However, I feel it’s a shame there’s virtually no rough on the Old Course, unlike the other Open venues. It’s six months since the new grooves rule came into force and it would have been interesting to see how the Tour pros coped with hitting approach shots to firm greens from two or three inches of spinach. With the jury still out over the new rule’s efficacy, I would have liked to see for myself whether it delivers the punishment the R&A and USGA intended when they introduced it.
The reason for this is that evidence from across the Pond suggests the governing bodies might as well not have bothered. Golf World, a weekly news magazine in the United States, has released the results of some detailed research they conducted at the first 13 events on this season’s PGA Tour (all held at the same venues as in 2009), and I must say they make for interesting reading.
Of the six areas studied, the two that imply a shade more caution from the big bombers at whom this legislation was unashamedly aimed are a reduction in driving average from 283.7 yards across the same tournaments in 2009 to 279.4, and a slight rise in driving accuracy from 60.88% to 61.54%.
The rest of the results are:
• Average distance from the hole from the rough (50-125 yards) – 26ft 8in (2009); 25ft 9in (2010)
• Average distance from the hole from the rough (125-150 yards) – 35ft 5in (2009); 32ft 8in (2010)
• Scrambling (percentage of times a player gets up and down when missing the green in regulation) – 27.88% (2009); 30.30% (2010)
• Stroke average per round – 71.26 (2009); 71.26 (2010)
There are three possible explanations: the new grooves are as forgiving as the old ones; the players are getting better from 150 yards in; their balls have acquired stronger spin characteristics.
Unfortunately, no light was shed on any of this at St Andrews, where long driving and long putting are the key competencies. Tiger Woods, the world No.1, admitted as much when he put the Nike One Tour ball into play at his own tournament - the AT&T National – earlier this month. This ball has a harder cover and spins less, which translates into longer tee shots – perfect for St Andrews. He topped the driving stats at Aronimink with an average of 328 yards, and obviously believed this return to the prodigious length of his youth would help him complete that unique hat-trick of Claret Jugs at the Home of Golf. Not this time.
Trade talk
I’ve recently renewed acquaintance with two old mates from the golf trade, and I was delighted to discover they both had new products about which they were singing from the rooftops.
Ross Hastings, whose CV reads like a Who’s Who? of the industry – Callaway, Cleveland, Burberry, Galvin Green, Srixon, Zero Restriction (to name but a few) – is now the UK distributor for the Swedish apparel brand Lobster. Long before its arrival in golf, Lobster’s calling card has been check trousers, but it now has a full range of gear, including shirts, jumpers and waterproofs. Anyone interested in finding out more, should call Ross on 07768 230 920 or email rosshastings@btinternet.com
John Lewis has also brought an extremely timely launch to market, given the increasingly humid nature of our summers. Appropriately named ‘No Sweat’, his tubes of nectar (RRP: £9.99) are the perfect antidote to clammy hands and slippery grips as thermometers keep shooting north. Call John on 07588 527 751 or email j.lewis@hirzl.com.
