Callaway Studying "CT Creep" In Drivers, CEO Issues Lengthy Defense Of Failed Driver Test

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CT creep…is that…wait, there are no good, clean, family website jokes with that one.

I asked for a statement from Callaway last week to help clear up what was likely a slight change in Xander Schauffele’s non-conforming driver tested at The Open. Despite that, I was not one of the lucky ones to get CEO Chip Brewer’s lengthy statement, but my Golfweek colleague David Dusek did and prints it all.

As expected, it was a very minor issue turned into a drama by Schauffele who (A) blabbed publicly about a failed test that was otherwise unknown to press, and (B) should be traveling with a good back-up in case his gamer contracted, uh, CT creep.

The key excerpt from Brewer’s statement:

If anybody deserves blame or criticism for the driver test failure at the Open Championship, it’s us. We provide Xander his equipment. But in all fairness, I’m not sure we did anything wrong. We do everything in our power to design equipment that performs at the limit of USGA / R&A rules but does not exceed it. As long as I am in charge, we will never knowingly produce non-conforming equipment or condone its use, especially in tournament play.

“We test our drivers hundreds of times throughout the manufacturing process to make sure they are conforming. For tour product, we have a tour certification process that tests 100 percent of these products again at our facility prior to sending anything out to a player. We have also installed CT testing equipment on our primary tour trailers so we are now able to test in the field on both new and ‘played in’ parts, where high swing speed players could experience what we term CT ‘creep,’ and a driver that originally conformed could become, through play, non-conforming or deemed damaged into a non-conforming state. We are also doing fundamental research on managing or preventing ‘creep’ but more on that later.

“We know Xander’s driver was conforming when he received it. Probably in the range of 245 – 250 CT. At the Open we tested it at 255 CT, still conforming but close to the limit. The R&A tested it at 258, one over the limit. This sort of testing variation is going to happen. Because the R&A tested it over the limit, the driver was taken out of play and we replaced it with one that tested well within the limits. All before the event began and conforming with the rules of golf and intent of all the testing (both ours and the R&A’s).

State Of The Game Episode 97: Wrapping Up The Open At Portrush

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We’re back with a wrap-up chat on The Open at Royal Portrush, plus all of the other golf news that’s fit to gab about. Drinking game warning: “skill” counts going forward. Cheers!

The iTunes show link.

And of course State of The Game is posted wherever fine pods can be enjoyed.

Players Offering Thoughts On Testing For Juiced Drivers

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As I noted for Golfweek, Xander Schauffele going public with his failed driver test at The Open, and then stirring up a debate about hot drivers, has kept the incident in the news and led to some interesting comments from top players.

Jason Munz reports on player thoughts as they tee it up in Memphis this week, and while some inexplicably display life in the bubble by praising Schauffele for taking on the R&A—even after being caught playing an illegal club that was used in competition since January—there are some who don’t take this quite so lightly.

Justin Thomas says it’s on the makers to not let this happen:

“I think that’s on the manufacturers to make sure that (the clubs) are tested and that they are conforming,” he said. “Because that’s not fair to the rest of the field if guys are using some and some aren’t. We don’t have those tests just sitting in our living room (where) we can do them when we get home.”

While that is ideal, ultimately random testing is a better way to prevent a rogue player or clubmaker from skirting the rules.

Meanwhile Bryson DeChambeau tells Golf.com’s Jonathan Wall that the winner or top 5 should be tested every week and if they fail, can keep the win but take a hit elsewhere:

“If you did play a driver that was illegal, you take some FedEx Cup points away,” said DeChambeau, who has five Tour wins. “So you make your money and win, that’s great, but you lose half the points you made. It’s not like you should have the trophy taken away. That’s one way to deal with it. You putted well, you chipped well. But I think there needs to be some repercussions from using something that’s not under the conformance rules. If they want to challenge the ruling, they can go do some tests to see if it was truly over.”

Looks Like Shane Lowry Did The Right Thing Passing On Memphis In Favor Of A Homecoming Celebration

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Look at that crowd in Clara! Grandma and the Jug met on stage, too…

Video: Grandma Of Shane Lowry On Not Sleeping, Brandy For The First Time In A Decade

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Xander Needs To Let His Driver Test Rage Go...

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From Tiger To Shane: Open Championship Overnights Down 42%

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Big lead, no Tiger making his first run at a major in years and what do you get? A 2.9 for NBC and ratings decline for the 2019 Open Championship.

