Suppose a $1000 club gave you a significant advantage...

[15th Club]

IF these hypothetical conforming clubs were available then I know dozens of guys that would take out a home equity loan to purchase....

 

The urge for players to buy a game is never going away in this sport.

 

I’d probably buy a few as well.

 

See, I want to understand that. Certainly, it's easy to think that way, if your buddies all buy the $13,000 sets and you will be left in the dust if you don't also buy them. That part is very much of an essential element of my hypothetical.

 

But what if you and I and your buddies all sat down together in the grill room, and I said, "I can introduce a motion at the next ExCom meeting of the USGA, and that new gear can be banned. So none of you will need to buy that stuff, to effectively 'keep up with the Joneses'; what do y'all think about that?"

 

What do you think they would say? Would they all want to still buy the stuff? And be angry if it were banned? Are they somehow competing with the golf course? Are they trying to beat a personal ideal?

 

One thing I want to add to this discussion and my hypothetical; one is that Touring professionals will get this same advantage form the hypothetical new technology, and will be that much farther ahead of recreational players. If recreational players suddenly started hitting it 275 and straight all the time, the Tour players will be hitting it 375 and straight all the time. Recreational players will be no closer to the elites than they are now. Pick your numbers; whatever you'd like to plug into the hypothetical.

[LaymanM]

1st - club heads are maxed out on distance (cor)

2nd - TM tried with twist face. So far it's marketing

3rd - can't afford 1k per club

[KCCO]

You can look at my WITB photo edition, and I’m now playing 718 CB’s. PXG’s were no advantage for me. Sure their nice, but so are Mizuno’s, Titleist, Etc.

My question, if PXG were priced accordingly to other OEM’s, would people start to realize there is no magic club/irons? They all have to meet certain standards. Their price doesn’t. If convinced because they are priced like a Bentley, it will improve your game; message back a year later when you decide a Porsche can do just as much for a fraction of the price.

[dunn]

It is impossible being how the swing dictates 95% or more of shots outcome.....so it would never happen

 

No club can overcome swing flaws

[15th Club]

It is impossible being how the swing dictates 95% or more of shots outcome.....so it would never happen

 

No club can overcome swing flaws

 

Aha! This is one occasion on which I categorically know that I am right. The reason being, this is all a hypothetical, and it is my hypothetical. :derisive:

[slide13]

Would be terrible for golf. We don’t need to make it so only the wealthy can be competitive.

 

I have no issue with expensive clubs unless they come with a significant advantage that is not available me to those who cannot afford them. In this hypo I think they should be banned if possible as it doesn’t provide a reasonably equal playing field among players of different economic conditions.

[lumberman2462]

IF these hypothetical conforming clubs were available then I know dozens of guys that would take out a home equity loan to purchase....

 

The urge for players to buy a game is never going away in this sport.

 

I’d probably buy a few as well.

 

See, I want to understand that. Certainly, it's easy to think that way, if your buddies all buy the $13,000 sets and you will be left in the dust if you don't also buy them. That part is very much of an essential element of my hypothetical.

 

But what if you and I and your buddies all sat down together in the grill room, and I said, "I can introduce a motion at the next ExCom meeting of the USGA, and that new gear can be banned. So none of you will need to buy that stuff, to effectively 'keep up with the Joneses'; what do y'all think about that?"

 

What do you think they would say? Would they all want to still buy the stuff? And be angry if it were banned? Are they somehow competing with the golf course? Are they trying to beat a personal ideal?

 

One thing I want to add to this discussion and my hypothetical; one is that Touring professionals will get this same advantage form the hypothetical new technology, and will be that much farther ahead of recreational players. If recreational players suddenly started hitting it 275 and straight all the time, the Tour players will be hitting it 375 and straight all the time. Recreational players will be no closer to the elites than they are now. Pick your numbers; whatever you'd like to plug into the hypothetical.

 

You can’t understand it because it doesn’t make sense. It is just the way it is. Golf is the competitive outlet for people with the means to support it.

 

Go to any golf club or even decent public course and find The Game. What is The Game you ask? Well it’s the 10-25 guys that always gather together and throw in a few bucks and play hard. Generally they will be decent players and their ages will vary from 25-50.

 

They will have things in common: former athletes in other sports (high school baseball, football, basketball), maybe a college athlete, former scratch or better players who’ve gotten older and now play to a 3-4 hdcp, reasonably successful financially and OVERALL - a desire to participate in some type of competition.

 

They/We are all looking for any advantage and your hypothetical club would provide it. It would sell.

 

It would also sell to a 25 hdcp with enough money to purchase.

 

But it’s all hypothetical.

[Spooky67]

I’d buy the driver for 1k and be good ...lol

[tehuti]

I am no competitive golfer, and my entire bag cost me about $500.00 with all new clubs. So even if money was no object I would not spend $1,000.00 for any single club.

[TollBros]

I'd go as far as to say if there was a driver that hit 20% farther and was more accurate, I'd pay $5000 just for that one club assuming it was conforming and I could use it for handicap and tournament play. Hands down, no question, absolutely would pay that for it assuming it was totally proprietary and no other company could match the performance by that 20%. In other words, as long as everyone didn't have access to this tech a year or two down the road. That's 65 yards of carry with additional accuracy! I simply wouldn't need the other clubs because I would drive any green under 400 yards and would have short irons into every par 5.

[jslane57]

I'd go as far as to say if there was a driver that hit 20% farther and was more accurate, I'd pay $5000 just for that one club assuming it was conforming and I could use it for handicap and tournament play. Hands down, no question, absolutely would pay that for it assuming it was totally proprietary and no other company could match the performance by that 20%. In other words, as long as everyone didn't have access to this tech a year or two down the road. That's 65 yards of carry with additional accuracy! I simply wouldn't need the other clubs because I would drive any green under 400 yards and would have short irons into every par 5.

I think Rory owns this club:)