Acushnet Company, the parent company for Titleist and Footjoy, responded to the latest news made Tuesday by the Distight Insights Project with the USGA and R&A.
In their report, the USGA / R&A recommended changes to equipment manufacturers, including revised standards for how drivers and golf balls are tested for speed. This was the second one Acushnet Co. CEO David Maher focused on in the company’s named response.
Full statement:
Acushnet’s position is rooted in the belief that equipment innovation, while adhering to the rules of golf, has been a powerful force in the game and contributes greatly to evolution and enjoyment at all levels of play. . The evolution of equipment, coupled with today’s more competitive player athletics, has helped advance the game’s timely and ambitious appeal. This was a cornerstone of our response to the regulatory bodies’ request for stakeholder involvement before they issued the 2018 Remote Report.
Our initial response focuses on the proposed change to a golf ball test method that would represent a meaningful departure from the Total Distance Standard (ODS) based around a specific set of distance, launch conditions. and spinning that features the launch features of elite player games. Founded by the USGA in 1976, the ODS has been time-tested and has evolved over the years to take advantage of improved test technologies and to reflect updated player update scenarios.
The proposed idea of a bandwidth mode, with a launch angle between 7.5 and 15 degrees and spinning between 2200 to 3000 rpm disconnects the process from the elite player and includes a range a wide range of complexity as it relates to golf ball design, manufacturing and compatibility that we need to do further research.
Acushnet looks forward to participating in this process and contributing to our informed vision with over 80 years of experience designing and manufacturing compatible equipment and our daily interactions with thousands of golfers around the globe and wherever the game is played.