CLICK HERE to listen.In Episode #33 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand that a
PGA Player was in a High Speed Car Race,
a Japanese Company that Reprimands Golfers and
Nike Issues a Recall of Sumo Drivers.
The Guru Commentary uncovers
An Equipment Spy that Finds Nike's Sumo2 Driver Illegal. The Perfect Fit finds some odd
Ralph Maltby Equipment Ideas and She Golfs Too learns about
Colin Montgomery's New Charity.
Our Component Corner takes a look at the
Golf Ball Launcher as well as listens to
the Sounds of Today's Top 3 Selling Drivers.
In Can't We All Get Along
Boo Weekly Learns a Lesson and in Golf Around the World we visit The Continent to play a
New Golf Game Variation Called PowerPlay.Finally, Golf of the Weird learns about
Tricking Out Your Golf Cart and
a Couple That Gets Two Aces in New Zealand.
As always, our show is sponsored by
Golfknockoff.com.
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Labels: Callaway, Colin Montgomery, Nike, Sports Authority, Square Drivers, TaylorMade, Tiger Woods, USGA
Equipment Spy Finds Nike's Sumo2 Driver Illegal
Nike calls it a "voluntary product return", I'd call it overstepping, pushing the envelope, or a violation of the sacred rules of the USGA. No matter how you want to describe it, Nike Golf has gotten itself into, as the Brits would say, a sticky wicket.
How could this happen in the dog eat dog world of golf equipment?
They were ratted out by a competitor. Who? TaylorMade? Titleist? Cobra? I’m guessing Callaway. Not that I have any evidence to pin it on them, but who better to put the fear of "non-conformity" into the hearts of equipment buyers but the company that could gain the most from this year’s square driver competition but Callaway.
And how would they gain by this bit of corporate espionage? Take the wind out of a competitor's sales (nice play on words there I'd say) by tipping off the USGA that their competitor is trying to gain a market advantage by selling (unofficially mind you) a NON-CONFORMING driver. Callaway can look like the good guy by reporting Nike to the authorities, increase its sales at the expense of its competitor in the meantime, and cause Nike to spend money and time recalling thousands of bad drivers. Ouch!!
Based on what I hear and read, Callaway's FT-i Square Driver is kicking the Nike Sumo2's butt where it counts: retail sales. Reference the latest Golf Magazine and you'll see that they rate the TaylorMade r7 SuperQuad higher than the square drivers (Nike finished third). For whatever reason, even before this golf manufacturing "spy" committed corporate espionage, Nike’s product hasn’t been getting the same respect or publicity as Callaway. Even Tiger Woods doesn't have the new Sumo2 in his bag. How bad is it when your top spokesplayer snubs your product?
More evidence of getting caught red-handed is Nike’s own website
www.nike.com/nikegolf. Upon entry, a video pops up of president Bob Wood explaining that Nike is voluntarily complying with the USGA by removing and replacing these NON-CONFORMING drivers. If they weren’t guilty, my guess is a corporation as large and as savvy as Nike would drag out this thing in court, do like the White House and "out" the spy, then stall until the selling season for this driver is past (about six months). Also, Nike is only instituting this recall for 34 days (from March 26 to April 30) so they are not being very generous when it comes to returns for customers affected by this situation.
In the dog eat dog world of golf equipment, being the "hot" product for the season is golden and can mean a make or break year. It is also accepted that pushing the technological envelope is de rigueur. Being caught with the goods just might trash this year’s sales of the Nike Sumo2, as well as sully their hard fought reputation. An “unauthorized manufacturing variance” that Nike hoped wouldn’t be noticed looks like its going to cost them big time.
Labels: Callaway, Nike, Square Drivers, TaylorMade, USGA
CLICK HERE to listen.In Episode #32 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand that
The John Daly Circus Continues,
Blindness Doesn't Stop Golfer and
Trump to Build Course in Dominican Republic.
The Guru Commentary asks the question
Why Can't There Be a Double Standard in Golf Equipment?She Golfs Too introduces
Princess Beatrice: A Hottie Royal Who Golfs.
Our Component Corner takes a
Step Back Into "Retro" Clubs and Golf Around the World visits
Marshall, Illinois.
In Can't We All Get Along a
Fuzzy Zoeller Sues a Blogger and Golf of the Weird reports on
Officers Honored for Saving Golf Club Wielding Nut and an
Alligator that Attacks a Golf Ball Diver.
Our Website Spotlight is
The Golf Jerk.
As always, our show is sponsored by
Golfknockoff.com.
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Media Kit.
Labels: Bobby Jones, John Daly, Louisville Golf, Podcast, Retro Golf, Royal and Ancient, Sweet Wood Golf, USGA, Weird Golf Stuff
Why Can't There be a Double Standard in Golf?
The official keepers of the Rules of Golf are The
United States Golf Association (USGA) for the United States and the
Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in Europe. Periodically they come out with ways to make the game more frustrating.
The latest is a potential rule change for the grooves on the face of an iron clubhead. The Royal and Ancient takes issue with U-grooves, which according to an article in the
Scotsman, "the combination of U-grooves and thin covered balls have enabled elite players to spin approach shots from the rough - thereby minimizing the importance of driving accuracy in the modern game."
Their objection seems to be in part a desire to protect the purity of the game. According to David Rickman, the Royal and Ancient's director of rules and equipment standards, "while there may have been different speeds for different parts of the game, ultimately it all comes together. The Royal and Ancient has existed for more than 250 years and, during that time, we've played under one set of rules for everyone."
Let’s all dress up like Tevye the Milkman in
Fiddler on the Roof and sing about Tradition.
What's wrong with a double standard in golf?
I will never play well enough to compete at an elite level. More likely, I will never play well enough to break 75. Thus, I will never be considered an "elite" player. Is it going to make any difference to me or the millions of hack golfers like me to be concerned about my "non-conforming" U-groove iron face?
Establishing two levels of equipment is known as the bifurcation of the game. This is a nasty word that gives rank amateurs like most of us as much opportunity to enjoy the game as we can.
In reality, what do we enjoy more: the ability to shoot 2-3 strokes better because our equipment is "non-conforming" according to the USGA and the Royal and Ancient or being true to the game and shooting another dismal 94?
I'll take shooting a few strokes better on my favorite course, thereby beating my playing partners and winning the pot, over the psychic scars that I'll get dealing with my moral "non-conforming" club selection quandary any day.
Labels: golf, Royal and Ancient, USGA
