TaylorMade MOAD Driver - Cheating or Expanding the game?

[GolfSpy WD]

I just had this debate with a friend. Check out the article in the blog:

 

http://www.mygolfspy.com/taylormade-moad-driver

 

The question is what is your view on TM ignoring the USGA? Should golf remain hard? Does the game need to grow? Is this just corporate greed?

 

My view is it is good for the game. Calling this a driver is just lipstick on a pig. The reality is it's a training aid, especially if you do lose some yards when the fins deploy. I love the idea of non-conforming clubs for the masses, but I'm also a firm believer the USGA needs to be firmly planted in competitive play. In no way should a driver like this be allowed by the USGA rules.

 

The other question is what is stopping people from playing golf? I do hear the "it's too expensive" complaint, but I equally hear the "I don't want to embarass myself on the course" or "I don't have time to practice". Wouldn't a driver like this combine practice and play time if done right? What's wrong with playing something that won't overly penalize you for working on your swing during a round?

 

I like everything about it, what do you all think?

[BestGrips.com]

As long as I don't see it in competition, I could care less. But I'm not so sure that all of those wings would do anything for your swing.

 

It's strange that the people doing most of the "golf is dying and we most grow it" are also the ones that sell clubs/whatever else to golfers. It sure doesn't look like it is dying from my perspective.

[hckymeyer]

I'm all for playing whatever makes you happy and whatever makes the game easier.  Just don't play me for money while using it and don't play it in competition.

 

That being said I kind of agree with Zach, from my perspective it's as hard as ever to get a tee time on the courses around here.  Of course that may have to do with Minneapolis having the most golfers per capita of any city in the country and our season being 6-8 months long.  (not sure if that stat is still accurate, but it was at one point)

 

I just don't see the decline in golfers from where I sit.

[BestGrips.com]

Couldn't agree more hcky.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

I'm all for playing whatever makes you happy and whatever makes the game easier.  Just don't play me for money while using it and don't play it in competition.

 

That being said I kind of agree with Zach, from my perspective it's as hard as ever to get a tee time on the courses around here.  Of course that may have to do with Minneapolis having the most golfers per capita of any city in the country and our season being 6-8 months long.  (not sure if that stat is still accurate, but it was at one point)

 

I just don't see the decline in golfers from where I sit.

 

I don't see a decline, either Brian - but I do see us aging.  Demographic-wise, if the mean age keeps going up, that's bad news for the future of anyone who makes and sells equipment, because your customer base is going to die.  My guess is that TMag - cause they're the biggest - and others see this and are trying to figure out how to deal with it.

 

It's unfortunate they use the term "grow the game," because that means more crowded courses and 5 hour rounds for those of us who play already.  I think the ultimate goal is to keep the pipeline full of recreational golfers so they'll have a substantial customer base in 20 or 30 years...

[JBones]

I'm in agreement with BG and Hcky.  I don't think this is helping to grow the game, I think it is helping to line the pockets.  If your swing sucks, it's going to suck whether you're playing conforming of non-conforming clubs.  People who don't play "because it's too hard" are A either week minded individuals or B just making excuses.  If those people want golf to be "easy", they can stick to Golden Tee.  The problem with golf is that it is too damn expensive. If OEMs truly want to grow the game of golf, then they need to find a way to produce quality products at an affordable cost.   You take a new player in his mid to late 20s lets assume they have student loans to pay off, a house to take care of, and a family.  How can that person afford $400 (thats extremely cheap for a full bag), plus $30-$40 a round?  The short answer is they can't.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

I'm all for playing whatever makes you happy and whatever makes the game easier.  Just don't play me for money while using it and don't play it in competition.

And double - ditto on that part!

[GolfSpy WD]

I think of it this way, imagine going to the golf course and the group in front of you plays in 4 hours because they're not looking for their balls.

 

I've never found making a tee time difficult. Leagues do take up some courses during the week, but there are other courses out there.

