ABSTRACT
The game of golf has a long history, and today it is enjoyed by an ever increasing number of golfers around the world.
The governing bodies of the game, The United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R&A), promulgate and interpret the rules. The object is to preserve and protect the traditions of the game and the challenge it presents.
Equipment design has evolved over time, and progress has been made based on trial and error, rather than the application of scientific principles. This is changing, and science is starting to take its place in the industry. Competition for part of the $5 billion market requires that products with superior performance properties be produced. Hype, without sound data to support it, has sufficed in the past, spurred on by a natural phenomenon, which results in an initial but short lived improvement in performance with each new piece of equipment.
The stories of improved performance are of great concern to many who care about the future of the game. Some have suggested that more rigid performance standards should be adopted.
A review of performance statistics over the last 25 years, and scoring over the last 50 years, does not seem to indicate an improvement beyond reason
