LBlack14 And why does that matter? So what, you can see the sole plate at address, big whoop!! Who came up with the rule that says you can't or where is it printed??
You got a point there, but think of this, why is there rules in life ? Period !
Steve was right, that Wilson did not submit the new prototype to the USGA by the protocol probably has something to do with this announcement from the USGA, which the USGA could have inform the Wilson to correct the issues quietly.
Uncle Steve nailed it.
Yes, the lack of showing respect for the authority is bad business. Steve knows it best since he had dealt with the similar issue in the past. Especially when Wilson did not run a tight quality control of checking out every litter detail of the design before sending it to the market.
I think the changes in the loft had shifted the shape of the driver head ever so slightly that the generic sole plate didn't fit the 10° and the 12° like they do the 9°.
Like they say in the link..... missed by millimeter.
It would be easier if you could point out rules that read in simple English, are consistently called and enforced from event to event, and convince me that the Wilson ruling wasn't a political show of power.
The DJ debacle at the US Open was botched again in an LPGA event a month or so after. I speak of when and how to inform a player that "there may have been a penalty, but we're not sure.....just keep playing and we'll tell you later"......twice in one season? Seriously?
You'll have my vote if a seat on the board of USGA is open.
Maybe by then you will understand the scope of running this organization.
Goal is to safe guard the tradition while promoting the game of golf in the meantime also to secure the interest of the USGA and it's members. As for interpretation of the rules. Even the Supreme Court justice could not satisfied everyone.
If there is noise that's loud enough , maybe the rules will be rewritten. Then we'll have 2 sets of rules to go by. The traditional and the whatever you say is good. I'd put my 2 cents on the traditional rules being the survivor
In plain English, the rules are subject to the interpretation of the governing body of the USAGA if an event is sanctioned under such rules. Like it or not, play it as it lies.
I'm laughing at all of you guys!!
Who the fuck, on this forum, cares whether that uglyass driver passed or not? Who was going to buy it....at the price? I've stated before, you'll not buy this driver cheaper 1 year from now, Wilson does not do their biz that way.(just look at the prices of their current/last year's models) BTW, the 9 is on the conforming list, so there is that. I don't play 12 or (seldom if ever) 10.5*. I still wouldn't buy it, even for $75!!
And, someone mentioned that.... "be able to pass the inspection by Wilson is like someone just got into the biz, not long ago." We must keep in mind whose driver this really is, and who is(was) getting money from sales, the same as Wilson....The Golf Channel!!
AND.....if we all play & live by the same rules, where is the bitch? Now....if there should be different interpretations, well then, we all got a bitch there. IF it should ever(highly doubted) happen to any of us hacks.
Besides all that, OMG Golf is gonna fix us all up with new toys next year. And they'll pass. And look nice.
(hopefully they are plain in shape)
Some called the New Coke a fiasco. Others say it reinforced the old Coke as the best and resulted in new sales records. When handed lemons, make lemonade.
If I was a board member of Amer Sports (publicly traded parent of Wilson), I'd be chomping at the bit to find out what in the hell were they thinking with the whole campaign.
From my sofa, this looks like a soiled diaper that needs attention asap. And I'm a Wilson golf fan having played several models of Staff irons over the years - including those currently in my bag.
The USGA wreaks of the IRS to me. The intent of both agencies is honorable and necessary. Both agencies probably have good people working hard at a difficult task. Both agencies are trying to enforce rules/laws that have compounded, over the decades, to accommodate so many situations, it has become a ponderous task. I might come off as saying they suck at it. I guess what I really mean is they have made it too hard to do well.
I think we need to quit putting 100% blame(or any) on the USGA. They did not make this head, and the rules were all in place, and written in very plain English for all to read prior to submission. Any questions before submitting should have been asked! Even a hack would have noticed that soleplate being different from 1 loft to the others.
We've seen the way TGC can screw up a simple golf forum, why do we think they'd be able to handle manufacturing/marketing of a golf club.....esp. a driver. I, for one, will not hold Wilson responsible for this fiasco. I'm thinking TGC went in search of a club company in order to make a 'reality' show, like all other channels have. They just caught a hungry stray dog, at the right time.
Not surprised at the outcome given who some of the judges were. But what I am baffled by is how this got past Frank Thomas! I would have expected him to check every minor detail personally, even if it was just in a judge's capacity. Obviously, they did not have all models/lofts available to check.
Yes, it was fascinating. Hiring an ad campaign guy to run psyop on the guerrillas was genius.
I think the IRS is a prime candidate for house cleaning and simplification, but the bureaucracy, momentum and politics will probably prevent any real change in my lifetime. Could be the same for the USGA.
