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Would you want different equipment rules for pros?


chershey

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As long as it's not tournament play, I don't give a hoot what someone else chooses to play. It has exactly zero effect on my game! Unless you have some illegal wedge that takes a huge divot or something, it's none of my business. 

Now, one thing that might be interesting would be an, "unlimited" category golf tournament where anything goes! You still only get 14 clubs and 10 balls but no limits other than that! 50" driver with a 600cc head? Sure! Square groves cut in a checkered pattern? Why not! Slice proof heavy balls with 1.1" diameter? Be my guest! Let's see what you can do!

Driver:  :ping-small:  G 10.5* W/Tour Stiff 65g Ping Shaft   

Fairway Woods:  :cobra-small:  Cobra F6 13.5*, F6 Baffler 16*  

Irons: Split Set-  :ping-small: i200 3i - 7i ,  :benhogan-small: Ft Worth 15s, 8 (36), 9 (40), PW (44) 

Wedges: :benhogan-small:  TK, 52* & 56*

Putter:  :ping-small: Sigma G Kushin 

Bag:  :ping-small: Hoofer 5way

Balls:  :taylormade-small: TP5/X

 

 

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I'm more in favor of a tournament ball that's rolled back a bit than anything else on the equipment side. On the Rules of Golf side I would definitely like to see "tour only" rules and "recommended local rules". I'd start with drop at point of entry for all hazards, OB and lost balls for club golfers. Let's throw one down, add a shot, and move on.

 

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Agree.  Could you imagine if some guy in the foursome ahead of you came walking back to the tee because he can't find his ball and needs to re-tee?  At a municipal course, It's a good chance he'd be taken out before he made it back.

:ping-small:G410 plus driver,:taylormade-small:Aeroburner 3W, :cobra-small:F6 Baffler 
:callaway-small:XR 4, 5 hybrids
:titleist-small:2021 T300 6 - GW, SW irons
:callaway-small: Mack Daddy CB 58/12 wedge
Axis1 Rose putter

Alternates: Srixon ZX4 MKII irons

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I don't think there's a real need for it other than people in charge of setups have a hard time dealing with low scores. I don't think it'd make much difference either except making the gap between the top and bottom tour player's larger. But I doubt we'll find out either way anytime soon.

 

 

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Right Handed

4.5 handicap

Driver: Nike Vapor Flex with Mitsubishi Rayon Fubuki ZT60x5ct S-flex shaft and stock grip.

3-Metal: Nike VRS 15 degree with Mitsubishi Rayon tour issue Diamana S73x5ct X-flex shaft and GolfPride MCC midsize Black/White grip.

Irons: Ben Hogan PTx 22, 26, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46 degrees standard length and lie with KBS Tour-V stiff shafts and GolfPride MCC midsize Black/White grips.

Wedges: Ben Hogan TK15 54, 58 degrees with KBS Tour-V X-flex shafts and GolfPride MCC midsize Black/White grips.

Putter: Nike Method Converge B1|01 with Superstroke Flatso 2.0 grip.

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I guarantee you that the pros don't play out of the same sand bunkers as I do!  The courses they play are set up so much different than the ones I play, even when I get a chance to play a course that they play.  Nothing about their game resembles mine, so I could care less what equipment the pros play because I'm never going to play their game anyway.  

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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No if you regulate differently than someone wanting to turn pro will not have access to the equipment needed. I play to a +3 at my home course. I enjoy the fact that I could potentially try and qualify for a tour event with the equipment I currently have.

 

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There is no question about the skill set difference between the pros and amateurs. However there is as well a distinct difference that the fine tuning of the equipment to match their swings, increase swing speeds that combined with an exact combination with the best suited ball further seperates what amateurs and pros use and have access to so as to further enhance their performance. The game needs to be the same for both groups not with out a few needed tweaks to improve pace of play. Face the facts..they are Pros for a reason and get to use the best of the best equipment..and why not!!

 

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As long as they're not doing anything to their equipment (cheating) to make it better, like former major leaguers corking a bat, I say leave it alone.

