It was either Jack Grout (Nicklaus' teacher) or Trevino who commented that the secret to Jack's swing was his incredibly powerful thighs (Jack was a terrific 3-sport athlete in HS, before he got large-before he got slim again), which allowed him to generate that massive drive. Jack moved into the ball and then around. Here he was the great power player of his day and yet (if you watch) his hip rotation at impact is quite small compared to the modern power swing. Doc, but you're right about his incredibly still head, especially on the way back.
Jeff, I'm willing to bet that you tried Jack's slight head cock to the right, to initiate your swing, at some time or another. I did it, mostly to set up a stong left side position. Used it through all my competitive years.
Jeff, given a modern driver and the 70's-80'-early 90's Titleists that you and I played with, I think the modern guys would balloon the ball or hit bananas, until they adjusted. 15 years ago, as I was just getting out of tournament golf (two darling daughters, you know), I was amazed at how the young guys I was playing against had no qualms about hitting the (newer) ball as hard as they could, right through everything (wind be damned), chasing it down and doing it again.
You and I, back in the day of hickory shafts :) had to hit the ball down into the wind ("quail high," as they say in west Texas), anything that got up was gobbled up, the wind accentuating the balata-driven spin.
Today, the ball off the driver just bores through the wind. And it generally launces with a higher angle of attack so I don't see a lot of players trying to keep it down WITH the wind, either.
I've wondered to myself if the metal and carbon bats that kids get until they play for money have helped create the "modern" baseball swing, like the impact of modern golf equipment. Is the "sweet spot" so huge on those bats that you no longer have to go "greet" the ball with the bat, you just open up and fire (ala Dustin Johnson) and let the technology wn the day.
Doc, I've also wondered if the emphasis on pulling the ball in the air (with all the new data analysis) is even greater today than ever before.