Baseball, it seems, is not the only sport out there with a penchant for self-created public relations nightmares. The United States Golf Association (from here on known as "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"), the governing body for the sport in this country, has been wrestling with the question of how to deal with advancing technology. One of their thorniest issues is that of thin-faced drivers that create a spring-like effect, thereby adding more distance to tee shots. After devising a formula that only a NASA rocket scientist could understand, the USGA stated that the new rules would not go into effect until 2008. Now, they've reversed course, throwing the interpretation and implementation of the rule into question. Ooops....
Needless to say, manufacturers are in high dudgeon, as are many recreational player who in some cases have spent upwards of $400 for a club they will not be able to use to post handicap scores. I guess that's why I don't spend $400 or more on a driver. If I have to spend that much money to hit a decent tee shot, it's time for me to take up fly-fishing.
