Certainly golf is much different now than what players from centuries past would recognize. Well, maybe the late 20th century, but other than that, the game has seriously evolved over time. Some of the changes over time have been slow and minor while other evolutions were revolutions. Here’s my list of nine of the most important advancements in golf history. Dimples on golf balls The golf ball has really changed over time. From leather-covered “featheries” to wooden balls, to gutta-percha balls, few advancements rival the addition of dimples to the ball in the early 20th century. Prior to that, balls were smooth. Eventually players realized that as gutta-percha balls got nicked up they actually traveled further. In 1908 William Taylor patented a dimpled golf ball in England. The patent was captured in the United States in 1918 and dimpled balls were manufactured by Spalding. The dimple patterns on balls reduce drag for more distance. Since the first intentionally dimpled balls, the the concept has become a serious science with ball manufacturers putting a lot of

I thought it would be fun to put together my list of the greatest golfers ever. When I first started working on it, I intended to list ten, but then I came to the conclusion that it would be too easy. Think about it: think about the kinds of names that have to fall off the list when there are only five. I didn’t go strictly off of wins. I tried to put an emphasis on what each player meant to the game, to what each player’s contribution was beyond just wins. I also realized that it’s difficult to compare golfers from different eras. And, I came to the conclusion that if it’s fair to do so, then it’s fair to include female golfers in the comparison. Each player can only be judged against the competition that he/she faced in that particular era. Without further ado, the list: 1. Tiger Woods This was a tough call, because even with his 13 major championships, 59 PGA Tour wins, 22 other professional wins, and three back to