Question about USGA groove article

[Fourputt]

As for current golf on TV being boring, I just don't get it. I don't get super excited because someone is hitting a 6 iron as opposed to hitting a wedge. It isn't must see TV when someone has decided to hit a 3 wood as opposed to driver. If the PGA is boring, it is because most players lack personality, are scared to be a little bit controversial, or they just aren't marketed well. Give us some reason to cheer for these guys, play up sentimental moments (ala the Olympics) and get people behind certain players.

If they have to play a 6I on one hole, a 3I on the next, and a 9I on a third, now you are making the game interesting. If they actually have to work the ball around a dogleg rather than just bomb it over the top (and not be punished for missing), that's good golf and it's fun to watch. Golf is nothing if not a game of creativity and imagination, and "bomb and gouge" is not imaginative. A golfer's personality is at least partly in his game, and with almost every Tour player playing the same game now, it IS boring.

And as I said earlier... the TV ratings support my hypothesis.

[iacas]

If the PGA is concerned about professional golf, then the first thing they need to do is make the courses a little tougher each week.

The PGA doesn't factor into this, and since the "P" in "PGA" stands for "professional," yeah, it's safe to assume the PGA is concerned about professional golf.

We're talking about the USGA here, and their concern is not strictly professional golf, but "good players" on this issue.

Longer rough, tougher traps, trickier pin placement can do all of those things.

At far greater expense, yes, they could. And pins are already tucked pretty well on the PGA Tour. In fact, I think it's silly how tucked some are - I'd rather see some moved back towards the middle a little. They're so tucked because everyone can stick it close from everywhere.

Then just make the rough longer for professional events.

You do realize it takes a few months to grow rough longer, right? You can't just let it grow one week before the event and say "there we go, longer rough!"

I mean, you could , but I doubt any superintendent would really go for it.

[kevntri]

I agree that the average golfer likely won't be penalized as much as the pros. I also agree that the bomb and gouge style of play isn't as fun to watch. I just don't like the idea of the USGA trying to fix a mistake by rolling back technology.

I don't think they are rolling back technology, they are adding some control to it. The fact that they are not happy with the progress of the U grooves does not mean we are going back to the wooden shafted sticks. The ball has a lot to do with spin and distance. My thought is you won't even see a major score change with the big boys and average player can't tell the difference anyway. They will play the non-conforming clubs if that's what they have. You see a lot of ten year old drivers out there. They have not switched do to the bomb effect???

The casual golfer does not care. The golf addict will now have a new club excuss for the wife

[redi630]

You keep your clubs for 10 years without replacing them? I find that hard to believe.

I just replaced my clubs for the first time in 10 years. Why is that so hard to believe.

[Fourputt]

I just replaced my clubs for the first time in 10 years. Why is that so hard to believe.

I tend to keep mine that long too.

[iacas]

I just replaced my clubs for the first time in 10 years. Why is that so hard to believe.

I tend to keep mine that long too.

You're both 12 handicappers. Again, you probably aren't going to play in an event in which the rule will be in effect in 2009, nor would you notice much difference between your old clubs and the (proposed) new ones. Other clubs get grandfathered:

The USGA is considering how to treat clubs that currently conform to the Rules of Golf, but would not conform to the proposed new rules. This consideration would be made for the vast majority of golfers who would not likely be affected by the proposed Condition of Competition, as well as for golf clubs already in use and/or manufactured prior to the proposed rule implementation date. The USGA proposes to allow their use for a lengthy period of time (at least 10 years).

Here's the official announcement. How many of you have read it? If you haven't,

please do so now .

[Mr.Buckethead]

You're both 12 handicappers. Again, you probably aren't going to play in an event in which the rule will be in effect in 2009, nor would you notice much difference between your old clubs and the (proposed) new ones. Other clubs get grandfathered:

No offense, but a 4 isn't going to be playing in an event either. I appreciate your insight and time you spend on your website.

As for the multi-month rough growth, I think you overstate grass's natural ability to grow. My backyard can grow some pretty mean rough in 2-3 weeks.

[iacas]

No offense, but a 4 isn't going to be playing in an event either.

Wrong. Club championships and local match- and medal-play events (like the ones in my area,

http://edga.org/ ) would likely institute the rule as a condition of competition, per the USGA's "proposed" suggestion.

As for the multi-month rough growth, I think you overstate grass's natural ability to grow. My backyard can grow some pretty mean rough in 2-3 weeks.

That doesn't mean it's healthy rough. Grass can get long in two weeks, you bet, but that doesn't mean it's sustainable. I talked my superintendent today, and he elaborated: you can grow long grass quickly, but you can't grow

mean grass quickly. That takes a lot of time. How long do you think Oakmont spent growing its rough? A looooong time. Torrey Pines is going to have it a bit thicker for the Buick, then let it slowly get longer for five months until they host the Open next year.

[Mr.Buckethead]

So let me get this straight.

Well-maintained courses like Oakmont or Valhalla don't have healthy, thick, and lush rough when they aren't hosting a major?

I have played some pretty high dollar courses and they all have had 2 inch healthy rough.

[iacas]

Well-maintained courses like Oakmont or Valhalla don't have healthy, thick, and lush rough when they aren't hosting a major?

Nobody ever said that. And you can't compare Oakmont to anything, as the members there are a bit different than those found just about anywhere else. But yeah, that rough took months to grow, and public and private courses have a very different dynamic in terms of how they're set up and who the average player is.

Let's get back to topic now ("rough" is borderline). I'm not going to debate things that: a) I never said, and b) aren't quite on topic.

[Fourputt]

So let me get this straight.

2 inch isn't deep rough. I mow my lawn to 2 inches, and I care for it well, but it wouldn't be considered thick or deep rough. We are talking 4 inches and more. To make it thick and healthy takes time and care. and then those courses WOULD be virtually unplayable for the average public or club golfer. The club modification makes far more sense than trying to trick up hundreds of golf courses.

[finalrequiem]

You know, I don't really mind this deal with the wedges and I am glad they are putting the brakes on some of the technology. I like how club-makers are being forced to innovate within some constraints as opposed to making everything bigger and lighter. Like someone said before, golf still isn't easy. The USGA is concerned mostly with competetive matches and those who participate and it is their responsibility to maintain what they consider the areas of golf that allow the sport to be competetive. While some people feel the need to police what your everyday Joe does on the course, lets be honest, the only rules that actually apply to rounds played at local courses by most people (rounds turned in for official hanicap calculations excepted) are keep up with the pace of play, don't hit people, don't ramp the carts off of tee boxes (guilty), etc. The USGA has set rules of golf but they know and understand that thousands of normal people aren't going to follow every line of the rule-book and aren't going to buy new equipment all the time and their intent with this rule is to change things for the pros and low-handicap amateurs, not most of us. Don't get all in a tizzy thinking the USGA is trying to lord over your golf game or ruin your fun... They don't care what you do.