Usga Proposes Limit On Driver Moment Of Inertia

[Gxgolfer]

By E. Michael Johnson

Click for Article>>>Here

(Aug. 31) -- The USGA today sent a memo to manufacturers, obtained by Golf World, announcing a proposal to limit moment of inertia in drivers. If adopted, the proposal -- which covers driving clubs only -- will go into effect March 1, 2006.

In simplest terms, MOI relates to a clubhead's resistance to twisting on off-center hits. A club with a high moment of inertia can be said to be more forgiving of hits away from the center of the face. In a March 30 notice to manufacturers, the USGA noted that the moment of inertia in driver heads had approximately tripled since 1990. That notice said that going forward the USGA would be looking at three areas of equipment: spin generation, moment of inertia and the adjustability of woods and irons.

Under the proposal, driving clubs would be limited to an MOI of 4,750 gm-cm squared for the MOI around the vertical axis through the clubhead center of gravity, plus a tolerance of 50.

What this means for you ...
# MOI is all about providing forgiveness. A well-designed driver with a high MOI--the clubhead resists twisting at impact--improves your ability to swing from the heels without worrying about where the ball is going.

# By acting relatively soon after its March announcement, it's clear the USGA is intent on keeping driving distances where they are. Expect any future technology that would allow substantial gains in distance to be closely scrutinized.

# Manufacturers aren't just going to throw up their hands and say "We quit." Expect club companies to continue to work with creative geometries, customization and possibly expand on adjustable weights as a means to provide better equipment going forward.

"Research conducted by the USGA has shown that the clubhead size limitations already in place will not effectively prevent increases in clubhead MOI beyond the levels achieved by clubs which were submitted to the USGA prior to March 2005," the notice said. "The USGA has allowed substantial increases in MOI, but it now believes that a limit is appropriate."

In March the USGA said it was "concerned that any further increases in clubhead moment of inertia may reduce the challenge of the game." The primary concern is the potential development of a strong, lightweight material that would allow for 460cc drivers with an incredible amount of free weight to move around, providing a super-high MOI.

"We had thought maybe clubs had reached a natural limit on MOI with the head size of 460cc, but with further research and analysis we came to a different conclusion," said USGA senior technical director Dick Rugge.

[slicktry]

This is a joke. Totally taking away from companies competive edge b/c of the different MOI's they can create. absolute bullcrap. Pretty soon everyone will be using the same drvier, just different logo. This idea on MOI should be squashed. Immediately!

 

God Bless

Jer

[DemolitionMan]

It's b.s. like this that further ensures I will never send another dime to the USGA. The executive committees and other advisory staffs are collectively the biggest bunch or morons and have no business being the caretakers of golf.

 

Since when is the USGA into protecting the challenge of the game? Though I totally disagreed with the COR rules, at least they had somewhat of a point about distance; although a very, very small point. Now what is this business about forgiveness? Are you telling me the game is easier because of this MOI. Total b.s! A minor swing flaw magnifies to such a huge problem over 280 yards that no MOI will fix this. Or is the USGA really concerned about those who barely find the fairway instead of the first cut of rough?

 

What idiots!

[DemolitionMan]

Right now my tolerance for dumb ideas and waste of resources is very low. If anyone in the USGA is reading here, if you want to do the Country a favor, quit your post and go to New Orleans and grab a mop.

[Golfchicago]

Does anyone know if they are tackling the real issue...distance. A lot of courses are a drive and a flip wedge for these guys. What are they doing to stop that problem without creating 8000 yard courses.

[cpa49707]

I understand that at times technology has taken away the ability of the golfer and replaced with technology advancements. Such as driving distance etc. But for the average golfer out there if it allows them to enjoy the game more i'm all for it. Maybe you will have clubs for the masses and clubs for the tournaments, whether they are a pro tourney or a local tourney. Its pretty easy to police such a thing in a tourny. just my opinion.

[oldpalchamp]

It's b.s. like this that further ensures I will never send another dime to the USGA.  The executive committees and other advisory staffs are collectively the biggest bunch or morons and have no business being the caretakers of golf.

