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Japan Golf Goods Association endorses sale of non-conforming clubs

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As Mike Stachura of Golf Digest originally reported, the Japan Golf Goods Association announced it will support the distribution of non-conforming equipment. The JGGA is the trade organization for golf manufacturers in Japan, the world’s second-largest market for golf equipment.

The announcement comes ahead of the JGGA-sponsored Japan Golf Fair (Feb. 13-15 in Tokyo), which is the Japanese version of the PGA Merchandise Show.

As Stachura notes:

[quote_box_center]”The JGGA is advocating that products be clearly marked as nonconforming, although it has not indicated what specific efforts or product labeling will be made. Its main motivation seems to be to cater to golfers seeking more enjoyment without performance limits imposed by the rules.”[/quote_box_center]

The JGGA’s statement reads, in part:

“JGGA believes that it is desirable for the stimulation of the golf market to have a wide variety of golf equipment available in the market from which all types of golfers may choose in order to find one that really fits their respective purposes and needs, hoping that more and more golfers will enjoy playing golf as a result of such improvement in the golf equipment market

“From this point of view, JGGA has left it to the judgment of each member company whether to manufacture and/or sell golf equipment that doesn’t fully conform to the specifications set forth in the Rules of Golf promulgated by R&A.”

“For the most of amateur golfers, nothing give[s] more pleasure than long driving distances and control of a golf ball on the green with a back spin as professional golfers do. That is why quite a few of golfers are still using and wanting nonconforming golf equipment and why nonconforming golf equipment is still available on the market in response to such demand. Some golfers may be using or buying nonconforming equipment without knowing that they don’t conform to the Rules.”

No major U.S. golf manufacturer has a current line of non-conforming equipment, and the JGGA’s decision is likely to start a conversation stateside.

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26 Comments

26 Comments

  1. Hamish

    Feb 16, 2015 at 8:37 pm

    Hoary! Bring them to The USA!
    I hope more ‘Quality’ Japan golf equipment come’s to the USA…for the simple reason that OEM’s in USA will have to ‘up’ their quality to match the better Japan forgings & shafts
    USA golfers are fooled by ‘made for shafts’ thinking they have the exact one the Pro has…or heads made in China from inferior materials compared to Japan manufacturers.
    I also hope more golfers in USA ‘can compare’ their buying choices to Japan offerings…
    The Japan club market needs to open up more in USA…

  2. Daniel

    Feb 8, 2015 at 7:00 pm

    Golfers already gives too much attention to clubs, clothes and other equipment.
    I say put your time and money into practice, lessons and playing tournaments.
    Nonconforming clubs is just another distraction from the game.

  3. Golf

    Feb 7, 2015 at 6:01 am

    I’m thinking that there are some that can and want to swing out of their shoes to see how far they can’t hit a high COR driver and that’s ok if that’s what you want to do. Then there are some that for whatever reason i.e. getting older, handicapped etc, that want to simply take a normal swing and possibly pick up a few yards. I believe that this is what Arnold P was talking about. Another thing that is interesting to me is that there is the .830 COR limit, but most of the advertisements for Drivers say that their special designs make them go farther and farther. Farther than what? Ok, so most likely there are $millions being spent on R&D to find out how to make .830 COR driver go farther and get around the distance limitations. Those R&D costs are passed on to the consumer when we purchase one of those new high tech drivers. The non conforming drivers that I’ve seen are a fraction of the cost of the conforming drivers. It would be interesting to see a live TV show and have golfers of different abilities and ages, swing speeds, etc, test the latest high tech drivers against the latest non conforming drivers. One other thing. I’m not criticizing any golf club company. They all have wonderful equipment. I’d just like to see a real live side by side comparison. Not robots and/or math calculations.

  4. Tom Wishon

    Feb 6, 2015 at 11:55 am

    It’s certainly true that one could criticize the Japan OEMs to say that this statement is simply them wanting an avenue to sell more equipment. On the other hand, many do not remember that drivers with a COR higher than the 0.830 limit were legal for play in all countries under the R&A rules until 2008. When the USGA enacted the COR limit at 0.830 in 1998, the R&A balked and refused to go along. So while the US and Mexico players had to keep their driver under 0.830 COR starting in 98, for ten years after that all players in R&A jurisdiction countries, including the Euro Tour, Japan Tour, Asian Tour, SAfrica Tour could play drivers with as high of a COR as they could lay their hands on.

