Rory on bifurcation

[John Crowley]

https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/02/03/rory-mcilroy-usga-ra-distance-insights-report-huge-waste-money/


He nailed it!

[Tom_Doak]

Classic concern trolling, there, to act concerned about the amount of money spent studying the distance problem. 


Perhaps Rory's sponsors should spend more of THEIR money on increasing participation, and less on trying to make the golf ball go two yards farther.  [See what I did there?]



You should probably pay more attention to anyone whose opinion does NOT line up with the company line of their main source of income.

[Sam Andrews]

I often wonder what the professional game would be like if there were no spotters to help them find their ball and the rough was left untrodden where they hit it (might be safer for spectators too).

[JC Jones]

I wish the golf media and bloggers would eschew the advances of technology that make their job easier and go back to writing pamphlets and distributing them in the mail.

[Sam Andrews]

I wish the golf media and bloggers would eschew the advances of technology that make their job easier and go back to writing pamphlets and distributing them in the mail.

As a former journalist, you have no idea how many hacks would like to go back to the old days when you weren’t expected to file 24/7!

[Thomas Dai]

Classic concern trolling, there, to act concerned about the amount of money spent studying the distance problem.
Perhaps Rory's sponsors should spend more of THEIR money on increasing participation, and less on trying to make the golf ball go two yards farther.  [See what I did there?]
You should probably pay more attention to anyone whose opinion does NOT line up with the company line of their main source of income.

Rorys equipment sponsor company has very recently been listed for sale.
When their name pops-up, and that of a few other manufacturers of similar ilk, the words of Gerald Ratner* come to mind.
Atb


* apologies to those outwith the U.K. who my not ‘get’ the reference.

[Mike Feeney]

TD = on-the-money...pun intended.
Rory likes to be candid, which I appreciate, but he should pass on this topic. His equipment deal compromises his view and he knows full well, any distance throttling message would not be well received by TaylorMade's brass --- who signs RM's fat checks.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

I like how easily everyone disregards Rory's comments when they don't suit them as being so clearly motivated by TaylorMade, and yet will accept Rory's comments when they support their argument.

IMO Rory speaks how he feels, with little regard for his sponsor's concerns.

[Kalen Braley]

Rory said he's fine with bifurcation, which is what they should focus on anyways...so i'm completely fine with it.

[JLahrman]

Reading threads like this, it makes you wonder why any player would make any substantive comment on any subject.

[Peter Flory]

A $100MM contract is no small thing.  His latest equipment contract is nearly twice as much as his on-course career earnings. 
It would be really interesting to see the language in a contract like that.  I doubt it is a boilerplate one. 

[Mike Feeney]

May, 2017:    "The 10-year deal is worth around $100m to the Northern Ireland-based golfer and will see him using clubs, balls and bags from the brand."

[Erik J. Barzeski]

A $100MM contract is no small thing.  His latest equipment contract is nearly twice as much as his on-course career earnings.

Are you counting his Euro Tour winnings too? He’s at $54M on just the PGA Tour.

[Peter Flory]

A $100MM contract is no small thing.  His latest equipment contract is nearly twice as much as his on-course career earnings.

Are you counting his Euro Tour winnings too? He’s at $54M on just the PGA Tour.

You're right.  I forgot that.  Tack on another 35MM Euros.

But I also forgot about his Nike contract, which paid him $200MM. 

[Tom_Doak]

Reading threads like this, it makes you wonder why any player would make any substantive comment on any subject.

Rory is generally very much worth listening to, which is why this comment from him is so out of place. 


I am sure that he will toss and turn in his sleep tonight, thinking how unfair I have been toward him.

[Tim_Weiman]

I often wonder what the professional game would be like if there were no spotters to help them find their ball and the rough was left untrodden where they hit it (might be safer for spectators too).

Sam,


A better idea is just to ban professional golf altogether, though it might be ok to let professionals give lessons at clubs and muni courses.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Classic trolling and bullshit.
 
"So I think the authorities, the R&A and USGA, are looking at the game through such a tiny little lens, that what they’re trying to do is change something that pertains to 0.1 percent of the golfing community."
 
While uber length may or may not impact 0.1% of players, the fucking ball and length/cost of the golf course affects 100% of golf.

[Rob Rigg]

What seemed strange to me about his comments was the notion that the R&A/USGA cannot explore the "distance debate" and also promote growth of the game. Seems like both of these topics should be part of their standard modus operandi and they can spend "millions" on both?

