drawboy
Tour Winner
There are plenty of Ping wedges out there, If any pro thinks they are giving another pro the edge then they too should buy some for themselves. They are available to all.
Spot on Edgey.....like I said Craw they are LEGAL in the competition he is in and many more he will be in so how he can be cheating is a mystery.
HRC99
Journeyman Pro
Utter stupdity to call Mickelson a cheat outright. If you don't agree with it, fair enough, say so. But there was no need to label him a cheat when he clearly isn't cheating.
I think Finchem's meeting the players on Tuesday to discuss this so it will be very interesting to see what happens after that. I would say a fine coupled with a grovelling apology from McCarron followed by a comment from Mickelson to say the matter is closed.
I think Finchem's meeting the players on Tuesday to discuss this so it will be very interesting to see what happens after that. I would say a fine coupled with a grovelling apology from McCarron followed by a comment from Mickelson to say the matter is closed.
B
birdieman
Guest
Quite surprised at the numbers backing Mickelson on this. As I said I like the guy, one of my favoutrite players but to me a new v-grooves rule came in and 99% of Pros are abiding by it. It is a big advantage as the whole onus on hitting fairways is lost if a few players can still play controlled shots form the rough with this Ping u-groove wedge.
Agree it is the USGA's fault for not speaking to Ping about the old lawsuit before they brought the new grooves rule in.
However when I saw Mickelson playing the old Ping wedge especially when he's a Callaway player just didn't sit well with me. What do Callaway think about it? Not saying he's cheating but it's bending the rules too far imo and isn't in the spirit of the game.
Agree it is the USGA's fault for not speaking to Ping about the old lawsuit before they brought the new grooves rule in.
However when I saw Mickelson playing the old Ping wedge especially when he's a Callaway player just didn't sit well with me. What do Callaway think about it? Not saying he's cheating but it's bending the rules too far imo and isn't in the spirit of the game.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Allenby and Westwood have had a go now. I just can't see it.
The rules have been badly thought out - that I'll grant you - but at the end of the day the club is legal. And that's the end of it. Whether its by conforming to the new rules or by lawsuit - it's legal.
If the "Spirit" of the game has been knocked then then why did nobody complain when PM used 2 drivers at the Masters a few years back. Surely its against the "Spirit" to have a driver for fades and another for draws - you should adapt your swing to make such changes - nah! Don't buy it at all.
Is he breaking the rules? No
Is he bending them? Maybe but they get bent all the time - re Kenny Perry last year and Richie Ramsey as well.
The rules have been badly thought out - that I'll grant you - but at the end of the day the club is legal. And that's the end of it. Whether its by conforming to the new rules or by lawsuit - it's legal.
If the "Spirit" of the game has been knocked then then why did nobody complain when PM used 2 drivers at the Masters a few years back. Surely its against the "Spirit" to have a driver for fades and another for draws - you should adapt your swing to make such changes - nah! Don't buy it at all.
Is he breaking the rules? No
Is he bending them? Maybe but they get bent all the time - re Kenny Perry last year and Richie Ramsey as well.
JustOne
Ryder Cup Winner
I'd like to see Phil win the Masters, then people will forever debate whether or not it should count 
What a fiasco, the PGA should have seen it coming.
I'm of the impression that a course itself could introduce a local rule that only V grooves are used??, I'd expect this to be the case shortly if the PGA has no other options.
What a fiasco, the PGA should have seen it coming.
I'm of the impression that a course itself could introduce a local rule that only V grooves are used??, I'd expect this to be the case shortly if the PGA has no other options.
HRC99
Journeyman Pro
I'd be amazed if this was possible. I would expect that the course is handed over to the PGA for the duration of the tournament and the PGA would set the rules for their tournament. In the same way that in World Cups and other big events, the stadia are handed over to the organising committee.
Otherwise, the course could do anything they liked - banning clubs, golf balls, manufacturers in theory.
It's very easy to blame Mickelson but the fault lies with the PGA. They could have gone to Ping and asked them to void this agreement for professional golf way in advance of the introduction of the new laws.
Rules are rules. Professionals will always seek to gain the maximum advantage from them - as they should, its their job and their livelihood.
DCB
Well-known member
That's just what Ping will be waiting for. There legal team are probably working out which holiday villa to buy on the back of their fees for the court case that will enevitably follow such a decision.
The USGA bottled it 25 years ago. they didn't want to go to court with Ping. Now, well........
Mind you, in a couple of weeks the wedge will have lost it's zip after a few pracise sessions the face and grooves will be next to useless.
The USGA bottled it 25 years ago. they didn't want to go to court with Ping. Now, well........
Mind you, in a couple of weeks the wedge will have lost it's zip after a few pracise sessions the face and grooves will be next to useless.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Can't see how he's cheating if the club has been sanctioned. I'm not sure it is necessarily 100% in the spirit of the game but certainly no different to using a broomhandle putter and then getting out for a penalty drop. I think McCarron needs to be careful with his wording.