    As such no golfers in the US ever had to give up a longer hitting driver to have to play a shorter hitting club as happened in all these other countries including Japan when the R&A did change course and adopt the COR limit of the USGA in 2008.

    No matter what, this situation of non conforming clubs is most definitely a polarizing issue. Because 50% of our business has always been in countries under the R&A rules, I designed an 0.890 driver that we sold to the international customers up until 2008. We did most definitely put a clear statement in the catalog each year saying this driver was non conforming in the USGA countries. But it was interesting that we would still get nasty emails from US golfers from time to time accusing us of helping golfers “cheat” by offering this driver.

    In reality, the difference between an 0.830 and 0.890 driver is really just not that great for avg golfers with a clubhead speed of under 100mph. If we believe the stat that says the avg male golfer has a driver clubhead speed of 87mph, for that speed a change from 0.830 to 0.890 would represent not more than 9 yards more distance.

    The other fascinating thing I remember about those years when the R&A allowed the higher COR driver was what happened in 1999 on the European Tour. With high COR drivers legal for play on the Euro Tour in 1999, at the start of the season 56 players started the season with what at that time was the highest COR driver, the ERC II from Callaway. By year’s end, 4 were still playing the ERC II, 52 had given it up and gone back to a USGA legal driver no higher than 0.830. Players who switched were asked why and the overwhelming majority said because it was more difficult to keep the higher COR driver in the fairway.

    So what did that say? I take it to mean that distance is self policing. And from that, one certainly could say that if the JGGA does begin to offer higher COR drivers, most likely it will have no effect on harming the game except for the occasional argument or fight that may occur when a “hawk” takes offense at a playing partner using such a club.

    As a long time designer, I am all for rules to prevent equipment from harming the game. Especially for the ball because that is the one piece of equipment for which technology does exist that would harm the game. I also believe that some of the equipment rules enacted in the past 15 yrs were unneeded and enacted from a standpoint of emotion and lack of technical or practical knowledge – 460cc limit on driver size, 48″ limit on length, 2010 groove rule, body anchored putters.

    I can also see that if a golfer ONLY plays for fun and never in a competition, and there are a lot in that category, they should be able to play with non conforming clubs if it means they keep getting out to play and enjoying their time on the course. But it is a potentially devisive issue, no question about that.

  5. Derrick

    Feb 5, 2015 at 10:16 am

    I say to each his own. Play what you want. If you don’t like someone playing non-conforming clubs in casual play then you need to remove the stick from your behind.

  6. Bruce

    Feb 5, 2015 at 4:43 am

    I personally have no reason to play NCE….but…
    it will be interesting to see how far these companies can take equipment.
    I want to see a ball that goes 400 yards and stops on a dime.

  7. jj

    Feb 5, 2015 at 1:36 am

    Golf has become a crooked farce played by robots….. its not a great game anymore!

  8. par guy

    Feb 4, 2015 at 3:22 pm

    Encourage the wide world of amateurs and give them everything science can create and control the professionals so they can teach us what is humanly possible. Thank you Japan

  9. Juan L. Fourqiet

    Feb 4, 2015 at 1:14 pm

    Do you want a 10/15 additional yards from your driver? Get fitted by a competent clubmaker, no need resorting to nonconforming ones . I tell you from my own experience.

    • leftright

      Feb 6, 2015 at 8:13 am

      The “competent” club fitter I went to tried to convince me only $400 shafts would get me the yardage I needed so I got one and lost yardage because higher end shafts tend to be stiffer and have lower torque numbers and many people cannot load them. I had a shaft that I had no use for worth half of what I paid and then I find out the fitter is endorsed by the shaft manufacturer and gets commission. I’d be curious to know who is endorsing Tom Wishon who advocates golfer spends tons of money to play golf from fitting, special golf clubs and shafts, expert instruction, etc in every article. I have heard “more” fitting horror stories than I have ever heard someone say it really helped them. Byron, Ben, Arnold, Jack, Tom, Lee, Sam, Walter and Gene did not get fitted.

  10. Dutxdeanster

    Feb 4, 2015 at 9:25 am

    non conforming wedges are definately a game changer.