His previous comments about the regulatory bodies missing an opportunity 20 years ago when the Pro V1 was launched is spot on.
If you look at the data, gains have been minimal since then and we're at the point where ball and club technology isn't advancing in any meaningful way.

I worked at TM for a few years and collaborated with engineering and R&D (incredibly talented people) to develop product lines / strategy and I can tell you that it's a grind getting a typical golfer "more yards" these days once they've been properly fitted. It's all marketing BS.

Also, bifurcation is a challenge because "average golfers" want to play the same products as the pros (based on numerous surveys).

It would need to be a change across the spectrum or nothing based on the survey data that I've seen, but I'd still like to see the ball rolled back for pros so we can evaluate the impact. Changing rules drastically on clubs will be challenging because it's unlikely a magical solution exists for metalwood club size, CT, COR, etc. These guys can hit 3 woods 300 yards that have 165cc heads.

What frustrates me is the mangling of golf courses, especially historic ones, so the 0.1% can play a tournament there. Who cares? Pro golf is pretty boring these days so just let them play on TPC tracks and call it good. Leave other courses alone. LOL

[Niall C]

No disrespect John, but Rory did anything but nail it. The bits that stood out for me was the suggestion that the governing bodies are wasting millions on this. Are they really spending that much ? I've no idea. But if they are, they are spending it in trying to address one of the most talked about issues in golf. I might agree with Rory about some of the projected outcomes and measures but just because you don't like the outcome means the exercise was wrong.

They other thing that stood out for me was at least an insinuation that these organisations aren't spending money to promote the game. It makes me wonder how much he actually knows. 

Niall

[George Smiltins]

Not sure how true this is but doesn't bifurcation set up the possibility of an additional revenue stream for the golf companies? The driver that supposedly gives you two extra yards every year AND the muted pro clubs?


Don't aluminum bat companies do ok even though mlb doesn't use them (or as well as can be expected with the current state of baseball/softball)? And some people still buy wooden bats to mess around with and/or put on their walls.



Although I guess the additional profits could dry up when the 5-36 handicaps get both clubs (and balls) and find out they hit them the same distance?

[Kyle Harris]

I, for one, am appaled at the subtle gas-lighting that all the advances we've made socially dropping barriers of entry for golf are somehow going to be undone by... equipment roll back?

[Tim Leahy]

Bifurcation works. MLB players can't use aluminum bats and every other player does. Roll back the pro's distance so classic courses can be competed on in the future. The longest players will still be the longest on tour. We don't need 7500+ courses.

[Rob Marshall]

Bifurcation works. MLB players can't use aluminum bats and every other player does. Roll back the pro's distance so classic courses can be competed on in the future. The longest players will still be the longest on tour. We don't need 7500+ courses.

I agree it works but there has always been something special in my mind about being able to play the same courses with the same ball and same equipment as the greats of the game. You can’t play baseball at Yankee stadium or basketball at the Garden but you can play golf at Oak Hill or Pebble Beach.

[Kalen Braley]

Bifurcation works. MLB players can't use aluminum bats and every other player does. Roll back the pro's distance so classic courses can be competed on in the future. The longest players will still be the longest on tour. We don't need 7500+ courses.

I agree it works but there has always been something special in my mind about being able to play the same courses with the same ball and same equipment as the greats of the game. You can’t play baseball at Yankee stadium or basketball at the Garden but you can play golf at Oak Hill or Pebble Beach.

Rob,

There wouldn't be anything preventing you from still doing that in a bifurcated situation.  You could still buy/use the same clubs and ball that the pros use on the same course, but you would likely be giving up some distance.

But then again, many already effectively do that by using hickories or 20+ year old equipment.

Bifurcation = good.

[Rob Marshall]

Bifurcation works. MLB players can't use aluminum bats and every other player does. Roll back the pro's distance so classic courses can be competed on in the future. The longest players will still be the longest on tour. We don't need 7500+ courses.

I agree it works but there has always been something special in my mind about being able to play the same courses with the same ball and same equipment as the greats of the game. You can’t play baseball at Yankee stadium or basketball at the Garden but you can play golf at Oak Hill or Pebble Beach.

Rob,

There wouldn't be anything preventing you from still doing that in a bifurcated situation.  You could still buy/use the same clubs and ball that the pros use on the same course, but you would likely be giving up some distance.

But then again, many already effectively do that by using hickories or 20+ year old equipment.

Bifurcation = good.

I hear ya Kalen. Good point.