Opinion & Analysis
The 15 best inventions in golf history
I think we can all agree that the game of golf has changed immensely over time. From the days of mashie niblicks and featheries to adjustable drivers with graphite shafts, the game we now play bears little resemblance to the game of Scotland of yore. Most of the changes have been fairly recent and hugely innovative.
With new scientific discoveries made daily, not one among us would dare to predict where the game might be in 25 years, or even 10 years from now. So I thought it might be fun to think about some of the inventions that have most radically changed our game. Here’s my list of the 15 best innovations in golf history, and I invite your thoughts on the ones you think I missed.
I did not go into any depth with these, as they can all be explored elsewhere. The list is not in any particular order, but we will start in antiquity.
The Molded Golf Ball
From hard wooden balls, followed by Featheries, followed by the Haskell ball, then the Balata era and finally the solid core, multi-layer urethane, the modern golf ball hardly resembles its ancestors. The biggest impact here was clearly cost. While no one could argue that their aerodynamic performance was seriously enhanced with each passing era, the mass production of the molded golf ball made the game more affordable for everyone. A Featherie could cost as much as the modern day equivalent of $20 per ball… Of course, if we keep going we may be headed back there.
The Tee
Clumps of dirt and later sand were used to tee the ball for some 500 years before the first peg actually designed to stick in the ground was invented in the late 19th century. Imagine how dirty a golfer’s hands used to get by the back nine.
The Lawn Mower
Grazing sheep can nip grass down pretty tightly, but mowers can do it a LOT more quickly and over much greater areas. It is interesting that the game was played for hundreds of years before greens keepers and their staff started riding mowers. By the 1980s, the whole course was being mowed by riding mowers and we had better lies everywhere.
Steel Shafts
The first golf clubs were rather primitive looking things made mostly from hickory wood. Go into any collectors golf shop and you see them displayed conspicuously in the “unplayable classics” section. Golf clubmaking was an artful and tedious task in which some of the early golf professionals specialized, but because of this clubs were expensive and the game remained an elite affair.
The invention of mass produced steel-shafted clubs brought golf to more people because they could afford them, but steel had another effect — they played much differently than hickory shafts. It was said that one could hold the shaft of a hickory club in one hand and the head in the other hand and twist it almost halfway around. Compare that to the low torque graphite shafts of today, and the picture is quite clear: The same swing for both clubs is simply not going to work.
An interesting note: Bobby Jones retired from competitive golf when he was 28, allegedly to escape some of the pressures he faced and pursue his myriad other interests. It is also said that his golf swing never quite adjusted to the steel era, which was well under way by the mid 1930s (steel shafts were patented in 1910). Personally, I think he would have figured it out.
Irrigation
Mother nature in the form of precipitation watered golf courses for hundreds of years. The first fairway irrigation system was developed in Dallas, Texas, in 1925. The impact? Golf courses could be built where they previously could not. Irrigation and the roaring 20s saw a proliferation of golf courses like never before. Thus began the “greening of American golf,” an era from which we are only now beginning to recover. Courses in America and across the pond were so distinctly different, the first time Sam Snead saw the Old Course he asked what it was! Impact? American golf became an airborne affair, and yet another expense was added to our pastime.
The Stymie
Being blocked by an opponent’s ball, or being “stymied,” was outlawed in 1952. Match play, the oldest form of play, was never the same. I would love to see one tournament a year played with stymies still in effect.
The 14-Club Rule
It wasn’t really an “invention,” but it shaped a lot of future ones.
The year 1938 saw the end of unlimited clubs in the bag and I’m sure caddies all over the world rejoiced. Lawson Little, the great amateur player of the 1930s, once went to battle with 31 clubs in his bag. Shotmaking has evolved in the modern era, or at least it had until the ball became nearly impossible to curve.
Golf Carts
Although they were used as early as the 1930s, golf carts were everywhere by the 1950s. Their impact was immediate, bringing many more people to the game and allowing people who previously had trouble walking the course to play. In fact, the 1950s saw a huge wave of popularity in our game influenced largely by the emergence of fan-favorite Arnold Palmer and Dwight Eisenhower, a popular president who played a lot more golf than any of his predecessors and didn’t care who knew about it.
Television
Another 1950s legacy, the first televised golf event, was in 1954 at George May’s famous Tam O’Shanter Open. This was really the first time viewers could enjoy the game as spectators even if they didn’t play. A great surge, particularly of professional golf, followed and the game began to lose much of the pomposity many attached to it. The era of the blue collar golfer was just around the corner.