From SBD’s Austin Karp:


Could Lytham And Muirfield Be In A Holding Pattern After Portrush's Success?

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Martin Dempster of The Scotsman wonders if Lytham and Muirfield are on the endangered rota list after last week’s success on and off the course at Portrush.

Coupled with the R&A’s increased emphasis on ticket sales and fan energy, Muirfield’s membership matters and the modern gluten-free diet rendering Lytham helpless against today’s triathletes-turned-golfers, and it’s easy to envision a return to Northern Ireland before those two storied venues.

Dempster writes of the numbers:

Even before it produced one of the most popular winners ever, the Portrush event had attracted a sell-out attendance of 237,750 – the second biggest after St Andrews getting 239,000 in 2000. In comparison, the last visit to Muirfield in 2013 was just over 142,000 and, for the one before that in 2002, it was 161,000.

Is Portrush The Rota's Best (After St. Andrews) Venue?

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I say yes.

The combination of design quality, intrigue, variety and beauty, with logistical success puts this course above the non-Old Course layouts.

The players seem to agree, as Alistair Tait writes for Golfweek, with endorsements from Fuyrk, Casey, etc..

The Forecaddie tries to figure out how fast they can get back here and what needs to be done.

My wish list would be pretty short: maybe soften the back portion of the new 7th green, restore the burn currently piped under the par-5 12th green, lose a few ferns in the roughs and definitely lose the interior boundary lines at the 1st and 18th holes, along with the silly boundary line behind the fifth green.

Shane Lowry Wins The Open At Royal Portrush, Your Reactions

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A performance and scene that we’ll all remember capped off a magnificent week for Portrush, the R&A and Irish golf. Shane Lowry never displayed more than a brief ounce of feeling the immense pressure that was placed on the golfers who knew Portrush and mean so much to this part of the world. He won by six strokes.

We’ve got full coverage coming at Golfweek, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on the new Champion Golfer of the Year, the broadcasts, the course and anything else related to The Open’s triumphant return to Northern Ireland.

Poll: Who Looks Worst After Xander Schauffele's Driver Fails R&A's Random Testing?

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While you were sleeping, there has been some lively debate here at Portrush following Xander Schauffele’s revelation of a failed driver test earlier in the week.

For his part, Schauffele admitted to what happened in post-round questioning and as I write here for Golfweek, merely was upset at the idea that only 30 players are tested.

Most here seem conflicted about the news, particularly when it comes to blame and impression of what is the first known COR test failure at a major championship. Is the player ultimately responsible for making sure his equipment is on the up and up, or the manufacturer? And is the R&A or any other five family member in their right to be testing early in the week at a major?

So here’s a poll, if you don’t mind voting…

Who looks worst after Xander Schauffele's driver exceeds COR test?
 
pollcode.com free polls

Stanley Doesn't Yell FORE! Caddie's Mum Struck, Playing Partners Let Him Have It

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Martin Dempster reports for The Scotsman on Kyle Stanley’s tee shot striking the mother of caddie Greg Milne, on the bag for Scotland’s Robert Macintyre, who opened 68-72.

She’s fine, but Macintyre was not pleased at Stanley forgetting to yell FORE! and leaving the task to others.

“It hit Greg’s mum. So I told him how it was. I said I wasn’t happy – and he didn’t really like my response. He’s the only one I’ve seen do that. It was straight into the crowd. It was into the crowd from the word go. And we’re expecting him to shout fore. She’s all right, I think, but it’s not what you want. “

Players on the PGA Tour have a habit of not shouting ‘Fore’ but MacIntyre did not mince his words as he confronted Stanley. “Aye, there were harsh words,” added the left-hander, who was pleased to make the cut on his Open debut. “It wasn’t too pleasant. But you’ve got to tell him it’s not right. He didn’t take it well at all.

“Shout ‘Fore’. That ball is going straight into the crowd, you know from the word go it’s going into the crowd. Just shout. We shouted, me and Beef [partner Andrew Johnston], as it was coming down.

Trying To Figure Out What Ails Tiger Isn't All That Complicated or Worrisome

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After Tiger’s 78-70 here at Royal Portrush, the inclination is to fret about what may be ailing Tiger Woods.

I really don’t think it’s that hard to see nor is it nearly as dire as so may suggest, as written here for Golfweek.

To put it another way, what ails him now is a far cry from anything we’ve seen in the past. Some rest and rejuvenation are in order.