PGA Tour: New Grooves, Same Results

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: June 8, 2010

commentComment        

2010 is the year of the Tiger, in more ways than one.

But on the PGA Tour, 2010 has also been the year of the grooves.

The new groove rules implemented by the PGA Tour with the intention of decreasing backspin on approach shots out of the rough prompted the largest outcry on tour since the emergence of metal drivers and belly putters.

Phil Mickelson was accused of cheating for using a 20-year-old Ping sand wedge, which true golf fans will tell you is the equivalent of being accused of murder.

The whole debacle was even stamped with a “gate” label, because, after all, since Richard Nixon had bugs planted inside the Watergate Hotel in 1972, we add “gate” to just about every scandal that arises in America.

In this case, the PGA Tour’s groove debacle was creatively dubbed “groovegate” by the media.

And all for what?

More than five months into “the year of the grooves”, we have seen almost no affect whatsoever on scoring, scrambling, approach shots out of the rough, or proximity to the hole.

According to the PGA Tour’s ShotLink, players are hitting approach shots from the rough between 50 and 125 yards two inches closer than they were in 2009.

Players' proximity to the hole from the rough between 125-150 yards is on average six inches closer than in 2009.

Scrambling success from outside of 30 yards is 1.69 percent better than in 2009.

“Groovegate” has also had a minimal affect on driving distance and accuracy.  Driving distance is a mere 3.1 yards shorter than in 2009, and accuracy is only .07 percent better than last year.

Overreacting is defined as, “To react with unnecessary or inappropriate force, emotional display, or violence; show an exaggerated response to something.”

Could this possibly be a case of athletes and the medi...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Golf

Latest News


Comments

Comments are closed.

Sponsors

Bruins Tickets The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Red Wings Tickets The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Penguins Tickets The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New York Rangers Tickets play their home games at Madison Square Garden, they are one of the oldest teams in the NHL, having joined in 1926 as an expansion franchise, and are part of the group of teams referred to as the Original Six.

San Jose Sharks Tickets The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States.

Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New Jersey Devils Tickets The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Washington Capitals Tickets The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.

Buffalo Sabres Tickets The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. Get the Sabres and all of your NHL Tickets here.

NASCAR season is on of the most attended sports in the world. NASCAR Tickets to the best tracks is a must every year. Some of these tracks are: Talladega Tickets, Lowes Motor Speedway Tickets, Pocono Raceway Tickets, located in Ridgeway Virginia you have Martinsville Speedway Tickets and southern US you have two of the most popular Atlanta Motor Speedway Tickets and Texas Motor Speedway Tickets. Don't miss all the racing events this year!

Boston Red Sox Tickets The Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since 1912, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. This is one of the hottest MLB Tickets sales of any team in the major league.

New York Yankees Tickets The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division. Get tickets to one of the hottest games of the season Yankees Red Sox Tickets.

Chicago Cubs Tickets The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League.

Phillies Tickets The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883.

Orioles Tickets The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Do you love wrestling? Get your WWE Tickets and WWE Survivor Series Tickets today!