Beman: “No evidence that bifurcation would hurt the game"

Jim McCabe follows up on his coverage from the USGA Pace of Play summit with a focus on Deane Beman's role as invited guest who criticized the host.

Among the topics the former PGA Tour Commissioner touched on: bifurcation of the rules to emphasize skill in the modern game while letting the everyday golfer have more leeway with equipment, a position oddly opposed by most manufacturers and the governing bodies (and who says they don't agree!).

Curious, the timing of his comments – it almost seemed disrespectful to be an invited guest and then criticize the host – but clearly he wanted to express his disagreements. Up front, Beman said he would caution the USGA from being “in lockstep” with the R&A on the Rules of Golf, a cue for him to bring up the “B” word - bifurcation.

Beman doesn’t think it’s a bad thing. He told the audience that he won the British Amateur in 1959 using “the small ball” and then captured the U.S. Amateur the next summer while playing a bigger ball. No big deal, and he seemed to suggest that if amateurs played equipment that the pros couldn’t, it wouldn’t be any different than collegians using metal bats while major leaguers are restricted to wood.

“There’s no evidence that bifurcation would hurt the game,” he said.

Update on 2013-11-11 05:22 by Geoff

**I'm going to have to spend more time with this: Beman's remarks in their entirety posted on GolfsDrivingForce.com.

I view with caution the advisability of the USGA’s being in complete lock step with the R&A on golf rules and policy issues; and I say this with admiration and respect for both organizations.

The R&A’s sphere of influence is worldwide where golf is mostly growing.  Golf has major problems here in the U.S.  The two organizations face far different problems; and solving them here in the U.S. might take more flexibility than the R&A may be willing to concede.

Bifurcation of the rules for equipment needs to be more fully examined.

No sport has been hurt by different rules for different levels of play -- including golf.