Acushnet’s Uihlein says argument can be made on both sides of bifurcation | Golf News and Tour Information [Video]

Golf’s infamous b-word was raised again Wednesday by another equipment manufacturer. It’s not surprising that bifurcation, the idea of separate rules for elite players and recreational players, is again being talked about by someone in the golf business. What might have been more than a little surprising was that the idea was raised by Acushnet CEO Wally Uihlein, a long-time critic of the idea.

Uihlein was responding to a question about the state of relations between golf’s manufacturers and its rulemakers, the U.S. Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, at a press conference introducing Gene Yoon, head of Fila Korea and the leader of the investor group that acquired Acushnet from Fortune Brands earlier this year.  While he clearly did not openly endorse the idea, he did not dismiss it entirely.

“Obviously, there are issues about the growth of the game and people who …