Nanotechnology is being used to improve sports equipment in baseball, hockey, tennis, badminton, squash, skiing and even golf. Now golf's governing body is worried that new equipment may give players an unfair advantage and is taking steps to limit the benefits of new technology on the centuries old game.
The R&A is golf's governing body and organizer of The British Open Championship. The R&A is committed to working for golf and operates with the consent of 136 organisations from the amateur and professional game and on behalf of over thirty million golfers in 123 countries.
The R&A takes its name from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, which has continuous records dating back to its foundation in 1754, and although the Club continues its long history with 2,400 members throughout the world, The R&A has become a separate entity to focus on its governance role.
You tee off and strike the ball with all you skill and might, full of enthusiasm. Your heart sinks as the ball veers off in to a bunker. A natural reaction is to blame your clubs, but thanks to the work of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and The R&A, golf equipment manufacturers cannot produce clubs and balls that gives players an unfair advantage.
As a world leading centre of excellence in developing and applying the most accurate standards NPL was recently approached by The R&A - golf's governing body and organiser of The Open Championship - to investigate essential measurements of the surface texture of golf clubs.
The texture and form of the surface that strikes the ball can have an effect on the launch speed, spin and trajectory of the ball. The R&A currently set Rules limiting the magnitude of the surface texture of a golf club. Golf club manufacturers constantly strive to find new techniques to impart surface finishes, whilst staying within the confines of the Rules.
For this reason, The R&A has to assess the surface texture of each new type of club and determine whether it conforms to the rules. NPL's Richard Leach examined The R&A's measurement equipment and protocols and carried out a critical assessment of all their processes and advised them on the latest ISO standards in the field. The ISO standards can be difficult to interpret, so Richard referred them to the appropriate NPL good practice guide. Also, the current Rules refer to specific machining practices and many different machining methods are used these days.
As a result, The R&A are now evaluating their procedures in light of Richard's comments, including the implications of modern surface roughness engineering and measurement procedure for the Rules of Golf documentation. The Rules of Golf aim to provide a comprehensive and understandable summary of the playing and equipment Rules.
Richard Leach said: "At NPL we develop and apply the most accurate standards and measurement science available. We used this expertise to review and assess the processes used by The R&A when deciding on the conformity of new golfing equipment. While we don't have the expertise to turn the average golfer into the next Lee Westwood, we can at least help to ensure that golf's best traditions are protected, and that skill remains the dominant element in determining success."
