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Re: Lower the Bar on WGT clubs and balls

• TarheelsRule 5,564 Posts

  Thu, May 14 2015 8:59 AM

  This is probably not going to be what most of the players like but I'll put it out there and hopefully WGT will chime in a little.

  First great game and wonderful graphics on the courses.   My only argument is that we really should get 2 courses a year at a minimum (how about a deal with the PGA?) and it would be nice to see less errors during play.

  I hear hundreds of players (thousands if I include the ones in the forums) that I play with talk about the scoring being too low and I agree.

  However you can't do anything to the courses from where we are without basically changing the playability of the course.  Length is what it is, can't go much longer.  Green speed at C13 is on the verge of being unfair on some holes.

  So what can be done.   It's pretty simple, the clubs are just too long and accurate.   Look at the PGA tour stats.   Best fairways in regulation is under 80%, good players on WGT are at 90% of more.   GIR on the tour is around 80% for the top player.  Again on here 85 to 95% isn't unusual.

  We have paired balls and clubs that make it too easy.    If I aim 300 yards down the fairway without wind and hit the ding, I know I will end up in a circle out there of 15 feet of where I aimed.   If I'm 80 yards out and hit the ding, I'm disappointed if I'm not inside of 5 feet.   That is just too accurate and not realistic.    Watch a good pro who is in the fairway 80 yards out and see what the average is, they are happy with 10 feet.

  WGT has to tune back the clubs and balls or we just have to accept that par on St Andres for example isn't 72, it's more like 62.     Clubs and balls offered by WGT will only keep improving.  In 2 years you might see scores under 50 all the time instead of an exception.

  This issue needs to be addressed by WGT.   I'm not sure how you put the genie back in the bottle after you let it out but we need clubs and balls that take into account how real clubs perform not accuracy that is beyond real golf.  I don't want to see everyone shooting 80 on here but I would like to see the best scoring averages (and that is another issue, scoring averages mean nothing that needs to be addressed as well....how about a 12 month rolling average something similar to the USGA system, which takes only your last so many rounds into account).   It would be nice to see a 65 qualify for the US Open instead of a 55.

• courteneyfish 15,796 Posts

  Thu, May 14 2015 9:23 AM

  They've left it too late now. If the top balls were Srixons the best irons were the G20's and the SLDR the top driver the game would be much more realistic. 

• TarheelsRule 5,564 Posts

  Thu, May 14 2015 9:25 AM

  I totally agree with you.     I don't know how you put the genie back in the bottle.   Hard to go back to hamburger after you had steak for a couple of years.

  WGT needs to look at this and have a long term solution to it because the game will be ruined if it continues this way.

• racoondad 322 Posts

  Thu, May 14 2015 9:51 AM

  I agree the shots are too accurate. I think there is a quick solution without changing equipment by increasing the uncertainty of wind. Wgt can do this gradually as players progress through tiers.

  If wind varies +/-5mph in speed and +/-10 degrees in direction, mid-60's would be a really good score from championship tee.

• SweetiePie 4,925 Posts

  Thu, May 14 2015 10:09 AM

  With regard to the VUSO, the boat is being missed by WGT by not implementing the 10 stroke rule. That is to say, that whatever the lowest posted score is, the qualifying score should be at 10 strokes higher. This would be a positive incentive for the many casual Master-Tour Master-Legend players who have serious game, but don't live here by habit to gain the levels that provide serious clubs. This simple move would greatly increase interest and play to most all tiers. Along this train, because of the un-natural scores we have here, I wonder if it is an impediment to securing Augusta, knowing that they would not stand for their masterpiece being slain by insulting sub 60 scores.  ~ SP ~ 

• Lute345 2,483 Posts

  Thu, May 14 2015 12:50 PM

  Totally agree with Sweetie on this issue. As of today, the cut line for the VUSO is -15!! This is totally outrageous!! I had sent a request to the CS about having the VUSO tiered but they came back and said because of the agreement with the USGA they can't. What?? So the USGA is setting rules for a virtual golf game now?? What's next, Nike telling WGT balls can only go so far??!!

• TarheelsRule 5,564 Posts

  Thu, May 14 2015 12:57 PM

  I am with you LIly but I think from the point of view of WGT, they don't want to give out that many credits.

  The easy solution would be to implement the 10 stroke rule, although I would say that this would reduce the rounds played (and the balls used) since if someone puts up a good score, say a 58 this year, they would not keep grinding to get to the cut line.

  I think that you get a 2k or 3k bonus given by WGT for making the cut.  In the past we had received a one year USGA membership and a US Open hat, I guess that became too much of a logistical nightmare to administer so it was dropped a few years back.

  It's just a tournament so having the rule set so that the first 156 and ties get the credits and anyone within 10 shots of the leader makes the cut would not be difficult to administer.

  It may well be that the USGA and WGT have agreements about the set up that we are not aware of that keeps them from expanding the field.    There is not cut in the tournament, only a limit to qualifying.   A better solution might be to let everyone within 10 strokes of the lead to enter the tournament and then have a cut to top 72 and ties after the second round and give them 5k in credits, that way you have worked to earn the credits.