Ping’s John Solheim takes on the USGA and R&A on new groove rules

Written by: Tony Korologos | Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
Categories: Golf • Golf Equipment • Golf Gear
Tags: John Solheim • Ping Golf • R&A • square grooves • USGA

Ping’s Chairman John Solheim is standing up for square grooves and I don’t blame him. I can really benefit from square grooves, which I do have in three of my four wedges. They help me enjoy the game.

I also think that PGA Tour pros have it too easy with the “bomb and gouge” way of playing, hitting 300 yard drives, missing the fairway and somehow getting spin out of the rough with their wedges to the green. So I can see implementing or backing up some of the technology for their games.

It is a quandary for sure, because most players like myself want to compare my game to the world’s best and therefore want to play the same equipment.

Ping’s/Solheim’s statement released yesterday:

“The new groove rule harms the game and golfers and should be dropped. The recent uproar about it from PGA Tour players demonstrates this fact, however, the PGA Tour’s proposal to delay implementing the rule is not a solution. You can’t turn a bad idea into a good one by waiting an extra year to adopt it. We hope everyone who cares about the future of this game keeps that simple concept in mind.”
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