While it's only 2025, the rollback for professionals is just three years away — five for amateurs — and not everyone is on board with the decision, especially the PGA of America.
The issue is not the ball. A rollback predictably will not be as significant as their intent as provided by the ball manufacturers.
It is the driver that should regulated.
Adopt a minimum and maximum standard for the advanced competition like the PGA Tour, Majors and other highly esteemed events either the advanced player.
1. A minimum loft for drivers and any other distance producing clubs of 12 degrees or more.
2. A maximum length of the same distance clubs, starting at 44 inches. With research and testing, an allowance for a longer length may be fair for individuals who have different heights and arm length(a golfer who is 6’ 8” with arm length shorter to a disproportional measure compared to a norm could be an exception)
3. Regulate the minimum weight of the shaft for the distance producing clubs. No super light shafts. Heavier the shaft weight, club speed is decreased.
Aluminum bats are used until a player reaches the big leagues. Why not this approach for golf?
More loft, shorter length, heavier shafts will have a greater affect in distance goals.
Then the PGA professional will not be inspecting the golf bag pockets of the players on the first tee. Clubs are easier to control and inspect for certification.
This would be an easy implementation and palatable to more organizations.
Only courses that need to be longer are for pro tour events. Few if any recreational golf sites, public or private, need to lengthen their courses. It's only a pro golf issue. So it's very limited and in that sense, i understand why avg golfers are annoyed that they have to share the pain with pro golf.
I was referring to new courses that are being built. The best example I have in my own area is the Mickelson course built just outside of Calgary. It was built to able to be played at 8000yds so it could attract a PGA tour. The ball roll-back is unlikely to greatly affect me as I rarely play Tees that are more than 6500yds.
The new rule is going to be great. It brings lots of courses back into play for the pros and accomplished amateurs. For everyone else move the tees up a few yards on every hole and nothing will have changed.
What a great article with new perspective and insight. As an aging amature who oncse could hit 300 yard plus drives and now is amazed and proud of a two hundred yard drive this is a sore subject. Augusta and the R&A should grow some rough and narrow the fairways for their championships. Bomb and gouge most of the time get beaten by finness. The current rules on ball and clubs controlling speed shoud stay in place. As far as tour pros go, The lasting and long term impact of swinging hard for speed has and will continue take its toll. on carears and longevity.
I’m 73 and I’ll hit any damn ball I want. But it’s darn sure stupid to penalize millions of amateur golfers who just want to have fun because there are a few dozen professionals who can drive the ball >300 yards.
Such idiocy: "We’ll have to be at the first tee making sure the golfers are playing a conforming golf ball. Do we have to follow them to the second or third tee and beyond to see if they switched out golf balls?"
How is that different to now? A non-conforming ball could be used now, dummies! How often do officials count the number of clubs in a player's bag?
Golf courses are being built longer to accommodate the longer and longer shots which typically means increase in build $$$$$&. Remember how Bryson was tearing up some of the courses with his drives.
There are many great suggestions. Lots of great agronomy ideas. Who is spending all this money to extend their courses? No course I play for under$125 fee. If an elite course is “too short”, a local rule to ban large drivers for top events doesn’t impact the millions of golfers that don’t drive over (200-)280 yards. Maybe the USGA board should have a majority of non-millionaires to respond to the vast majority of typical golfers.
How many courses do you know that charge less than $125 per round have lengthened their course? I can name, zero. This is only a problem at courses looking for elite status. If Marion or Augusta are too short, let them use a local rule for premier events to limit club head size to 300 cc.
I find this whole thing hilarious. How far amateurs hit the ball has nothing to do with the ball and little to do with club head speed. It has to do with the Inconsistency and inefficiency of the swing. The maximum distance of the ball is already limited. I don’t understand how it hurts anybody to say no, you can’t hit it more than 320 yards off the tee through the air. Hitting the ball as far as you can off the tee is not golf.
The only reason Augusta National supports the ball rollback is because they have run out of land to extend their course, a self-serving interest. What's wrong with players going lower. That is really the only result of not rolling back the ball compression. Quit meddling with the game where it's not needed. P.S. Get the LIV merger done, for the good of the game. Monahan has to go!
So the these new guys are lying, there was a comment session over a year that allowed all the player pro, am, the manufacturers to comment. They all rejected any form of bifurcation, so the USGA acted, to protect the game. We as players can not afford the new land, more water, more chemicals et al it takes to keep making courses longer. In many cases for 1 week out of the year. A shorter ball does not mean the longer players still will not have a distance advantage, and come on the guy who cant hit it 200 off the tee, will miss nothing. And I guarantee, that the mfdc's will find a way to create a ball that goes as far as it does today for swings of 100 mph or less. That would be a marketing coup, a pro ball that does not effect anyone else.
Really what intel is wrong? Was there not a comment period where all the stake holders were encouraged to comment? Did you not say that professional golf had no input? Are those all not lies?
The issue is not the ball. A rollback predictably will not be as significant as their intent as provided by the ball manufacturers.
It is the driver that should regulated.
Adopt a minimum and maximum standard for the advanced competition like the PGA Tour, Majors and other highly esteemed events either the advanced player.
