Equipment Doesn’t Eliminate Teaching

One of the constant arguments I’ve heard against different equipment guidelines for recreational players and competitive/professional players is that we should be putting the emphasis on instruction to improve people’s games instead of getting them dependent on quick fixes through equipment.

In one sense, that argument is correct. Instruction is the best avenue to improving a person’s game, but I just don’t get how game-improvement technology gets in the way of the promotion of teaching.

For example, if recreational players were allowed to keep using the same grooves they’ve always been able to play, instead of being forced to follow new United States Golf Association guidelines, would they suddenly stop coming for lessons? Did they stop seeking instruction when they could play the old grooves?

The answer is no and teachers of the game would not suddenly be shunned just because rec players were using the same grooves they were already used to, while high-level players went along with USGA conforming grooves.

The late Rick Fraser, a great golf writer from the Toronto Sun and Toronto Star, put it all in perspective years ago when the debate about hot drivers was going on. “That just means they’ll be putting it farther into the woods,” growled Fraser about the extra distance that was supposed to come from such weapons.

The point that Fraser was making, in his own inimitable fashion, was that the extra yardage somebody might pick up off the tee with a hot driver is negated if you slice or hook the ball and that’s where instruction comes in. Extra yards only help if you know how to use the tools of the trade.

On the other hand, once you learn how to properly execute your shots, those extra yards with a hot driver or a nice up-and-down with wedges we’ve already become accustomed to anyway lead to enjoyment of the game for somebody who is just playing the game for fun.

Fun is the operative word here, the one that will appeal to new players who might consider coming into the game and taking lessons to learn golf etiquette and gain a certain level of competency on the course. The USGA’s fear of golf courses being brought to their knees by technology is not rooted in rec players.

Yet, it continues to spread blanket guidelines over all of golf in regards to equipment and the USGA, despite its own perception of itself as one of golf’s great governing bodies, is losing touch with the masses, many of which don’t even keep official handicaps anymore.

If they could get their hands on bad boy equipment such as non-conforming wedges or drivers, many rec players would do it with no concern about what the USGA has to say about it.

Communication is the key. If such equipment could be sold, the sales person would have to inform consumers that such clubs could only be used for recreational golf and, if the person becomes good enough to play competitively, they will have to invest in new equipment.

Communication is also the key to convincing casual players that instruction is the key to improvement in the game. The advancement of technology does not lead to the extinction of golf teaching.

The industry supports different sets of guidelines for recreational and high level players, according to the latest GNN Poll. As this was being written, 72 per cent were in favour of different guidelines, while 28 per cent were in favour of one set of equipment rules.

As always, we’ll leave the poll up for the weekend. Be sure to head over to the poll on the GNN home page to cast your vote on the subject or go into the GNN Forum to expand on your thoughts.

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