Herbie
Tour Winner
This to me is more a condemnation of the authorities in golf not making a decision that sticks in the game as a whole.
Its very easy to look at Phil and say poor show on his behalf, but he is doing no more than taking his clubs along as usual because he can with regards to the rules. Thats not his fault, its the fault of others and I think he has done more to highlight how daft the ruling bodies are than anything else.
Phil a cheat? No, he played within the rules, end of story.
If it upsets people then blame the governing bodies.
Its very easy to look at Phil and say poor show on his behalf, but he is doing no more than taking his clubs along as usual because he can with regards to the rules. Thats not his fault, its the fault of others and I think he has done more to highlight how daft the ruling bodies are than anything else.
Phil a cheat? No, he played within the rules, end of story.
If it upsets people then blame the governing bodies.
"I've sent in grooves that are legal but have not been approved for play," he said. "And I feel like the Eye-2 grooves are not legal, or don't conform, but they are approved for play. And after talking about it to the tour and the USGA, the only thing that matters is, 'Are they approved for play?'
"So I don't feel that there's any problem if I were to play those clubs or if anybody else were," Mickelson said. "All that matters is that it is OK under the Rules of Golf."
I reckon that if the powers that be approve the clubs he wants to play, then all this hoo hah will suddenly disappear.
It's a case of a sledgehammer being used to crack a political walnut.
Anyway, if he's discussed it with the tour and the USGA who else does he need to ask permission from? McCarron's mum maybe?
Borrox. You whingers are only upset coz you sold yours for coppers last year, when they're now worth £200 apiece.
"So I don't feel that there's any problem if I were to play those clubs or if anybody else were," Mickelson said. "All that matters is that it is OK under the Rules of Golf."
I reckon that if the powers that be approve the clubs he wants to play, then all this hoo hah will suddenly disappear.
It's a case of a sledgehammer being used to crack a political walnut.
Anyway, if he's discussed it with the tour and the USGA who else does he need to ask permission from? McCarron's mum maybe?
Borrox. You whingers are only upset coz you sold yours for coppers last year, when they're now worth £200 apiece.
roccokj
Head Pro
Cant see why Mickelson is being called a cheat. The wedges are perfectly legal and everybody is entitled to use them
Society_Fan
Head Pro
Granted you can not go around calling someone a cheat when they have very clearly played within the rules, you can however say that you feel they have not played within the spirit of the rules.
freddielong
Tour Winner
He may not be breaking any laws but he is cheating in my book, he knows what he is doing he knows its against the spirit of the new rules, and I really hope it comes back and bites him on the arse.
Faldo_Fan
Head Pro
The facts of the situation are that Mickleson has found a loop hole in the current rules and is exploiting it. He hasn't cheated, all he's done is take advantage of the USGA's poor research before making the rule!
Also rather than fellow tour pro's moan about it, no one's stopping them doing the same are they?
Except the players that signed multi-million dollar deals with their club manufacturer to use 14 of their clubs in the bag.....unless you're a Ping pro of course!!!
Also rather than fellow tour pro's moan about it, no one's stopping them doing the same are they?
Except the players that signed multi-million dollar deals with their club manufacturer to use 14 of their clubs in the bag.....unless you're a Ping pro of course!!!
ShriekingSheet
Hacker
I don't agree with the "black and white" argument here, that because it's technically legal it's okay. Lots of things are technically legal... walking on an opponent's line, jingling change at the top of his backswing... to say the rules are set out in black and white, and after that there's no onus on the players to use some sense is ridiculous. Unless of course your response to the American Ryder Cup crew running all over Ollie's line after Leonard holed that putt was, "oh well, there's no rule against it". In that case, you'd be welcome to argue the use of the Ping clubs.
StrangelyBrown
Tour Winner
I see no difference between this to the 'double diffuser' saga at the start of the previous F1 season. Yes, there is a loophole, but it's free to be exploited by others.
He's a professional sportsman and there is a lot of money at stake so is perfectly within his rights to give himself every advantage. He's using a club that is perfectly legal and it's a club that is freely available to all the other pros on tour.
He's a professional sportsman and there is a lot of money at stake so is perfectly within his rights to give himself every advantage. He's using a club that is perfectly legal and it's a club that is freely available to all the other pros on tour.
freddielong
Tour Winner
Apparently he has dropped the wedge now
didsbury_duffer
Challenge Tour Pro
He's dropped the wedge because of respect for the other players who did not agree with him using it, but who did not go OTT like McCarron. However, he has put the ball firmly in Fenchem's court by stating that he, the USGA and Ping need to sort it out a.s.a.p., or he may put the wedge back in the bag later this year. Fenchem is now stuck between a rock and a hard place, but as I don't like the guy it should be interesting to see what cock-up he makes next.
