Big week for the long hitters, as many of them finished in the top 20. No new developments in the golf world’s tussle with the Groove Rule. News came out during the week that USGA officials met with John Solheim to discuss a compromise to the exemption of Ping Eye 2 grandfather clause. It’s clear that Mr. Solheim has leverage here, but don’t expect him to take advantage of it. He is too much of a gentleman. My instincts tell me this will be settled by the USGA getting the clubs outlawed for use in elite player events, and Ping getting a lifetime exemption for the Eye 2 clubs for recreational use.
In more Groove Rule news, I recently read where the USGA has removed the Groove Rule as a condition of competition for the local qualifying stage of the US Open. This is clearly further evidence that the entire groove rule blowup is politically motivated. Someone at the USGA must have read my series, “Another Dagger”, which outlines the cost associated with 8000 US Open entries having to play with conforming equipment. Talk about a mess… this is frought with trouble. What if a Tour player with no current status has to go through local qualifying with a conforming set of irons and gets beat by someone using square grooves? Is that fair? I think not. And what if a player advances through local qualifying with a set of square groove irons? He then must switch to a conforming set for the sectional. The USGA better hope that if someone is victimized by this, they don’t have a lot of money. Because I smell a lawsuit. We’ll hit on this topic again as US Open qualifying draws closer.
Stay tuned, I don’t think this issue is going away anytime real soon. Unless Mr. Solheim chooses to let the USGA and PGA Tour off the hook. Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it very much. And don’t forget to tell someone where you heard it first. Peace!