In comparing the swing of Tiger Woods with that of Ben Hogan in this Links Magazine article, long-time golf teacher Bob Toski makes the following observation about how changes in the nature of golf have prompted swing changes:

One year at the Masters, Hogan drove the ball over a hill to a small flat spot tucked in the corner of the fairway, not visible from the tee but providing a perfect angle to the green. Hogan placed his drive in that tiny area all four days. Most tour pros today would have trouble hitting that spot four days in a row with a wedge.

Toski concludes that Hogan’s swing is superior to Woods, but that Woods is such a good athlete that he doesn’t need a Hogan-pure swing to dominate the PGA Tour. Check out the entire article.