  11. adam

    Feb 3, 2015 at 10:56 pm

    Everyone here is talking clubs. I want a non-conforming bag

  12. joe cline

    Feb 3, 2015 at 3:05 pm

    i beg to differ WRX on your statement that no U.S. OEM has ever produced an illegal club. was not the ERC 2 by Callaway a non-conforming club and later discontinued. i remember one Arnold Palmer endorsing it!!

    • Daniel

      Feb 3, 2015 at 9:43 pm

      The article says “No major U.S. golf manufacturer has a current line of non-conforming equipment”

  13. Scooter McGavin

    Feb 3, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    This is a good thing. Honestly, if the golf “industry” as a whole wants to attract players, they need to prevent new people from getting discouraged and frustrated with the game. The vast majority of golfers do not compete, so there is no point in them making the game harder for themselves if they just want to go out and have fun.

  14. Andrew

    Feb 3, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    Bravo Japan!

  15. Double Mocha Man

    Feb 3, 2015 at 12:06 pm

    I’m fine with non-conforming equipment. Just don’t fool yourself into thinking you are better than you are. And don’t enter into club tournaments.

    Personally, I use the non-conforming swing…

  16. Jason

    Feb 3, 2015 at 11:57 am

    I would love play with some non conforming equipment just to see how much or even if it would benefit my game, but I would feel that I was cheating.

  17. Tom

    Feb 3, 2015 at 11:47 am

    The news is ‘Japan Golf Goods Association endorses sale of non-conforming clubs’. JDM manufacturers have been producing and selling non-conforming drivers, wedges and balls for a long time now. In fact one of Japan’s larger chain golf shops ‘Golf 5’, which stocks all the big OEMs, has their own brand of non-conforming golf balls and wedges which they sell in store. In other words the JGGA is just recognizing the reality of their market and members.

  18. Mike

    Feb 3, 2015 at 11:09 am

    This is not a good direction… I wish the limits were harsher making the game shorter. Shorter drivers and balls means shorter courses, less use of land, less water and more conservation.

    • Bernal Castillo

      Feb 3, 2015 at 4:56 pm

      Sorry, but golf courses eat more carbon dioxide and product more oxygen than almost any other type of terrain, either man made or natural.

    • You are kidding right?

      Feb 4, 2015 at 5:56 pm

      Really with this? Cows breaking wind produce more methane (an actual greenhouse gas) daily than anything manmade. Don’t believe me? Look it up. Its the reason several countries cannot meet international standards of methane production. Also where are you getting this conservation nonsense. Wouldn’t you want more large areas of grass and trees… I dunno… kinda how the earth was before urbanization? Its not like some magic wand will be waived and convert the left over land from your “shorter courses” will become nature preserves. Most likely it will become residential or commercial property due to the high value of land. You are literally the first person I have ever seen comment on how eliminating acres from golf courses would be beneficial to the environment. Considering all the real environmental issues that are out there, course land area should be at the bottom of your laundry list of complaints. Actually, scratch that, it shouldn’t even be on your list.

      • graymulligan

        Feb 5, 2015 at 10:13 am

        The whole cow fart “fact” is fun, but completely untrue. Cows produce more methane from their mouths than their behinds, and while they are the third largest producer of methane in the US behind a couple of industrial sources, methane isn’t the only greenhouse gas, and it trails behind carbon monoxide in overall greenhouse gas production.

        Cars are still “killing the environment” way more than cows are. The more you know!

  19. west

    Feb 3, 2015 at 10:45 am

    I think Grenade drivers have been selling non-confirming drivers for a while now. And why not? People pay good money for their tee times, let them hit the clubs they want. If anything, it will help promote the game, as beginning players will be less frustrated with this highly challenging game. As they improve their skills, I’m sure these same people will gravitate towards conforming clubs.

    And if not, let people have fun hitting 300+ bombs!

    As long as people don’t use them in sanctioned tournaments, I think it’s good for the game!

    • Sully

      Feb 3, 2015 at 11:05 am

      West,

      Thanks for your comment. The Grenade golf driver is USGA legal but still very long. I am actually launching a separate company over the next few weeks for illegal golf drivers, more info to come. Feel free to reach out if you have questions 802 448 2094

  20. chad ryan

    Feb 3, 2015 at 10:26 am

    This will be interesting. I’ve always wondered what kind of performance a non conforming club can achieve. I think a lot of WRX’rs will be shopping the JDM marketplaces soon.

