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The
ball has always been the focus of attention with reference to distance
and quite rightly so as clubs did not, until recently, affect
distance. The advancement in club design centered around increasing
the size of the sweet spot (increasing the Moment of Inertia MOI)
- "1921
The rules of Golf Committee and the Executive Committee of the
USGA will take any necessary steps to limit the power of the ball
with regard to distance should a ball of greater distance be introduced.
The size and weight were restricted to 1.62 ounces and 1.62 inches
in diameter."
- "
The committee is guided in making these experiments by the fact
that the yardage of championship courses are being materially
increased during the past few years. This is tending more and
more to make the championships an endurance test rather than a
test of skill" (1924 I&B, USGA year book)
- Even
though a COR (resilience) for balls was proposed in 1926 nothing
was ever adopted until 1942 when an Initial Velocity standard
was adopted. At this time also, the rules governing groove specifications,
originally adopted in 1924 were modified.
- In
1927 the power of the ball was referenced again and the Executive
Committee were in agreement on the following issues:
- Regulation
of the driving power of the ball is greatly needed.
- No
change in the ball should result in less pleasurable playing qualities.
- Any
change in the ball should be adopted simultaneously and be identical
in both the U.S. and the U.K.
- If,
in addition to a specification covering size and weight, a simple
and dependable method of measuring resilience can be devised,
complete control of the driving power of the ball seems possible.
- It
was not until 1976 that an Overall Distance Standard was adopted,
which took into account the aerodynamics of the ball as well as
all of the other properties that contributed to the flight trajectory
of the ball.
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