 

As for fixing your swing. If the wings only deploy on a bad swing, you're getting feedback. If you lose a bit of distance, you're getting feedback. If you actually make a good swing and outdrive everyone else, you're getting feedback. Being able to practice your swing at the course instead of just the range is huge. We all know range time doesn't translate. Being able to hone your swing at the course without making an ass of yourself is even huge-ier (see what I did there?).

 

Making the game easier isn't about getting the weak minded guys on the course. It's about getting friends you've known for a long time on the course every so often. I'd love to have a yearly golf trip with a group of friends, but only two of my friends are good enough golfers to want to go. Obviously, us forum members can organize something and that's awesome. However, we gotta look beyond the forums here. To say it can't grow the game is closing your eyes imo.

[mr_divots]

Thanks for the blog article. Interesting news for Nike moving forward.

 

It's human nature to want to innovate, so it's against our nature to NOT want to explore the "what-ifs."

I was poo-poo'd a bit when I said SLDR isn't even CLOSE to a finalized product nor the COG locale. When in fact, it may be reverse-engineered from something many years ago (and I also stated different COG concepts were nothing new.) Everyone has bit HARD on the TM marketing machine this year for some reason. Concepts and new products largely keep the SAME players interested in new toys. It doesn't grow the game.

 

As to participation? It's the KIDS! I see very few kids at the course playing. There are also fewer 9 hole and executive courses around than when I grew up. Mom used to drop me at the executive 9 for a few hours while she went up the road to the mall. The course is bulldozed in lieu of a CostCo now; and would a parent dare leave their child somewhere for hours in our safety bubble society? Probably not. Or biking along that county road to the driving range a few miles down the way with my bag on my back at age 12? Not sure I'd want to as an adult now with the added traffic.

 

Gotta have venues for kids to play. Cost is big, but smaller courses are key for access. Instead of spending millions on a driver to never be played, maybe focus on kids' clubs that are affordable to prime the market for future players? I think so. Or sponsor golf camps for kids instead of all these demo days and whatnot?

[Hula Rock]

If this "Concept" ever makes the market it will only add to the "problem".  With golf companies already charging insane prices for equipment, How much do you think they are going to charge for this Star Ship enterprise?  The technology alone (sensors, CPU, "wings", etc) to detect, process, and deploy would put this driver well over the 1000 mark.  Now, do you think Joe Smo is going to drop 1000 dollars, get it?

 

Golf is dead ?  dont get it.... Try getting a last minute tee time in San Antonio for the weekend.

[GolfSpy WD]

It's human nature to want to innovate, so it's against our nature to NOT want to explore the "what-ifs."

 

I like this quote. I don't like the idea of stifling innovation just because of rules. Lets try new things and see if it works.

 

As for kids, it's a lot of work. Most people are ok with kids on the course, but a good 10% are total dicks about it. That's pretty demoralizing to some. I've dealt with it enough to no longer care, but they do stick with you.

[BestGrips.com]

There is a difference in innovation and a marketing gimmick. This is the latter.

[GolfSpy WD]

There is a difference in innovation and a marketing gimmick. This is the latter.

 

 

That difference is defined by something that works and something that doesn't. We have no idea where this one falls just yet.

[mr_divots]

I like this quote. I don't like the idea of stifling innovation just because of rules. Lets try new things and see if it works.

 

As for kids, it's a lot of work. Most people are ok with kids on the course, but a good 10% are total dicks about it. That's pretty demoralizing to some. I've dealt with it enough to no longer care, but they do stick with you.

Yeah, I don't play the remaining 9 hole/executive tracks much anymore, so maybe the kids are still getting out there. The "1st Tee" facilities around here that I can think of, both courses are such a difficult walk, I have no idea how they chose those courses for getting kids involved. It's ridiculous. Getting kids involved has been mostly lip service, just like "brown courses" that don't use as much water, etc. The courses are further and further out, necessitating a car ride there from parents. Used to be caddie programs at courses within neighborhoods. Now? McMansionville developments with courses that once again require carts.

 

Golf is about the most short-sighted industry I can think of, really. They rely so much on current players and dwinding discretionary incomes. It's hard to develop avid players late in life.

