Evolution of the Golf Ball and Driving Distance

Many people seem to think that the recent increases in the distance tour players hit the golf ball is something completely modern and something akin to the end of the golf world as it's currently known. But what do the statistics and facts show?

1. What was the distance increase when the game switched from wooden ball to feathery?
From THIS website, I have since found that feathery balls traveled roughly double the distance of wooden balls, 170-200 yards in perfect conditions
Based on THIS site, the feathery went 170 yards, if using a "modern club." Unsure if that means a then-modern club, or current-modern model. It likely means a then-modern club.

2. What was the distance increase when the game switched from feathery to gutta percha balls?
From the SAME site as above, the Gutta Percha traveled 200 yards under the same conditions described above.

3. What was the distance increase when the game switched from gutta percha to Haskell wound ball?
Just saw at THIS that going from the Gutta Percha to the Haskell wound ball yeilded 20 yards of improvement off the tee.
The SAME site said that this ball went 225-250 yards.

4. The Haskell wound ball was developed in 1898, from what I know, there was no great improvement from that ball to the Titleist Professional (what most consider to be the peak of wound ball development). The ProV1 was introduced in October 2000. What was the distance increase over that 102 year span?
If the numbers above of 225-250 yards are correct and given that the PGA Tour driving average for the top 25 players was 280.19 yards in 1997, that's a 55 yard increase using the low end above. The 1980 driving average for the top 25 was 268.66 yards. Stats don't go back any more than that. This increase is likely due, in part, to improving fitness measures and improvements in shaft and club technology.
5. The distance increase from Wound to the new Solid ball (Pro V1) type has been roughly 25 yards at the top end. Driving average for the top 25 went from 280.19 in 1997 to 304.66 in 2012

So, if all those numbers are believed...
Wood to Feathery= 50% increase
Feathery to Gutta Percha= 17.64% increase
Gutta Percha to Haskell= 12.5% to 25% increase
Haskell 1898 to Professional 1997= 24.5% increase.
Professional 1997 to Pro V1 2012= 8.5% increase.

Them dang statistics. Sky falling with the Pro V1? No, the statistics don't show that. It seems the distance increase at the top end on the Tour is actually not that high. I would assume those other figures are Tour figures as well, or at least elite players. It's kinda hard to get driving distance figures from all golfers.
BTW, it adds up to a +/- 13% increase in average driving distance from 1980 to 2012. Hardly a "sky is falling" amount.

My Dream Course

So I've talked elsewhere about routing a "dream course" and I'd put this routing together back in January, but I'd never been able to get back out in the woods to take some pictures. I finally got to go out last week on my birthday, wander around the woods. Here are some images from my dream golf course that has virtually no chance of ever being built.

The aerial and routing, for refreshment:

Existing improved entrance road

Clubhouse location right in the fork of the road

The range location from near the first tee

First tee site, hole would roughly follow the road. Would you look at that sandy soil.

Looking towards #1 green site

Second tee. Hole would play straight out, trees would be removed, green would butt up to the marsh on the left

Second green would be in this stand of trees

Third hole plays from here, up towards the woods, just to the right of that knife of trees coming out. The left edge of the fairway would track roughly in line with the hay bale in the center of the image.

The green would be located just over this natural pond

Close up of the 3rd green site. I think I'd like to have a large right to left slope (towards the camera) coming in from 20 or so yards right of the pond. The slope would be there to give any golfer the chance to avoid the forced carry if they wanted.

As you can see, the trees get a bit more dense beyond the 3rd green site, so pictures don't do much good from there...

This is the far reaches of the landing area on #10. The hole would play directly into the center of the image.

From the other side of the pond, the hole again plays straight down through the field, meadow, whatever you wish to call it.

Hole 11 plays straight away towards the trees in the distance, roughly flat, perhaps slightly uphill.

Hole 12, on the best piece of land, I think, starts from here and plays down into the trees. Sadly the trees are so dense the hole can't really be seen.

This is the view from just off the back of the 12th green

13 plays from here, off into the wilderness, and would hug the marsh/water line.

A look out over the entire open field from what would be the right side of the 13th fairway. From here, the course goes back into the dense woods for a while.

The darker, more vibrant green areas on the map look like this from the ground. There are small creeks in here, not sure how many, but they are not substantial from what I saw, perhaps 5 feet wide at most.

From what would be the 18th green, looking straight down the tree obscured fairway

Looking down the un-improved road, the 18th hole would play diagonally across here, the 17th would run parallel to the road, and the 16th green would be located at the edge of the trees you can see in the distance at the 'end' of the road. Did I mention we had sandy soil?

Well, hope you enjoy.

Tot Hill Farm Golf Golf Club-Asheville, NC

Tot Hill Farm is another Mike Strantz creation. Given that it is part of a housing development, it would seem as though this course was intended to be more of a member's course opposed to Tobacco Road being a resort course. As such, the course lacks some of the extreme features seen at Tobacco Road. It also lacks some of the quality architecture that Tobacco Road has. But this course is certainly above average and has enough design quality to keep even the snobbiest of golfers entertained.

