Illegal Driver....

[larmen]

Would Taylormade with this speed injected drivers be more at risk because they are closer to the line, or less at risk because the are precision testing every head?

 

[6535]

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

I’ve actually heard from a club fitter builder who used to work on the tour and spoke to a TM person that a real Mccoy TM driver would cost a grand to buy, but production is halved on materials to get below this £500 price point for ordinary consumers.

 

[User20204]

I predict a rise in sales of Epic Flashes in the coming weeks.

 

[Parsaregood]

I’ve actually heard from a club fitter builder who used to work on the tour and spoke to a TM person that a real Mccoy TM driver would cost a grand to buy, but production is halved on materials to get below this £500 price point for ordinary consumers.

The only difference between tour heads and retail heads is every head on the tour van has been checked for CT, exact lofts are recorded and the exact weight is recorded. The tour guys will also use hot melt to internally weight the driver to produce a certain flight or to even change the noise it makes. The heads come off the same line though

 

[Dibby]

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

Why not just do as other sports already do:

1. Test everyone and track the drivers by serial numbers, so a player can have multiple drivers checked if they plan to put multiple in play during the competition. If the player is found using a serial number that wasn't checked DQ. This is how motorsport and cycling handle it.
2. Random test as now, but also test top 5, 10, 20 or whatever other number. Any player with a non-conforming club is DQ'd and then next player promoted into the top x is tested. Same as how drug testing works for most sports, random tests, plus all podium placers.

The only difference between tour heads and retail heads is every head on the tour van has been checked for CT, exact lofts are recorded and the exact weight is recorded. The tour guys will also use hot melt to internally weight the driver to produce a certain flight or to even change the noise it makes. The heads come off the same line though

If you consider the kit and time of the tour van technicians, the cost of a tour head will be significantly more, but yes, as you say, it's not like there is a top-secret tour factory making the base heads that are used.

 

[pendodave]

Who does xander's PR?
If you have to say anything, don't say that.
Modern pros really do come across as entitled buffoons when they're let out. Pretty much all sports do random small group testing, and guess what, having your equipment being legal is integral to the game.

 

[Parsaregood]

Why not just do as other sports already do:

1. Test everyone and track the drivers by serial numbers, so a player can have multiple drivers checked if they plan to put multiple in play during the competition. If the player is found using a serial number that wasn't checked DQ. This is how motorsport and cycling handle it.
2. Random test as now, but also test top 5, 10, 20 or whatever other number. Any player with a non-conforming club is DQ'd and then next player promoted into the top x is tested. Same as how drug testing works for most sports, random tests, plus all podium placers.



If you consider the kit and time of the tour van technicians, the cost of a tour head will be significantly more, but yes, as you say, it's not like there is a top-secret tour factory making the base heads that are used.

You can buy new unused tour heads fairly cheaply at the end of the season but there is no difference. Also you could have 2 drivers with same serial, it's not likely but definitely possible and if they randomly check say 30 drivers/event it would put any guys off having drivers so close or even over the threshold

 

[hovis]

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.

Athletes get random drug tests all the time. When They fail I don't think they moan that it's not fair because not all althetes where checked. It is well known on tour that random equipment checks as well as random drug tests happen. He needs to get over it and have a word with the people that gave him the driver

 

[Dibby]

You can buy new unused tour heads fairly cheaply at the end of the season but there is no difference. Also you could have 2 drivers with same serial, it's not likely but definitely possible and if they randomly check say 30 drivers/event it would put any guys off having drivers so close or even over the threshold

Once they are no longer needed, yes they are offloaded. The fact that extra effort has gone into measuring them etc increases the cost, whether this is passed on when they are sold or is absorbed as part of the marketing costs for the run of the line is a different topic.

A serial number is by definition unique. If you have multiple clubs with the same serial number, that should also be immediate DQ whether the club conforms or not, as it suggests a deliberate effort to deceive. If you want to cheat the tests you can, presumably, even now the 30 random guys could find a way to bring a different driver if they so chose to, for example, at every event they could always bring 5 drivers with them, under the guise of trying out new ones, and choose the known legal one if pulled for a test. There will always be loopholes, but by testing everyone, an individual has to actively cheat, whereas with a random sample even those with honest intentions can inadvertently cheat. Additionally, this gives the ability to be much harsher with punishments to those caught actively cheating, as to have gamed the test protocol they have already proved intent to cheat, whereas now anyone with a non-conforming COR can claim it was inadvertent and must have been due to wear or similar, and no one can prove otherwise.

