Pros Get Uniform Standards on Drivers

Golf’s ruling organizations finally came to an agreement of principles that would limit the spring-like effect of drivers, but instead of ending the often acrimonious four-year-old debate about modern equipment, there’s a chance it’s all going to blow up again.

The United States Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club announced a compromise Thursday on rules governing the coefficient of restitution (COR), commonly known as the trampoline effect. While commissioners of the PGA Tour and the European Tour as well as leading clubmakers such as Callaway and TaylorMade hailed the new equipment rules, it is not clear how at least one part of the agreement will play out when it comes into effect in 2008.

The coefficient of restitution is a measurement of the energy retained when the club head strikes the ball.

In essence, the statement of principles calls for rules changes in three stages.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2003, there will be an 0.860 COR limit for players worldwide.

Also beginning Jan. 1, 2003, professional players on the major world tours will be limited to drivers with an 0.830 COR.

On Jan. 1, 2008, all golfers will face the same 0.830 COR limit as the pros.

What this means is that amateurs who used legal drivers for years would suddenly find them nonconforming and these players would be held to the same standards as professionals.

Buying a driver soon to be outlawed doesn’t make a lot of sense, but that should not be considered surprising in what has been a confusing, protracted battle between golf’s ruling hierarchy and equipment heavyweights.

The USGA imposed an 0.830 COR in 1998, but the R&A; decided against any restrictions, thus setting up two sets of rules for legal drivers.

The lack of uniform standards led to such unusual circumstances as Callaway’s ERC II forged titanium driver being a nonconforming club in the U.S. on the PGA Tour, but perfectly acceptable for use at the British Open.

“This was a victory for golf,” said Ron Drapeau, president and chief executive at Callaway Golf.

Mark King, president at TaylorMade, said the company will roll out a new R500 driver at the 0.860 COR limit in August. The cost: $499.

At PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., there was general relief that the USGA and the R&A; took some action on the equipment-technology issue, but Commissioner Tim Finchem suggested it may not be enough.

“The Tour is hopeful that [they] will be successful in capping allowable golf ball distance at current levels,” Finchem said in a statement.

According to the USGA and R&A;, it took 18 months to come up with the agreement on drivers, so don’t expect them to take the air out of the golf ball anytime soon.