Callaway designed wedges that met the new specs, but they spun as much as the old wedges from the rough. So they were ruled non-conforming. Phil got mad and decided to make a point by using the grandfathered Pings.
-Don M --- On Tue, 2/2/10, Alan Brooks <alan.bro...@comcast.net> wrote: > From: Alan Brooks <alan.bro...@comcast.net> > Subject: Re: ShopTalk: Statement by Ping Chairman John Solheim > To: ShopTalk@mail.msen.com > Date: Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 4:42 PM > You have to ask why Phil is using his > old wedge. He was quoted in an article saying that the > old wedge may not perform any better than his new one. > So, was his using the old Ping for competitive advantage, or > politics? He certainly did a good job bringing the > spotlight onto the new groove rules. I suspect his > purpose has been accomplished and he'll go back to his new > wedges very soon, with no fanfare. > > Now if he could just keep his drives on the fairway . . . > he could play boring golf like everyone else. Great > theater AND a top 20 finish. Wow. > > Alan > > > > At 09:46 AM 2/2/2010 -0500, you 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." > > -- > > > > > > > > John Muir > > shoptalk > > > > skype: jhmuir > > AIM: golfcas...@mac.com > > 810.923.7396 > > http://clubmaker-online.com > > http://gripscience.com > > clubmaker.mobi > > golf equipment updates at http://twitter.com/golfcast > > > > sponsored by > > http://aldilavoodoo.com > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Shoptalk ** Sponsored by the new Aldila Voodoo. > > Learn more at http://aldilavoodoo.com/ > > -- > Shoptalk ** Sponsored by the new Aldila Voodoo. > Learn more at http://aldilavoodoo.com/ > -- Shoptalk ** Sponsored by the new Aldila Voodoo. Learn more at http://aldilavoodoo.com/
