A new rule, which became effective on 1 January 2008, made some existing drivers illegal. Is your driver legal?
Appendix II, 5a of the Rules of Golf states that, "The material and construction of, or any treatment to, the face or the clubhead shall not have the effect at impact of a spring (test on file), or impart significantly more spin to the ball than a standard steel face, or have any other effect which would unduly influence the movement of the ball".
As a consequence a new Rule of Golf has been introduced specifically limiting the 'spring-like' effect of the driver club head. The introduction of this Rule was announced in August 2002 and it has been applied at the professional level, via a Condition of Competition, since 1 January 2003 and is to be introduced to every golfer with effect from 1 January 2008 .
This 'new' Rule will affect the conformance status of some drivers currently in the marketplace and in players' bags. Golfers are, therefore, encouraged to check their own driver, and any driver they may buy in the future, in preparation for 2008 (because you know that someone you are playing a match against will know that your driver is illegal - and they'll tell you on the 3rd hole !).
To help provide correct information on driver head conformance, two lists have been compiled and published:
To view or search the List of Conforming Driver Heads, please click on the link below. All of the clubs on this List have been ruled to conform to the Rules of Golf and they will continue to conform after 1 January 2008 - http://www.randa.org/index.cfm?action=rules.equipment.confdrivers
To view a list of drivers which will become non-conforming on 1 January 2008 and which are contrary to the Driving Club Condition of Competition, please click on the link - http://www.randa.org/index.cfm?action=rules.equipment.nonConfDriversMain