Let me be honest. I love playing and watching golf, but it does upset me, actually jealous, the pros can hit a 5 iron 200+ yards and I'm getting 160 at best. But, that's my problem. I'm out of shape, haven't been playing most of my life and I don't go to the range much.

Basically, I don't blame the equipment. I don't think there's a problem. At least not until all par 4's become driveable. Then get back to me.

 

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I'm getting a chuckle at all the comments about the pro golfers and their equipment. Here are a few truths:

1: You could give Rickie Fowler a set of MacGregor blades and persimmon woods from the 60's that you found in a thrift store and I guarantee not a single person on this site, given access to all the club fitting resources in the world, would beat him in a tournament.

2: Their equipment really isn't that much different. Maybe they tweak it a bit, maybe the top 1% get "special" clubs but the majority of the PGA journeymen are playing well fitted, stock equipment.

3: For many middle of the pack guys, they're playing equipment because they get a check to play it, not because it's their preference. You see Rory with his special "Rors" blades and that gives the wrong impression. He got that because he is at the top. Heck, they might not even be perfect, just good enough for him to be ok with. Anyway, for every Rory out there, there are 15 guys playing a club they don't really like because they don't know how long the tour run is going to last and every check matters!

 

Don't worry about the pros!

Driver:  :ping-small:  G 10.5* W/Tour Stiff 65g Ping Shaft   

Fairway Woods:  :cobra-small:  Cobra F6 13.5*, F6 Baffler 16*  

Irons: Split Set-  :ping-small: i200 3i - 7i ,  :benhogan-small: Ft Worth 15s, 8 (36), 9 (40), PW (44) 

Wedges: :benhogan-small:  TK, 52* & 56*

Putter:  :ping-small: Sigma G Kushin 

Bag:  :ping-small: Hoofer 5way

Balls:  :taylormade-small: TP5/X

 

 

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I'd take that bet.  I know plenty of people on these sites that are good enough to take on someone like RF.  Especially if he gets handicapped with 15-25 yards off the tee with persimmon and (your own qualification) grips from a thrift store set.  Give him a set with grips as hard and slick as whale sh*t at the bottom of the ocean and he's not going to be able to perform.  

 

I've also seen some of the custom stuff out there for touring professionals.  When you start looking at the reduced offsets, grinds, and specialty shafts, there is definitely a difference.  

 

...

1: You could give Rickie Fowler a set of MacGregor blades and persimmon woods from the 60's that you found in a thrift store and I guarantee not a single person on this site, given access to all the club fitting resources in the world, would beat him in a tournament.

...

 

Tour Issue Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero 9° / Graphite Design P9003 TX  OR  Tour Issue Taylormade M1 430 9.5° / Graphite Design P9003 TX                        

Tour Issue Callaway XHot 3 Deep 13° / Graphite Design DI-10 TX                    Tour Issue Callaway XHot 3 Deep 13° / Project X T1100 95g 6.5

Tour Issue Titleist 915Hd 17.5° / Graphite Design DI-105 X                                Tour Issue Callaway BB Alpha 815 18° / Graphite Design DI-105 X

Scratch AR-1 v2 3-PW / Tour Issue Dynamic Gold X7                                        Raw Bridgestone J15CB 3-PW / Tour Issue Dynamic Gold X7

Scratch FIT 54°DS and 60°DS / Tour Issue Dynamic Gold X7                            Bettinardi H2 Forged 54° and 60° / Tour Issue Dynamic Gold X7        

Rotating 8802 style putters

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I believe 1 game 1 set of rules.. With the exception of a few little things available to us common players. Since we don't all have caddies, range finders we all have one anyways.. Allow us to use square cut grooves, Some of us might still have those wedges and only stopped playing due to rules changes.. Allow belly putters, I don't care.. 

 

Just some of those type of adjustments,, Heck the pro's get whatever they want (within the rules) Let us have a few things to help make us play better and have more fun.. 

Dave-

Follow me on twitter @GolfCrazyWA and on Instagram @GolfcrazyWA

 

 WITB:

Cobra Ultralite Cart Bag 

Titleist TSR3 Hzrdus Black 65g shaft

Cobra F8+ 3wd Hzrdus Red 65g shaft

Cobra 3 hybrid Rogue Pro 75g Shaft

Cobra 4 hybrid Rogue Pro 75g Shaft

Cobra F8 irons 5-GW KBS tour 90 stiff shafts

Cobra King Black Wedge 54* 

Cleveland RTX Zipcore Wedge 58*

Snake Eyes Viper Putter.

