Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer about whether or not Phil Mickelson should be perceived as having cheated in golf.
If I asked you what one word BEST described Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, and Alex Rodriguez, what word comes to mind? Most people would say, “Cheater.” Yet, when McGwire, Canseco, A-Rod – and a host of other so-called “cheaters” – used steroids there was no penalty for the use of those particular substances. Still, they violated the spirit of the rules prohibiting the use of illegal substances in baseball, and are perceived as cheaters.
So if I asked you for one word to now describe one of golf’s favorite sons, does the same word come to mind? Well, it does if we are talking about Tiger (HEY-OH!), but he is not who I am referring to today. I am actually talking about Phil Mickelson, and there is at least one person out there who HAS accused Mickelson of cheating in the game of golf.
Twenty years ago, the United States Golf Association (USGA) passed a rule banning the use of certain wedges because of the groove pattern they used. The ruling, which was adopted by the PGA, was created because the groove pattern on these wedges produced a greater amount of spin that what was considered acceptable in competition play.
A caveat to this rule, though, was the grandfathering in of clubs that were manufactured before April 1, 1990. Because the USGA and the PGA feared negative backlash from major manufacturers of clubs (and the players who used them), they applied the rule only to those clubs produced after the rule was in place. If a player was using a club manufactured BEFORE April of 1990, they would be allowed to continue using that club, despite the newly banned groove pattern.
Phil Mickelson’s Ping Eye2 wedge is one of those clubs.
Several players on the PGA Tour have voiced concerns about the use of clubs such as Mickelson’s Ping Eye2, but it was not until last week, when fellow Tour member Scott McCarron boldly referred to it as “cheating,” that it became a heated topic.
Although McCarron has since apologized for his accusations, under the threat of legal action from Mickelson for slanderous statements, the words are out there. Enter, The Sports Debates.
Under the current rule structure, is Phil Mickelson cheating if he continues to use his Ping Eye2 wedge?
Mickelson is technically not breaking any rules with the use of the wedge, but many feel that he is violating the spirit of the rule which bans that groove pattern, and is unfairly taking advantage of a loophole in the system in order to give himself a competitive edge that his opponents do not take advantage of.
Loyal Homer will argue that Mickelson is cheating, despite the loophole in the rules which technically permits the use of his wedge, while Babe Ruthless will argue that he is not.
As for Bleacher Fan, I will be contemplating the sad state of current affairs for the PGA Tour which, without Tiger’s storied feats on (and apparently off) the course to talk about, has nothing better to focus on than the groove pattern of Mickelson’s wedges. Is that REALLY the biggest story that the PGA has to offer now? What’s next – a scandal about Padraig Harrington, dimple counts, and repairing divots?!
Posted by Bleacher Fan 
