Kevin Streelman Weighs in on Tour-Specific Equipment Standards
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 25, 2010 5:30 PM EDT
in Pro Golf
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PrintIn his pre-The Barclays presser, Kevin Streelman was asked about his thoughts on the hypothetical possibility of establishing a different set of equipment guidelines for professionals to create bifurcation in the Rules of Golf.
Streelman was kind of dodgy in his answer, but for him, it seems to boil down to a relationship with the manufacturers and why they're out sponsoring guys on Tour.
"Obviously from the manufacturer's side, the reason that they pay us to use equipment and have us play their stuff is because the general public can get the same stuff that we play, for the most part. It's maybe not identical, but it's very similar to the stuff we play, especially golf balls and even down to shoes.
"And to be able to have a whole different groove and stuff just for the pros, that might take a little bit away from our relationship - the manufacturers in that regard. Maybe even take a little bit away from the general public's connection with us to say, 'Hey, I'm teeing up the same golf ball or the same driver that Tiger is playing this week and the same shaft he's playing.'
"You can do that, you can go to club stores and find all that stuff. I think when I was growing up, I got a kick out of that. You feel the closeness and the relationship with the players and the Tour."
The question undoubtedly comes on the heels of the Canadian Tour-USGA test of a tournament/limited-flight ball, but the answer doesn't appear to support fully pulling back the curtain on the idea that the game is already bifurcated.
Wonder if Jack Nicklaus, the patron saint of ball regulation, will say something about the test?
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Bifurcation? It's Already Happened For The Most Part
I’d be willing to bet that a top pro’s golf clubs have as much in common with off the rack clubs as a Sprint Cup “car” has in common with the Chevy or Ford you can buy at the dealership.
Okay, perhaps that’s a wee bit exaggerated, but really, a pro’s clubs are heavily customized; they’re ground, weighted and tuned precision instruments that suit a given player’s preferences as exactly as possible. Most clubs you can pick up at Golf Galaxy or Golfsmith are factory spec, and the majority of amateurs play them as-is without so much as having them fitted, much less matched and customized.
Yes, you can play the same ball. Then again, that’s really not such a good idea for a typical amateur with a far slower swing…they have no chance of compressing a ball to gain its maximum performance.
As for shoes, sure, but then again, I have heard tales of the pros having shoes tailored to their feet. Try to do that at the tent sale outside your pro shop.
OMP,,your absolutely right...
the stuff off the rack at the golf store or pro shop has about as much to do with the pros, as apple pie has to do with a Lemon pie…both pies, but worlds apart….And you mention shoes…your right again….Jack had special shoes made for him….So why are we even debating this issue…..it has no relevance to anything…..STUB
I think golf has it backwards.
The focus shouldn’t be “the average Joe can buy th same equipment the pros use”. Instead, it should be “the pros use the same equipment the average Joe uses”.
There is a distinct difference there.
Adam Fonseca
We CAN buy the same equipment – then we have to take it to a clubmaker and have them ground and weighted and shafted and gripped. Or, if you want to be like Tiger, you can find guys around the country who can hand grind a set of clubs for you (Scratch does it). You can have woods bent and filled to adjust the sound.
Most of the guys on Tour could go to the closest golf store and pull a set of clubs off the shelf, take them to the Tour van to have them shafted and bent to their specs, and go play great golf. Most guys aren’t fawned over hand and foot every week.
The difference is that we have to PAY for all of it. The reason these guys have all this work done on their clubs is because their swings are consistent enough for them to know exactly what they want and like, and have access to people who can go through heads and shafts until they find what they like.
But there are stories of guys picking up a club in the clubhouse or at a local store and putting it in their bag. Fred Couples used to play with Tom Watson’s wife’s 3 or 5 wood. Kenny Perry used a putter he got from a guy in a pro-am. Stories like that do happen.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
And
K,J. Choi’s 2 ball putter was acquired off of a TV Infomercial at 2:00 am in the morning for just 3 easy payments of just $39.00. free shipping. I’m not kidding either. lol
He used it for about a year and has now switched.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
It wasn’t the putter – it was the grip. I think he’s back to using that type of grip again, but a slightly smaller version.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Was the putter court
trust me on that one ;o) perhaps the special grip was also added later on.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
ahhhh tapping on my monitor
I said he bought the putter off of the TV above. He and I joked about it months and months ago.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
lol – ok ok – if you say so – not sure why he’d buy an Odyssey putter off of late night TV….and that makes two items off of late night TV he’s bought…maybe he needs some sleeping pills :-D
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
That and folks that need ExtenZ
Maybe Choi put some ExtenZe on his putter grip. It certainly got thicker and fuller and helped him get into the h……
never mind
by Charles Boyer on Aug 26, 2010 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions
oh great – now you have me picture KJ with that goofy Extenz guy commercial grin.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
lol – nah – in fact – I had the wrong product in my head. It’s not Extenze – I was thinking of Enzyte and “Bob” with the goofy grin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYuBDIWpvT4&feature=related
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I like the bit that says "Man Behind Smiling Bob Sent To Prison"
What’s that all about, Alfie? No, don’t bother. What a pathetic advert or was it a spoof?
I think that was the owner of Enzyte – (not the actor playing “Bob”) – who was indicted for something.
Not a spoof – just another “natural supplement” for male sexual enhancement. They made a bunch of “Bob” commercials. The smile cracks me up every time…even on Mrs Bob. Admit it – you’ll be whistling the theme song the rest of the day. :-D
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
And Bob on the commercial
Was a member of the local Country Club and a BIG hit there as well.
hehehe
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
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