Drivers banned next year

So here’s something I didn’t know until last week. I was watching The Golf Show on Fox Sports hosted by the always effervescent Brett Ogle and he brought up the topic of these new rules being introduced from January 1, 2008 for drivers. All drivers which impart a spring effect off the club face onto the ball will be banned from this date next year. In effect, if your driver applies a trampoline effect to the ball at impact it will be illegal next year.

I assume this has been brought in in an attempt to curb the huge distances these clubs are producing but I’m not sure many know about this fact as a few people including a club assistant pro, weren’t aware of it. Now there’s a couple of questions that need to be asked here. Which drivers will be deemed illegal and how will this impact (no pun intended) the social/club golfer?

The first question is easy to answer as there’s a list of non-conforming drivers listed HERE through the R&A golf website. There’s even a list of drivers which will be legal. I have no idea of how this will impact club golf other than I assume it won’t be as rigidly enforced to begin with but perhaps fazed in over time. Stay tuned.

P.S. I wonder, are there fairway woods and hybrid clubs that exhibit the same spring-like effect on the ball?