Finally, a decision is almost here on how to handle the tricky problem of rolling back the golf ball. The result could have an impact on everyone who plays the sport.
The R&A and the USGA have been arguing about the “distance debate” for years, but they both agree that something needs to be done.
Their suggestion that a Model Local Rule be made to let top events use a ball that limits distance has been mostly turned down, even though Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy backed it.
After the comment time ended in August, the PGA Tour spoke out against the move in a big way.
Because of this, Martin Slumbers, the chief executive of the R&A, told BBC Sport, “We can split up, as we suggested; you change the whole game; or you do nothing.”
“And doing nothing is not an option.”
After saying those things in late summer, the boss in St. Andrews has said again, “Once we published our distance report at the start of this process, I was very clear that, for the good of the game, we need to address this issue.”
The best players today hit the ball too far. Some shots are 340 yards long, and courses need to be widened to keep the challenge for the best players. However, this is often not possible or can cost a lot of money and hurt the environment.
At first, the plan was to only hold back the best players and let the rest of us enjoy the benefits of a super-charged ball and big, accommodating drivers.
On paper, this split goes against one of golf’s most famous ideas: that we hacks can play the same courses with the same gear as the best players in the world and figure out how much worse we are.
“The game was not happy with the Model Local Rule,” Slumbers said in a recent talk with Golf Digest. Some thought it would split the game at the highest level into two parts.
“That was met with a strong defense. The PGA Tour told a lot of people about it. The PGA of America was the same. A lot of people spoke up. It’s our job to listen.
The people who made the rules were always up against it. Many of the best golfers are generously sponsored by companies that make golf gear. These companies have never been willing to make their goods less effective.
Because of this, big stars would always side with the guys who pay them to use their gear. And the PGA Tour couldn’t afford to upset those top stars at a time when the men’s professional game is changing a lot.
The American tour didn’t have any reason to go with anyone other than the golfers they need to stay loyal.
Some important people think that their plans to split the tour into two became unintentional collateral damage in golf’s ongoing civil war, which began 19 months ago when the LIV tour split off.
Senior people on the DP World Tour in Europe have a more complicated view of the situation. A lot of people agree with the idea that driving miles should be limited by making rules for drivers stricter.
One of the best players thought, “Take away the sweet spot, and players will have to swing slower to make an accurate strike.” “That doesn’t stop the most talented people, who can be quick and accurate at the same time.”
“And this would provide the added benefit that the better players become easier to identify.”
But making clubs illegal that cost hundreds of pounds and make the game much more fun for casual players seems like a big step that will be strongly opposed by golfers of all levels and the companies that make the clubs.
The first idea for division was a good one. Only players who were swinging very quickly would have felt the biggest impact, which cut the driving distance by about 15 yards.
When most club hackers used the changed special balls, they didn’t notice a big difference. Besides, there was no reason we couldn’t have done that if we wanted to take that test.
If we had a tee time at a top championship course, why not buy a set of high-quality balls to test our skills at a place where big events are held?
In the same way, clubs could have made it so that their biggest games were played with a handicapped ball if they wanted to. If you are a good player who wants to play in the best amateur events and beyond, you would probably switch to the elite ball anyway.
There used to be this kind of split in the game. People who were good at balata wanted a softer ball that might not go as far, while the rest of us used very hard balls to get farther.
But that two-sided chance seems to have gone away because many people were narrow-mindedly against the plans.
But now there are new plans. Slumbers also said, “Our duty is to the long-term future of the game.” “We are hearing you. There is no doubt that we know what we need to do.
“We’re working that through at the moment and will make it public before the end of the year.”
Keep an eye on this.