1. A minimum loft for drivers and any other distance producing clubs of 12 degrees or more.
2. A maximum length of the same distance clubs, starting at 44 inches. With research and testing, an allowance for a longer length may be fair for individuals who have different heights and arm length(a golfer who is 6’ 8” with arm length shorter to a disproportional measure compared to a norm could be an exception)
3. Regulate the minimum weight of the shaft for the distance producing clubs. No super light shafts. Heavier the shaft weight, club speed is decreased.
Aluminum bats are used until a player reaches the big leagues. Why not this approach for golf?
More loft, shorter length, heavier shafts will have a greater affect in distance goals.
Then the PGA professional will not be inspecting the golf bag pockets of the players on the first tee. Clubs are easier to control and inspect for certification.
This would be an easy implementation and palatable to more organizations.
1 question...why not just change par from 72 to a lower number for the pros? Make the Masters a par 68 or 69 for example. Seems to me an easier "fix".
Only courses that need to be longer are for pro tour events. Few if any recreational golf sites, public or private, need to lengthen their courses. It's only a pro golf issue. So it's very limited and in that sense, i understand why avg golfers are annoyed that they have to share the pain with pro golf.
I was referring to new courses that are being built. The best example I have in my own area is the Mickelson course built just outside of Calgary. It was built to able to be played at 8000yds so it could attract a PGA tour. The ball roll-back is unlikely to greatly affect me as I rarely play Tees that are more than 6500yds.
The new rule is going to be great. It brings lots of courses back into play for the pros and accomplished amateurs. For everyone else move the tees up a few yards on every hole and nothing will have changed.
Tennis balls anyone? How about "wiffle" balls?....or maybe "super" balls?
Stop the madness. Standardize!
Tournament play...
Eliminate the oversized Driver (sorry corporate golf) AND ban the tee.
"Place" the ball on the teeing ground to start a hole. "These guys are good", and don't need that advantage.
Weekend/social golfers...choose your way and your weapons. Have fun!
What a great article with new perspective and insight. As an aging amature who oncse could hit 300 yard plus drives and now is amazed and proud of a two hundred yard drive this is a sore subject. Augusta and the R&A should grow some rough and narrow the fairways for their championships. Bomb and gouge most of the time get beaten by finness. The current rules on ball and clubs controlling speed shoud stay in place. As far as tour pros go, The lasting and long term impact of swinging hard for speed has and will continue take its toll. on carears and longevity.
I’m 73 and I’ll hit any damn ball I want. But it’s darn sure stupid to penalize millions of amateur golfers who just want to have fun because there are a few dozen professionals who can drive the ball >300 yards.
You will not notice any difference in your own game, don't worry.
Animosity towards a rollback at a show dedicated to equipment? Who would a thought!?
Such idiocy: "We’ll have to be at the first tee making sure the golfers are playing a conforming golf ball. Do we have to follow them to the second or third tee and beyond to see if they switched out golf balls?"
How is that different to now? A non-conforming ball could be used now, dummies! How often do officials count the number of clubs in a player's bag?
The 1974 situation WAS a rollback for the world outside the USA! We coped. We need a rollback now more than we did in 1974.
Golf courses are being built longer to accommodate the longer and longer shots which typically means increase in build $$$$$&. Remember how Bryson was tearing up some of the courses with his drives.
There are many great suggestions. Lots of great agronomy ideas. Who is spending all this money to extend their courses? No course I play for under$125 fee. If an elite course is “too short”, a local rule to ban large drivers for top events doesn’t impact the millions of golfers that don’t drive over (200-)280 yards. Maybe the USGA board should have a majority of non-millionaires to respond to the vast majority of typical golfers.
How many courses do you know that charge less than $125 per round have lengthened their course? I can name, zero. This is only a problem at courses looking for elite status. If Marion or Augusta are too short, let them use a local rule for premier events to limit club head size to 300 cc.
Agronomy is the answer…higher height of cut on narrower fairways…longer rough
The ball rolls out too far… rough is too short
Agronomy, and driver clubhead sizes (and maybe tee length).
I find this whole thing hilarious. How far amateurs hit the ball has nothing to do with the ball and little to do with club head speed. It has to do with the Inconsistency and inefficiency of the swing. The maximum distance of the ball is already limited. I don’t understand how it hurts anybody to say no, you can’t hit it more than 320 yards off the tee through the air. Hitting the ball as far as you can off the tee is not golf.
The only reason Augusta National supports the ball rollback is because they have run out of land to extend their course, a self-serving interest. What's wrong with players going lower. That is really the only result of not rolling back the ball compression. Quit meddling with the game where it's not needed. P.S. Get the LIV merger done, for the good of the game. Monahan has to go!
I understand Augusta's land issue. Do thousands of other courses not have the same problem?
The land problem is not unique to Augusta.
So the these new guys are lying, there was a comment session over a year that allowed all the player pro, am, the manufacturers to comment. They all rejected any form of bifurcation, so the USGA acted, to protect the game. We as players can not afford the new land, more water, more chemicals et al it takes to keep making courses longer. In many cases for 1 week out of the year. A shorter ball does not mean the longer players still will not have a distance advantage, and come on the guy who cant hit it 200 off the tee, will miss nothing. And I guarantee, that the mfdc's will find a way to create a ball that goes as far as it does today for swings of 100 mph or less. That would be a marketing coup, a pro ball that does not effect anyone else.
We may not agree Jeffrey, but I don't lie. Your intel is incorrect.
Really what intel is wrong? Was there not a comment period where all the stake holders were encouraged to comment? Did you not say that professional golf had no input? Are those all not lies?