Scott McCarron, the spirit of golf and hypocrisy

edgey

edgey

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Hi

As most on here are aware Mr McCarron has stated that Phil Mickleson is "cheating" for using a pre 1990 Ping Eye 2 wedge (a legal club under USGA guidelines) and that he is not playing in the spirit of the rules.

This is of course Scott McCarron who has been using a long handled putter for a number of years and who has undoubtdly used same putter to measure 1 or 2 club lengths for a drop etc, as you would for a pro so interested in the "spirit of the rules of golf".

The hypocrisy of someone arguing about cheating and the "spirit of golf rules" while wielding a club which many pro's (Norman for 1) feel breaks the spirit of the rules of golf beggars belief. None of them have somewhat arrogantly pronounced him a cheat though.

Since the long putter is legal i am fine with it, but please Mr McCarron be careful about throwing the words "cheat" and "spirit of the rules" about as the hypocrisy is becoming a little too much to bear in your case.

Regards
 
I'm wondering if that was a direct quote or has been "quoted". If it came from McCarron then it does smack of hypocrisy. The point is, the USGA have said its legal and so as the governing body for the PGA tour its their decision. I'm pretty certain Mickleson would have got the club hecked over by the rule guys before putting it in his bag.
 
Does anyone know why these old Ping wedges are allowed? I believe it is something to do with an earlier court case between Ping and the PGA Tour, but I don't know the full facts. And I wonder what efforts were made to try and get Ping to alter their stance? This current situation is just laughable.
 
I'm pretty certain Mickleson would have got the club hecked over by the rule guys before putting it in his bag.
Click to expand...

The issue for me is not whether the club is legal: under USGA rules (not R&A, I believe) the old Ping wedge is clearly legal. It is about whether it is within the spirit of the game. I would say it is definitely not. However, I can also see the argument that says 'if it's within the rules, it okay to use'. If I was on the PGA Tour (let me dream, folks) I would not consider for one moment using the old Ping wedge. This rule was brought in for the long-term good of the game, and he's effectively sticking two fingers up at it.
 
I'm pretty certain Mickleson would have got the club hecked over by the rule guys before putting it in his bag.
Click to expand...

The issue for me is not whether the club is legal: under USGA rules (not R&A, I believe) the old Ping wedge is clearly legal. It is about whether it is within the spirit of the game. I would say it is definitely not. However, I can also see the argument that says 'if it's within the rules, it okay to use'. If I was on the PGA Tour (let me dream, folks) I would not consider for one moment using the old Ping wedge. This rule was brought in for the long-term good of the game, and he's effectively sticking two fingers up at it.
Click to expand...

Oooh I'm getting quite heated here.

Don't take this personally, but....

RUBBISH.

If the rule was brought in purely for the good of the game, then why was there such a cock up over the original rule. It's all about politics and power within the game.

Who is more powerful, the USGA or the manufacturers. Ping will use this to get something that has already NOT been approved by the USGA reassessed and it will suddenly become acceptable.

When that happens all this free publicity will get the new wedge made legal, the old wedge will become illegal, and Ping will sell lots of new stuff.

You don't think Ping want 20 year old bits of kit floating around making the new stuff look bad. As soon as it pays them to, they will agree to ban the old wedge, no problem.

Forget morality, this is all about money and power.

 
If I was on the PGA Tour (let me dream, folks) I would not consider for one moment using the old Ping wedge. This rule was brought in for the long-term good of the game, and he's effectively sticking two fingers up at it.
Click to expand...

I think that's easy to say when you're not on the tour and you chasing wins, ranking points, keeping your card and generally earning a living.
 
Under the current new Rules the grooves in the old PING wedges are considered illegal - FACT.

However, because PING were going to sue the US Golf people for trying to ban the square grooves - the US Golf people bottled it (they were going to lose and didn't have enough money to pay out) and settled with some cash and that the clubs continued to be legal under the Rules of Golf....

So the the clubs that they they tried to ban before and failed, can't be banned now (a double jepardy type thing) so they can be used but only in the US - they can't use them anywhere else....
 
Hi

As most on here are aware Mr McCarron has stated that Phil Mickleson is "cheating" for using a pre 1990 Ping Eye 2 wedge (a legal club under USGA guidelines) and that he is not playing in the spirit of the rules.

This is of course Scott McCarron who has been using a long handled putter for a number of years and who has undoubtdly used same putter to measure 1 or 2 club lengths for a drop etc, as you would for a pro so interested in the "spirit of the rules of golf".

The hypocrisy of someone arguing about cheating and the "spirit of golf rules" while wielding a club which many pro's (Norman for 1) feel breaks the spirit of the rules of golf beggars belief. None of them have somewhat arrogantly pronounced him a cheat though.