The Lob Wedge
Although not that new, the popularity of the lofted wedge has had a significant impact, particularly on professional golf. Where players once feared “short siding” themselves, they now are more apt to go for tucked hole locations because of the lob wedge. Even the amateurs who have suffered forever from the perennial condition of trying to flip more loft on the club have benefited greatly from the lob. It is underrated in its impact on modern golf.
Perimeter Weighting
If I had to pick one man who may be more responsible for changing the modern game more than any other, I would unequivocally choose Karsten Solheim. His concept of moving the weight from the center of the clubface to the perimeter of putters and then irons has made golf easier for all of us. I’m 66 years old and still play fairly well thanks to Karsten’s curiosity.
Investment Casting
A more efficient, economic way to make golf clubs, casting has pretty much sent forged clubs packing. Ninety percent of irons today are cast, and all the woods… or metals, I mean, are cast.
Metal Woods
This oxymoron has confounded some English teachers, but has been the single greatest blessing to the modern game of golf. It’s now almost inconceivable to think of driving a golf ball with a wooden club head. Think about how slow we were on this one: The idea arrived in the 1970s, meaning that the game was played for about 500 years before someone raised the question: Isn’t the wood absorbing a lot of the energy in the hit? Duh!
It’s a good thing, too. Let’s leave the trees alone! When I hit a solid drive in the persimmon/balata era, which was when I wore a younger man’s clothes, it might go 250. Now I’m on the mid-to-late back nine of my golfing life and I can still drive it 250. Let’s use another sport as an example. In college I could dunk a basketball, but now I can’t even touch the net.
Oversized Drivers
Some 25 years ago, Ely Callaway got to wondering if larger drivers might make the tee ball easier for golfers. He came out with the “Big Bertha” and the rest is history. My 460-cubic-centimeter driver looks perfectly normal to me now.
Graphite Shafts
Talk about taking over the game. Try finding a steel-shafted driver driver in any serious golfer’s bag now. Do you want to swing this thing or this other thing that is a third of the weight? Golfers are pretty smart, after all. Credit Frank Thomas for this concept.
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Curiosity might kill cats, but in golf it has made the game easier for all of us. While it is true that there are downsides to some of the changes — the lively golf ball, hot drivers that require larger playing fields and the like — changes are inevitable, and if these changes help the average golfer enjoy this wonderful game just a little bit more I’m ok with that. I am an advocate of some degree of bifurcation and think it’s only a matter of time.
Again, I welcome your comments on other inventions I may have omitted.
As always, feel free to send a swing video to my Facebook page and I will do my best to give you my feedback.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
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kev
Feb 23, 2015 at 7:29 am
I have a golf idea /invention how do I get it off the groud . Anyone know
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Jeff
Nov 10, 2014 at 6:42 pm
If it wasn’t for a cart I’d never be able to take my 3 year old neice to the course when I play and get her around the course. I know you all can say what you want, “3 year Olds don’t belong on the golf course.” Well, she likes it, she loves golf now. She can hit the ball and she’s 3. I pay my greens fees, she stays mostly in the cart, I will drive up and tell anyone I see on the course to feel free to play through. The course gets the cart revenue. I keep playing, she’ll keep playing the rest of her life.
Carts aren’t evil, lazy golfers are. If you took carts away the same assholes would be decking out their pushcarts with padded seats, retaking yardage on their watch, taking a sip of their warmed beverage, and missing the green, and repeating it every shot. Carts aren’t the only thing making these guys slow.
Taylor
Nov 7, 2014 at 3:50 pm
What a bunch of snobs!!! You guys blasting carts have absolutely ZERO understanding of what golf has evolved to.
I was a pro for many years. Wife still is a pro who also played professionally. I love the game passionately. But that is what it is. A game. Golf is not a not a sport. Its recreation. I rarely ride. I much prefer to walk. That’s just my personal preference. My wife and daughter ride and I walk along as we play. However, carts are an absolute accepted part of the game and more importantly the industry. Try running a charity tournament without one. Try pulling cart revenue out of the game and watch just about every course you play go out of business.
I agree that walking is a far superior way to experience a round of golf. But carts have expanded the reach of the game to levels it never could have dreamed of without them. Golf is more accessible because of them. It is more social because of them. From my years in the biz, I can say that most of the golf snobs are far more detrimental than the majority of the beer swilling (Hey, they’re buying 5 dollar beer and generating revenue, never see a walker doing that) golf illiterate cart riders I’ve encountered.
Rant over.
