Fleck defeated the heroic Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff and thus became one of the most unpopular national champions, in any sport, of the 20th century. The '55 Open is renowned for having the toughest rough of any major championship ever played, and Fleck talked about the joy and satisfaction of driving the ball in the fairway. Then he lamented the disappearance of narrow fairways and ankle-high rough. Golf should be first and foremost an accuracy game. Straight should always be more important than long.
Technology is the great unknown in golf.
Technology can make the game more fun for average golfers, who play, not surprisingly, for fun. But technology presents another challenge to historical perspective. Touring professionals will continue to get better, and so the great equalizer will be called out of the closet. That equalizer is course setup. Always has been, always will be.