He two-putted for birdie en route to a 6-under par 65, and a two-stroke victory over amateur Jack Nicklaus. Golfers at the 2014 BMW Championship traveled back in time, attempting to drive the green with a persimmon driver released circa 1960.

Via the Denver Post

Although players of today’s era are considered to be the longer off the tee than ever, no one came close to matching Palmer’s feat. Rory McIlroy was the closest, finding a fairway bunker 49 yards short of the green.

“He was one of the longer players of the day, but it’s still pretty impressive to get to the green with this style club,” McIlroy said, according to the Denver Post.

Zach Johnson, Keegan Bradley, Camilo Villegas, Hunter Mahan and others also took a hack with the persimmon stick, all coming up well short of the green. Johnson hit two drives with the throwback driver, both finding the fairway bunker about 290 yards from the tee, according to sources. He then pulled out his modern driver, but hooked it way left.

“Can he hit that old wood club again?” his caddy, Damon Green, joked, according to the Denver Post.

Here’s Mahan’s attempt:

The BMW Championship will play the first hole from the “Arnold Palmer tee” all four days of the championship at Cherry Hills in honor of his famous final round drive in 1960.

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

26 Comments

Chris Andersen

Sep 7, 2014 at 3:57 pm

they actually DID use an old balata ball, here is the link from PGA Tour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIAjB5MbQgE

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Jayne

Sep 4, 2014 at 6:09 pm

RF

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WarrenPeace

Sep 4, 2014 at 4:44 pm

I have seen Arnie hit the ball when he was still mostly in his prime and he could flat move it back then. We grew up playing persimmon and balatas and although the average tour drive was 240 something, I had friends that could hit it well into the mid+ 300 yrd range consistently. It is much easier to hit it higher and straighter now. The only guy I have seen who hits it like Arnie was Sergio- They both hit it so hard that you can’t pick up the ball for 250 yds- like a shot out of a gun. Whereas Nicklaus hit it long, high and soft- complete opposite of Arnie, low. penetrating and hard. The courses back then weren’t manicured and over watered like now…making roll out easier for a ball flight of a Palmer. These PGA tour pros stop driver in the fairway like we stop a well hit wedge. NO ROLL.

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talljohn777

Sep 4, 2014 at 2:43 pm

And if these guys had to also use the same ball Mr. Palmer used they would be even worse off.

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leo

Sep 4, 2014 at 1:41 pm

the equipment is by far the main reason todays players hit it so much farther.while it is tough to compare players from different eras it is clear when you compare players against themselves. rory can drive it on that opening hole at cherry hills with his modern 3 wood but could not come close with the old driver.if you look at the guys on the champions tour most are hitting it much farther than they did in their prime.it is not fitness or trackman it is the club and the ball

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AP

Sep 4, 2014 at 1:22 pm

For me the incredible thing is that you have some of the longest drivers, that can hit 350+ with their own drivers go out there and only come in around 300yds. The newer balls were likely an ADVANTAGE for them as well. It really goes to show how much technology has changed the game. IMO its a shame woods aren’t still made from wood, it makes a pretty significant change in the way the game is played and how courses are set up.

Oh, and I’m not some old fart that is just bitter about the changes too, I’m 29 and started playing with metal woods.

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- NSCohen17
  
  Sep 5, 2014 at 11:17 am
  
  In other words, you have no idea what you are saying. New balls don’t spin like the old balata balls and, due to the differences in the COG and weight distribution, among other things, are a distinct disadvantage off a persimmon wood (not to mention the damage the harder balls would cause to the wood itself). I may be an “old fart”, but at least I’m old enough to know to keep my mouth shut when I have no clue what I’m talking about.
  
  Reply Report comment
Woody

Sep 4, 2014 at 3:36 am

You do realize that in 1960 they had those squishy wound-rubber ball things, right?

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- NSCohen17
  
  Sep 4, 2014 at 11:34 am
  
  I am curious what balls they used for this trial. A deep-faced, low lofted persimmon driver would probably not hit a modern ball very far – a wound balata with its spin characteristics probably would go farther. On the other hand, if they were hitting wound balata balls like Arnie did in 1960, they were probably not very lively in 2014 – my recollection is that wound balatas had a shelf life of about two years tops before they started to go dead. Or is there still a place from which to source new wound balatas?
  
  Reply Report comment
Cwolf

Sep 3, 2014 at 9:55 pm

Let me guess, bubba refused to participate

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Chris

Sep 3, 2014 at 9:49 pm

One must keep in mind that Arnold’s swing at that time was tailored to hit that club and ball combination. He probably hit tens of thousands of balls on the range using period specific clubs/balls. Today’s players’ swings are tuned for modern equipment, not a steel shafted persimmon. Given enough range time with the persimmon, I’m sure most of today’s long guys could hit it as far as Arnold.