Barney Adams
Nov 6, 2014 at 9:04 pm
Dennis. The graphite shaft was Jim Flood. As for the 60 deg wedge I could argue that all but a very few should consider using one. Would replace with soft spikes in a heartbeat.
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 9:16 pm
I want to hear why most shouldn’t use it pls
Al385
Nov 8, 2014 at 4:08 am
The most used clubs in my bag: putter and 60º lob wedge
barney adams
Nov 8, 2014 at 11:37 am
It’s too often a risk reward shot that requires a high degree of skill. The flop over the trap slightly under-hit ends up semi buried in the sand because of the spin. I’ll skip the skulls some of which have never been found.
you can hit a great flop and end up 7′ from the hole still odds on to 2 putt and if you don’t hit it perfectly it’s a disaster.
The key is practice, lots and lots. not something a lot of amateurs do and even if they wanted there aren’t many adequate facilities.
A full swing 60,70 yd shot you can do the same with a SW and avoid the beauty that goes straight up.
Some folks do fine, I’m talking about the majority.
have you noticed how much better putting surfaces have become since softspikes
Dennis Clark
Nov 8, 2014 at 3:17 pm
putting surfaces have improved certainly; putting stats have not kept pace but thats another story.
Quite the opposite on the 60. mid-high handicapper can be more aggressive with attack angle and body rotation on short pitches with more loft on club. Shallow attack angles from backing up or chicken winging from early release can all benefit from MORE loft around the greens. It’s when they don’t have enough loft that they get in trouble. I have a 64 I use for teaching, But of course this is a teachers perspective. Theorettically i agree… they don’t know how to use it from so many years of flipping loft on the club. Its like a player using too stiff a shaft to too little loft and hanging back to
get loft on the club. Give them a ladies shaft and 13 degrees of loft and you’ll see them start turning through the shot with mess less right side bend. Promoting bad swings with clubs that off set the mistake is not something I prefer as a teacher.
Dennis Clark
Nov 8, 2014 at 3:49 pm
I mist my steel spikes when I walk on the cart path!! Loved the old sound: 🙂
Jack Wullkotte
Nov 29, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Hi Barney,
First of all, I still can’t believe Flip is gone. I thought he would live forever. As far as the different wedges they now make, I’m still all for the old fashioned way of opening the face of the sand iron to whatever degree of loft that you need. Throughout the 49 years that I was Jack’s personal clubmaker, he used a 52 degree pitching wedge and a 58 degree sand wedge. Some critics say he was never a good wedge player. Are they serious? Try winning 20 majors (includes 2 US Amateurs) without a few good wedge shots. True, if he would have had Gary Player’s short game, he would have consistently shot scores in the 50’s. 🙂
See you at the show.
Jack Wullkotte
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 9:23 pm
Power Pod Jim…
barney adams
Nov 8, 2014 at 11:41 am
and graphite shafts as he started Aldila, ( I researched this one with a couple of my ancient contemporaries) and the backassward putter and a bunch of other things. I loved the power pod the face was about 7deg closed !
I have a dual strap stand bag next to the wall in my office from 1870 ! Interesting how long it took for a modern version.
Dennis Clark
Nov 12, 2014 at 6:31 pm
Barney my friend, what’s up? See below.
http://www.golfchannel.com/media/ul-innovation-series-graphite-shafts/
Jack Wullkotte
Nov 29, 2014 at 1:31 pm
Having worked with Toney Penna for 20 years at the MacGregor Golf Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio and then 6 years with him at the Penna Golf Co. in Jupiter , FL, here are some of the innovations he brought to the manufacturing area of golf. In 1950, he designed the MT model, which was essentially the precursor of the low profile iron that was supposedly started in the 1970’s. He also went to cycolac, aluminum, and graphite face inserts in the 1960’s. As far as I know, he was the first manufacturer to feature a whole set of investment cast irons. From what I can remember, Ping only made putters at that time and a small company named Tomahawk Golf Co. made putters and wedges. Toney also featured the Colo-Krome faces on the Tommy Armour irons in the late 1950’s and the black ceramic faces in several iron models in the early 1960’s. He was the first one to feature “bounce” on the soles of iron heads. He created antique finishes on wood heads in the late 1950’s and 60’s. He was one of the first manufacturers to begin producing complete sets of irons with Aldila graphite shafts. Unfortunately, it was a big mistake because he installed them in his short necked forgings, and all the shafts snapped at the top of the hosel. Not the fault of Aldila. Toney designed the jumbo LHHLTFF model in the 1960’s. LHHLTFF stood for “Left hip high and let the f—– fly.” I know there were other firsts that were initiated by Toney, but that should be sufficient to bring some comments that are either informative, corrective, or complimentary.
