After Nike Golf was notified by the USGA in late February 2007 that there was a potential concern pertaining to the Characteristic Time measurement (CT) of SUMO² drivers in the marketplace, the company implemented a Comformance Program offering customers exchanges on the non-conforming product with Nike footing the bill. The result of the CT variance would add an additional 1 to 2 yards that lie outside the parameters established by the USGA. There is no impact on the safety or durability of the product.
As a result, a number of SUMO² drivers manufactured may not conform to USGA regulations. As a precaution, another conforming SUMO² driver has already been submitted to the USGA to be approved for placement on the conforming list. Nike Golf anticipates that it will complete the approval process with the USGA by March 19.
In addition, Nike Golf is implementing the Nike Golf SUMO² Conformance Program — the primary element of a Nike Golf action plan to ensure marketplace conformity to USGA regulations of the SUMO² driver.
“Nike Golf is a company that cares about fair golf competition, and that our customers have complete confidence that the club in their bag conforms to the Rules of the game,” said Nike Golf President Bob Wood. “As such, we are working with the USGA to implement a process to replace any SUMO² driver. It is Nike Golfs commitment to do the right thing for golfers in an open and straightforward manner.”
“The USGA always places the golfer as its number one priority. We appreciate Nike Golfs cooperation in this process and its plan for exchanging product,” said Dick Rugge, Senior Technical Director for the USGA.
The purpose of the Nike Golf SUMO² Conformance Program is to recommend to golfers that they send their purchased SUMO² drivers to Nike Golf in exchange for a new SUMO² driver that features a defining mark of full compliance to USGA regulations. This will be done at Nike Golfs expense.
