There has been a lot said and written in the media over the past couple of years about standardizing golf equipment or rolling back the golf ball to make yesterday's golf courses play like they did yesterday.

So we know that Tour Pros are hitting it farther, straighter, and scoring lower than ever before but what about you, the average golfer?

What have all of these equipment advances done for you? According to one prominent Canadian golfer, PGA Tour Pro Ian Leggat...not much. Here is a quote from Ian that I just read on Score Golf's website.

“You know, I don’t understand what the media is looking for,” Leggatt said referring to today’s improved equipment. “Are they looking for amateurs to hit it as far as Tour players? The media makes it sound like equipment is some kind of huge problem, like a few extra yards is killing the sport. Who are they kidding? This issue is all about touring pros not amateurs. No one is getting any better. The average handicap hasn’t changed in 25 years. Equipment these days is great but it’s not turning amateurs into PGA Tour players. There’s no question it’s helped us and I’ve got no problem with our Tour having its own set of standards if that’s where it goes. Heck there’s virtually two sets of rules in the game now.

“I remember an issue in tennis a few years ago. John McEnroe complained about metal racquets because of how hard they could hit the ball compared to wooden racquets. Some of the stuff I read today makes it sound like we should all go back to persimmon and balata.”

To read the entire article click here http://www.scoregolf.com/articles/xx-column-rick-young/Leggatt-Takes-Hard-Line-on-Golf-Industry-Issues.cfm

Leggat is correct, the average handicap has not changed; therefore,Tour Players are benefitting from better equipement but the average golfer who buys all of the equipment and ultimately pays for the Tour Pros big endorsement contracts has not benefitted even a stroke! Why is that? And more importantly what can be done about it?

Should the manufacturers focus on making golf equipment more user friendly to the average golfer or should they continue to focus on making equipment best suited to the Tour Pro?

What do you think?

Scott