BOMB: You know what blows, folks? Having your partner in blogging getting smacked like a piñata in a car accident. Thankfully, the bruises are starting to heal and with any luck at all he'll be able to swing soon enough and my kid's college fund can continue to grow from the winnings. So pardsy, in an effort to get you back to your old irascible self, here's a couple spring-training-like fastballs down the middle for you take a swing at.
Did you see Johnny Miller's comments in the recent edition of Callaway Golf's magazine? OK, I know a magazine produced by an equipment company is going to be shill city, but I still was taken aback by the extent of it by Johnny Miller touting the interchangeable-shaft I-Mix system. In particular I liked when after touting it for the everyday player he said, "I can even see somebody like Phil Mickelson using I-Mix on tour because it's spontaneous and he knows exactly what he's looking for."
Helllllllllllllllloooo. That's exactly the point, Johnny. Philly Mick does know what he's looking for. The chopper being sold on this system has no freaking clue and would be doing well just to get properly fit in the first place. I like the idea of adjustability and its potential, but I am far from sold on selling multiple heads or shafts to consumers and telling them to have it. Besides, wouldn't simply switching to a different ball have an equal or greater effect on an everyday player's game given different conditions? And how many players do you know that change balls in different conditions? Not many, my friend. Not many.
Here's another one for you to gnaw on, too. It was written in another publication that our grooves were going to be taken away from us "soon." It's now some two months later. I don't know about you, but soon and two months don't usually go together. Two weeks, yes. Two months, not so much. But the real question now is whether anything will be done at all. I still say yes because I find it difficult to believe the USGA will just walk away after three years of research without doing something. But I think that is exactly what they should do. Driving distance on tour this year is down three yards from the same time last year. Sure, it's a small sample, but I think everyone would agree that by year's end it's not likely we will see an increase of any substance, if any at all. And that would make it difficult to defend implementing a groove rollback, don't you think?
GOUGE: I don't know what's worse. Being drilled in a head-on collision (wear those seat belts, kids, even when you're riding in the back seat of a limo like I was), or having to hold a sneeze for three weeks so you don't fracture a rib. Seriously, a belated thanks to all those get-well wishes from friends near and far. I'll be chunking and slashing like my old self in no time at all. What's that you say? Johnny Miller overstating the case without any facts at his disposal? Shocking. I do think Mickelson and many other tour players will go the adjustable route. One thing I've heard is that a mechanical joint (like in adjustable clubs) is more consistent and reliable than epoxy (let me know when you feel comfortable driving across a bridge made of epoxy). Still, adjustable clubs make for a better fitting tool, and I'm encouraged that Ping, Nike and Tour Edge are getting into the adjustable fitting system game and joining Callaway and TaylorMade. The golfer wins, provided he can find a qualified fitter, which unfortunately is not as easy as it sounds.
I do think it's worth noting that driving distance is once again trending flat to down. Certainly, the argument is that there are just more 3-woods off the tee these days (Tiger Woods hit driver maybe once on the back nine at Bay Hill). So what? If guys don't feel they can hit the driver in play, the ultimate result is that they're still hitting a long-ish club into the green, which is what we all want. It would help if the greens weren't mush pads like they were last week, but I like seeing a few more 6-iron second shots and a few less 9-irons. It is interesting to note that a flat year in average driving distance would mean that figure hasn't moved more than a total of three yards since 2003. The last year that sort of pattern was maintained for that long was pre-titanium 1995. On the other hand, thanks to new Trackman data being made available by the PGA Tour's ShotLink system, what may be most disconcerting is that the No. 1 player in the game hasn't even come close to maxing out his launch conditions with the driver. In short, he's not even as dominant as he could be.
As for grooves, there's no question this issue, which appeared all but signed, sealed and delivered last fall, is about as near a resolution as me not wearing a seat belt anytime soon. Fact is, the best thing that could happen won't. Namely, the groove rule as proposed should be implemented on the PGA Tour for a five-year evaluation period. Only then will we see if it makes a difference. And, by the way, let's get rid of any club with more loft than 54 degrees, too. Just for fun. But keep your eyes open. The USGA will have to deal with this issue by the Torrey Pines Open, if only because somebody will bring it up at their annual press conference that week.
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