Persimmon or laminated wood heads

[SiberianDVM]

Is it possible to use a "vintage" persimmon or laminated wood head (driver, 3 or 5 wood) with a modern shaft, either graphite or lightweight steel, and get a comparable swingweight and distance to a modern titanium driver?

If not comparable, how much distance would I lose?

[wirehair]

Here's a company that still makes 'em. With graphite. Perfect companion to those 100 yr. old blades you just bought.
http://www.louisvillegolf.com/

[SiberianDVM]

Thanks, wirehair. I looked at those, and even read the 6 page article about persimmon, but $350 drivers are a little rich for my blood. The blades only cost $20, remember?; if I put a $350 driver in with them, their feelings would get hurt, and they would take it out on me.

I do have a Hogan Radial laminated maple driver that I got for $2 plus shipping; it has an Apex 4 steel shaft. I'm gonna try to hit it this weekend.

[wirehair]

Well, if you're going retro, get some Plus 4's and a brass bullseye putter. Then I'll sell you my '73 Delta 88 convertible. (You can easily get 4 people & 4 sets of clubs in that Barge). You'll not only be stylin', you'll wake the ghost of Bobby Jones!

[dave.]

Yes it is,if steel shafts are used.But graphite gives you extra length in the shaft and hence extra length with the shots.
I still have a Mizuno MS1 from 1982,and I took it to the range this summer and everyone just fell about laughing! The heads are tiny,but nutt one and it gets up there.

The balls make the biggets difference on length imo,followed by shafts then its the titanium faces.I reckon I'm 50 yards longer,30 from the balls,15 from the shaft and 5 from the titanium.At a guess.

[SiberianDVM]

I just compared the steel shafted Hogan Radial to the graphite shafted Hogan C-S3

Radial: 13 oz; 44 inches butt to tip of head
C-S3: 11.5 oz; 46.5 inces butt to tip

The head is so small, I don't know if I'll even connect with the ball.