They are so much more entertaining than modern golf presentations. Actually they're more entertaining than any golf presentations I've seen - you really follow each shot and know exactly what club is being used and so on. Great stuff.
I have enjoyed watching these programmes immensely over the years, initially with my Dad and with my boys. I get nostalgic for the better times of the past, people seemed far more respectable, civilised and knew how the behave. I also get sad thinking that everyone over say 30 is probably dead! Well they had the best of times to enjoy their lives.
A remarkable fact about Al Balding happened in 2000 at the Senior Canadian PGA Open. At the remarkable age of 76 he won the Open. By doing this Balding has the rare distinction of winning a pro golf tournament in 6 different decades. Balding passed in 2006 at age 82, but he leaves a lasting impression on the Canadian circuit with 19 professional wins. Knudson had 30 professional victories in his career and was inducted in the Candian Sports HOF in 1969. 1969 was also when he had his best majors finish in the US when he finished second at The Masters in Augusta. He nearly tied George Archer on the last hole missing literally by inches. A heavy smoker, Knudson passed in 1989 at age 51.
Another Knudson fun fact. His golf idol and mentor was Ben Hogan. George would travel to the US just to watch Hogan play. They became friends. George used to tell his caddie if Hogan was hitting on the practice range "Put my clubs away, Hogan is swinging." George left us way too soon. A real class act. If he could have conquered the dreaded putting yips, he would have won a few majors and doubled his tour victories easily. He was also good friends with one of the best if not the best ball strikers, Moe Norman.
One of big regrets I have is not taking lessons from George Knudson when he was at the Bentonville driving range in Markham in the mid 70's. I was working for the Town of Markham at the time and very active in squash. I'm a left handed golfer today and back then it was hard to find clubs for lefties. Years later I met George at a small wedding for my then girlfriends dad. Too bad George smoked so much. He passed far too young. Until Mike Weir he was Canada's best male golfer.
What a great experience that would have been Norm. Getting lessons from George would have been incredible. Thankfully, he left us with his teaching video, and book. As well as all the recorded rounds of golf of his, where we can analyze his swing. How awesome was it meeting him at that wedding?
@C. Buck Hyres Yea that famous quote "try and 2-putt every hole" just shows his mindset towards putting. Theres a Moe Norman clip out there where he says that "George would leave the room when putting was being discussed."
Balding was a player of fine style. Even this fine player must have felt like a spectator along side George Knudson. A protégé of the great Ben Hogan, Knudson ranks with the greatest shotmakers the game has ever known. Balanced, flowing elegance with every shot. If you watch this glorious player, one fatal flaw existed. Horrendous putting. Knudson putted fairly well in this match. In most of his Shell matches Knudson repeatedly missed a bevy of short makeable putts. His score never fully reflected his marvelous play. Remarkably Knudson won nine times with a rusty flat stick. Had he putted, he would rank with the finest players in history. A treat to watch this Rembrandt with a golf club in his hands.
The museum looks like the visitors center in the film North by Northwest. Stanley Thompson was a great course architect. Probably an acquaintance of the Squire.
It's called a shooting stick. It was like a walking stick with a collapsable seat and handles at the top (which you thought was a bag). Sometimes you can get umbrellas with the same arrangement on the top. They were a common sight in the old days for golf spectators, good for walking up and down sand dunes and for sitting on instead of standing all day.
Interesting how Sarazen says that Knudsen uses the reverse overlap putting grip to keep the wrists out of the stroke, when he was almost all wrists like Arnold Palmer used to use. The players had to almost 'pop' the ball on the greens in those days( get the ball airborn) as they were so slow and bumpy.
Yea putting is much different today with how the greens are. My putting stroke would be absolutely horrendous on the greens these pros had to play on back then.
I had written something longer but when I posted it half of it was missing. hmm, well, I had said something about "five lessons" and "the natural golf swing" I read George's book first, and then Hogans which helped me tighten up the dynamics because Hogan really goes into the nuances of the fundamentals, but George communicated the swing philosophy the best for the reader to understand (imho) Hogan the Hawk and Knudson the Mantis. My two favorite swingers. Pure magic indeed. btw the woman on the right at 12:41 is really beautiful. btbtw the narration over the trout stream bridge shot at 34:15 is pretty funny
That was well written my friend. I agree with you. The two books fit wonderfully together. George had a great mindset and study of the game. You can tell that through his book, interviews and videos. Hogan comes in with unmatched work ethic and the incredible understanding of fundamentals. Together, they can set anyone on the right path in golf if they work at it.
i wonder how well these guys would do if they had today's modern golf balls. Not so much the clubs, but the golf balls as the new technology in terms of solid cores, multi-cores, and dimpled covers have given players a big advantage when playing in conditions like these.
