As history would lead us to expect, the Solheims are a class act. We
always knew Karsten was. Now we know the apple does not fall far from the tree.
What was news to me here was, "When the USGA proposed the New Groove
Rule more than two years ago, we reminded them of their agreement
relative to the PING EYE2 irons. At the time, I was vehemently
against any new groove rule for a variety of reasons and advised both
the USGA and PGA Tour in a letter dated July 31, 2007 that what is
happening on the PGA Tour today was very much a possibility."
I had thought that the USGA, in its shortsightedness, had forgotten
about it. Apparently not. The stupidity of this oversight was not
simply ignorance. I have trouble imagining what it really was.
In any event, I won't let the PGA Tour statement keep me from
bad-mouthing those who now use the 20-year-old wedges (unless they
were using them for several years leading up to the new wedge rule --
I don't want to criticize consistency and loyalty). Yes, they are
legal. But it is on a technicality only, and in gross violation of
the spirit of the rules. We have always been proud of the fact that
golf is not the NBA or the NFL. Golfers call fouls on themselves,
which kind of precludes rule-shaving. I am disappointed in Phil M and
the others who have switched to the Ping Eye 2 this year; it really
smacks of rule-shaving.
DaveT
At 09:46 AM 2/2/2010, j...@clubmaker-online.com wrote:
I thought you guys would find this interesting:
Statement by Ping Chairman and CEO John Solheim
February 1, 2010
In response to the on-going discussion and miscommunication relating
to 2010 Groove Regulation and the use of PING EYE2 irons
manufactured prior to April 1, 1990, PING Chairman & CEO John
Solheim issued the following statement today:
"Over the last several weeks we've watched with great interest the
impact of the PING EYE2 and its role in the USGA's 2010 Groove
Regulation. We've read and heard numerous inaccurate reports from
various sources, including several PGA Tour Professionals, about the
new groove regulation, specifically that "U" or "Square" grooves are
"banned" as part of the regulation. As the USGA states on its website:
"A common misconception is that "V" shaped grooves will be required
under the new specifications and that "U" shaped grooves will no
longer be allowed. This is not the case."
This misconception has contributed to PING EYE2 irons being
characterized as "non-conforming" or "illegal" and has created a
division among many of the players on the PGA Tour.
We're thankful that the PGA Tour helped clarify this issue in a
statement last weekend:
"Under the Rules of Golf and the 2010 Condition of Competition for
Groove Specifications promulgated by the USGA, pre-1990 Ping Eye 2
irons are permitted for play and any player who uses them in PGA
TOUR sanctioned events taking place in jurisdictions of the USGA is
not in violation of the Rules of Golf; and
Because the use of pre-1990 Ping Eye 2 irons is permitted for play,
public comments or criticisms characterizing their use as a
violation of the Rules of Golf as promulgated by the USGA are
inappropriate at best."
Naturally, this entire episode takes us back more than 20 years when
our company took a stand against both the USGA and PGA Tour over
their attempts to ban PING EYE2 irons because of the grooves. In an
effort to protect the interests of the millions of PING EYE2 owners
who had purchased their clubs in good faith and for the good of the
game, we negotiated an agreement with the USGA which "grandfathered"
all PING EYE2 irons manufactured prior to April 1, 1990.
In 1993, the PGA Tour agreed they "will not in the future adopt or
attempt to adopt any separate PGA Tour rule which would prohibit the
use of U-grooves on any golf club if such PGA Tour rule differed
from a USGA rule."
When the USGA proposed the New Groove Rule more than two years ago,
we reminded them of their agreement relative to the PING EYE2 irons.
At the time, I was vehemently against any new groove rule for a
variety of reasons and advised both the USGA and PGA Tour in a
letter dated July 31, 2007 that what is happening on the PGA Tour
today was very much a possibility.
The recent statement from the PGA Tour and several PGA Tour players
that they could invoke a "local rule" required us to remind the PGA
Tour of the terms of the agreement which prohibits them from
straying from a rule that "differed from a USGA rule."
While I fully expect the PGA Tour to honor this agreement, I'm
willing to discuss a workable solution to this matter that would
benefit the game and respect the role innovation has played over the
long history of golf."
--
Shoptalk ** Sponsored by the new Aldila Voodoo.
Learn more at http://aldilavoodoo.com/
