USGA says enough is enough
The new distance standard for balls attempts to hold the line on length .
The USGA continued in its role of distance police last week, adopting an update of the Overall Distance Standard that essentially says, "OK, that's far enough," to ball manufacturers.
The update modernizes the test procedure by using a new two-piece setup ball, a 360cc titanium club with a .820 COR (instead of a .790 COR laminated wood club) and an increased swing speed from 109 mph to 120 mph. The launch angle and spin rate remain the same, 10 degrees and 2,520 rpm, respectively. Due to the changes, the distance standard was increased from a carry of 296.8 yards (including a 5.6-yard tolerance) to 320 yards (including a three-yard tolerance). Although the revised procedure appears to allow for more yards, it doesn't. The extra distance simply takes into consideration the higher COR club and swing speed.
So are distance gains dead?
| Winners' bags |
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Steve Flesch Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Driver: TaylorMade R580XD Quad, 9 degrees 3-wood: Callaway Steelhead III Hybrid club: TaylorMade Rescue Mid Irons (3-4): Cleveland TA7 Tour; (5-PW): Cleveland TA2 Wedges: Cleveland CG10 (56, 60 degrees) Putter: Odyssey DFX 2-Ball Sherri Steinhauer Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Driver: Ping TiSI, 10 degrees 3-wood: Callaway Steelhead 5-wood: Callaway Steelhead 7-wood: Callaway Steelhead Irons (4-PW): Ping G2 Wedges: Ping MB (56, 60 degrees) Putter: Ping B90 D.A. Weibring Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Driver: Adams Redline, 10.5 degrees 3-wood: Adams Ovation 4-wood: Orlimar TriMetal+ Irons (3-PW): Adams Idea a1 Pro Wedges: Cleveland 691 (56 degrees); Ben Hogan (60 degrees) Putter: Odyssey DFX 2-Ball Blade |
At the tour level, it's close. "Balls the pros use are near the limit," said Bob Thurman, Wilson's vice president of research and development. "Going forward we'll design tour-
caliber balls more to enhance spin and feel characteristics. There are only a few yards left."
It remains to be seen if manufacturers can design a ball that conforms but goes farther for players who swing faster than 120 mph or launch the ball differently. As for everyday players, ballmakers will seek to create products that perform better at more moderate swing speeds. That task would be easier, said Tom Kennedy, VP of R&D for Top-Flite, if the USGA didn't clamp down on both the distance standard and initial velocity.
"More initial velocity helps slower swing speeds but not high swing speeds," said Kennedy. "Think of a Super Ball. If you strike it at a slow speed it jumps off quicker than other balls and goes farther. But if you hit it really hard it flattens out and doesn't go very far."
Although he acknowledged "this was a complex issue," Dick Rugge, the USGA's senior technical director, reiterated, "the purpose is to enhance our procedures, not take balls off the Conforming Ball List."
Left unsaid, however, is the test may prevent balls from getting on in the future.
"We've had the ability to develop a ball that would exceed the limit for some time," noted Kennedy, who said a version of the Top-Flite XL was deemed nonconforming by the USGA in 1984. Still, despite the USGA constraints, he feels there is room for ball advancements. "It's not like we're going to pack up and go home," Kennedy said.
The most popular driver model on the PGA Tour features four weight cartridges that can be moved by the player in an attempt to modify ball flight. The 400cc titanium club was used two weeks ago by Sergio Garcia during his win at the Byron Nelson event. SRP is $600 (graphite) for the standard r7 and $1,000 for the TP model.
The number of balls on the USGA's Conforming Golf Ball list. The association said none currently on the conforming list will be removed as a result of the updated Overall Distance Standard.
