USGA’s equipment testing achieves International Standard
Far Hills, N.J. – The United States Golf Association’s Equipment Standards Department has achieved ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification. In order to attain this internationally recognized standard, the Equipment Standards staff met specific process and communications benchmarks, and demonstrated a commitment to continual improvement.The Equipment Standards Department of the USGA evaluates golf balls and clubs to determine conformance to the Rules of Golf. Its 20,000-square-foot Research and Test Center houses a team of engineers, technicians and administrative personnel who test and evaluate more than 1,000 different types of golf balls and more than 2,500 golf clubs submitted for review annually. In addition, the Equipment Standards Department conducts research to monitor equipment technology and its potential effects on the game.
“Since we have the responsibility to determine the conformance of golf equipment submitted to us by manufacturers, it is essential that the testing that we perform and the business processes that we use be carried out in a controlled and consistent manner,” said Dick Rugge, senior technical director for the USGA. “Achieving ISO 9001 certification confirms that we do exactly that.”
ISO 9001 is an International Quality Management System Standard that specifies requirements under which an organization must demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products or services that meet customer requirements, to enhance customer satisfaction and to establish benchmarks for continual improvement.
The International Organization for Standardization is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The ISO, the world’s largest developer and publisher of International Standards, was founded in 1946 to develop a common set of standards for manufacturing, trade and communications. Today 159 countries are members. In addition to ISO 9001, more than 17,000 other ISO standards exist. ISO 9001:2008 is the current version of this standard.
About the USGA
The USGA annually conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open and 10 national amateur championships. It also conducts two state team championships and helps conduct the Walker Cup Match, Curtis Cup Match and World Amateur Team Championships. Each year, more than 35,000 players representing more than 80 countriessubmit entries to play in USGA championships.
The USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries. The USGA writes and administers the Rules of Golf, conducts equipment testing, provides expert course maintenance consultations, and, since 1920, has been a global leader in the development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history, and funds an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” grants program.
For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.
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