 It's still early days yet (and it has been very wet) but have you found any instances of players trying to slip under the radar with their illegal drivers? Remember if you waive the Rules knowing matey's using a ringer, you're all doomed! (or at least disqualified). Go on, name and shame, we won't tell, honest! ED
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_of_18th_n_berwick.JPG) Lumey! Well said Bob.... I played in a qulaifier two weeks ago, didnt pay any attention at all to the drivers in the other bags!
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 TBH, I doubt I would recognise an illegal driver unless I had a wireless laptop on the course. I also doubt I would question an opponent until after a round, especially in matchplay to avoid bad feeling.
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 I played against a 20HC chap who was still using an illegal Cobra...its made that ear splitting 'hot faced' noise and it was an older model, so 99% sure it was but he played crap so I didnt make an issue of it. Doubt he knew and TBH its a stupid rule for amateurs. Plenty of modern drivers hit longer now anyway, so where is the advantage of 3 extra yds at ave swing speeds ?
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 Our club has done a very good job of lots of notices on various boards throughout the club. However therein lies the problem far too many people do not read the boards. The other problem is that it needs other players to 'police' it and a lot of players are too timid to mention simple rules infringements such as accidentally moving the ball a tad at address to ever be bold enough to mention that a player is using a nonconforming club.
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 Our society is requesting that people print out and bring the relevant page from the R&A's "conforming driver" list, just in case of any queries. My problem is that although my driver [Benross V10] isn't on the non-conforming list, it isn't (somewhat to my surprise) on the conforming list either...
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 Our club offered a 'driver check' in the pro-shop. Quite a few seniors have discovered that they have illegal drivers and some are annoyed they weren't informed when buying them, from whatever outlets (not just the pro shop) The pro shop is still selling some second hand illegal drivers - when I mentioned this to the pro, he said that they were alright for general play. Now, I know this is true but it is not in the spirit of the rules of golf, in my opinion. I haven't noticed any illegal equipment on the course and am not about to police it. If I did happen to spot a Cobra Unlimited or Taylor Made XR 03 (like the one for sale @ £80 in the pro shop) I will call them on it. I hope it resolves before the season starts and qualifying comps begin.
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 The illegal driver issue will (not if pro shops still sell them Taz) fade away a die a natural death in a couple of years as players replace thier kit. Does it realy matter if a club golfer can hit the ball another ten yards when they "cream" one? Are you going top make a 75 year Old bloke on a pension go and spend over £100 because the driver he manages to hit 200 yards is illegal ? Stop selling them yes ,but to take away a mans best freind ? By the way my driver is legal
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 This legal stuff is rubbish. If the R&A decide to change the rules of golf AFTER people have purchased equipment then let the R&A police the clubs, not dump it on the players to have to confront those that arent aware. If the R&A had the remotest clue they would manage the game not firefight retrospectively in their usual panic. How the hell is it allowable to use a long putter and low spin ball and 460cc driver but not a driver that has 0.831 COR?
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 The penalty for making a stroke with a non-conforming club is DQ. The penalty for removing a loose impediment in a bunker is 2 shots. If it's OK to play with a non-conforming driver then it must be OK to move loose impediments in a bunker, right? I mean, it can't be as serious to move a loose impediment in a bunker can it because that has a lesser penalty? I want to play within the rules, so I bought a new driver. Whether I think that it will make any difference to me as a 15 handicap golfer is irrelevant. At the end of the day it's up to the integrity of the player. I am not going to check any fellow competitor's driver that's for sure. I am just happy in the knowledge that I am playing fair and that's all there is to it.
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 If someones playing with an old HiCor I wouldn't be too bothered. I had one of the Cobra's JP mentions (SS430) & my conforming Titleist p!sses all over it distance wise.
They should've banned the fabrication of them as of 2007 & let the poor wee manufactures take the hit on the arse pocket instead of normal folk who're now 200 quid+ out of pocket for no discernable benefit!
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Spot on Chris, it should be for drivers as of manufacture date rather than as is period, and dropped the allowable COR level - too much ass kissing of the companies on this subject from the R&A. Basically it allows them to make money from the people who are happy with their gear by forcing them to purchase new equipment. Most of this years drivers will bypass distance wise these high COR drivers plus they are probably more forgiving.
