July 2007

Last week I sent the USGA my response on its proposal to alter the rules governing the dimensions of grooves on wedges. While the exact letter to Dick Rugge, Technical Director for the USGA, is a personal and private correspondence, I want to share with you my thoughts on this subject which I made clear to this governing body.

First let me state that the USGA has a thankless job, charged as it is to protect the game of golf from being changed too dramatically by the evolution/revolution in equipment technology.

I am a traditionalist when it comes to equipment, and have always supported the USGA’s efforts to serve as a watchdog for the long-term good of golf.  I don’t envy that job one little bit.

This subject of a roll-back on grooves was addressed in my post of March 2 and a follow-up on April 25.  If this topic interests you, and it should, you might want to read those posts before you go further in this one.

Very simply, this ruling is an attempt by the USGA to bring some sanity and control to the unbelievable skills the top level golfers are exhibiting in the modern era. They have reduced the game to blast it off the tee, gouge it from the rough and putt, and they are antiquating golf courses – we can’t make them all 8,000 yards long for PGA Tour players.

USGA research proves the modern tour player spins the ball better from the rough with an 8-iron than the 25-year-ago professional did from the fairway with a wedge !

Accordingly, there is little or no correlation between the top money earners and those that can hit fairways. The USGA sees that as a threat to the game, and I really cannot disagree.

But because the USGA cannot force special rules upon the PGA Tour, this is really a rule designed mainly to affect play by that small group of millionaires . . . but it will have a negative effect on the rest of us.

Most courses today have faster and firmer greens, tougher greenside trouble, deeper bunkers, etc., so getting up and down is much more difficult for the average amateur than it was 20 years ago.

Making conforming wedges the way we do at EIDOLON helps golfers cope with these changes in course design, construction and agronomy. In other words, as courses have changed to contend with modern technology in drivers and balls, wedges have changed to contend with the modern courses.

Average golfers, and even the best amateurs, aren’t making a mockery of their courses like tour players do, but with today’s conforming grooves we can help them have a chance to hit shots that can stay on a green and give them an opportunity to make par or bogey.

Long drivers, hot golf balls and the other technology still really haven’t lowered handicaps, but good modern wedges can. If we all want the game to grow, we need to address the real reason people quit – because they don’t get better !

What troubles me most about this proposed ruling, however, is that it is the first time I’ve ever seen the USGA propose a rule, and within the rule itself actually recommend that it be broken most of the time.

Isn’t that a terrible precedent to get into ?  They are actually recommending that golf professionals and tournament directors waive this rule for all but the most elite tournaments for “expert golfers”, and for golfers to break this rule on a daily basis.

If the USGA begins to write rules that include a recommendation that they usually be broken, doesn’t that minimize the sanctity of all the rules ?

That, to me, is the most critical part of this equation. And I don’t see how they can make any rule change that affects a rollback on technology and come out a winner.

The big money will declare war on the USGA, and it can’t win. If the USGA loses, golf loses . . . and if golf loses, we all lose.

If the game is in danger from the dramatic improvement of the PGA Tour player – which I think it isn’t – then the USGA must use its power of persuasion to influence the PGA Tour to do something about it.

But to take away a true scoring tool from the average golfer because 150 multi-millionaire professionals have widened the gap between themselves and the rest of us, I say that’s not the USGA’s problem.

This subject is going to be in all the golf publications in the weeks ahead, and the new ruling will either be passed or re-proposed. It affects us all so I strongly suggest you pay attention.

Thanks for the time and interest.

John also had a follow-up comment about club fitting:

First off, thank you very much for replying to my email on your terrific blog.

Trouble is, I really like the “feel” of Mizuno forgings, and I would like to believe that when you custom order a set of clubs with specific shafts, you are getting what you pay for.

How can you find a custom club fitter that will shaft Mizuno heads?

John,

I am not in any way trying to say that Mizuno or anyone else cannot make you a good set of clubs, only that you should have any new set checked on good loft/lie and frequency equipment to double check the factory.

Just to make sure you really got what you paid for. Any custom clubfitter will do this for you, for a fee, and then can do anything to those heads that is necessary.

I suggest you visit the Professional Clubmakers Society web site to find a clubfitter near you. If they have PCS certification, they are qualified.

Using the Ask Terry button, John asks:

Is there any “real” difference between x100 and s300 shafts ? I have heard people say yes and say no.

As I am looking at acquiring new clubs, I want to make sure that the shaft is right for me. I have no trouble getting the ball in the air, and my 5 iron swing speed is typically between 82-88 mph on any given day. Your input on this question is greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

John,

The “textbook” answer is yes. The X100 is somewhat stiffer than the S300.

That said, however, every manufacturer seems to turn out clubs with the “same” shafts that are very different when you examine them closely on a frequency machine.

