John Daly stirred up a huge bucket of golf balls when he let everyone know he had gone to the back of his garage and dug out some old Ping-Eye 2 wedges.

These three wedges—pitching, sand and lob—have the old squared-shaped groove rather than the more V-shaped one required by the USGA starting this year. Because of a lawsuit back in the day, as long as you can prove your Ping-Eye 2 was manufactured before April 1, 1990, you're good to go.

As you can imagine, the response to Daly's admission received mixed reviews. The intent of the USGA is to put more emphasis on finding the fairway off the tee and being punished more for landing in the rough.

It's easier to create spin out of the rough with the square grooves, allowing golfers to go long off the tee and not worry as much where it lands because the square grooves will come to the rescue.

Veteran Vijay Singh doesn't think the old wedge coming into play is a good thing.

“;That's a crazy rule. I think the tour should tell the players they shouldn't be able to do that,”; Singh said. “;The players should initiate it themselves and say that's not right.”;

Singh is not alone with this point of view. Several other players said they wouldn't switch just to get a perceived advantage.

“;If you like Ping wedges, I guess there's an advantage to it,”; past Sony Open champion David Toms said. “;But for me, I don't like them. I never used them. I can't see any reason to make the switch, but I don't have a problem with those who might.”;

American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin echoed that sentiment.

“;If they say it's legal, then it's legal,”; Pavin said. “;I haven't really thought about it much. I have no problems with rules. I never did use it, so I wouldn't. It's not my kind of club.”;

Local pro Dean Wilson found one in his garage and used it this week during the Sony Open in Hawaii. Bob Estes said on Saturday that he thought using the Ping wedges was breaking the spirit of the rules and that he wouldn't use one under any circumstances.

Wilson took exception with that comment. He was paired with Estes yesterday, but the subject never came up. Estes said yesterday he never directed that comment at Wilson. He first heard of it when playing partner Daly used them in the first two rounds. Like Singh, he's not a fan and believes players should avoid having them in their bag.

Charles Howell III doesn't believe it's an issue. He used those Ping irons coming out of college, and while he has no problem with the decision, he's not sure he will take the Ping plunge.

“;I thought about it last year, playing those old Ping wedges and stuff like that,”; Howell said. “;The only thing about it that would concern me is having enough backups that are good. If I started using it, I don't think I would have enough over the course of a year or two.

“;The old grooves I would change every four weeks, just to keep them fresh. I think this year, players will change every two or three weeks. The guys who use those Pings, I don't have a problem with it. It's part of the rules to do it. It's just finding enough that are good.”;

Daly already has eight or nine sets he's found in storage and plans to use them regularly as the 2010 PGA Tour progresses. Even Ernie Els might get into the act.

“;I think it's great,”; Els said. “;Those clubs were wonderful. They got outdated with the groove issues, but now they're back in style again. I would use them.”;

So would Mark Calcavecchia, if they worked.

“;I already thought of that,”; Calcavecchia said. “;I've got some old wedges I think I could use. But my L wedge grooves were so old that this legal one has more spin on it than I had last year. It's not even an adjustment for me.”;