Equipment
USGA and R&A announce areas of interest to mitigate distance increases
On Tuesday, the USGA and R&A announced their areas of interest for further exploration on the “Distance Debate.”
The governing bodies have unveiled three proposed changes to the equipment rules to ensure their effectiveness to distance limits—two to modernize equipment testing protocols and one to limit the maximum length for clubs other than putters from 48 to 46 inches.
Per the document, the three proposals are defined as:
- Proposal 1: Club length – reduction to 46 inches available as a Model Local Rule (MLR) (Original proposal delivered in 2016 and paused in 2017 due to the Distance Insights Project). Comment period ends on March 4, 2021.
- Proposal 2: Update on testing method for golf balls. Comment period ends on Aug. 2, 2021.
- Proposal 3: Change to testing tolerance – Characteristic Time. Comment period ends on Aug. 2, 2021.
Speaking on their research and proposals, Mike Davis, Chief Executive Officer of the USGA stated
“The research conducted through Distance Insights clearly shows that hitting distances have consistently increased through time and, if left unchecked, could threaten the long-term future of our game at every level and every golf course on which it is played. This is the first forward step in a journey and a responsibility the USGA and The R&A share with the worldwide golf community, to ensure that golf continues to thrive for the next hundred years and beyond.”
Beyond the immediate, the governing bodies will continue to examine the following, per the report, in a review period ending November 2.
- Reduction in the limit within the overall distance standard
- Modification in the limitation of ball efficiency (update to IV)
- Other ball specifications (size, mass)
- Reduction in the performance of drivers: club length and clubhead dimensions (including volume)
- Changes in the clubhead specifications on spring-like effect and moment of inertia, also
considering the utilization of radius of gyration limitations - Production of spin from all clubs from all areas of the course
The USGA and The R&A also today released their updated 2020 Annual Driving Distance Report, which was initially paused in February 2020 due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Per the organizations, the proposals detailed above “are the outcome of this regular review of equipment-testing processes, protocols and standards to ensure their effectiveness.”
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- Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.
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TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.
TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.
TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.
Can you see where this is going?
Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”
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TaylorMade PUDI
TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)
Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.
In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.
TaylorMade PDHY
TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).
Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.
Club Junkie’s take
Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.
For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.
PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?
TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:
- PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
- PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
- Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
- PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
- PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family
Pricing, specs, and availability
Price: $249.99
At retail: Now
Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)
Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)
PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed
PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Bob Jones
Feb 3, 2021 at 4:51 pm
The long hitters bomb it because is the ball ends up in the rough they can still get par and birdie isn’t out of the question. The solution is to line each side of the fairway from 310-350 yards not with thick rough, but with a 10-yard wide bed of pea gravel. If they figure out how to hit out of that, we can change it to 3/4 minus.
DS
Feb 3, 2021 at 8:57 am
I saw “areas of interest” and “further debate” and didn’t read a word of the actual column. Are these guys paid by the hour? A union shop? Jesus – get something done for chrissakes!
Jack Mamm
Feb 3, 2021 at 7:33 am
I’m not worried – nothing can stop the hammer POW
Daniel Whitehurst
Feb 3, 2021 at 3:51 am
The question isn’t in equipment, it’s in course settup. Slow down the fairways! Plus if you roll back the distance you just hurt the mid to shorter guys on tour. Laws of percentages. You roll back distance the shorter guys lose more distance than the long hitters. It’s a fact. The higher the speed the more yardage per mph. Some long drive guys are 20 yards between irons, old ladies hit half their clubs the same distance. They are trying to fix an unfixable non problem. The average drive on tour goes up 1 yard per year. I don’t see a problem. Everyone plays the same restricted equipment. Colin Morikawa is at the PGA average club head speed and won the PGA at Harding Park where there’s 3 drives you can hit straight and had dense rough. There you go. Get more creative with course settup and distance won’t matter.
Karsten's Ghost
Feb 3, 2021 at 3:08 am
If you look carefully at what is being suggested, it’s not world-ending stuff.
46″ max driver. OK? So what? Testing to make sure they are, indeed conforming with a tighter test? Yep. Same rule, better enforcement. Same with the ball; 317y @120mph. That’s the rule now, and all they’re changing is how it’s tested.
This doesn’t amount to much. Brooke Henderson will be angry if the LPGA uses it, but I doubt they will.
What needs to happen is that COMPRESSION of balls needs to be reduced to no more than 65-70ish.
