Tom Morris, the winner of four British Opens, introduced the niblick for pitch shots. The great J. H. Taylor mastered the mashie or modern 5-iron which derived its name "from its effect on the ball when entrusted to unskillful hands."

Too Much Torque

The contemporary golfer can purchase wedges with built-in air foils and much lighter graphite and titanium shafts. Newer variations include braided, "anti-torque" shafts, weighted tungsten disks to expand the sweet spot, bevelled leading edges, cambered soles, and even crescent-shaped clubheads.

What has remained constant is the skill of golfing champions, independent of time and revolutionary equipment.

Pepper

The best known example of the enduring greatness of golf's champions is Gene Sarazen. When he was seventy-one, he played in the 1973 British Open at Troon, fifty years after his first appearance there. The dapper, knickerbockered Sarazen aced the 126-yd. hole known as the Postage Stamp because of its small green. He finished with a 79 and shot an 81 for his second round, sinking an explosion shot for a 2 on the Postage Stamp.

After the round, Sarazen happened to overhear a conversation between two elderly members lounging in the clubhouse. "If I'm not mistaken" one of them said, "Sarazen had a total of 160 for his two rounds in 1923--a 75 and an 85. This year once gain he had a total of 160--a 79 and an 81. He hasn't improved at all over the years."