Progress

"Had the gutta-percha golf ball not been invented, it is likely enough that golf itself would be in the catalogue of virtually extinct games, only locally surviving, as stool-ball and knurr spell." Horace Hutchinson

Thanks to reader Tom Wicevich of Ridgeway, Colorado, where they're not playing much golf yet, for this striking comparison photo. Tom says: __

The other day I purchased a new driver, the "R7 Draw".  Shortly after, I was passing by my rack of older clubs and saw my Wilson Staff driver from my first complete set, circa 1967.   I think you are one of the people who could appreciate the comparison. The only question is....."How did we ever hit the ball?"__

Our club holds an event periodically in which we play persimmon woods and balata balls. To say scores soar is an understatement.

By the way, stool-ball and knurr and spell were stick-and-ball precursors to baseball, played as far back as the Middle Ages.