What the USGA is doing right

[Dave_Miller]

Pat;
Very well said.  Our entire cultrure today has become one of people not wanting to take responsibility for their own actions.

This attitude permeates everywhere and unfortunately does make its way, at times, into golf.

Cheers,
Dave

[Tony Ristola]

TEPaul:  So long as you keep pushing you view..I will counteract...some people may be first timers to the issue.  

You believe the maunufacturers have responsiblity...I believe it's a copout because the USGA hasn't led...has not taken its responsibility at all seriously on this issue.  It should have been solved years ago...and for that, for the current state of affairs you blame the manufacturers.  It ain't their fault...but it's a nice attempt to transfer "responsibility."

Patrick:  I have never in 25 years seen a guy enter a match or tournament...an official one...and not take their lumps if they had too many clubs in the bag...nor have I heard anyone bitch about the rules being unfair.  Never.  Of course some will be unhappy with a ruling...but who is happy when you get a hard call in the heat of competition...I know I have been pissed when it has happened...but not because of the rules or USGA.

Dave:  Couldn't agree with you more...and even though the USGA has done a pretty good job over the decades, on this the most critical issue of our time...they have neither provided forsight or leadership.  They have shucked their responsibility.

[TEPaul]

Tony:

As we've discussed this issue of the USGA and its responsibility you seem to mention people who play in tournaments as the ones that the USGA should focus on--maybe even exclusively--since they're the ones who are most likely to play by the rules!

They are and they probably always will. But they are a very small slice of people who play golf and consequently the USGA should be looking not only at them but well beyond them. To focus on them alone is to me unbelievably myopic--maybe even elitist.

There are people who seem to take the position that those who don't play tournament golf of some form or may not play by every rule should not really be considered--that they are a nation of yahoos or something that can go do whatever they feel like outside the purview of the USGA or a national amateur organization.

There's a lot to the USGA traditonally and historically--rules--handicapping etc and a national body has a responsibility to everyone who want to play golf, in my opinion.

I realize you think the manufacturers have no responsibiliy to the game--and I disagree with that.

The manufacturers once took far more responsibility to conform to the B&I rules than they appear to be of a mind to do now. That to me is not good--it's dangerous--ultimately it's not good for the USGA, golf, golfers or even the manufacturers themselves! You apparently disagree with that.

Call me naive if you want to but there's no reason for you to "counteract" some of the things I suggest and would like to suggest.

If some way can be found whereby the regulatory bodies and the manufacturers could cooperate more than they are at this time what in the world could be wrong with that? Why would you want to counteract that?

I think the real difference between the way we look at this issue is you think the USGA is the law and they should just lay down the law and the manufacturers will follow (as they have in the past)!

I don't see it that way anymore. Some of these manufacturers and apparently some really big ones seem on the verge of foregoing consideration of B&I rules altogether. That's not good at all--a potentially disasterous situation for golf, in my opinion! Obviously you see it differently. So be it!

[Tony Ristola]

TEPaul:

"Some of these manufacturers and apparently some really big ones seem on the verge of foregoing consideration of B&I rules altogether. That's not good at all--a potentially disasterous situation for golf..."

The only disaster is the USGA reacting to this situation as they have...like a supertanker heading straight for the iceberg, with ample time to change course (years...a decade or more) but failing to do so...it's not a question of whether they hit the iceberg either...they have...it's a question of how long the environmental cleanup will take...and they've just begun...with three students in a rubber boat armed with toothbrushes.  It's a mess alright...and of their own making.  They failed at what they are designed to do while the manufacturers have been successful at serving the customer with quality products.  It does not matter if they are legal and illegal...as that's where USGA rules step in.

What you are basically proposing is the manufacturers COLLECTIVELY and VOLUNTARILY create an industry wide freeze on technological improvements.  This would mean ALL manufacturers around the world would have to participate and those guys starting in their garages, living on Burger King (which was the 2 year diet of the Odyssey creator) would also have to ensure their equipment complies.  This is impossible...totally unrealistic.  

The USGA failed to act on the combined effects of technology...the manufacturers keep scratching for that next breakthrough which will prevent them from becoming part of golf's history...or a fragment of their former selves...like...MacGregor, Ram, Founders Club, etc., etc. which is as it should be.  The manufacturers are doing their job very well...the USGA...not.

[TEPaul]

Tony:

Again, it's an issue we just look at very differently!