The way that the USGA tests drivers has been in the spotlight in recent weeks following the controversy involving Rory McIlroy at the PGA Championship last month.
Rory McIlroy was unhappy after news that his driver had been found to be non-conforming was leaked to the media at the PGA Championship. There was never any suggestion that McIlroy had done anything wrong, but it resulted in the Northern Irishman not speaking to the press at all once the tournament got going.
McIlroy was not the only player who had to change his driver at Quail Hollow, with Scottie Scheffler also making the change. However, he was frustrated that it was his name which got out.
The USGA tests a percentage of the drivers each week. The problem is that the players generally have absolutely no idea whether their drivers are conforming. Ultimately, a brand new driver is not going to be optimal for the world’s best.
Bryson DeChambeau issues his verdict on the USGA driver testing
So when some players are randomly picked out at each event, it has the potential to be unfair. However, speaking on Beyond the Clubhouse, Bryson DeChambeau defended the way drivers are tested.
“I think the USGA is going about it the right way. They test my heads so I have been tested every week. I am the only manufacturer, I am using Krank right now, and I’m the only one using that so they are testing my head every week. I am under the same protocols as everyone else and I think it’s a great way to do it,” he said.
“A month probably one or two,” he added, when asked how many driver heads he gets through. “But once I find the head that is good I try to keep it for as long as possible.”
What Scottie Scheffler said about driver testing after winning the PGA Championship
What did not help McIlroy’s case at the PGA Championship was that Scheffler seemed so open about the fact that his driver had failed – albeit after Xander Schauffele had revealed that.
Scheffler also managed to make the new driver work for him as he won his third major title. And after his victory, he explained his issues with the testing methods.
“So the driver testing is something that regularly happens on tour. My driver did fail me this week. We had a feeling that it was going to be coming because I’ve used that driver for over a year. I was kind of fortunate for it to last that long, I felt like,” he said.
“I would argue that if we’re going to test the drivers, we need to be even more robust in the way we test them. That was a conversation I had with one of the rules officials; if it’s something we’re going to take seriously, I feel like we’re almost going halfway with it right now.
“If we’re going to test only a third of the field. If we’re going to do it right, leave it up to us as players, like the rest of the rules in the game of golf are.
“It’s a newer rule that we haven’t quite gotten right yet. I think we have some stuff to figure out. I think, if we’re going to do it, we might as well do it right, get more robust and get even more strict. You can test guys every week, if you want. I mean, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t.”
Scheffler’s comments do make sense when you consider how players could potentially work around the USGA testing if they wanted to. Putting the onus on the players to keep an eye on their own clubs is definitely not perfect, but perhaps it may prove to be the way forward.
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