Mickelson, Harrington, Daly using PING wedges for grooves. Unfair advantage?

[Chas]

It's not going to do him much good when he'll be hitting his 7th shot from the deep stuff anyway. Daly needs all the help he can get.

A bit cruel ..... but very funny.

[Orange]

How can anyone say it is against the spirit of competition? He is using a legal club. End of story.

My thoughts exactly.

If it creates such an unfair advantage, then they should be illegal...

[Tiger Spuds]

My thoughts exactly.

They

are illegal.. they're square grooves.He's being allowed use them on a technicality alone.

[iacas]

They

If you want to get into technicalities, "square grooves" are not illegal at all. The new rules don't say much about the shape, just the size, spacing, and corner radius.

[Tiger Spuds]

If you want to get into technicalities, "square grooves" are not illegal at all. The new rules don't say much about the shape, just the size, spacing, and corner radius.

If you want to get technical, yes.But you understand what I'm trying to say I'm sure.

[pingman]

Who cares? It's not like you are playing against him. Plus, does it Matter? Hunter Mahan uses them, Calcavecchia uses them, Daly, lots of guys on tour still use the old PING Eye-2 wedge. It's a great all around club. Lastly, like most have said, anyone on tour can use PING Eye-2 irons/wedges manufactured before April 1990. All Tour players are aware of this and shouldn't complain. It has nothing to do with players not wanting to conform or some players having an unfair advantage. The groove rule is about too much spin from the rough, off the fairway the spin rate is more or less the same. All Tour players have the same obstacles to overcome on the course, so they don't need stupid things like old square wedges that are allowed by law to distract them. Sorry for maybe sounding rash, but it's just the way it is.

[Chas]

Maybe I'm piling on (and well said pingman), but in what sense could Daly be considered to be taking unfair advantage of a situation when he is simply and clearly playing by the rules (that are known to everyone, or should be)? Why that Eye-2 exception exists is another matter and might be discussed I suppose, but Daly is simply doing something that is legal - other players can do the same thing if they wish but most will have good reasons for not doing so I'm sure. Such as that they like what they're using thank you very much ....
Bit of a silly discussion IMO.

[Quinn07]

I don't see the issue. If he's want to play a wedge that's 20 years old then let him use it. I would think that with the technology advances in the last decade or two would put any wedge today ahead of the ping wedges from 1980. I am tired of hearing about JD and quite frankly I no longer have any sympathy for him and I don't see the allure any more. Anyways...before I lose my lid I will stop there. That's just my opinion.

[Tiger Spuds]

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to beat on John Daly.He's a bit of a character at least.

But it's a blunder on the PGA's part.I mean, either U grooves are banned or they're not.Allowing one specific make on a legal loophole is ridiculous.And, if Ping are re-sharpening and re-tooling these wedges as is being reported, then you're going to get more spin than V groove wedges, I don't care how old they are.

Relevant discussion IMO

[zeg]

I mean, either U grooves are banned or they're not.Allowing one specific make on a legal loophole is ridiculous.

I don't know the details of the settlement, but depending on how it's worded, they may have no choice but to allow specific makes. Laws, court orders, and established contracts trump the RoG or the PGA Tour rules, as they should.

[jamo]

Unfair? No
Outside the spirit of the rules? Yes

[iacas]

I think it's fine. Who cares. They're 20 years old - they're not going to be that great.

PING doesn't - and I believe can't within the rules - "re-groove" wedges.

http://community.pinggolf.com/commun...owledge_id=292

[Tiger Spuds]

I think it's fine. Who cares. They're 20 years old - they're not going to be that great.

Well that kinda settles that then doesn't it!

Although that could directed at your average Joe Bloggs.Could be a different story for a tour pro.

[iacas]

Well that kinda settles that then doesn't it!

I'm fairly certain that if they re-do the surface... well, here's the quote I still have on my clipboard: "If any material is removed from the machined surfaces of the clubface they are no longer made to spec.". I don't think you can modify the old clubs under the rules. I think it's a small loophole or else you could find any old clubhead Ping Eye 2 clubhead and rebuild it. I don't think that's within the USGA's rules. Originals only.

[Quinn07]

They had a short story on golf central last night showing that there are a couple of pros in the tournament this week using the same wedges. Tim Rosenfort said he didn't think it was unfair or cheating but did say he thought it was not in the spirit of what the new rules are about.

[Tiger Spuds]

They had a short story on golf central last night showing that there are a couple of pros in the tournament this week using the same wedges. Tim Rosenfort said he didn't think it was unfair or cheating but did say he thought it was not in the spirit of what the new rules are about.

At least Tim Rosenfort agree's with me!

Watching Daly last night you'd think he was using wedges with no grooves at all though, he was poor around the greens.And on the greens.. and in the fairway..

[HoosierGolfer]

JD may have been looking for a advantage when he found this glitch in the rules but at the end of the day, nothing can fix his game outside of some hard work and dedication. Just another missed cut for JD this week. I'm guessing there will be more weeks like this when he does get to play.

[Fourputt]

I don't know the details of the settlement, but depending on how it's worded, they may have no choice but to allow specific makes. Laws, court orders, and established contracts trump the RoG or the PGA Tour rules, as they should.

Wrong here. The PGA Tour could make it a condition of the competition that the player must use clubs that conform to the 2010 groove rule and the players would be compelled to abide by it if they wanted to play. The Tour just doesn't have the balls to stand up and do it. The legal aspect only applies to generally allowing the use of the old Ping wedges, not to specific competitions.