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Little did Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, John Daly, Sergio Garcia and Steven Ames know that when they came to the Telus Canadian Skins game at the Stanley Thompson designed Banff Springs Golf Club that they would have to hit their tee shots on the 192 yard par 3 8th hole with hickory shafted clubs! Billed as experience vs. youth the Telus Skins game in it's 14 year history has never seen a sight like that on the 8th tee. In keeping with the theme of the history of golf, the idea to use the hickory clubs was the brain child of Ron Lyons and the Telus sponsors with the clubs supplied by Ron Lyons, Ben Plaunt and Willie Ducherer. It has long been speculated as to what would happen if the modern day pros would have to play with wood shaft clubs. This in fact did happen at the 8th hole (named "The Cauldron") - not an easy hole by any stretch of the imagination - 192 yards down hill, all over water, to a well bunkered green.. and for a skin worth $55000. The result makes great viewing...the skins game was aired on the Canadian Sports Network (TSN) and the shots made the world wide sports news. IMG, the owner of the event, has sold it to 23 countries around the world for rebroadcast. So, how did they do? Steven Ames went first with a Stewart mashie and hit it pin-high left in a green side bunker. Jack Nicklaus chose a mid-iron and amid the chants of "Jack, Jack, Jack" quipped that he had an advantage as he had "played the first 10 years of his career with the wood shaft clubs". He promptly hit it just past the flag about 15 feet from the flagstick. Next was Greg Norman - a mashie - past the flag and backed it up! It ended up just inside Jack's ball. John Daly casually dropped a ball on the tee and with a small head niblick hit it pin-high on the fringe. And then there was Sergio....with a mashie niblick, Sergio flew the flagstick to the back of the green and backed it up...toward the flag .... closer .... closer .... closer .... within a whisker of a hole in one, a million dollars and a Cadillac! Perhaps they should have used the hickory putters too! Sergio was the only one able to make the putt and claim the $55,000 skin. And their reaction to the experience in the interview tent after the round? The pros play all sorts of charity events and this one certainly got their attention! They were surprised at how good a solid shot felt off the old clubs. As they use modern day large headed clubs every day, they had to really work at it to make sure to put a good swing on them. John Daly was worried about shanking it and Jack, with his knowledge of the history of the game, was impressed with how good the clubs looked to the eye as he addressed the ball. And so, perhaps at least some of the speculation can be put to rest...as the PGA TV advertising says ... these guys are good - no matter what club you put in their hands!
Checking the hickory clubs out prior to their tee shots
"The Cauldron" - the 8th hole - 192 yards over water to a well bunkered green
On the 8th tee prior to the players arriving
Headlines, photos and stories from the Calgary papers |
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