Nike Sumo2 driver
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Well it's 35 weeks to go before non-conforming driver heads will be illegal, with the penalty of disqualification if used in a competition. Clubs have been advised by the R&A but has your club informed you or offered to check the status of your driver yet?
What will happen on the first tee, will you be checking your opponent's bags and making sure that they are using legal equipment?
Will you tell your opponent before or after the competition that his equipment is illegal and what is the penalty for you if you are aware of their rules breach and choose to ignore it?
The answer of course is disqualification, for the player and anyone aware of his transgression that chooses to do nothing about it...
A right can of worms, potential punch ups on the first tee, rows in the clubhouse, accusations of cheating and claims for compensation from the pro shop as it was 'bought in good faith'.
Fact is - golf rules are the same as British Law 'ignorance is no excuse' but how many golfers really understand the implications and potential embarrassment of this? Not every golfer changes their equipment on a regular basis.
Not every golfer logs on to a golf forum or buys golf magazines to have the necessary information but, as yet, my club have not issued any statement about conforming lists, or offered to check a member's driver, if unsure.
What prompted me to write this is the fact that I have already mentioned to a few seniors, that I have played alongside, that their drivers will be illegal next year.
The response so far has been; 'so what', 'they won't impose that here', 'its ok, I bought it from the pro shop' or 'who's going to tell?'
Who's going to tell? I think this is the most worrying of all the responses, as the indications are that anyone who 'tells' will be portrayed as a grass, or a rules terrorist.
So, those who are ignorant of the facts will not be culpable, they will not grass up their mates and everything will be hunky dory. On the other hand, those who are aware of the facts and who play by the rules will risk self disqualification for agreeing to waive the rules, or severe isolation if they get a reputation for picking someone up on the first with an illegal Cobra in their bag.
Personally I have always thought that this rule would be overtaken by events, new drivers are outperforming high COR versions with new high MOI models.
It perhaps would have been better to 'grandfather' pre 2005 manufactured drivers as compliant. After all, 3 years is a long time in golf technology.
I have never noticed in competition anyone who has shown a distinct advantage by using a high COR driver and without checking I doubt if I would know. Perhaps ignorance is the best excuse?
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