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Justin Thomas “hurt” after “unfortunate” Twitter spat with the USGA over the rules of golf; meeting pending
Justin Thomas has not been shy this year when it comes to criticizing the new rules of golf and how the USGA has implemented those rules, and over the weekend while Thomas was in action at the Honda Classic, the relationship between the two appeared to come to breaking point.
Before the event at PGA National began, Thomas described the rule changes made from the USGA and R&A which came into effect on January 1st as “terrible” in a pre-tournament presser. While after he was unable to replace a club mid-round on Thursday which he bent after playing a shot from behind a tree, the 25-year-old stated that “You can just add that one to the list of rules that don’t make any sense.”
Thomas’ mood didn’t improve after finding out that fellow pro Adam Schenk was assessed a two-stroke penalty on Friday for violation of Rule 10.2b after Schenk’s caddie was judged to have been standing directly behind Schenk as he took his stance on the par-3 17th hole.
Clearly dismayed with the ruling, Thomas took to Twitter to re-ignite his feud with the USGA with a series of tweets criticizing the decision.
#growthegame @USGA https://t.co/jc5E0Y7TjP
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) March 2, 2019
Exactly. A lot of times caddies just stand back there and talk. Whether it’s the yardage we have, etc. or maybe I ask him to assess my lie and that’s the most sensible place to look at it, from behind. I agree lining somebody up.. but if the caddie clearly isn’t, unnecessary
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) March 2, 2019
What happened next is unprecedented, with the USGA’s Twitter PR account directly tweeting Thomas and asserting that the two need to talk, while claiming that Thomas had “cancelled every meeting we’ve planned with you.”
Justin, we need to talk. You’ve cancelled every meeting we’ve planned with you, but we are reaching out again. We were at the first 5 events, and tournaments last year, and your tour has had a seat at the table for 7 years. We’d love nothing more than to give you a seat. Call us.
— USGA PR (@USGA_PR) March 2, 2019
It’s unknown who exactly was behind the USGA’s tweet to Thomas, but after Sunday’s round at PGA National, Thomas described the incident as “unfortunate” and how he felt hurt, particularly with the organizations claim that he had cancelled every meeting with them, a claim which he stated was false, per Golf Channel.
“It really hurt me; it was upsetting to me because the information they put out there wasn’t accurate in terms of me cancelling meetings and that doesn’t make me look good.
That’s just when I got a little upset and we had communication with them (the USGA) because I know those guys, I’ve talked to them about the rules this year. We’re trying to communicate and get better relationships with them. All we’re looking (to do) is better the sport.”
A follow-up tweet from the USGA PR account confirmed that Thomas had been in contact offline and that a meeting between the two is in the offing. According to Thomas, however, no date has yet been set.
“We’ve tried to get on a couple calls, and I was in the middle of this three-week stretch, so I was like, look, I’m sorry, this time isn’t very good. But we’re definitely going to talk at some point, but we’ve had conversations this year multiple times with a couple different people.
“It’s not like it hasn’t happened. It’s just, it hasn’t the last three weeks because I’ve been at a tournament, and that’s my main focus.”
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.
Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.
Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.
According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.
He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.
Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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Tiger Noods
Mar 4, 2019 at 3:33 pm
OK, so let’s say JT didn’t make some meetings. Does that change anything? No, it doesn’t. The rule is still ambiguous.
If the USGA says, “We are still ready to meet with you; just find a time and we’re there,” Ok, no big deal. What was tweeted was a call out. It was “the boss” embarrassing that crap-talking employee. And under what circumstance now does anyone think this will be in good faith?
The USGA was wrong. They continue to be wrong. They have botched the rollout monumentally. And now they are tired of hearing how badly they’ve screwed this up. Of course, it’s not going to stop, and this needs to cost people their jobs at the USGA.
Im A Unicorn
Mar 4, 2019 at 2:27 pm
seems like he can dish out the smack… but can’t take it when it comes back round his way
Early Extender
Mar 4, 2019 at 2:25 pm
I don’t know many fans or players, if any, who would argue that the new rules are an improvement. And I’m a JT fan. That being said, saying you were “hurt” after being confronted by a body you’ve repeatedly criticized lately is a total millennial snowflake move. Man up, set them straight if need be. But don’t act like a victim, even if what they said wasn’t accurate.
James
Mar 4, 2019 at 2:45 pm
Agreed that “hurt” was a pretty b*tchy word to use. However, it doesn’t mean his argument is unfounded. Personally, I like RF’s approach: mock the insanity.
Belacyrf
Mar 5, 2019 at 7:38 am
I say the rules are an improvement and think these PGA children need to learn to adapt to CHANGE like the rest of us do in the real world. Stop whining and taking to the internet like spoiled children and reach out to have an adult conversation with adults who are trying to do what they can to make the rules simpler.
I’ve found most of the people out in social media don’t even know the reasoning behind the rules. It’s insane to think that brand new rules might not need some tweaking, but to cry as if their lives are wreck because they need to adapt to change… typical spoiled brat behavior.