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Equipment

Accra launches new GX wood and hybrid shafts

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Accra Golf shafts have long been synonymous with fitting, and the new GX line of driver, fairway, and hybrid shafts continues that legacy.

Since 2004, Accra has been making high-end performance golf shafts that use the latest in materials and design philosophy. Their group of around 350 fitters are some of the best and most highly ranked in the world. While you might see other brands on professional tours more often, there are plenty of touring pros using Accra products and winning.

Accra’s new GX line of shafts is designed to offer a consistent and accurate shaft to a wide range of players. The GX line consists of 3 different shafts in driver, fairway, and hybrid designs.

The Accra GX shafts are designed for fitters to dial in golfers to the perfect shaft for their swing. Accra included a ton of technology into the GX line including their S3 profiling, DyMatch, and Constant Flex technology. DyMatch has been Accra’s quest to ensure that all shafts in a family feel and perform similar from driver to hybrid or iron shaft. Typically shafts get stiffer as they go up in weight, but Accra’s Constant Flex keeps the flex of the shafts consistent so fitters and golfers can dial in the weight that the golfer need without have to work around a stiffer or softer flex. Accra worked with Cool Clubs to build out its S3 Shaft Profiling system that not only allows a quick and easy EI profile of any shaft, it helps with quality control to ensure shafts come out of production exactly as they were designed.

Accra GX Red 300 Series

GX Red is lowest launching and spinning option in the GX line. Driver shafts have fewer options with just the 360 and 370 models that come in at 63 and 71 grams. The GX Red is made for faster swinging, or stronger, players who require a stiff (M4) or x-stiff (M5) shaft for their swing. Fairway and hybrid models are also on the higher weight side with the fairway clocking in at 80g and 90g for the hybrid. Accra designed this series with one of the stiffest tip sections of any Accra shaft in the current line, and while it is built to control launch and spin, the Red 300 Series will still offer that smooth feel.

Accra GX Green 100 Series

If your swing usually works best with mid-launch and spin, then the GX Green 200 series might be the right shaft for you. Offered in more weight and flex options, you can get a GX Green in 52 grams and all the way up to 70 grams in regular, stiff, and x-stiff flexes. GX Green will give the player a smooth feel and transition from the handle down to the tip section while still providing great stability and consistency. Accra also focused on the energy transfer of this shaft, and golfers can see some increased ball speed compared to other shafts.

Accra GX Blue 200 Series

While the GX Blue 100 Series is the highest launching and spinning option in the GX lineup, it will still give golfers the control and consistency they need. Starting off at 40g, the GX Blue series puts an emphasis on lighter weight to allow players to swing the club faster, promoting more distance. Accra touts the stability of the GX 140 Blue driver shaft by stating that some long driver competitors have put it in play to try and gain every MPH they can. Matching fairway and hybrid shafts are both on the lighter side at around 60g for the fairway and 65g for the hybrid depending on the flex.

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Best irons in golf of 2024: Best blades

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In our effort to assemble the 2024 best irons, we have again compiled an expert panel of fitters to help you find out which of the 2024 irons is best for your game.

Ultimately the best way to find your personal best iron set is to work with a professional fitter using a launch monitor. The difficult part is a lot of people don’t have easy access to fitters, launch monitors, and club builders — so at GolfWRX, we have done a lot of the work for you.

We are in the era of not just maximizing distance but also minimizing the penalty of common misses for each player — this applies to irons just as much as it does with any other club in the bag. And of course, proper set makeup and gapping is essential. This is why, now more than ever, custom fitting is essential to help you see results on every swing you make.

We want to give you the tools and information to go out and find what works best for you by offering recommendations for your individual iron set wants and needs with insight and feedback from the people who work every single day to help golfers get peak performance out of their equipment.

Best irons of 2024: The process

The best fitters in the world see all the options available in the marketplace, analyze their performance traits, and pull from that internal database of knowledge and experience like a supercomputer when they are working with a golfer.

It’s essentially a huge decision tree derived from experience and boiled down to a starting point of options—and it has nothing to do with a handicap!

Modern iron sets are designed into player categories that overlap the outdated “what’s your handicap?” model, and at GolfWRX we believe it was important to go beyond handicap and ask specific questions about the most crucial performance elements fitters are looking at.

These are the best iron categories we have developed to help you determine which category is most important for your swing and game.