Jack Wullkotte
Jack Wullkotte
Nov 29, 2014 at 3:22 pm
Barney, Here’s a little incident that occurred at the Penna Golf Co. in 1973 when I was the plant supervisor. Jim Flood came to our plant with some of his Aldila shafts, intent on selling Toney the idea of using graphite shafts in all of our clubs. Toney instead, demeaned the graphite shaft as having more torque than hickory shafts, more flex than hickory shafts, and too light, along with the fact that he thought they would break too easily. Flood then took one of the shafts, put the tip end of the shaft on the lowest rung of a chair, and the butt end of the shaft on the floor, and stepped on the middle of the shaft. The shaft bent, but did not break. Toney was impressed. I tried to make Toney aware of the fact that the middle of the shaft touched the floor before it ever got to the breaking point, but he told me to mind my own business. Because of that demonstration, Toney ordered a ton of Aldila shafts. After the shafts were delivered, a contingent of executives from the ATO Co., our parent company, came to Jupiter for a visit. Toney gave them a tour of the plant and then we all went back to Toney’s office. That’s when he unveiled the Aldila graphite shaft. He used Flood’s method to demonstrate how strong and limber the shaft was. The only problem was, Toney put the tip of the shaft on a higher rung with the butt end on the floor. The shaft was at a much more severe angle than Flood had it. After Toney had set the shaft in position, he stepped back and sent his foot into the middle of the shaft. Naturally, the shaft snapped in two with one part going one way and the other going the other way. He literally screamed, “that dirty SOB, I’ll kill him.” Eventually, Toney tried to get Aldila to take the shafts back, but they wouldn’t do it, so, Toney began putting Aldila shafts in all the iron heads. Most all of the shafts broke, because of the short hosels. By then, I had quit Penna’s, so I don’t know what went on from there.
True story.
Jack Wullkotte
Dennis Clark
Dec 2, 2014 at 3:00 pm
LOL Jack, that’s a great story!! To get back to the issue, I’m discussing with Barney, did Flood or Frank Thomas first come up with idea for graphite? On the putter, are you saying that Karsten was first responsible for the idea of perimeter weighting, but Penna built that concept into his irons before Karsten? Thx for reading my column.
Tom Beavers
Nov 6, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Dual strap stand bags. The thing old guys put on the putter grip to pull the ball out of the hole. Lightweight waterproof golf shoes. And the headcover that keeps a beer cold !
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 9:04 pm
I wish they had the double strap bag when I carried!
Dan
Nov 6, 2014 at 11:44 am
As stated golf carts are a neccesary evil only to those who can still walk a course. I carried my bag for over 25 years but, got sick and can’t handle walking 18 holes anymore or even 9. I wish I could because I loved to walk the fairways and had time to think about my next shot but, the fact is I would have had to give up the game I love without golf carts. Adding GPS to carts was maybe not an invention but, a way to speed a round up for those of us who don’t own personal GPS devices IMHO.
Straightdriver235
Nov 6, 2014 at 12:49 pm
These are labeled the “best inventions”–the golf cart is not among them. Time for you to give up the game, or play in that cart when no one else is around, dude. The caddy provided more jobs around the course and introduced lower class youth to the game. We are much worse for it, not to mention paths are built way too close to fairways and greens. I am sympathetic to Casey Martin, but for the masses, no. Tghe cart is a lazy excuse for claiming you are playing golf. Absent a medical waiver it is not golf when you ride a cart.
Jeremy
Nov 6, 2014 at 2:18 pm
“It’s not golf unless you pay a lower class child to do the heavy labor, dude.”
-You
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 6:03 pm
i think your medical exemption is exactly what carts should be for. i think some of the comments are more directed to the “abusers”. Actually at many courses they are MANDATORY now, a revenue source of course.
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 6:05 pm
i certainly agree on the caddy. its how i started and many more like me. Growing up on the “other side of the tracks” had it not been for caddying , no golf.
Dan
Nov 7, 2014 at 1:17 pm
I hope and pray you stay young and never get sick enough to need a cart. I’m not making an issue of this but, as I said, I walked for over 25 years (even before dual straps) and I miss it a lot but, I’m not giving up the game I love because I have to use a cart. Good Luck to you as you grow older.