In one of Bobby jones major wins the course had a 605 par 5 and it was slightly uphill, Bobby was on in 2 and holed the eagle putt. He was long when he wanted to be but with those bunkers and long rough he always played safely.
I could watch George Knudson hit golf balls all day, but put a putter in his hands and it's painful to watch. His swing was very much like Hogan's. Unfortunately, so was his putting. His lone volume on the golf swing, "The Natural Golf Swing," is under appreciated by the golfing public, but is my swing bible.
C'mon...seriously. Hogan was a very good putter. He only developed problems in the 1960s as his vision was affected by the accident, leading him to hesitate. One does not win and dominate like he did if you were a shaky putter.
Round starts at 7:20
Also lady loses her hat at 10:51
These telecasts are the only golf I watch anymore.
They are so much more entertaining than modern golf presentations. Actually they're more entertaining than any golf presentations I've seen - you really follow each shot and know exactly what club is being used and so on. Great stuff.
I agree.
I could watch Knudson's swing all day every day. Absolutely majestic!
I have enjoyed watching these programmes immensely over the years, initially with my Dad and with my boys. I get nostalgic for the better times of the past, people seemed far more respectable, civilised and knew how the behave. I also get sad thinking that everyone over say 30 is probably dead! Well they had the best of times to enjoy their lives.
I could listen to Sarazen all day. Love his commentary.
A remarkable fact about Al Balding happened in 2000 at the Senior Canadian PGA Open. At the remarkable age of 76 he won the Open. By doing this Balding has the rare distinction of winning a pro golf tournament in 6 different decades. Balding passed in 2006 at age 82, but he leaves a lasting impression on the Canadian circuit with 19 professional wins. Knudson had 30 professional victories in his career and was inducted in the Candian Sports HOF in 1969. 1969 was also when he had his best majors finish in the US when he finished second at The Masters in Augusta. He nearly tied George Archer on the last hole missing literally by inches. A heavy smoker, Knudson passed in 1989 at age 51.
Nice. I just learned something.I'm a huge golf fan and don't know either one of these gentlemen that should be good.
Another Knudson fun fact. His golf idol and mentor was Ben Hogan. George would travel to the US just to watch Hogan play. They became friends. George used to tell his caddie if Hogan was hitting on the practice range "Put my clubs away, Hogan is swinging." George left us way too soon. A real class act. If he could have conquered the dreaded putting yips, he would have won a few majors and doubled his tour victories easily. He was also good friends with one of the best if not the best ball strikers, Moe Norman.
Damn Kundson could control the ball... a true artist.
What a great match. Watched both of these players at various tourneys back in the 60’s and 70’s. Sweet swingers are a pleasure to watch
That must have been incredible to watch these guys in person. Thanks for the comment.
George Rogers’s voice on 20% volume is the best asmr I’ve ever heard
This wins comment of the day.
@@TrevorStymie Lol thanks
Thanks for this. I'm from Nova Scotia, and was nine in '65, and remember watching some of the Shell matches. Don't recall seeing this one.
Love this era.
Enjoyed that. Cool seeing matches from the 60's and the small persimmon head drivers. And the greens look so slow compared to today.
absolutely Marty. Thanks for the comment and have a great day
I'm 59, played golf starting at eleven watched a lot of golf and I don't know either of these gentlemen. Guess that makes me a casual
The Cabot Trail, the Highland Links GC, and two Canadian Legends of golf, what more could one ask for?
It’s not the Highland links, that’s a much newer club on the western side of the Island. But yeah
@@rogermacinnis2761this is the highland links - you’re thinking of Cabot links on the west side of the island
One of big regrets I have is not taking lessons from George Knudson when he was at the Bentonville driving range in Markham in the mid 70's. I was working for the Town of Markham at the time and very active in squash. I'm a left handed golfer today and back then it was hard to find clubs for lefties.
Years later I met George at a small wedding for my then girlfriends dad. Too bad George smoked so much. He passed far too young. Until Mike Weir he was Canada's best male golfer.
What a great experience that would have been Norm. Getting lessons from George would have been incredible. Thankfully, he left us with his teaching video, and book. As well as all the recorded rounds of golf of his, where we can analyze his swing.
How awesome was it meeting him at that wedding?
@C. Buck Hyres Yea that famous quote "try and 2-putt every hole" just shows his mindset towards putting. Theres a Moe Norman clip out there where he says that "George would leave the room when putting was being discussed."
Balding was a player of fine style. Even this fine player must have felt like a spectator along side George Knudson. A protégé of the great Ben Hogan, Knudson ranks with the greatest shotmakers the game has ever known. Balanced, flowing elegance with every shot. If you watch this glorious player, one fatal flaw existed. Horrendous putting. Knudson putted fairly well in this match. In most of his Shell matches Knudson repeatedly missed a bevy of short makeable putts. His score never fully reflected his marvelous play. Remarkably Knudson won nine times with a rusty flat stick. Had he putted, he would rank with the finest players in history. A treat to watch this Rembrandt with a golf club in his hands.
