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Non-Conforming Drivers?

golfinnut

golfinnut

DANNY LE! WHAT A GUY!
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Has anyone ever used a Non-Conforming Driver? USGA states that manufacturers need to stay below .830 COR value .... these are supposed to be around .900 COR. Would the average hack see a considerable distance gain because of the thinner face? With really fast swing speeds, not so much, since the face can cave in and crack very easily.

What is your opinion on it? Would you use it for "recreational" rounds? How do you tell the difference other than most of them do not have "scoring lines?"

Just a thought that I wanted to put out there. I have seen a lot of them on Ebay
 
I used to use one as my main driver. It was a Snakeeyes from quite a few years ago that I built myself. I never saw an advantage from using it though. My drives were still the same length as they had always been. Just liked the club a lot. I know my drivers now are much better. Mine actually had in painted on the bottom that it was non-conforming.

Note: It was never used in any type of competition. At that time it was just recreational golf for me.
 
I tried one for the fun of it and did not see any noticeable difference in distance, could be I just do not swing fast enough to matter.
 
I have never used one. But I do believe we are getting very close to a major OEM releasing a line of equipment that does not conform. Which I have zero issue with .
 
blugold said:
I have never used one. But I do believe we are getting very close to a major OEM releasing a line of equipment that does not conform. Which I have zero issue with .
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I have to agree with blu on this. I have a feeling it will TaylorMade. I think I remember reading that the CEO was talking about that along with the larger cup diameter to help make golf fun for the beginners or something like that. I have no issues with it either.
 
jf78251 said:
the larger cup diameter to help make golf fun for the beginners
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Hell ... for all of us! I might get more holes-in-one! "Was that a 59 shot using the the regular size hole or the larger one?" ... "whichever I am closest to!" :clapp:
 
golfinnut said:
Has anyone ever used a Non-Conforming Driver? USGA states that manufacturers need to stay below .830 COR value .... these are supposed to be around .900 COR. Would the average hack see a considerable distance gain because of the thinner face? With really fast swing speeds, not so much, since the face can cave in and crack very easily.

What is your opinion on it? Would you use it for "recreational" rounds? How do you tell the difference other than most of them do not have "scoring lines?"

Just a thought that I wanted to put out there. I have seen a lot of them on Ebay
Click to expand...

I have never used a none conforming club but I have used none conforming balls (not in skins are a round where a score was posted) and they made very little if any difference. Maybe a little longer but no spin control at all.

The only thing that pi$$'s me off is that all of the limits set on clubs and balls is all based on what 0.01% of the worlds golfers (world class professionals) do on the course, with zero regard to the rest of us (the other 99.99%). This is why I no longer give the USGA any of my hard earned money.
 
I have asked a few reps since the cor is .830 COR value at a swing speed of 90 What is the Cor when the swing speed is 120 like the pros. They changed the subject. It appears the pros have a better cor than us normal people.
 
neophyte said:
I have asked a few reps since the cor is .830 COR value at a swing speed of 90 What is the Cor when the swing speed is 120 like the pros. They changed the subject. It appears the pros have a better cor than us normal people.
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.830 COR is not related to swing speed it is a measurment of efficancy of the face to transfer energy
 
neophyte said:
I have asked a few reps since the cor is .830 COR value at a swing speed of 90 What is the Cor when the swing speed is 120 like the pros. They changed the subject. It appears the pros have a better cor than us normal people.
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COR is not higher or lower based on swing speed, it is a measurement of relative speed before and after collision.
 
blugold said:
I have never used one. But I do believe we are getting very close to a major OEM releasing a line of equipment that does not conform. Which I have zero issue with .
Click to expand...

I think this is a great idea might help get more people playing
 
1) I am of a belief that there should be recreational governance and allowance for amateurs ... look at what baseball has done ... amateurs play with different equipment ...

2) I am impressed that this forum will discuss a topic such as this, without calling you foolish and what can't people play by the rules blah blah blah. There are a lot folks that are wound tight about rules, and why on god's green earth would you ever want to change them ...


I have played one and really my problem was more with being straight than distance ... with that said I wish golf equipment folks would look at the market for recreational player ...

Again always enjoy open conversations on pros and cons without calling one views "wrong and foolish."
 
I think as far as COR is concerned there would be little difference to the golfing public. If someone wants to use non conforming gear, that is up to them. However I would take issue if that non conforming gear was used to win something, vs. everyone else using conforming equipment.

This should get interesting when the belly putter date expires.
 
No way. If you don't like the rules, change the rules.

Golf is hard and non-conforming equipment will not change that. And I do not think that non conforming equipment will sell well. How many play the Polara ball?
 
I heard the Taylormade R5s or older are illegal because they were manufactured before the .83 COR rule and are slightly more efficient? Can anyone confirm this?
 
How will non conforming make the game more fun? Instead of being 20 yds into the trees most weekend warriors will be 40 lol
 
I have played nonconforming balls, but they travel much shorter (~20 yards on my drives) which makes them hard to play for this short hitter.


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Do non conforming clubs actually make that much of a difference to most amateurs? I'm betting they don't. I'd find it strange if a manufacturer brought out a non conforming club that can't be used in any competitions. I'd find it even stranger why someone would splash out hard earned money on a club they couldn't use in their monthly medal.
 
Lol at the 40 yard farther out of bounds ... I agree 100% on that one ... maybe not exactly what the OP asked, but what if nonconforming did not mean more distance, but game improvement ... created less spin (I am not a club expert)

I do like the discussion on potential improvements ... just not distance ...
 
Never has been worth it to even try--For recreational play or the average weekend golfer, I think Tee it forward makes more sense then having a driver that hits it further offline.
 
I used one that one of the old timers in our group built last year. I think it was called an Integra SoooLong. Hit my longest drive of the year (by far) with it. It had an Accuflex Creation shaft in it. It didn't feel great, but it launched the ball. He offered to give it to me. I should have taken him up on it.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk.
 
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Mark_UK said:
I'd find it even stranger why someone would splash out hard earned money on a club they couldn't use in their monthly medal.
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A lot of the old wedges are now nonconforming IIRC. Perhaps people really liked gaming them and can't find anything new that suits their game, or they are comfortable with. People are creatures of habit.



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deuce said:
A lot of the old wedges are now nonconforming IIRC. Perhaps people really liked gaming them and can't find anything new that suits their game, or they are comfortable with. People are creatures of habit.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

The non conforming grooves can still be used in all competitions except by any player or sanctioned round for US Open qualification.
 
Never have used one and have no problem with people using them in recreational rounds. As long as non-conforming grooves are allowed in tournaments, I guess non-conforming drivers would be OK in regular amateur events also.
 
In the not too distance future, belly putters will be nonconforming ... does it really hurt if the weekend golfer still uses it?
 
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