Jem
Nov 8, 2014 at 11:22 pm
“Time for you to give up the game”? Seriously? Who do you think pays the bills at that course you play? Old guys in carts. Remember that before you take away their clubs and stick them in a nursing home. I love to walk, but it’s hard to find playing partners who share that desire, so sometimes I use a cart. I agree that, in my opinion at least, the game is better when walked, but it’s not up to me to judge how another guy wants to play. As long as they’re not running over me, more power to them in the cart.
bok006
Nov 6, 2014 at 10:26 am
I still get stymied now and then.
Not by opponents ball but trees, bushes, rocks……..
Simon Hubbard
Nov 6, 2014 at 6:23 am
Not an invention really but the USGA and the R&A. Some would argue that they don’t get things right all the time, but the intent is there to preserve the heritage of the game.
And again not an invention but the book written by Dr Alastair Cochran, the search for the perfect swing, still current and used after 40 years. This has helped our overall understanding of what happens when a ball is struck.
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 7:29 am
Spot on wih Search. Soooo far ahead of its time. I still use a lot of the information in there in my teaching and its over 45 years old! Good call.
Shakers97
Nov 6, 2014 at 1:13 am
Golf gps watch, stand bag, mallet putter, trackman, video analysis……
Terry
Nov 6, 2014 at 1:23 pm
The Velcro glove!
Dennis Clark
Nov 6, 2014 at 9:01 pm
Remember the old button down gloves? Hard to imagine now!
Pingback: The 15 Best Inventions in Golf History | Golf Gear Select
leftright
Nov 5, 2014 at 8:17 pm
Personally I wish graphite shafts had never been invented. If I was omnipotent I would do away with them. They have caused more frustration, money and confusion than anything else in the game. You think I’m crazy just ask Barney Adams. The earliest ones would send the ball into the next county and now they create more confusion and bankruptcies than the Democratic party.
marcel
Nov 5, 2014 at 6:49 pm
Robin Williams is missing there
Phil
Nov 5, 2014 at 4:51 pm
What about the Cart/Beverage Babe? It’s gotta be up there….
Nathan
Nov 5, 2014 at 2:43 pm
What about Soft Spikes or Golf Chain Retail Stores?
SMH
Nov 5, 2014 at 1:34 pm
This article is complete garbage, the best inventions were the last 5 TMAG drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids
Andrew
Nov 5, 2014 at 10:36 pm
Dagnabbit…I can’t find mention of screws, slots and white paint anywhere…
Bernhard
Nov 5, 2014 at 1:10 pm
You forgot anchoring with longer putters. This great invention has allowed us to lower handicaps by 10 or more, enabled us to make just about every putt within 30 feet, cured the yips, and made us taller and better looking. God knows where the game would have gone if the higher ups would have allowed it to continue….
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Made us younger, more virile and so on…:)
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 3:34 pm
well we know that experiment was short lived by USGA standards. What will Keegan do in a year and a half???
Tom WIshon
Nov 5, 2014 at 1:03 pm
1, Titanium alloys – they not only taught the industry about COR to open the door to a little more distance with drivers, but its lower density with the same or higher strength than traditional stainless alloys allowed larger driver heads with much higher MOI for much better off center hit forgiveness.
2. Launch Monitors – they opened the door to having the information to lead to more in depth clubfitting research which in turn offers golfers a much greater chance to play to the best of their given abilities.
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 3:32 pm
True. true. I suppose anything with its own atomic number should be on the list of greatest everything; like aerospace, medicine, nuclear waste…Still blows my mind that anything that light could be that strong! Raise the COR for amateurs!! 🙂
brian
Nov 5, 2014 at 12:55 pm
How about the “Arnold Palmer”. The 19th hole has never been the same since that was invented haha
Paul Wilson
Nov 5, 2014 at 12:09 pm
You forgot Iron Byron. Not only did it test golf clubs and balls but it is also responsible for gathering important swing data which is found in today’s launch monitors.
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 3:35 pm
I was at the testing facility one time when a club broke on that thing; talk about some freaked out observers!
ProAmDuffer
Nov 5, 2014 at 11:30 am
I believe the author in many instances here is confused between a discovery and an invention.
hayesh
Nov 5, 2014 at 11:19 am
Lightweight and WATERPROOF golf shoes have to be on the list. Remember when you’d play on a normal morning, and just the dew from the course would soak into your leather soles and they’d weigh a ton by the second hole? Your socks would even be damp by the third hole. Great shoes make walking so much more enjoyable.
As do lightweight carry bags, with legs.