Ball: Taylormade TP-5X

 

 

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1: You could give Rickie Fowler a set of MacGregor blades and persimmon woods from the 60's that you found in a thrift store and I guarantee not a single person on this site, given access to all the club fitting resources in the world, would beat him in a tournament.

You might be right, but.......what if those clubs were left handed!? Then he would probably only beat us by a couple of strokes!

Titleist TS3 9.5* w/Accra TZ5 65 X-Stiff
Titleist TS3 15* w/Fujikura Ventus 7X
Callaway Apex19 Hybrid 20* w/Accra TZ5 95X
Callaway Apex19 Hybrid 23* w/Accra TZ5 95X
Titleist 718 CB 5 iron w/KBS $Taper X-Stiff
Titleist 718 MB 6-PW w/KBS $Taper X-Stiff
Titleist SM7 Wedges 50*, 54*, 58* w/KBS $Taper X-Stiff
Bettinardi Queen B 10 34.5"
Titleist Pro V1 or Snell MTB-X

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I don't think changing the pros equipment is the answer. The PGA is faced with a difficult choice on what to do about the low scores and fan interest in the game.

 

Let's start with the low scores. This is a perfect case of evolution. People are playing better every generation. Most want to say it the equipment but I think it's the human factor. Look at the world record for running a mile. It's dropped a bunch of times over the last 60 years. This is the same thing that is happening in golf. People really are that good at the game.

 

Now let's think of what would happen if we changed the clubs or ball to be less hot. (I really don't know a better way to word that) players like Dustin Johnson would still have an advantage since he can crush the ball further so he is then hitting a lower iron into the green. Further more players that are older in age but not old enough to qualify for the senior tour would be at an even great disadvantage.

 

So how do you make the game more challenging yet fair to the whole field. I don't know. The only thing I can think of is to go from 14 clubs in the bag to 13. The choice would be between fairway wood or gap/lob wedge. This would bring driver accuracy back into play, as well as course management.

 

This has been an interesting thread but I feel very strongly that one of the strengths of gold has always been I can play on the same course as the pros with their equipment and against them (handicap index).

 

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So how do you make the game more challenging yet fair to the whole field. I don't know. The only thing I can think of is to go from 14 clubs in the bag to 13. The choice would be between fairway wood or gap/lob wedge. This would bring driver accuracy back into play, as well as course management.

 

 

It isn't about the clubs.   Look at the older courses that host majors;  it isn't about the clubs or the ball.  It comes down to making the players execute the shots.  Narrow the fairways,  grow up the rough,  put hazards in landing zones, change how the bunkers are raked.   The pro game has become hit as far as you can and throw a wedge onto the green or put it in a perfectly manicured bunker.  The US Open was a great example of how missing the fairway can elevate scores.  

Driver:  :ping-small: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven
Fairway: :titelist-small: TS3 15*  w/Project X Hzardous Smoke
Hybrids:  :titelist-small: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype
                :titelist-small: 915H  24*  w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype        
Irons:      :honma:TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite
Wedge:  :titleist-small: 54/12D, 60/8M w/:Accra iWedge 90 Graphite
Putter:   :taylormade-small:TM-180

Testing:   SPGC_logo.jpg

Backups:  :odyssey-small: Milled Collection RSX 2, :seemore-small: mFGP2, :cameron-small: Futura 5W

Member:  MGS Hitsquad since 2017697979773_DSCN2368(Custom).JPG.a1a25f5e430d9eebae93c5d652cbd4b9.JPG

 

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You're probably right jlukes. I just want to see it proven. Jimmy Walkers 7 iron with the same loft and shaft as the off the shelf 718MB.

 

 

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I'm sorry to disappoint my friend but they are that good. Top .001 percent of all golfers in the world. And you can play exactly what they do or have yourself fit as precisely as theirs is .....for a price.

