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Does The USGA Focus Too Much On Pros?

November 22, 2009 by  

As reported on GNN last week, the United States Golf Association has listened to an appeal from TaylorMade and will go along with the sale of xFT (exchangeable face technology) wedges next year.

It’s all part of the USGA’s new rules on wedges that come into effect on the PGA Tour next year, but allow for the sale of larger U grooves to the general public in 2010. After that, the old grooves will not be allowed for sale.

The xFT wedges allow the faces to be changed with a torque wrench. The USGA had informed TaylorMade that xFT face plates with the large grooves could not be sold next year, prompting the company to file an appeal, saying the exchangeable wedges should be under the same deadlines as whole wedges with the old grooves.

To its credit, the USGA did show some flexibility here, with the prodding of TaylorMade’s technology titan Benoit Vincent, but showdowns between the USGA and manufacturers are common and have resulted in lawsuits and disrespectful treatment of golf icons, among other nastiness, in the past.

One common theme in these incidents is the belief among many that the USGA places too much focus on touring pros and other high-level players with its equipment rules, while not considering what would be best for the masses who are more interested in recreational rounds than competition.

One side of the argument says a hot face on a driver will help a high handicapper gain a few more yards, or the grooves that the USGA is now phasing out may help a neophyte around the greens, therefore encouraging the player to come back instead of quitting the game out of frustration.

Some purists, on the other hand, say technology is over-rated and contend that the emphasis should be put on instruction instead of equipment to help a person improve, instead of making them reliant on the latest and greatest in golf equipment.

There are so many sides to this issue, which likely explains why it has been waging for decades.

So, it’s your turn to make your opinion known.

Head over to the GNN Poll, where this week’s question is “Should there be two completely different sets of equipment rules for competitive and recreational players?”

Since this is always such a hot button issue, readers are always welcome to expand their thoughts inside the GNN Forum.

About Ian Hutchinson
Ian Hutchinson is a veteran Canadian golf writer, whose history in the game includes an extensive background with Canadian golf trade publications. A golf columnist with Sun Media, Hutch is also a regular contributor to publications and websites in Canada and the United States.

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One Response to “Does The USGA Focus Too Much On Pros?”

  1. Mark on November 23rd, 2009 1:44 am

    I totally agree that what the pros play should be for the pros. Their livelihood is based on their game. It’s understandable they need competition rules. I on the other hand could care less what the pros play. They have “souped up” equipment, so really you are not playing what they are using anyway. Let recreational players play whatever they want. Make it easy for the manufacturers to create what the masses of golfers want. This would be a big help to golfers and the golf industry itself.

Please feel free to tee it up ...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!




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