LRRY
Nov 5, 2014 at 11:18 am
yOU MENTION FRANK THOMAS IN YOUR STORY, HOW GREAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN TO HAVE FRANK THOMAS AND BERNY ADAMS TOGEATHER TO TALK GOLF CLUBS AND BALLS…BOTH THESE MEN TELL IT LIKE IT IS..
Crabgrass
Nov 5, 2014 at 10:03 am
Is the 14 club rule an “invention”?
I’d like to see the ‘stymie’ in action sometime, but, again, not sure it can be called an invention.
When did grooves appear on clubs? That seems like a biggie.
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 3:38 pm
Not technically but but a huge impact nonetheless. I think most got my drift…
Yeas grooves were like dimples on the ball; hard to imagine the game without them.
other paul
Nov 5, 2014 at 9:05 am
You said it was getting harder to curve the golf ball. Not sure why, I can slice it 50 yards and hook it 30 no problem. Also small draws and fades aren’t to difficult.
Daniel
Nov 5, 2014 at 7:11 am
You have the lob wedge but how would we all do if we didn’t have BOUNCE?
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 7:32 am
very true, bounce comes under Sarazen’s invention in 1932, the SAND wedge. Story has it that after he came up with the idea, he actually turned the club upside down in his bag so competitors wouldn’t copy it:)
Jack Wullkotte
Nov 29, 2014 at 2:32 pm
I mentioned bounce as one of Toney Penna’s innovations from the late 1950’s. Gene Sarazan might have put it on his sand iron, but Toney did it on the whole set irons.
John
Nov 5, 2014 at 2:13 am
I play a lot of hickory golf, and while the clubs certainly have more torque than a modern club, saying you could twist the head “halfway around” is a huge exaggeration. Someone would have to have enormous “Bo Jackson in his prime” strength to do that.
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 6:56 am
It sounded far fetched to me too; I went back looking for where I read it and can’t find it…It HAS to be exaggerated I agree but it made the point, there was a LOT of twist in those shaft. Where do you play hickory golf? And why?
John
Nov 6, 2014 at 1:01 am
I’m a member of the Society of Hickory golfers, an organization founded in 2000 by a small group of hickory players including famed club designer Tad Moore. In the insuring 14 years this organization has grown by leaps and bounds. There are now several thousand hickory players in the US and abroad. There is a hickory tourmanment somewhere just about every week save Dec. and Jan. There are, in the US, five “major championships”, the US Hickory Open and four others. The USHO was won this year by Jeremy Moe, a club pro from Arkansas who shot 69/68 at the Asheville (NC) CC, the World Hickory Open was played in Scotland this year with Sandy Lyle (yes, that Sandy Lyle) winning with 74/69. Those are great scores with hickory. So that’s a bit of what, and now the why. It’s more fun. It’s creative, most guys carry 9 to 10 clubs so you’re inventing shots as you go along. A 6100 yard course is not obsolete. No glove, no Trackman. No rangefinders. Simple, straightforward golf. Harry Vardon won major championships with 8 to 9 clubs and his gift to get the best out of them. Those 15 inventions? Ours pretty much stops after the tee. Modern golf is in decline for a number of reasons, many of them discussed in detail by Barney and others on this site. Our version of golf is growing, fast.
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 7:39 pm
One of the inventions I did not list but certainly has had a great impact on the game is modern, earth moving equipment. For example, tractors, backhoes, etc. Remember golf course used to be built with mules and drag pans…a developer can now have almost any piece of ground developed into a golf course. Couldn’t do that years ago
Iman
Nov 4, 2014 at 6:22 pm
I’d add launch monitor/flightscope to the list. Not only it measures distance/spin/etc, it “changes” the way we hit the ball.
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 6:57 am
what do you feel you’ve done differently in the hit since LMs?
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Golf carts come under the “necessary evil” tag i suppose…the WRX readers are among the most upper echelon of true golfers who love the pure aspect of the game. But I fear to think how the might shrink if we removed the cart. Would anyone play in Colorado or on really hot days or over the age of 70 or…:)
bradford
Nov 5, 2014 at 8:23 am
Unfortunately, they’re a mode of profit now rather than accessibility. Most don’t “need” them, nor do they speed up play, but you’ll be forced on a Saturday morning to pay for it whether you take one or not. Granted it’s changed the game, but I would say for the worse. The exception for me is for those who could not play without it, but not for those who simply would not.
I WOULD add the 2-strapped carry bag to the list.
dot dot
Nov 5, 2014 at 10:20 am
Carts are great. Best thing that ever happened to golf. Who carries a bag any more? Barbarians!