 

Since when is the USGA into protecting the challenge of the game?  Though I totally disagreed with the COR rules, at least they had somewhat of a point about distance; although a very, very small point.  Now what is this business about forgiveness?  Are you telling me the game is easier because of this MOI.  Total b.s!  A minor swing flaw magnifies to such a huge problem over 280 yards that no MOI will fix this.  Or is the USGA really concerned about those who barely find the fairway instead of the first cut of rough?

 

What idiots!

32243[/snapback]

 

I disagree! Tiger Woods went to a larger driver exactly because it was more forgiving. It enables him to swing harder, and be less concerned with off-center contact. Two weeks ago at Firestone, they were bombing it 400 yards. Dan Pohl, who was always one of the longer hitters on tour at 280 yards, is averaging over 300 yards on the Champions Tour. Golf is no longer a game of shot-making, it is about who can hit it the farthest. My home course is 6650 yards, and I never hit anything longer than a 7 iron into a par 4.

[DemolitionMan]

It's b.s. like this that further ensures I will never send another dime to the USGA.  The executive committees and other advisory staffs are collectively the biggest bunch or morons and have no business being the caretakers of golf.

 

Since when is the USGA into protecting the challenge of the game?  Though I totally disagreed with the COR rules, at least they had somewhat of a point about distance; although a very, very small point.  Now what is this business about forgiveness?  Are you telling me the game is easier because of this MOI.  Total b.s!  A minor swing flaw magnifies to such a huge problem over 280 yards that no MOI will fix this.  Or is the USGA really concerned about those who barely find the fairway instead of the first cut of rough?

 

What idiots!

32243[/snapback]

 

I disagree! Tiger Woods went to a larger driver exactly because it was more forgiving. It enables him to swing harder, and be less concerned with off-center contact. Two weeks ago at Firestone, they were bombing it 400 yards. Dan Pohl, who was always one of the longer hitters on tour at 280 yards, is averaging over 300 yards on the Champions Tour. Golf is no longer a game of shot-making, it is about who can hit it the farthest. My home course is 6650 yards, and I never hit anything longer than a 7 iron into a par 4.

32355[/snapback]

 

Are you seriously going to tell me that Tiger went from chop central hitting drivers off the freaking course to straighter driving because he changed clubs to one with a better MOI?

 

No amount of MOI will stop you from snap hooking the sh*t out of one into the trees. Tiger did that at Augusta.

 

No amount of MOI will stop you from pulling one into the parking lot at Riviera. That's Tiger too.

 

Or how about the push into the trees at Torrey. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. That's all Tiger.

 

Maybe I have this all wrong but I think TW can attribute his wins this year to a more consistent swing, a good putting week, and a little bit of luck. MOI is far down the list of contributing factors.

[Teetogreen86]

Does anyone know if they are tackling the real issue...distance. A lot of courses are a drive and a flip wedge for these guys. What are they doing to stop that problem without creating 8000 yard courses.

32269[/snapback]

 

Narrow the fairways, grow the rough, make the greens firmer. That will put a premium on hitting the fairway. For instance, this year at Doral was a joke. It's a long course with fairly wide fairways and the rough was non-existant. So Tiger, Vijay, Phil, etc could just bust out driver and bomb it and not have to worry about being able to hold the green from the "rough." I'm not saying turn every tournament into the U.S. Open, but make them more difficult.

 

Take for example a straight away 450 yard par 4. If it was at Doral for instance, Tiger would take out driver and not really care whether it ends up in the rough or fairway because he'll only have about 100-130 in and not worry about lack of spin because the rough is so short. However, with a narrower fairway, and longer rough, he might reach for 3 wood or 2 iron and be hitting from 150-180 in.

 

Like DM said...the USGA is a bunch of morons. :cheesy: :clapping:

[oldpalchamp]

It's b.s. like this that further ensures I will never send another dime to the USGA.  The executive committees and other advisory staffs are collectively the biggest bunch or morons and have no business being the caretakers of golf.