Best irons of 2024: The categories

2024 Best irons: Best blades

This is by far the most straightforward category because it is defined by a single style of club — the blade AKA the muscle back or MB for short. Although modern variations offer a lot more playability than they did decades ago, blades are still defined by their workability, compact shaping, and lower ball flight. If you are looking for the ultimate test or just prefer something in the more traditional vein, these are for you.

Mizuno Pro 241

Their story: Grain Flow Forged HD in Hiroshima, Japan, Mizuno Pro 241 irons feature better turf interaction than their predecessors thanks to increased bounce (while maintaining the same sole camber). Additionally, the 241 irons feature more centered mass than Mizuno Pro 221 for enhanced feedback. Also contributing to enhanced feedback: Mizuno’s signature soft copper underlay. The topline has been thinned and short irons are more compact.

Fitter comments:

  • “Mizuno has made some of the best blades for over 35 years and the 241 holds up with the rest.”
  • “These are the staple in the blade market options. These just keep getting better and better each generation.”
  • “From a feel and feedback, Mizuno always hits the mark.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece. 

Titleist 620MB

Their story: The 620 MB offers ideal turf interaction throughout the set thanks to more camber and a tweaked leading edge. In addition to the sole tweaks, the blade length is progressive from the longest iron to the shortest and the transition is so smooth that unless you set clubs next to each other, it’s quite difficult to notice. The final design element is the face height progression which transitions from more shallow to tall in the pitching wedge to offer the greatest control over ball flight.

Fitter comments:

  • “Exactly what one would expect from a Titleist blade, great feel, incredible control and precision.”
  • “Nothing feels as good as a Titleist blade when hit in the middle.”
  • “Classic as classic gets for the player who wants that.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Srixon Z-Forged II

What Srixon says: “Z-Forged II is a traditional muscle back blade Iron designed in close collaboration with Srixon tour pros. Z-Forged II Irons offer crisp feel, maximum control, and pinpoint workability.”

Fitter comments: 

  • “The easiest blade to hit on the market. The longer heal-to-toe blade length inspires confidence to a player who wants to play a blade, but also wants forgiveness.”
  • “Most forgiving blade. Long blade length and V-Sole, with buttery soft feel. First gen looked better in the bag, but this performs better with the updated sole design.”
  • “Incredible feel, the dual sole creates great turf interaction and clean strikes from all lies.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Ping Blueprint T

Their story: The Blueprint T, designed for skilled golfers who prioritize workability, is a single-piece, 8620 carbon steel forging. Its muscle-back design concentrates mass behind the impact zone for a pleasing sound and feel with workability. A shorter heel-face height and narrow soles is designed for a distraction-free appearance at address and consistent turf interaction. Precision-milled grooves and a high-density toe screw provide precise swingweight control.

Fitter comments:

  • “These things are beautiful and clean looking. You don’t see much going on the outside of the iron. Small compact and very hard to hit.”
  • “By far the best blade made.”
  • “Great follow up to last year’s Blueprint that took off after being a proto club. New category opened up for Ping because of prior success. Refining the issues with blades with maintaining the classic look and lofts.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Callaway Apex MB

Their story: Callaway’s “modern tour blade” was developed in collaboration with tour professionals and is designed to deliver efficient turf interaction (thanks to Dynamic Sole Design), optimum workability, and a classic feel in a one-piece, 1025 carbon steel forging. Callaway engineers designed the Apex MB line with progressive CG throughout the set — lower in the long irons for higher launch, higher in the short irons for a more penetrating trajectory.

From the fitters:

  • “The weight…in the back positions the center of gravity directly behind the ball to give the player precision and control over the launch and shape of shots.”
  • “Easier to elevate than the previous generation, the new weight system offers a touch more forgiveness as well while still delivering similar feel.”
  • “A nice blade and a good option from Callaway.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Best irons of 2024: Meet the fitters

RELATED: Best driver 2024

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Whats in the Bag

Scottie Scheffler’s winning WITB: 2024 Masters

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Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (8 degrees @8.25) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (45 inches)

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X

Irons: Srixon ZU85 (3, 4) Buy here, TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW) Buy here.
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Hybrid Prototype 10 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50-12F, 56-14F) Buy here, Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-T) Buy here.
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X Buy here.
Grip: Golf Pride Pro Only Cord

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Buy here.

Check out more in-hand photos of Scottie Scheffler’s clubs here.

 

The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.

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