PAUL GRAY
Nov 5, 2014 at 12:45 pm
Proper golfers that appreciate proper golf course architect, that’s who.
bradford
Nov 6, 2014 at 10:39 am
The sarcastic tone means we may actually agree on something for once?
Busterpar
Nov 7, 2014 at 1:41 pm
That’s what pushcarts are for! Outlaw carts – they lead to too long courses, housing developments with no personality courses attached, 200 yards between tees, and rude inconsiderate people that don’t/won’t play ready golf because they can just ride to their ball. Then take 43 practice swings, reline the shot, 37 more practice swings……you know the ones.
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Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 5:09 pm
Range finders are a great addition to the list; where they’d fall on the impact scale i don’t know, Certainly down from the tee and modern ball but maybe ahead of some other things. How much have they made the game easier? Im not sure really. If you know the target is precisely 167 yards, you have to be able to hit the ball that far. And hitting the ball that far comes back to steel clubs, graphite shaft, the modern ball, and on and on down the list. so its an INDIRECT influence i suppose. Thoughts?
Jeremy
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Perhaps it falls under the category of Television, but I’d include YouTube/the internet. I worked my way down to about a 7 handicap without ever having a teacher or coach, just copying what I see the best in the world doing on TV and the internet. Throw in the super-slow-motion camera while you’re at it. Frankly, I can’t imagine how people ever played golf before having access to the wealth of instruction that’s now available.
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Agreed, the internet has helped a lot of golfers! Great invention by no less than the US government through the defense department largely!
CD
Nov 4, 2014 at 5:41 pm
Internet was invented by Tim Beners-Lee (British)
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 6:12 pm
The world wide web was first conceived by Berners lee. Military research was done years before that…A good book on the subject: “Digital Disconnect”
ams165
Nov 5, 2014 at 12:34 am
ahhhh no…
it was Al Gore…….insert sarcasm laugh..
Dennis Clark
Nov 5, 2014 at 6:59 am
actually bad rap on Gore, but it WAS funny. He DID push for a lot of funding during his time in office though. Again for the military research.
1GolfJones
Nov 6, 2014 at 4:53 am
Albert Arnold Gore was born on March 31,1948 exactly 9 months to the day after the Roswell, New Mexico incident. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Gustavo
Nov 7, 2014 at 2:54 pm
you know how people played golf before YouTube…they went out to the course and practiced and played. They also could sit and watch a live PGA teaching pro in person, that is just as good, if not better then sitting at a computer and getting “YouTube Lessons”.
TRocket
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:20 pm
George Franklin Grant
George Franklin Grant. in Chester, New Hampshire George Franklin Grant (September 15, 1846 – August 21, 1910) was the first African American professor at Harvard. He was also a Boston dentist, and an inventor of a wooden golf tee.
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Great stuff; I heard a dentist from Maplewood NJ somewhere in my travels, but I can’t recall I ever read that so your discovery may very well be accurate
Archie Bunker
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:07 pm
What? Where’s THE HAMMER on this list? BAM!
Not Brandel
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:22 pm
“I JUST HIT IT OVER A MOUNTAIN!!!”
Jeff
Nov 10, 2014 at 6:22 pm
The Hammer X! BOOM
D
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:49 pm
I would nominate the “beverage girl” to the best innovation list and remove the lob wedge.
adolfo
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:24 pm
Take the carts out and put in the Rangefinder. A Cart is not going to help you hit the ball closer to the pin
birly-shirly
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:17 pm
Depends on your criteria for inclusion. I think way more people play golf because they can ride around in a cart than care about the precise yardage. Not saying that’s necessarily a good or healthy thing, just an observation.
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:58 pm
I agree Birly, the IMPACT of carts was probably greater, good or bad?
Rich
Nov 5, 2014 at 9:45 am
I wouldn’t include the Rangefinder, as the only difference I see it making when I play is slowing everyone down. How many people on here constantly find themselves waiting for playing partners to laser a yardage only to watch them miss the green altogether? The majority of us mere mortals need to focus on just hitting greens in the first place and as our skill level improves then tool like this become more useful…
bradford
Nov 6, 2014 at 10:46 am
Fully agree, I’m a 6.3 index right now, and I can get by 100% on the 100, 150, and 200 yard markers. It does not help a 20hcp to know the difference between 160 and 170, because he’s not consistent enough to know which club that would be anyway. The ONLY time I wish I had more info is for trouble off the teebox.
