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R&A and USGA conforming drivers

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  • #1

    R&A and USGA conforming drivers

    Iv just been checking my drivers legality on the R&A website.

    www.randa.org

    I was a bit confused about it

    I currently have a Taylor Made R540 8.5* driver.

    Is this illegal at the moment or just after 1st january 2008????

    If you check the R&A website and look at the taylor made R540 it has 2 photos. One which conforms (with grooves in the middle of the face) and one which doesn't conform (no grooves). is this in effect at the moment or after 1/1/2008? Mine is the one with no grooves.

    cheers
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  • #2
    Re: R&A and USGA conforming drivers

    I'm sure it's only after 2008, when the R&A and USGA C.O.R. values will be the same. But it is important that you know the "official" answer. The R&A haven't pulished a list to say what drivers (in make and model detail) are illegal. I only found out last week that a Bang driver a tour player uses is illegal.

    I'd suggest you ask the Taylor Made office in the UK. They're in Basingstoke and the number is 01256 479797.

    Please post and let us know. It's an interesting one because I have one of the grooveless one's too amongst my equipment I've used.

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    • #3
      Re: R&A and USGA conforming drivers

      Is it to do with grooves then, cos my Nike NDS has no grooves in the sweet spot, but some around the edges...?

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      • #4
        Re: R&A and USGA conforming drivers

        It has to do with the Coefficient of Restitution (COR).

        In the taylormades, the XD's have a COR of .860 - while the legal limit for the USGA is .830.

        It has nothing to do with scorelines per se.

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        • #5
          Re: R&A and USGA conforming drivers

          Copy of the R&A wording;

          For most competitions and all recreational play, there will be no Rule limiting 'spring-like' effect in driving clubs until 1st January 2008. However, from 1st January 2004 until 31st December 2007, for competitions restricted to highly skilled players, a Condition of Competition may be introduced whereby a driving club is deemed not to conform with this Rule if, under specified test conditions, it has a characteristic time which is greater than 239 microseconds plus a tolerance of 18 microseconds.


          When I purchased my 540 (without central grooves) it was clearly labelled stating that it would be non-conforming from 2008 so presumably OK at present unless in falls into the hands of a highly skilled player!!

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          • #6
            Re: R&A and USGA conforming drivers

            Heres a thought:

            Ernie Els tried both versions of the 983K when it came out. After hitting a few he was told that the average difference between the two drivers was 4 yards!

            Gee, seems like a lot of fuss to make dont it?

            Anyway, the whole thing seems a bit silly when you look at it. I have a conforming driver that I hit further than my old ERC II, go figure.....as Sam Torrance once said....."Its the ball, nothing else, just the ball"

            D.

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            • #7
              Re: R&A and USGA conforming drivers

              I'm with D on this one. When any of the pros are asked about distance off the tee they all say it's down to the ball. As for those who have drivers that might be illegal in 2008, why worry? Half the discussion in this room is about buying new clubs so I don't think many of us will be using the same driver in three years time.

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