Funkaholic
Feb 3, 2021 at 10:30 am
You are talking out of your backside
James
Feb 2, 2021 at 11:18 pm
It will be interesting to see the unintended consequences that ultimately hit consumers.
Jbone
Feb 2, 2021 at 3:53 pm
Ask yourself who benefits from these rule changes?
Golfer
Feb 2, 2021 at 2:57 pm
This is a terrible idea and will kill golf TV ratings
Chuck
Feb 2, 2021 at 5:27 pm
This is a point that I think Geoff Shackelford has rightly trounced.
Does anyone watching golf on television actually “see” how far a ball goes? Is a 287-yard drive visibly, demonstrably different for a tv viewer, than a 347-yard drive? No, Shackelford points out, and he is right.
The shots that we will remember forever from our tv viewing are approach shots; short game shots; putts. I can think of 25 iconic televised Tiger Woods shots, and not one of them is a long drive. If any of them are drives at all, they would be things like one of his 2-iron tee shots at Hoylake, or a stinger 3-wood on a narrow hole.
Tgm
Feb 2, 2021 at 6:49 pm
Chuck is spot on.
jake
Feb 2, 2021 at 1:23 pm
Absolutely love this. The game is nothing close to its roots anymore. Ams would probably find the game easier playing a shorter ball and a shorter set of tees. They will hit the ball shorter offline when they banana slice it.
Jbone
Feb 2, 2021 at 3:26 pm
It will never be enough of a rollback to satisfy these elite club members and usga execs. They hate what Bryson did and it’s inevitable that players are going to hit it too far for these old courses.
jake
Feb 2, 2021 at 6:52 pm
I am a public golfer, and golf historian thank you. Protect the game. who cares about your tv ratings. A bunch of fat white men in suits
Funkaholic
Feb 3, 2021 at 10:32 am
You are an idiot, without interest, the game dies. You are no “historian’ you are just a dinosaur.
Plan Demic
Feb 2, 2021 at 12:34 pm
Take out the manufacturer influence and its an easy solution. Wound balls, steel shafts, lower the max CC and/or head material for woods (persimmon), 56* max loft for wedges. But you cant sell equipment on Monday if its not the “same” as what won on Sunday.
Ryan
Feb 2, 2021 at 12:23 pm
I don’t understand why they do not look at course conditions for the pros.
Jon
Feb 2, 2021 at 12:55 pm
You’re spot on, Ryan. There’s absolutely no excuse for the fairways to stimp out at an 8 or 9.
John
Feb 5, 2021 at 12:42 am
Exactly.
The USGA and PGA Tour have quietly made course conditions easier over the years all the while complaining about distance gains. The reality is, they secretly want guys blasting 350 yard drives and shooting -30 under par. Its sort of like how MLB ignored steroids for years because fans were in love with all the home runs.
Want to prevent guys from over powering courses? Make fairways 10 yards wide after 300 yards with thick five inch rough… and not that graduated nonsense the USGA has been using at the US Open. That alone would prevent guys from ripping 350 yard bombs all over the world.
They won’t do that though because casual viewers don’t want to see the long hitters forced to lay up off the tee…
JasonHolmes
Feb 2, 2021 at 11:51 am
I read Mike Davis and I immediately think – GTFO.
Except for about ten guys in the world, golf is still hard for the rest of us and we have no interest in hitting it shorter.
Please get Mike Davis out of golf completely.
jake
Feb 2, 2021 at 1:21 pm
Move up a set of tees if ya cant reach JasonHolmes
James
Feb 2, 2021 at 11:15 am
Fine, go ahead and do all this. But where does the line get drawn in, say, two generations when people are back to carrying it 300 again?
Paulo
Feb 2, 2021 at 10:03 am
Maybe be more visible in testing for PED’s too ?
BJ
Feb 2, 2021 at 9:52 am
Going after Bryson it seems
Smarterthanthisguy
Feb 2, 2021 at 1:42 pm
More like protecting integrity of the game and historical golf courses. Bryson will still be the longest with whatever rules are in place. The advantage is still his. How do people not get that?
Chuck
Feb 2, 2021 at 2:58 pm
When the Joint Statement of Principles was drafted by the USGA and the R&A in 2002, Bryson DeChambeau was 9 years old.
Jbone
Feb 2, 2021 at 3:29 pm
They are trying to but this isn’t the way lol. Making the ball shorter makes distance even more of a premium. They don’t know what they’re doing.
jake
Feb 2, 2021 at 6:51 pm
it isnt about bryson at all jbone. But you’re right, his advantage will be magnified as an unintended consequence which is completely fine