 

You've already seen it proven. Some kid gets in on a sponsors exemption or Monday qualifies. He's got around the same fitting limitations as you or I. He's hitting the same distances as the average guy there. He's a part of that .001.

 

It's not about the equipment it's about the ability.

 

 

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Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60  Aldila  R flex   - 42.25 inches 

SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft

Ping G410 7, 9 wood  Alta 65 R flex

Srixon ZX5 MK II  5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex

India 52,56 (60 pending)  UST recoil 75's R flex  

Evon roll ER 5 32 inches

It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD   

 

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We have a few "local course rules" that the pros would never use. They haven't refilled the bunkers in 2 years, so its like hitting off a cart path, we just drop out. Parts of the fairways due to drainage are like a swamp and the ball will plug or be buried. We take a free drop no closer to the hole. Not worth breaking a wrist or a club.  Things like that Im ok with, now if Im playing a PGA course, we'd not have those issues. 

Driver  :ping-small: G425 9* Hzrdus Smoke Green Small batch 6.5 70g

Fairway Wood:   image.jpeg.b9b42744cb10f0524500549b74545dd7.jpegCobra Radspeed Big 3 Hzrdus Smoke Black 6.5

Hybrid:  image.jpeg.c5ec9f74aa563ad0246ab686b1c35eeb.jpegCobra Aerojet 5 Wood Hzrdus Smoke Black 6.5

Irons:     :titelist-small: T200 (4-AW) AMT Black Stiff Shafts 

Wedges:  :cleveland-small: Tour Rack 56* 60*

Putter:   :cameron-small: Scotty Cameron Golo 5

Right Handed 

Pittsburgh, PA

 

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It isn't about the clubs. Look at the older courses that host majors; it isn't about the clubs or the ball. It comes down to making the players execute the shots. Narrow the fairways, grow up the rough, put hazards in landing zones, change how the bunkers are raked. The pro game has become hit as far as you can and throw a wedge onto the green or put it in a perfectly manicured bunker. The US Open was a great example of how missing the fairway can elevate scores.

I can agree with this. I think a lot more can be done in course design to promote off the tee accuracy. That being said I would hate to see the courses try to solve this just by lengthening the holes. This only penalizes the shorter hitters thus giving an advantage to the long drivers.

 

What I was trying to hit at in my first post is why is it bad to see low scores. What do we beat our chests and scream when a player shoots 10 under in a US open over 4 days. For the most part the player that wins a tournament played better golf than the rest of the field regardless of what the end score was. Do we really find it entertaining to see the pros shoot high numbers while trying to play safe par golf?

 

I know I am taking this off subject some but I have always been curious about why fans want to see certain tournaments won at even par.

 

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I can agree with this. I think a lot more can be done in course design to promote off the tee accuracy. That being said I would hate to see the courses try to solve this just by lengthening the holes. This only penalizes the shorter hitters thus giving an advantage to the long drivers.

 

What I was trying to hit at in my first post is why is it bad to see low scores. What do we beat our chests and scream when a player shoots 10 under in a US open over 4 days. For the most part the player that wins a tournament played better golf than the rest of the field regardless of what the end score was. Do we really find it entertaining to see the pros shoot high numbers while trying to play safe par golf?

 

I know I am taking this off subject some but I have always been curious about why fans want to see certain tournaments won at even par.

 

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I totally agree. Even if they did decide to make the pros use balls or equipment that didn't go as far, they would be penalizing the short hitters even further and make it impossible for them to compete against the longer hitters at the length they've made some of these courses. 

Titleist TS3 9.5* w/Accra TZ5 65 X-Stiff
Titleist TS3 15* w/Fujikura Ventus 7X
Callaway Apex19 Hybrid 20* w/Accra TZ5 95X
Callaway Apex19 Hybrid 23* w/Accra TZ5 95X
Titleist 718 CB 5 iron w/KBS $Taper X-Stiff
Titleist 718 MB 6-PW w/KBS $Taper X-Stiff
Titleist SM7 Wedges 50*, 54*, 58* w/KBS $Taper X-Stiff
Bettinardi Queen B 10 34.5"
Titleist Pro V1 or Snell MTB-X

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