 

[Parsaregood]

Once they are no longer needed, yes they are offloaded. The fact that extra effort has gone into measuring them etc increases the cost, whether this is passed on when they are sold or is absorbed as part of the marketing costs for the run of the line is a different topic.

A serial number is by definition unique. If you have multiple clubs with the same serial number, that should also be immediate DQ whether the club conforms or not, as it suggests a deliberate effort to deceive. If you want to cheat the tests you can, presumably, even now the 30 random guys could find a way to bring a different driver if they so chose to, for example, at every event they could always bring 5 drivers with them, under the guise of trying out new ones, and choose the known legal one if pulled for a test. There will always be loopholes, but by testing everyone, an individual has to actively cheat, whereas with a random sample even those with honest intentions can inadvertently cheat. Additionally, this gives the ability to be much harsher with punishments to those caught actively cheating, as to have gamed the test protocol they have already proved intent to cheat, whereas now anyone with a non-conforming COR can claim it was inadvertent and must have been due to wear or similar, and no one can prove otherwise.

Players already carry 2 or 3 different drivers to events, not all the clubs are checked. Very hard to police but but perhaps all players kit for the week should be inspected before tournament play balls included. I'm one for rolling back driver head size and also limiting the ball somewhat, I'm a fairly long hitter but a good ball striker and it annoys me guys who hit it all over the face dont get the same distance penalties they would have done 20 years ago. They have to bring back more of the skill of hitting it out the middle, would also reduce the guys on tour who basically hit the driver as hard as possible as the penalty for hitting it off centre isnt that bad and also it goes just as far

 

[sev112]

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.

Latter point is a very good one
I disagree on the player not being at fault. It is totally his liability - he is responsible for what clubs he puts into play (like Woosnam was at the Open various years ago, even if that was delegated to his caddy).

My reading was that it was 18 points over, not 1? The one over was on the tolerance allowed? My reading might be wrong on that

 

[Wolf]

Latter point is a very good one
I disagree on the player not being at fault. It is totally his liability - he is responsible for what clubs he puts into play (like Woosnam was at the Open various years ago, even if that was delegated to his caddy).

My reading was that it was 18 points over, not 1? The one over was on the tolerance allowed? My reading might be wrong on that

Players don't test the CT of club the tour truck does which would be done by his assigned club fitter from the manufacturer. The other fact here could be that his club was legal when he got it but use over time changes the playing characteristics of the club. Perhaps he could have asked for the tour Truck to check this as time goes on but then even in doing that he is at the liberty of accurate testing by them to. Which means realistically its down to both the player and his equipment provider to be more vigilant.

Seems a high percentage of failures if the numbers they're quoting are correct but I've yet to see anyone other than Xander named which begs the question are they only outing him due to his profile or are they going to release all the names.

 

[Imurg]

Latter point is a very good one
I disagree on the player not being at fault. It is totally his liability - he is responsible for what clubs he puts into play (like Woosnam was at the Open various years ago, even if that was delegated to his caddy).

My reading was that it was 18 points over, not 1? The one over was on the tolerance allowed? My reading might be wrong on that

239 units is the limit and there's a tolerance of 18. Most manufacturers aim to get their heads to 257
Schaufele's was 258.

 

[jim8flog]

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

I use a ball balancer (technosonic) and you can tell that some balls must be well off judging by what happens on the little gizmo. Some balls nearly shake themselves off the pad they are so bad.

 

[jim8flog]

A serial number is by definition unique. .

Not if it is bought on ebay and comes from China.

 

[Parsaregood]

239 units is the limit and there's a tolerance of 18. Most manufacturers aim to get their heads to 257
Schaufele's was 258.

Seems it would be more sensible for them to say 221 was the limit with an upper tolerance of 239. The governing bodies should test, you give manufacturers an inch and they will take a mile.

 

[Italian outcast]

Does this mean the current 'Xanderflash' advert is non-conforming ?

Still running it on Sky this PM

 

[KenL]

239 units is the limit and there's a tolerance of 18. Most manufacturers aim to get their heads to 257
Schaufele's was 258.

Units? What are the units please? Interested where you got this info. Being an engineer/mathematician I would like to know more about the process.

 

[Grantley1988]

Seems it would be more sensible for them to say 221 was the limit with an upper tolerance of 239. The governing bodies should test, you give manufacturers an inch and they will take a mile.

Ridiculous comment.

 

[Parsaregood]

Ridiculous comment.

Why so ? If 239 is the limit that is ideal it should be adhered to