Ranking

Variety of Design: Fair. Among the par 3's, the course lacks a very short hole and also lacks more than a mid-iron hole. The par 4's are all approached with short irons and the par 5's are all reachable in two shots, though in at least one case that is highly dangerous (to the golfer's scorecard). Directional variety is very good with 6 holes going left, 5 holes going straight, and 8 holes playing straight (18 can be played as dogleg left or a straight hole). 6 1/2 out of 10

Flow of the Course: Given the lack of variety, the course lacks the ability to really build to a climax. The 5th, 12th and possibly 18th holes provide high points to the round, but overall, the flow is closer to a flat line rather than a roller coaster. 6 out of 10

Conditioning: This course is among the mid to high level of courses in the Pinehurst area (though geographically it is on the far reaches, it shares a strong partnership with Tobacco Road) and conditioning is fitting. 7 out of 10

Ease of Walking: The hilly nature of the course make walking difficult and some long green to tee transitions make it more difficult still. 3 1/2 out of 10

Atmosphere: Being designed by Mike Strantz likely adds some thrill and anticipation to the course but beyond that, nothing more than the "course up the street." 3 out of 10

Total: 58

Holes to Note

Hole #1: Par 4, 448 yards

This is no easy opening hole...a Strantz feature. The playable portion of the fairway is blind from the tee, indeed the player may want to walk forward 50 yards or so in order to get a good view of the fairway. The hole is a hard dogleg left and the best play will be close down the tree line. Once in the fairway, the player can play directly over a depression short of the green or run the ball up from the right side. Solid, but potentially difficult, opening hole.

The best play hugs the tree line. The fairway on the hill in the distance is about 375 yards from the tee.

This is the view from around 180 yards. The player can either go directly over the depression and risk a pulled shot going in the creek or play a shot out to the right with a draw and roll it up on the green.

Hole #5: Par 5, 535 yards

This is a fantastic and very scenic par 5. This one fits the Macdonald template of a Cape hole. The player can play out to the left and take the safe route or aim out towards the hill/mountain in the distance and possibly left with a much shorter shot to the green. Given the yardage, the player might be within his range to go for the green in two shots, but that is very difficult. The green is surrounded with rocks and has two very distinct tiers. While being within range of long irons, the hole is clearly better approached with a very short iron.

From the tee, the scrubby depression is visible. Players can play out to the left or towards the mountain.

This is the view from the left side of the fairway after a play out to the left. The longest players can play over the larger trees to the left of the fairway from the tee.

This view of the green shows the disaster waiting on all sides. The tier is around 6 feet high. The green is surrounded with rocks and there is a sharp fall off behind the green. Approach this green with a long iron at your own risk.

Hole #9: Par 4, 371 yards

This hole is very difficult from the tee if the player uses a driver. Driver from the tee would require the player to play up the far right side and hit a fade around the corner in order to find the fairway (for the longer players). The best play is a fairway wood out to the wide part of the fairway where the signs are visible. From there, the player should be left with a short iron to a highly elevated green. 

From the tee, the player can see the fairway and is able to make his choice from there.

From position up near the forward tees, the uphill nature of the hole is clear. Players choosing to hit a driver off the tee will be left with a shot off the severe upslope. The best play from the tee is a fairway wood to position near the signs. That will give the player a mostly flat lie to the skyline green in the distance. The false front of the green is also visible.

This is the view from the fairway. The bottom of the flagstick is not visible to the player. As seen in the previous image, being long enough is critical as shots left short will roll back a significant distance off the green.

Hole #12: Par 4, 392 yards

This hole fits the Strantz template of the Fishhook (my term), but this is the only one that is a par 4. The best play is down the left near the water. From there, the player is left with a simple shot to the green.

This hole has a lot of built up rocks near the water. The best play is down the left near the water.

The green is located out on a peninsula and again surrounded by rocks. This hole is very scenic, if a bit overdone.

Hole #15: Par 3, 143 yards

This short hole is played sharply downhill to a green located in a bowl. There is also a creek fronting the green. Again, this hole is rather scenic, though a bit "busy" and perhaps a little overdone.

Hole #17: Par 4, 411 yards

As described before, this is the Template Road hole. The hole plays mid-length from the tee, likely approached with a wedge. The green butts up tight against the road in the background and has a fronting hazard. Very solid hole to bring the round to the final hole.

From the tee, the player will have the best angle to the green from the right side of the fairway. The utility pole in the distance, centered on the fairway, provides the best aiming point.

The green is shaped to deflect shots in all directions. Short shots will roll back, shots too far left will be deflected farther left, possibly down into the hazard. This is one of the best greens on the course.

Overall, this course is good, but not excellent. As seen in the images, the course gets a bit busy with rocks and other features in certain spots. 5 out of 10