The PGA season is just over a month old and I had no idea. If Tiger’s not involved, I’m not tuning in. And from the abysmal television ratings and lacklustre sponsorship deals, no one else in North American gives a shit either.
How starved is the PGA Tour to make waves in the mainstream media?
The biggest story the golfing world could muster is an accusation by Scott McCarron that Phil Mickelson is using an illegal wedge. Wow, stop the presses. Forget about Haiti, the media now has Wedge-Gate to sink their teeth into.
Seriously? This is the best the PGA Tour could do.
The NBA has teammates squaring off against each other, guns drawn, in an Old West duel over gambling debts and the PGA has two golfers arguing over the grooved face of a golf club. I know golf isn’t the most exciting thing in the world, but come on, give us something a little meatier to chew on (that’s what she said).
Let me run down this issue, so all the mind-numbingly, boring details can be digested by all of you bursting with curiosity at such an earth-shaking story.
Apparently, Phil Mickelson is using a 1989 Ping Eye2 wedge that has square grooves. According to the United States Golf Association, square grooves are illegal and not to be used in PGA tournaments. But, as a result of a loophole from a legal settlement 20 years ago, the Ping Eye2 wedges are still allowed under some unusual grandfather clause.
This got Scott McCarron’s panties in a twist (who the fuck is Scott McCarron anyway?) and he accused ‘Phil the Thrill’ Mickelson of being a cheater. Full disclosure, I am a terrible golfer so I have no idea what benefit square grooves have. Honestly, I could play just as well with a tire iron.
I guess it’s somewhat shady that Mickelson is taking advantage of a legal loophole, but I would hardly consider the use of the wedge cheating. McCarron just needs to calm down and fade back into obscurity.
What I don’t understand is why Mickelson would want to use the club in the first place. The advances in golf club technology over the past two decades have been extraordinary. I would think that any contemporary wedge would be one hundred times better than a square-grooved club from 1989.
Anyway, McCarron has apologized; Mickelson has accepted the apology and decided not to use the club anymore. So, crisis averted. Thank God.
I just can’t wait for Woods to make his return at the Masters. It’s going to be an epic event. Then the world of golf will have something interesting to talk about.
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square/"u-shaped" grooves give the ball more spin, allowing the ball to stick better on harder greens. not sure where this knowledge comes from, but i was once a single-digit handicap (also 20 pounds lighter and shades less masculine).
i missed out on yesterday's question session, so here i am with the catch-up:
i have a partially torn supraspinatus muscle (of rotator cuff fame) in my left shoulder. i'm not sure how long it's going to take to heal, but there's a good chance that i won't be strong enough to take the mound this season. my dear tewks - in the face of such a devastating setback in my quest for greatness, what do i have left to live for? inspire me.
love always,
TDR
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