News:

This discussion group is best enjoyed using Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari.


Paul Richards

  • Karma: +0/-0
Nick Price joins wants equipment reform like we do
« on: March 07, 2002, 03:08:29 AM »
Glad to see Nick Price, the Tour's favorite playing partner,
join the equipment debate.

from March 2nd Golfweek:

Price wants equipment reform: In
1994, Nick Price tied for sixth on the PGA
Tour in driving distance, averaging 277.5 yards.
Last year, he averaged 3 yards fewer but fell to
149th. It follows that he says something must      be
fone done about equipment. He advocates reducing the
size of driver heads and sweet spots and
reducing the distance the ball travels.

He also says golf needs two sets of equip-
ment standards -one for touraig pros and one
for amateurs.

"The Tour needs to make rules on our
clubs," Price said, perhaps mindful that Tour
commissioner Tim Finchem recently said
such a move was at least a couple of years
away. "Look at NASCAR. If all the guys
drive the same car, the best driver is going to
win. In our game, these golf courses are rapid-
1y becoming obsolete.

"Manufacturers can make whatever they
want for the average Joe but reduce the size of
the heads for the Tour." By his thinking, the
U.S. Golf Association's January proposal of a
470cc maximum for driver heads is far too
large for pros.

"A snap hook with a persimmon wood
used to go across the next fairway," Price sai~
"You don't see that anymore because clubs are
so balanced. Now, all a player does is aim 300
yards down the fairway and launch it. There's
no such thing as a draw or cut with the driver
anymore. I hate to say this, but if Lee Trevino
and Gary Player played today (on the PGA
Tour), they'd have a hard time because of dle,
distances players are hitting it. Nowadays a
440-yard par 4 is a driver and 7-iron."
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG

BCrosby

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Nick Price joins wants equipment reform like w
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2002, 05:29:47 AM »
In 1980 Tom Kite was 28 years old.  His driving distance that year was 252 yards.

Twenty-two years later, at the age of fifty, Tom Kite's driving distance is 281 yards.

It's getting worse.  At the NCAA's last spring, the college players' average driving distance was 12 yards longer than the PGA average last year.  (I know, I know, it might have been that particular course setup, weather, etc.  Still, that's pretty remarkable.)

Bob
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »

Tim_Weiman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Nick Price joins wants equipment reform like w
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2002, 07:17:36 AM »
Paul,

Maybe we are slowly making progress.

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
Tim Weiman

kilfara

Re: Nick Price joins wants equipment reform like w
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2002, 07:49:38 AM »
I like the idea of a professional standard and another standard for everyone else. I'm thinking about baseball - the pros use wooden bats, but amateur baseball is all about aluminium. Seems like a handy parallel to bring to people's attention....

Cheers,
Darren
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »

Dan Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Nick Price joins wants equipment reform like w
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2002, 08:15:39 AM »
FYI:

Those who are interested in this subject -- and who missed the following threads -- should check into the "Rollin' back the ODS -- then what?" and "Litigation against equipment manufacturers."

I've always liked Nick Price.

I like him better all the time.

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

Don_Mahaffey

Re: Nick Price joins wants equipment reform like w
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2002, 10:27:46 AM »
Some more recent facts to show the equipment is out of control. PGA tour qualifier held at my course in early Feb.
I set up a grid on a 535yd par 5 and had a volunteer keep track of how far the players were driving. Average drive-322 yds. That's the average, many balls were hit 350+.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »

Paul Richards

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Nick Price joins wants equipment reform like w
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2002, 06:31:54 PM »
Me'thinks that it's time for Augusta to take the lead and
declare that next year they will begin using a tournament
golf ball ...
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Nick Price joins wants equipment reform like w
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2002, 06:51:51 PM »
Weve been around the horn several times with 'the Augusta Syndrome', wouldn't it be the ultimate irony if we came to revere 'the Augusta Solution'!!!  ::)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Tags:
Tags:

An Error Has Occurred!

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()
Back