The best Fairway wood player I have ever seen, Jack Nicklaus on George Knudson.
That intro was something else. Almost like something from the twilight zone. 'Too perfect and wholesome'
I would have liked to see the 245 yard par three twelfth hole.
love the modest decorum of the old days, no drunk fools in short pants screaming " get in the hole"..
Seems like today they want drunken fools hollering stupid things. They can't stop describing how drunk everyone is on 16 in Scottsdale.
The museum looks like the visitors center in the film North by Northwest. Stanley Thompson was a great course architect. Probably an acquaintance of the Squire.
At 16:56 is the Superintendent of Cape Breton Highlands Park Maurice McCarron and his gracious wife Gladys
32:50 sounds like something that would be asked in 2022
What happened there bro hahah
Whats that cane Gene is using? is it a golf thing? 44:12 Its got a cool bag at the top of it.. does that hold snacks?
It's called a shooting stick. It was like a walking stick with a collapsable seat and handles at the top (which you thought was a bag). Sometimes you can get umbrellas with the same arrangement on the top. They were a common sight in the old days for golf spectators, good for walking up and down sand dunes and for sitting on instead of standing all day.
@40ny Thanks for the reply and explanation. I like the clothes of this era, nice slacks and coats.
Interesting how Sarazen says that Knudsen uses the reverse overlap putting grip to keep the wrists out of the stroke, when he was almost all wrists like Arnold Palmer used to use. The players had to almost 'pop' the ball on the greens in those days( get the ball airborn) as they were so slow and bumpy.
Yea putting is much different today with how the greens are. My putting stroke would be absolutely horrendous on the greens these pros had to play on back then.
I had written something longer but when I posted it half of it was missing. hmm, well, I had said something about "five lessons" and "the natural golf swing" I read George's book first, and then Hogans which helped me tighten up the dynamics because Hogan really goes into the nuances of the fundamentals, but George communicated the swing philosophy the best for the reader to understand (imho) Hogan the Hawk and Knudson the Mantis. My two favorite swingers. Pure magic indeed.
btw the woman on the right at 12:41 is really beautiful.
btbtw the narration over the trout stream bridge shot at 34:15 is pretty funny
That was well written my friend. I agree with you. The two books fit wonderfully together. George had a great mindset and study of the game. You can tell that through his book, interviews and videos. Hogan comes in with unmatched work ethic and the incredible understanding of fundamentals. Together, they can set anyone on the right path in golf if they work at it.
If you're talking about the lady acting as official scorer, she is, indeed, very attractive.
The woman at 12:41 shows up two or three more times. Plus you can see her in the crowd on the wider shots.
i wonder how well these guys would do if they had today's modern golf balls. Not so much the clubs, but the golf balls as the new technology in terms of solid cores, multi-cores, and dimpled covers have given players a big advantage when playing in conditions like these.
America was great back then!
43:34 there’s a dog. Looks like he was excited about the shot too.
Shells wonderful game of golf.
Knudson was putting good here. This is how he plays if his putting is working.
Man that eagle on the 13th was sure something.
Hame noo means home now. I would shout out to my maw ( mum )" That's me hame noo maw from school "
I wonder if that small monument to John Cabot has been defaced or pulled down yet.
230 yard drive into the wind with a driver times have changed
Funny to watch Al Balding taking free drop from casual water on second hole dropping it over his shoulder like that. Definitely looks strange 🤔🤔
I enjoyed this as well haha. Thanks for the comment Tom
The forecaddies were local boys John and Phil McCarron
Hey, do you have any more of Shells golf matches? Stuck in lockdown in the UK and these help a lot!
Anyone else notice a 585 yard par-5... in 1965?
In one of Bobby jones major wins the course had a 605 par 5 and it was slightly uphill, Bobby was on in 2 and holed the eagle putt. He was long when he wanted to be but with those bunkers and long rough he always played safely.
"Hitting a two iron" What's that? :)
hahah oh how things change Ken
I could watch George Knudson hit golf balls all day, but put a putter in his hands and it's painful to watch. His swing was very much like Hogan's. Unfortunately, so was his putting. His lone volume on the golf swing, "The Natural Golf Swing," is under appreciated by the golfing public, but is my swing bible.
It's a great book.
C'mon...seriously. Hogan was a very good putter. He only developed problems in the 1960s as his vision was affected by the accident, leading him to hesitate.
One does not win and dominate like he did if you were a shaky putter.
" they put 'em where he said" as they should
if theyre hitting it 230 with those clubs theyre probably driving it around 275 with modern equipment
and here i am 56 yrs later wondering where their facemasks are
Balding had a great toupee collection.
Slow greens, slow fairways