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- Happyday_J
  
  Sep 4, 2014 at 12:38 am
  
  Completely agree!
  
  Not to mention that it was the final round of the Open, so I’d be willing to bet anything that Arnold may have had just a tad bit more adrenaline running through his body in comparison to these guys in a practice round. lol
  
  Also, with the US Open in June, I’m sure the climate was a heck of a lot different as well, the hot conditions also give Palmer an advantage in comparison to these guys this week.
  
  Reply Report comment
moses

Sep 3, 2014 at 7:33 pm

I have to take this article with a BIG grain of salt. Arnold was not 50 yards longer than today’s longest players. Obviously the show was to honor Arnold but c’mon. Did Arnold tee off exactly from the same spot. I can’t buy that Arnold hit a 340 plus yard drive back in 1960 with a persimon driver and the old old tech ball. I read somewhere back in the day that the tees were up and Arnold’s the hole played somewhere around 300 yards. Hitting 300 yards in 1960 is a feat in itself but Arnold hitting 340 plus yards on that hole did not happen.

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- Sean O'Malley
  
  Sep 4, 2014 at 2:44 pm
  
  and you would be WRONG.
  
  Reply Report comment
- RI_Redneck
  
  Sep 7, 2014 at 11:44 am
  
  5000+ elevation and a 30+ ft drop to the green from the tee helps a bit too. With the firm fairways of the day and a carry of 320, that shot is completely possible. At sea level and flat terrain, the same shot would only carry about 270. I could carry my persimmon drive that far in the ’80s and I was FAR CRY from being equal to Arnie!!!!
  
  Yeah sure, that was the driver he hit EVERY DAY, so he had a huge advantage over the new guys. Give them a month or so to get used to swinging it and they could reach no problem.
  
  BT
  
  Reply Report comment
Rwj

Sep 3, 2014 at 5:18 pm

Bubba hit his 3 iron

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gvogel

Sep 3, 2014 at 3:20 pm

Arnold was not as long as Jack. Give Rory a chance to get the right shaft and driver head, and I’m pretty sure he could duplicate Arnold’s feat.

Back in the day, Arnold, Jack and the rest were very particular about the drivers they used.

ON the other hand, Rory did hit the green with his modern 3-wood.

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Bob Rotella

Sep 3, 2014 at 2:27 pm

Takes away from the fun, but a great point:

http://books.google.com/books?id=eBB7l1IfAMUC&pg=PT118&lpg=PT118&dq=Bob+Rotella+arnold+palmer+cherry+hills&source=bl&ots=5qvQeIXJ5c&sig=PhMp1zD4bZcluV7xHb2Rw0Rca9k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Cl0HVLzIOcqnyASgvYLIAg&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Bob%20Rotella%20arnold%20palmer%20cherry%20hills&f=false

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MHendon

Sep 3, 2014 at 2:23 pm

Now maybe we can quit complaining about how far the modern ball goes! lol. But seriously I suspect with agronomy not being nearly as good back in the day he probably got a ton of roll. Still an impressive feet though.

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adan

Sep 3, 2014 at 12:59 pm

*Mjolnir

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adan

Sep 3, 2014 at 12:58 pm

Only Thor can weild Mjolinr! lol

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Chris

Sep 3, 2014 at 12:21 pm

Good thing it was a right handed club, that way Bubba didn’t have to hit it. Everyone knows that Bubba doesn’t goof around.

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tom stickney

Sep 3, 2014 at 12:12 pm

I played there a few years ago and I couldn’t reach the green with my “modern” equipment! Unreal he did it with a wooden driver and a balata ball.

He was a STUD for sure!

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Philip

Sep 3, 2014 at 11:58 am

Did they use a similar ball for spin as Palmer or their regular ball? Just wondering because a ball with more spin would carry more, no? Or is the difference like only 10 yards?

Also, did Palmer have similar conditions for wind as today?

Still fun to see …

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- graymulligan
  
  Sep 3, 2014 at 1:30 pm
  
  I think you’re missing the point. The closest anyone got was 49 yards short. I don’t think there was 50 yards worth of wind/ball spin/etc in play.
  
  Reply Report comment
- MHendon
  
  Sep 3, 2014 at 2:33 pm
  
  Spin would definitely effect the carry but I suspect as stated above the biggest difference would be the firmness of the ground. It would be interesting to know if anyone else drove the green on that day or how close other players where getting. I believe the turf at a British Open is closer to what the tour played on back in the 60’s and you see how much the ball rolls there.
  
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