a good quality blade from 1969 is not that different from one made today. I argue that the main advances made in drivers (the most visibly different club) are in forgiveness. I carry a hand me down Hogan 1 wood instead of a driver sometimes; but a ball hit in the screws on that Hogan are going to go about the same distance as one off the center of my Ping G30. Where the Ping will excel is on my toe or heel strike. I am playing off a 10.4 handicap right now- that is not a strike a pro golfer is going to make but 5% of the time. A pro is going to out putt, pitch, and chip a casual golfer, moreso when the circumstances get worse (bad lie, weird carry, etc.). So my argument is really that those short shots rely much less on technology and more on technique so that an amazing club provides very little advantage
[Post edited by typed by ben at 06/25/2019 12:23PM]