 

Since when is the USGA into protecting the challenge of the game?  Though I totally disagreed with the COR rules, at least they had somewhat of a point about distance; although a very, very small point.  Now what is this business about forgiveness?  Are you telling me the game is easier because of this MOI.  Total b.s!  A minor swing flaw magnifies to such a huge problem over 280 yards that no MOI will fix this.  Or is the USGA really concerned about those who barely find the fairway instead of the first cut of rough?

 

What idiots!

32243[/snapback]

 

I disagree! Tiger Woods went to a larger driver exactly because it was more forgiving. It enables him to swing harder, and be less concerned with off-center contact. Two weeks ago at Firestone, they were bombing it 400 yards. Dan Pohl, who was always one of the longer hitters on tour at 280 yards, is averaging over 300 yards on the Champions Tour. Golf is no longer a game of shot-making, it is about who can hit it the farthest. My home course is 6650 yards, and I never hit anything longer than a 7 iron into a par 4.

32355[/snapback]

 

Are you seriously going to tell me that Tiger went from chop central hitting drivers off the freaking course to straighter driving because he changed clubs to one with a better MOI?

 

No amount of MOI will stop you from snap hooking the sh*t out of one into the trees. Tiger did that at Augusta.

 

No amount of MOI will stop you from pulling one into the parking lot at Riviera. That's Tiger too.

 

Or how about the push into the trees at Torrey. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. That's all Tiger.

 

Maybe I have this all wrong but I think TW can attribute his wins this year to a more consistent swing, a good putting week, and a little bit of luck. MOI is far down the list of contributing factors.

32430[/snapback]

 

Absolutely not. I never said he was a "chop" in the first place. But I will tell you that he added about 10-15 yards because he has a larger, more stable club face. I never said that his wins could be attributed to a change in drivers, I said that he has embraced new technology and is using it to hit the ball harder, and farther. Futhermore, Tiger has said it. I have heard him on interviews say his new driver is more forgiving, and he can swing harder at the ball.

[DemolitionMan]

Tiger added yardage to his drives by going from 43.5 inch steel shaft to a longer graphite shaft. He added more yards through ball technology. He obtained stability by getting his swing under control. End of story.

 

The MOI effect is nonsense. How much so called MOI is there in a Titleist 975D? Or a 300CC Nike head?

 

What TW and any other PGA Tour pro is doing on the course is not a case for the USGA to control MOI.

[phillypete]

If MIO will allow more hacks to find more fairways and not spend hours per round looking for their balll them I'm all for it.

 

I thought the USGA was all about getting more people to play golf... what is the number 1 complaint of most non golfers... most that I know say golf is too hard.

[BogeyTrain]

I don't understand why the USGA can dictate what the mfgrs produce?

 

Why can't a weekend hack buy a driver which goes 500 yards?

 

Less than 10% of golfers break 100.

 

The USGA should only dictate the type of equipment and balls for a sanctioned event.

[DemolitionMan]

I don't understand why the USGA can dictate what the mfgrs produce?

 

Why can't a weekend hack buy a driver which goes 500 yards?

 

Less than 10% of golfers break 100. 

 

The USGA should only dictate the type of equipment and balls for a sanctioned event.

32583[/snapback]

 

A weekend hack can buy whatever equipment that they want. The USGA does not dictate what the mfgrs produce per se, they just have the power to say equipment that falls outside the rules cannot be used in USGA events and keeping your so-called USGA based handicap. To not be USGA legal is the kiss of death for the major OEMs, but it does not stop other companies who target the hacks.

[nearfall152]

Does anyone know if they are tackling the real issue...distance. A lot of courses are a drive and a flip wedge for these guys. What are they doing to stop that problem without creating 8000 yard courses.

32269[/snapback]

 

Company's submitted slower balls this year to the ol USGA per their request...industry doesn't really seem interested in fighting them since they send them exactly what they ask for...

 

The USGA is one thing, but you know Hootie-hoot is going to put a 'Master's' ball in play before too long...probably right after he extends the course another 200 yards :clapping:

[BogeyTrain]

Why don't OEM's produce both sets of clubs, but clearly ID which are USGA compliant, and then give the consumer the opportunity to make their own decision.

 

I think the USGA is out of touch with today's world, I suspect the powers that be are from the old school of thought and probably still advocate segregated country clubs.