Dennis
Mar 4, 2019 at 2:10 pm
I don’t care. Which shirt is he wearing in the picture?
Mower
Mar 4, 2019 at 1:29 pm
Just like in the movies when you’re not expected to show up in a closed meeting. “Sir! You’re not allowed in here!” Exclaims the secretary.
Justin swings open the door to the great room. “I’m here bi**hes!”
Travis
Mar 4, 2019 at 12:23 pm
Don’t poke the dog and get upset when it bites you. The USGA rules have been controversial, but JT’s conduct in addressing the USGA has been confrontational and childish.
James
Mar 4, 2019 at 2:41 pm
Calling a spade a spade is not confrontational, except to parasites. Brutal honesty is necessary in a free and just society and the USGA is nothing. Who appointed these armwaving children as the gods of golf?
Tiger Noods
Mar 4, 2019 at 3:28 pm
Has it? Before you reconsider, think presidentially…
Terry Dixon
Mar 4, 2019 at 12:10 pm
What we need is USGA-A, United States Golf Association for Amateurs and our own set of simple rules
Jack
Mar 4, 2019 at 11:50 am
The USGA is hurting themselves once (how ’bout many dozen times) again. The USGA needs a lesson in communications themselves. It is the USGA that will be damaged by their tactics, not the tour pros.
EA
Mar 4, 2019 at 11:40 am
JT – if your schedule was so busy and your main focus was on golf, why setup multiple meetings or calls in the first place? You state that golf is your main focus but you have no problem with scheduling and then cancelling calls due to “golf tourney just popped up” had to cancel. You have plenty of time to tweet and bitch but when someone says let’s talk, all of the sudden you’re busy.
dat
Mar 4, 2019 at 10:41 am
More corporate decision making to keep those fat cats in a job when it actually harms the game. Pathetic.
James
Mar 4, 2019 at 10:33 am
CYA USGA! Nice ring. There were no meetings scheduled and you lied about them to discredit Justin. “Call us” does not mean a meeting is scheduled. Just because you write them down doesn’t mean they are mutually agreed to. Now get a job instead of being a bunch of overpaid blueblood talkers and armwavers.
Brian McGranahan
Mar 4, 2019 at 10:24 am
What a snowflake. Boooohoooo, I don’t like a rule and want it changed.
Dave
Mar 4, 2019 at 10:14 am
I’m tired of the USGA always being the story. Some of these changes have missed the mark. Why is an Ob ball penalized different from a ball hit into a water hazard? Isn’t the water hazard ball by definition ob? The drop rule is bad. Why penalize a player if he/she drops from higher than knee height? I get what the USGA is trying to do, but I think some if these changes have missed.
Eastpointe CC
Mar 4, 2019 at 9:36 am
All of the rule changes this year and ridiculous FOR THE PROS. For us hacks they are beneficial. There needs to be 2 sets of rules. Also if they really want to speed up play all they need to do is allow range finders. There is so much guess work that it doesn’t really change anything except speed up play.
I may be i the minority but I LOVE the fact that the USGA called him out. AND I fully believe that he canceled these meetings with them.
iutodd
Mar 4, 2019 at 8:20 am
What BS from the USGA. Calling a professional golfer out on Twitter like that makes your PR department look like they don’t know what they’re doing and that the USGA has a bad relationship with the players.
And it’s hugely unprofessional on the part of whoever runs that Twitter account. Grow the game?
JD
Mar 4, 2019 at 8:13 am
This is turning into the NFL, ambiguous rules that make no sense. All it is going to take to ascend into full chaos is someone with a one stroke lead in a major being assessed a two stroke penalty that costs him a trophy.
Like NFL refs, they are going to put these rules officials in the position of making judgement calls dependent on the circumstance. Imagine having to give Tiger a penalty after failing to drop the ball correctly after hitting one in the water on 12 at Augusta. That guy would be clubbed in the parking lot.
scooter
Mar 4, 2019 at 3:17 pm
Funny you mention Tiger and Augusta … but the incorrect drop after hitting the flagstick and going in the water already happened years ago and the hole was #15 … and he was penalized without any bloodshed (although a lot of hand wringing about dis-qualification). Lets face it, guys have lost majors for rules infractions … see DJ.
Ryan Barry
Mar 4, 2019 at 7:58 am
He’s a child and has acted like one for years. If the average golfer breaks a club he doesn’t leave his buddies and go home to get a replacement, etc. Play without it, you’re a pro. If the rule is your Caddie can’t be behind you in stance, then make sure your Caddie isn’t there. What’s the big deal? If they warn him and two guys make less money for his strokes, how is that fair to those players losing purse?
Erik Morden
Mar 4, 2019 at 7:47 am
Why do they want to talk to him are they upset that he is actually calling them out for being stupid. I also want to know why the USGA is so focused on this one rule. Why dont they talk to players that are playing slow instead of having what seems like solo focus on the caddy issue.