Golf organizations reach agreement on equipment rules

The United States Golf Association and The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, have reached an accord on golf equipment rules, which will restore uniformity to the game worldwide and help ensure the maintenance of uniformity in the future, according to a USGA news release.

This accord includes a set of written principles that will provide a framework to be followed by both governing bodies when proposing new equipment, along with a joint proposal to develop a uniform standard for spring-like' effect in driving clubs.

Statement of principles

"The USGA and the R&A have worked closely together for more than a century in writing the Rules of Golf," USGA President Reed Mackenzie said. "It is helpful for any organization to re-examine its approach to one of its core functions, and at this time, we thought it made sense to ensure closer collaboration and formulate equipment rules that are uniform worldwide. The joint principles we announce here, coupled with our joint proposal regarding spring-like' effect, should help ensure that we achieve our goals of writing understandable and consistent worldwide equipment rules."

R&A Secretary Peter Dawson added: "Golf is an international game, particularly at the elite level, and needs a uniform set of equipment rules. A return to uniformity, which this "spring-like" effect proposal seeks to achieve, is in golf's best interests while the joint statement of principles provides an important framework for future equipment regulation."

Spring-like' effect

The USGA and the R&A have reached an agreement on a proposal that applies identical standards worldwide to regulate the "spring-like" effect of driving clubs. A difference has existed between the two organizations since 1998 when the USGA instituted a spring-like' effect test while the R&A refrained from doing so. The USGA's test procedure measures the coefficient of restitution (COR) of a driving club and the limit was set at 0.830 COR.

The proposal, which is subject to the two organizations' customary notice-and-comment processes for equipment rules and their independent review, contains four points:

1. From Jan. 1, 2003 until Dec. 31, 2007, the Rules of Golf worldwide will be changed to include a conformance test with a COR limit of 0.860 (i.e. the R&A will introduce a limit for the first time and the USGA will increase its current limit from 0.830 to 0.860). Scores may be posted for handicap purposes that were achieved with clubs having a COR of 0.860 or less during this phase.

2. From Jan. 1, 2003 until Dec. 31, 2007, a Condition of Competition, targeted at competitions for highly skilled players, will be introduced enabling the committee in charge of the competition to apply a COR limit of 0.830. The USGA and R&A will introduce this Condition of Competition at their respective Open Championships in 2003 and beyond, and will recommend its introduction for all events on the major professional tours.

3. From Jan. 1, 2008, onward, the Rules of Golf worldwide will be changed, reducing the COR test limit to 0.830 (i.e. the current USGA limit) for all levels of play.

4. Initially, the test method used will be the same COR test as currently employed by the USGA.

However, efforts are being made by both organizations to design a new, simpler test as soon as possible.

This proposal is the result of extended discussions between representatives of the USGA and the R&A since January 2001. It seeks to resolve a difficult situation in a way that is best for the game of golf and is fair and reasonable to all parties, including manufacturers of golf equipment and golfers who have purchased high-COR drivers.