Jerry Barber, Karsten Solheim and golf grooves

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With all the talk about golf-club grooves and which clubs should and shouldn’t be allowed, an interesting e-mail came in from Tom Barber, head professional at Griffith Park Golf Courses.

Tom’s father, Jerry Barber, won seven pro tournaments, including the 1961 PGA Championship. Tom said his dad was opposed way back in the 1980s and 1990s when Karsten Solheim (then chairman of Ping) fought to keep the Ping Eye 2 wedge legal (it’s the one Phil Mickelson had in his bag and has taken out this week as debate about a legal loophole that is keeping the club ‘conforming’ continues to percolate).

According to Tom, ‘My dad and Karsten Solheim were quite good friends, and dad told Karsten that the grooves, without question, imparted spin to the ball and especially on more difficult lies. It fell on deaf ears. I played golf with Chuck Courtney a few years ago and remember him hitting a shot that come from tough rough and stopped very close to the hole. I said, ‘Great shot,’ and he said, ‘We both know what that shot was about.’ ‘

It was about the Ping Eye 2, according to Tom.

Jerry Barber passed away in 1994. Tom said his dad was proud that he helped Karsten Solheim redesign putters. ‘He told Karsten his putters were too short and were hard to line up. Karsten lengthened them.’ Jerry also pioneered the first full-fingered leather glove, made the first hole in one captured on film and once had an 11-shot lead at the Los Angeles Open erased by rain. All this according to Tom.

Thanks, Tom. History lessons are wonderful.

-- Diane Pucin