Tom Henman
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:23 pm
How about the sand wedge? Seems to be to be a bigger thing than the lob wedge.
Dennis Clark
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:52 pm
True, the sand wedge could easily have been on the top list, I agree! 1932 Gene Sarazen! Certainly made the game easier for every golfer; though it amazes me how many people cannot use it correctly
CD
Nov 4, 2014 at 5:43 pm
Sand wedge used correctly = biggest difference or steel shafts. Hmm!
Mandark
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:21 pm
No turbulators.
CM
Nov 4, 2014 at 8:32 pm
+1
bradford
Nov 6, 2014 at 10:47 am
or face slots?
steven j
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:18 pm
How about some of the items that make it easier to walk the course such as the lightweight golf bag, golf stand bag, dual shoulder straps and the golf push cart?
in mentioning irrigation and riding mowers, along with that group could come the drainage systems on greens and beyond.
Jafar
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:47 pm
I think GPS rangefinders take some of the fun out of the game.
Dave S
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Have to respectfully disagree. Nothing worse than hitting exactly the shot you mean to hit, only to see it fall short or go long and off the green. Professionals have caddies that give then exact yardage, wind direction and suggestions on what to hit and hot to hit it. Us weekend warriors have none of that, and have a far smaller margin of error on our shots. Knowing the distance to the green as made golf more fun (for me at least) and has sped up play… no more searching for the sprinkler head and then pacing off yardage.
TR1PTIK
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:21 pm
Agreed. I’m horrible at judging distances and wouldn’t stand a chance if not for GPS.
CD
Nov 5, 2014 at 2:37 am
I think that it is a key thing to learn and which improves you as a player – acquiring ‘feel’ and judging by eye. There is knowing a distance and then adjusting to it anyway. I think it can be learned and taught and is another under-rated thing that separates good players, especially in the short game. Including and perhaps especially where there is a trompe l’oeil from the course architect.
Dave S
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:34 pm
How about modern golf apparel? I realize this is less of an “invention” and more of an evolution over time, but enough cannot be said about how much better it is to play wearing moisture-wicking shorts and polo (while walking the course in any one of the number of incredibly comfortable golf shoes on the market) vs. wearing plus-fours and a shirt/tie/jacket combo.
Also on my list would be laser rangefinders/personal GPS devices. The biggest game-changer golf purchase I’ve made in the last 10 years was buying a gps watch. Nothing else (including various drivers, putters, irons and wedges) comes close.
Bob Gom
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:31 pm
Have to agree….rangefinder should not been left out.
Danny
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:29 pm
I’m assuming you have the bubble burner shaft at number 16
Jadon
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:25 pm
The range finder/GPS technology has been a game changer for me personally. That’s pretty weird to think about. Download an app on your phone to tell you how far away you are from the green.
Big_5_Hole
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:23 pm
No mention of the pencil with an eraser on the end?
JJC
Nov 4, 2014 at 2:21 pm
golf carts? really? if it were up to me they would be banned without a medical certificate. the game was meant to be walked and with the obesity epidemic in this country, a lot of people would be well served to hoof it around the course.
Derek
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:08 pm
^^^ truer words have not been spoken. Leave the carts for the medically unable.
TR1PTIK
Nov 4, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Absolutely agree. And, I hate trying to deal with slow play from a group with carts when I’m walking. I feel like they never want to let me play through because they don’t want to wait long enough for me to walk by them even though I have to wait on nearly every shot. Carts should only be an option for the elderly and disabled.
Jeremy
Nov 4, 2014 at 4:36 pm
And the hungover, of course.
Justin
Nov 4, 2014 at 5:23 pm
One could argue that the igloo ice chest coupled with the golf cart had a tremendous impact on the popularity of the game. At least where I live, way more people happen to play golf while they are drinking beer instead of drink beer when they are playing golf. Remove the cold beverage and a vehicle to tote it around with and we would lose 70% of our golfing public!
Sad truth. Maybe we need a little bit of that pomposity back?
Fatty
Nov 5, 2014 at 1:16 am
Derek,
As they do, at the Old Course – you have to have a handicap certificate to rent a buggy.
That’s why you don’t see too many fat, lazy American golfers playing that course on their golf vacation
Oldplayer
Nov 6, 2014 at 5:47 am
Agree. Carts are a blight on the game and should not be allowed for able bodied golfers.
Busterpar
Nov 7, 2014 at 1:47 pm
So bloody true!!!!! And this from someone with a new knee. Walk, walk, walk!