This is a huge problem for the golfer in trying to purchase golf clubs that will work properly for them. For any golfer who is seriously interested in getting better, I strongly suggest having your clubs made by a qualified professional clubfitter/clubmaker, rather than to purchase from a major factory.

At the very least, have your clubs checked and measured by a qualified professional so that you know exactly what you have. You might be surprised.

If you’re buying a new set of clubs, you should demand the set be put on a frequency machine and loft/lie gauge to make sure they really are what you “think” you’ve purchased.

If the store doesn’t have that equipment on site, get a promise that the clubs are returnable for full refund if you find out they are not to the specs and tolerance you expect for this major financial outlay.

I don’t want to “rain down” on the major golf companies, but the facts will bear out that the consistency of product the big ones produce is not very impressive.

I’ve seen actual random testing of clubs purchased that reveals many things:

An “R” shaft can range from soft ladies to strong “Stiff”, even within what are supposed to be the same make and model; irons that have variance of up to two full flexes within a given set (this is much more common with graphite shafted irons that with steel); loft and lie angles that are off by as much as 2-3 degrees, almost a full club !

The only way to know what shaft you should really be playing, and what shaft you are getting, is to be professionally fitted and have your clubs built specifically for you by a qualified clubmaker who can show you right there what you really have.

Using the Ask Terry button, Jason send this for us to think about:

Turned pro in 02 and have struggled with pitch/chip shot around the greens. I have a big problem with the sand wedge/lob wedge sticking into the ground, and my technique is not bad. My current lob wedge (Mickelson grind) has 11 degrees of bounce. Any ideas on equipment changes and or technique/drills ?

Thanks for the question, Jason.

Regarding the sand/lob wedge sticking into the ground, my thinking is that your technique might need a bit of tweaking; try to shallow out your angle of approach to the ball, possibly moving it a bit further forward.

Also, make sure the clubhead is moving down the line and left at impact to make sure the bounce can work to its best advantage.

That all said, the bounce of the wedge has a lot to do with that. In my assessment, the “Mickelson grind“, like all other “tour grind” wedges have way too much of the functional bounce removed to work for anyone but a golfer with Phil Mickelson’s skills, which are rather unique.

The rest of us, including the bulk of tour pros, could benefit from wedges that have more function in the sole.

Bear in mind that this grind was designed for PM’s skills, the tight turf of tour courses, firm packed sand the pros are spoiled by, and for golfers who spend hours a day with their wedges.

In other words, they are NOT for the rest of us.

I rarely use this blog as a tool for selling EIDOLON wedges, but I can tell you that more and more golfers are finding that what we are doing with wedges is a cut above everyone else in the industry.

Until you try one, you can’t believe what that little patented improvement in the sole is capable of doing for your short game.

Thanks and good luck in your career !

Robert sent this in:

On my sand wedge and lob wedge shots from the fairway, I am producing too much back spin and backing the ball up 15-25 feet. What is the best way to limit back spin to hit a one hop and stop type of shot (move ball forward / back) ?

Hey Robert, It’s rare to hear a golfer complain of “too much spin“, but it can happen.

If the ball is backing up that much, tell your course superintendent to quit watering the greens so much !!

In all seriousness, however, that much spin can be controlled by a few changes in your swing. To begin, let’s dissect spin as the combined function of four elements - loft, quality of grooves, angle of approach and clubhead speed.

In order to minimize spin on such shots, I’d suggest the following as the simplest - use a lower loft wedge. In other words, when you want to minimize spin, go down to your gap or pitching wedge, grip down a bit and hit the shot.

At this point I’ll ask a question about how far you are hitting your sand and lob wedges ?

For even the strongest players, in my opinion, you should get about 75-80 yards from a “full swing” lob wedge and 100 yards from the sand wedge.

If you are hitting them further than that, your higher clubhead speed is probably the main contributor to this kind of spin. Practice gearing down your swing speed to hit them shorter distances. That will also reduce speed.

In my upcoming book, “The Secrets of Scoring“, I spend a lot of time and attention on controlling swing speed with body core rotation, rather than hand speed.

If you will work on “quieting” your hand action through impact and controlling your distance with the speed of your body core rotation, you will find much more consistent success.

The final element is angle of approach to the ball. I’m guessing you hit down rather abruptly on the ball, taking large divots - is that correct ?

Practice hitting wedges with less break of the wrists going back and think “W-I-D-E-R” in your backswing.

Then focus on the forward edge of the ball as you come through and swing “THROUGH” the ball, rather than at it, trying to take very little or no divot.

It’s very hard to give instruction on short blog-type answers, but please let all of us know how these drills work for you.

Thanks for using the Ask Terry button.