[Tha Living Legend]

That driver is so unrealistic.  I mean c'mon son, it doesn't even have an adjustable hosel.  So 1994.  

[SMRT]

I agree with most that I do not care what anyone else uses as long as I am not putting money on the line.

 

I also do not see how this or other non-conforming equipment will help grow the game. When I started I had the worst slice I have ever seen. Not only equipment was going to fix it. I had to work on my swing. I love the game so I put in the time and have come a long way with my swing and scores.

 

The thought that non-conforming clubs will make the game easier or a bad player better does not make sense to me. I could see a decent player becoming better or a good player becoming great but if you suck, practice and/or lessons is really the only way to get better. IMO

 

I am sure, when they release any of this stuff it will sell like crazy but I doubt ball sales will go down because of it.

[jpcgolf]

If people want to grow the game of golf, they need to appeal to kids because in about 20-25 years, these kids, who are around my age now, will be the target of the golf industry.  At my middle school, golf is considered lame and stupid except for the 4 kids in the middle school that play it.  One of the worst things about golf is the dress code. If people want to grow golf, it needs to be perceived as a sport, and it isn't going to be thought of as a sport if people have to dress up in nice clothing to play it.  Golf is thought of as a gentleman's game, and no kid wants to play that.  Also, it is way too time consuming and expensive.  From a kid's perspective, If all I have to do to play a sport like basketball is to walk down to the nearest park, and to play golf, I have to spend crazy amounts of money, drive far, and dress nicely, I would choose a sport like basketball.  Golf needs to be more accessible with more executive/nine hole courses like people are saying in this thread, also it needs to be much less expensive.  As a middle schooler myself, this is what I believe needs to be done to grow golf. 

[mr_divots]

If people want to grow the game of golf, they need to appeal to kids because in about 20-25 years, these kids, who are around my age now, will be the target of the golf industry.  At my middle school, golf is considered lame and stupid except for the 4 kids in the middle school that play it.  One of the worst things about golf is the dress code. If people want to grow golf, it needs to be perceived as a sport, and it isn't going to be thought of as a sport if people have to dress up in nice clothing to play it.  Golf is thought of as a gentleman's game, and no kid wants to play that.  Also, it is way too time consuming and expensive.  From a kid's perspective, If all I have to do to play a sport like basketball is to walk down to the nearest park, and to play golf, I have to spend crazy amounts of money, drive far, and dress nicely, I would choose a sport like basketball.  Golf needs to be more accessible with more executive/nine hole courses like people are saying in this thread, also it needs to be much less expensive.  As a middle schooler myself, this is what I believe needs to be done to grow golf. 

Stay strong, our friend. Not much has changed in terms of peoples' perceptions of golf from when I was in jr. high many many moons ago. You actually got teased if you played. It was a "wussy sport."

 

Funny thing: I used to go to like a local park and hit some balls when I was a kid. (Not in the middle of a football or soccer field at least.) Even that, there are signs all over the parks now, "No Golfing." It really is harder and harder to gain access at many levels.

 

I looked at the Golf Galaxy ad that came the other day. The featured outfits for men and women for polyester golf clothing were about $400 per outfit with shoes. Reality and golf marketing are just not meeting anywhere close to one another. Who could afford that, let alone a kid trying to play?

 

Great post!

[Tony Covey MGS]

Some good stuff in this thread. I think part of the problem is that we each have unique viewpoints about where the problem lies.

 

Youth participation (or lack thereof) is a problem - it's not the only problem.

Cost is a problem - it's not the only problem.

Difficult is for some, a problem - it's not the only problem.

Arrogance among established golfers is a problem. - It's not the only problem.

 

I could probably list 30 more.

 

There's not 1 fix for the problem, there aren't 10 fixes...a lot of different things need fixing.

 

So in that context, hell no...non-conforming clubs that fly straight don't solve the problem. What I think they do is solve part of the problem for a segment (golf is too hard, too frustrating) of non-golfers or barely golfers. So as one-piece of a very complex puzzle, I think non-conforming clubs are a good thing, but not even close to being the only thing.