Illegal Driver....

[Imurg]

Xander Schufele had his driver tested on Tuesday at The Open....and it fails the CT test so is too hot and therefore illegal.
Apparently there were other brands that failed as well.
Titleist and Srixon confirmed none of their clubs had failed.
The CT test measure the time the ball is in contact with the face. There is a tolerance of 17 points.
Xander's Epic Flash was 1 point over the tolerance.
Not a big deal admittedly but it's over the limit so it's out.
But how long has he had this club in his bag?
R&A tested 30 from the 156 players....to get 3 or 4 failing is, I think, quite surprising given the supposed accuracy of manufacture

 

[fundy]

I see Schauffles reacted like a little child having been caught too, blaming the R&A for leaking the result! Well dont rock up with an illegal driver for a major then!

 

[Oddsocks]

Callaway are at fault in my opinion, he will just hit what he’s given. It’s not like he said “ oh can you mod this so close the the legal limit please “

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I wonder if any players have won with an illegal version in the bag then. Will these manufacturers be making the change? No doubt the likes of you and I will still be punted these from the shelves of pro shops and high street retailers

 

[hovis]

Golf spy also cut open some of callaways balls too and to say the core is off centre is an understatement. I have a photo but struggling to upload it

 

[Imurg]

Unless Schufele, or anyone else, has the means to test the CT of their driver then the manufacturer will be at fault of a club is illegal.
With a failure rate of 3-4 per 30 ( if that ratio continues) it's likely there has been some serious money acquired using illegal equipment and that should worry the authorities.
And now the questions will be asked at our level " is my driver illegal"?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Golf spy also cut open some of callaways balls too and to say the core is off centre is an understatement. I have a photo but struggling to upload it

https://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/threads/mgs-again.102066/

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Callaway are at fault in my opinion, he will just hit what he’s given. It’s not like he said “ oh can you mod this so close the the legal limit please “

I don't think they'd check the CT as part of a custom fit would they so hard to blame the player imo.

 

[Parsaregood]

I don't think they'd check the CT as part of a custom fit would they so hard to blame the player imo.

All heads on the tour van would be tested before being put on the van, so either the face had become slightly more flexible with use or it has had a blind eye testing it

 

[Coffey]

Yes, all tour heads are taken to the extreme of the limit. Over time it may get a bit more flexible and therefore become illegal.

This is the whole marketing speel that taylormade gave about injected twist face. Was meant to make each driver they produce be on the limit and therefore remove the manufacturing tolerances.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

So then, where do the rules officials go from here. I imagine players change drivers regularly so they can't check historically. Will this raise warning flags and will drivers be checked before players go out and play? Can't see it personally but if the R&A won't pursue it surely more drivers going forward will fail the test and players will play illegal drivers

 

[Parsaregood]

I think there should be more testing on site at events, manufacturers named with possible financial penalties for failing tests etc no excuse for this kind of thing in this day and age

 

[Wolf]

I see Schauffles reacted like a little child having been caught too, blaming the R&A for leaking the result! Well dont rock up with an illegal driver for a major then!

I don't think he's behaved that way at all. He made a valid point if they're going to test him and 30 others then they should test the whole field. The player is provided the club by the manufacturer players not at fault for the composite make up of the club.

If he and others failed how many are still playing with a similar issue.

 

[Parsaregood]

I don't think he's behaved that way at all. He made a valid point if they're going to test him and 30 others then they should test the whole field. The player is provided the club by the manufacturer players not at fault for the composite make up of the club.

If he and others failed how many are still playing with a similar issue.

Random testing is better, takes the possibility of companies or individuals potentially having 2 drivers one of them would be non conforming

 

[fundy]

I don't think he's behaved that way at all. He made a valid point if they're going to test him and 30 others then they should test the whole field. The player is provided the club by the manufacturer players not at fault for the composite make up of the club.

If he and others failed how many are still playing with a similar issue.

If he'd made that remark when he wasnt in the 30 like last year, at another comp when he wasnt in the tested group or when he hadnt failed a test then fair enough

All the manufacturers are pushing their clubs to the edge of legal and the players will be picking the highest COR head they think they can get away with, dont come complaining when one falls slightly the wrong side of the line. Im amazed some dont think the manufacturers are even testing them and know lol

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Random testing is better, takes the possibility of companies or individuals potentially having 2 drivers one of them would be non conforming

I agree. Would be very easy to switch between a driver tested on the range and one for play. Can't see how the authorities can really police this regularly and certainly not ping it down to players. I do think though they should publish the results as I think it would make a big difference to consumer confidence but also may force the manufacturers to upgrade their testing standards

 

[fundy]

I agree. Would be very easy to switch between a driver tested on the range and one for play. Can't see how the authorities can really police this regularly and certainly not ping it down to players. I do think though they should publish the results as I think it would make a big difference to consumer confidence but also may force the manufacturers to upgrade their testing standards

why would it do anything for consumer confidence? The ones they sell in the shops have far bigger tolerances than the ones their sponsored pros are using, they are handpicking the best of the bunch for the pros (if theyre the same club at all anyway)

 

[HomerJSimpson]

why would it do anything for consumer confidence? The ones they sell in the shops have far bigger tolerances than the ones their sponsored pros are using, they are handpicking the best of the bunch for the pros (if theyre the same club at all anyway)

Up to a point I agree with you but they are all manufactured initially in the same way aren't they. They don't have a pro production line and one for general consumption

 

[Parsaregood]

Whatever way you look at it, if 30 drivers are tested and 4 fail that's more than 10% which in my opinion is far too much. Obviously the testing certain manufacturers are carrying out isnt stringent enough and as clubs push closer to the legal limits ever more it's going to be very important for the ruling bodies to take a firm stance on this

 

[Sats]

Makes you wonder how many are using illegals? I mean what if all Epic Flashes are 1 point over? How would we know?