Since the long putter is legal i am fine with it, but please Mr McCarron be careful about throwing the words "cheat" and "spirit of the rules" about as the hypocrisy is becoming a little too much to bear in your case.

Regards
Click to expand...

OK Phil, welcome to the board! Will you consider a full switch to Ping?

:D
 
I think the USGA must have been taking lessons off New Labour. This kind of unplanned, ill-thought rule is exactly what Blair and Brown have been subjecting us to for the last 12 years.
 
Under the current new Rules the grooves in the old PING wedges are considered illegal - FACT.

However, because PING were going to sue the US Golf people for trying to ban the square grooves - the US Golf people bottled it (they were going to lose and didn't have enough money to pay out) and settled with some cash and that the clubs continued to be legal under the Rules of Golf....

So the the clubs that they they tried to ban before and failed, can't be banned now (a double jepardy type thing) so they can be used but only in the US - they can't use them anywhere else....
Click to expand...

I bet that once Ping get enough in it for themselves they will rubber stamp a new ruling that makes the old one wrong/illegal/whatever, they just want their pound of flesh first.
 
CH...don't get your beef with PING....not much they can do really as they made the things 30 years ago....a rush on wedges will just make e-Bay a fortune in sellers fees....
Click to expand...

I'm not in a beef with anyone.

But this situation isn't helping Ping sell new clubs, which is what they want in the long run.

But it IS priceless free advertising for them.

So once the advertising has done it's job, and created enough interest in the new models which are within the rules and perform better than any other 'legal' club out there, they will come in like shiney heroes and make lots and lots of money.

It wouldn't surprise me if they bring out a Phil M club just to make sure he gets his share as well.

The way I see it is that the only losers are the USGA coz they're the one's that :

a) cocked up in the first place
b) look stupid at the moment
c) will not make any money out of all this

I don't suppose Phil wants to use this lump of lead forever anyway, he'd prefer to have one club he can rely on for those few occasions when he does set foot outside the good 'ol US of A

:cool:
 
I'm pretty certain Mickleson would have got the club hecked over by the rule guys before putting it in his bag.
Click to expand...

The issue for me is not whether the club is legal: under USGA rules (not R&A, I believe) the old Ping wedge is clearly legal. It is about whether it is within the spirit of the game. I would say it is definitely not. However, I can also see the argument that says 'if it's within the rules, it okay to use'. If I was on the PGA Tour (let me dream, folks) I would not consider for one moment using the old Ping wedge. This rule was brought in for the long-term good of the game, and he's effectively sticking two fingers up at it.
Click to expand...

Oooh I'm getting quite heated here.

Don't take this personally, but....

RUBBISH.

If the rule was brought in purely for the good of the game, then why was there such a cock up over the original rule. It's all about politics and power within the game.

Who is more powerful, the USGA or the manufacturers. Ping will use this to get something that has already NOT been approved by the USGA reassessed and it will suddenly become acceptable.

When that happens all this free publicity will get the new wedge made legal, the old wedge will become illegal, and Ping will sell lots of new stuff.

You don't think Ping want 20 year old bits of kit floating around making the new stuff look bad. As soon as it pays them to, they will agree to ban the old wedge, no problem.

Forget morality, this is all about money and power.
Click to expand...

Of course it is about money. It is professional sport.

I can't see Ping walking away from this now as they will be loving every second of this with the colossal amounts of free publicity.

There is also a tremendous amount of ill will following the court cases against the USGA and PGA and Ping will be enjoying watching them squirm.

The PGA and USGA have already had a couple of weeks to address this and haven't done so. Until they do, this will rumble on.

I don't think Mickelson will put the club away because if he does so, it could be construed that he was doing something wrong. I wouldn't be surprised to see him pack an extra Eye2 next week.

I'm also still waiting for someone to come in with a big money offer for my Eye2s. They look in much better condition than most of them that have been on the TV! :)
 
There is also a tremendous amount of ill will following the court cases against the USGA and PGA and Ping will be enjoying watching them squirm.
Click to expand...

Ohyes.jpg
 
What is the "Spirit of Golf"?

What defines it? When was it defined?

Is it playing fair by the rules? If so then PM is on to a winner.

Is it something else?
 
Why has he picked on Phil M. I posted a link on here about these wedges last week. It said that John Daly and A.N. Other (Can't remember now) had been using them at the Sony open in Hawaii. Why did he not come out complain then?
 
Thought Mickleson was contracted to Callaway and had helped design their wedges so I'm surprised to see he's even got the Ping in the bag. I wouldn't be happy if I was Cally that he's giving the opposition the free publicity.
 
Thought Mickleson was contracted to Callaway and had helped design their wedges so I'm surprised to see he's even got the Ping in the bag. I wouldn't be happy if I was Cally that he's giving the opposition the free publicity.
Click to expand...

If that's the case then that's even funnier. :D

Ping must be LOVING this.

 
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