R&A & USGA not so "groovy" with players

By:Ian
2010-02-03

The decision taken by the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient to revise the rules regarding the types of grooves permitted on golf clubs has thrown the world of golf into something of a spin, precisely the effect that the new rules, and the new grooves, seek to eliminate.

Under the new legislation adopted for this season, players are no longer allowed to use the traditional “square” or “u-grooves” that had become commonplace throughout the tours due to the fact they allowed the players to generate more spin and great control on the golf ball due to the design and shape of the grooves. The new rules state that only “V-grooves” are allowed on the tour, which don’t generate as much spin and therefore make it more difficult for players to control their shots, especially from the rough.

On the face of it, the ruling seems fairly straightforward. However the waters are muddied by two factors, firstly a twenty year old club, the Ping-Eye 2 wedge, which has the older style grooves is, technically, allowed to be used on the tour, thanks to Ping winning a law suit between themselves and the USGA in 1993, which ensured that the club would be legally viable on the tour. Several players, most notably Phil Mickelson, have already taken advantage of this loophole by having the club in their bag for the opening tournaments of the 2010 golf season. A decision which led to fellow golfer Scott McCarron state that using the club was in effect “cheating”.

This issue is then clouded by the fact that some players are carrying the Ping club in their bag, while some are applying the law strictly and not carrying the club. Unwittingly the R&A and USGA have created a loophole which is dividing the sport along ethical lines, between those players who are following the law as it was intended, and those who are legally exploiting the loophole the Ping court case created to allow them to have what should really be an outlawed club in their bag.
Further compounding the matter is the news this week that officials of the USGA and R&A are currently not checking the clubs of players and are instead relying on the players own honesty to ensure that the clubs in their bag are legal. Indeed Lee Westwood pointed out that the parameters set out by the governing bodies as to what constitutes a legal club is confusing not only the players but the club manufacturers also;

"The manufacturers are not sure about the testing and the parameters so it's a semi-ridiculous situation," complained Westwood. "You have the fact that people have to almost check their own clubs to see if they are legal.

"I think it should be like Formula One. You get the three guys at the top of the leaderboard and test their clubs after they have played so you know who is playing within the rules and who is not.

"If they are not going to test them after you play, what's the points of having the rules anyway? Some people could be playing with clubs that just by mistake are illegal,

"I just don't see the point in bringing that rule in, why leave it up to the individual?"

Golf has long been known for the honesty and integrity of its competitors but the new ruling seems to be causing severe friction and genuine confusion amongst the players as to what clubs they are allowed and not allowed to use. Sadly it now seems there is a real distinction between what is legal and what is in the “spirit of the game” and that can only be to the detriment of golf fans everywhere.