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T-s-p-h-s says: I also doubt I would question an opponent until after a round, especially in matchplay to avoid bad feeling. Isn't this going to be the problem - we all say it's OK until we're beaten by someone using an illegal driver - are we still going to keep quiet? Why wait until after the round when informing him before gives him the chance to remove it with no penalty, or carry it but not use it at a max 4 shot penalty. I think the problem has been caused because the R&A were tardy in their response to banning illegal drivers. Why was there no immediate agreement with the USGA, this could have and should have been solved a couple of years back? Are you going top make a 75 year Old bloke on a pension go and spend over £100 because the driver he manages to hit 200 yards is illegal ? Eagle - I would agree with this statement - except that a lot of the 75 year old blokes in this club drive new Mercs. Dec - I am just happy in the knowledge that I am playing fair and that's all there is to it. Spot on 
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 To be honest I couldn't tell you what Drivers my friends play. Out of curiosity more than anything I had a peer in one of my playing partners bags. I know he's had the Driver for years. There in his bag was sat the old Taylor Made XR-03. I mentioned the fact that he ought to check the R&A Website as I believed it was now illegal to play with. He just looked at me gone out. He had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. We both drove off, him with his non-conforming Driver and me with my conforming Dreiver. I told him all about the new rulings regarding conforming and non conforming Drivers as we walked to our balls up the fairway. I left him to contemplate as he played his shot, then walked on another 40 yards to play mine. In his defence there has been no notices on our boards at all. We are a small club and it doesn't surprise me in the slightest. How on earth we are supposed to police it. Most of the time we're rushing onto the tee as it is without having a quick bag check followed by rustling of papers to see if it's on the right list.
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 I'll stick to my guns, I'll never check on someone else and will claim ignorance if an illegal club is pointed out to me. I've changed to a legal driver and that's the end of my responsibility. If someone has gained an advantage then their handicap already reflects that.
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 I think the R & A should be ashamed with the ruling on drivers. An overall ban is way OTT. For the top flight amateurs and pro tours etc then yes bring it in and let the officials police it, but for the ordinary club hackers it is complete stupidity, what real advantage do we achieve? NONE.  Will the famous traditional courses be overwhelmed by our immense power with a high cor driver? Oh come on . Is my driver legal? yes, do I intend to point out to anyone if theirs isn't ( not that you could remember them all ) NO. Wake up and smell the coffee R & A you are making yourself very unpopular with a lot of the real golfers I.E Joe hacker club golfer Grr  What are they really trying to achieve other than sales figures for manufacturers? Rant over now, sorry 
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 According to the Rules of Golf, we're all responsible for knowing the rules, and calling infringements where we see them.
I disagree with the 'not my problem'/'turn a blind eye'/'it's a crap rule' attitude in principle.
It's not always easy to call a rules infringement, but it doesn't take much effort to do it in a friendly way.
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ is the right answer Rules am rules 
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 ATTENTION please !! - Don't get all worked up here! I attended the Referee School in St.Andrews 2006 and a class was held on equipment - driving clubs included. Message from the R&A was (as I heard it): RO's should not look into any players bag, but should only react on a request, and players... don't walk around and police each other by taking off headcovers, and stuff like that, and for God's sake don't print the list! It's the size of a Russian novel, and it's updated every monday, so waste of paper. If anybody questions a driver, then the Committee, club secretary or the pro can check it online, and if it's non-conforming, out it goes (maybe together with a player.) Remember, it's the responsibility of the player, and anybody in doubt can check the lists online. IMO, the reason for making this Rule is to stop the manifactorers from making the clubs bigger and bigger and more and more spring-like. We can not extend the courses accordingly, and a line had to drawn. And for guys hanging on tho their old stuff, a driver with a clubhead that was manufactured prior to 1999 is deemed to be conforming.
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Nah - I'm not gonna let any cheating b*st*rd with a hot face driver put it 3 yards past me. I'm gonna check every guy I play with - I will ask "Let's see yer driver mate!" If he won't show me - I'm gonna rip off his head-cover and say "Gotcha you cheat" If I'm suspicious at all about his club I will wait till the turn and then ask the pro to come and check the bugger. ........... especially if I'm losing Yey!!!!!!
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