The Hacker: On the face of it, ditching our drivers was a costly error

As a breed, golfers are the most long-suffering of all sporting participants. We may moan about the weather, the stateof the greens, the depth ofthe rough, the committee – anything, in fact, connected with the game – but the grumbles rarely reach rebellion stage, and we dutifully put up with all that is thrown at us, even when it costs us money.

If we lowly golfers were not such a compliant lot (and, let's face it, no one has to obey so many seemingly petty rules and restrictions) there might have been serious ructions when millions around the world were forced to throw away their drivers at the beginning of the year and pay up to £300 for a replacement. As the clock turned midnight on 1 January 2008, all drivers possessing a thin metal face deemed to give an unfair advantage became illegal for every golfer on earth.

The trampoline effect these drivers had on the ball was banned five years earlier for the pros and three years later for the top amateurs and those who play representative golf for their clubs and counties.

This year they banned them for the rank and file. We can't even use them in friendly matches even if our friends don't mind. Neither can they be carried around for sentimental reasons, because there's a penalty for having a "non-conforming club" in your bag whether you use it or not.

Can you imagine players in any other sport meekly surrendering an essential piece of expensive equipment theyhad bought in good faith?

Now, nine months later, we are entitled to ask if it was really necessary. Are the pros, who don't pay for their clubs anyway, hitting the ball less far without the trampoline clubs? No, they are hitting it further, although that's probably more to do with the ball, over which no technical controls are imposed.

As for the ordinary players, there is an uncomfortable feeling that we have been conned. It was said at the time that the illegal driver could add three yards to a drive. Not to mine it didn't, unless it was three yards further into trouble.

Earlier in the year, a golf magazine claimed that a group of players they had issued with conforming drivers were hitting the ball further that they had with their illegal club.

I can't claim it has been a strictly scientific survey, but since the start of the year I have made it my business to speak to scores of golfers at clubs both here and abroad, and have yet to find one who is not hitting the ball further with the replacement club he was forced to buy.

If the governing bodies were concerned about the trampoline trend they could have banned any further development in that direction instead of penalising the millions already in possession of the errant clubs.

The only beneficiaries from the ban have been the manu-facturers. Considering thatthey made the clubs in the first place you would think they would have acknowledged their contribution to our plight and offered a part-exchange deal to those forced to buy new ones. Not a chance.

I bought a three-wood the other day, and if that works they can stuff their drivers.

p.corrigan@independent.co.uk