Roll it back
Ok, here’s the scoop: For the past several years as golfers get stronger, equipment gets better, and just the evolution of the sport continues to grow, some people have wanted to have the game “rolled back.” This comes with a very divided reaction with some saying a roll back would be good for the game, bringing golf closer to its original state, while others think this could be the worst rule change to ever happen to the sport.
What the USGA has proposed: Mike Whan, USGA CEO, came out with a statement March 14th saying that professional golfers (.1% of all golfers) will have to play a limited ball come 2026. Now, there are a couple things here that matter in terms of who this announcement affects. ONLY professional golfers playing under USGA rules will have to play this ball. As of now, the PGA Tour and the PGA of America haven’t adopted the rule, meaning golfers will have to switch to a uniform ball just for a couple tournaments a year. I would assume however, that the PGA Tour will adopt the USGA’s rule, but we will have to wait and see.
What I think: This roll back won’t be as significant as one may think. I saw something the other day saying it will be about 5.5%, which equates to the elevation change between San Diego, CA and Scottsdale, AZ. I do think it will allow the PGA Tour and other pro events to be played on courses that maybe aren’t as long, but have some of the best architectural design in the world. Places like Shoreacres and Glen Flora here in the Chicago area are too short for any high level player, so this change may bring back the challenge these courses had when they were first designed.
What Others Think: This announcement hit the golf world like a tidal wave, with most players absolutely hating the decision that USGA has made.
Here is what Bryson Dechambeau, notorious for trying to chase distance, said when he heard the news. “It’s a great handicap for us guys that have worked really hard to learn how to hit it farther. Look, if they do it in a way where it only affects the top end, I see the rationale. But I think it’s the most atrocious thing that you could possibly do to the game of golf. It’s not about rolling golf balls back; it’s about making golf courses more difficult.”
Another critique came from two-time major winner Justin Thomas: “I don't know how many of y'all consistently play golf in here, but I promise none of you have come in from the golf course and said, you know, I'm hitting it so far and straight today that golf's just not even fun anymore. Like, no, that's not—it's just not reality … I mean, people are running faster, so, what, are they just going to make the length of a mile longer so that the fastest mile time doesn’t change, or are they going to put the NBA hoop at 13 feet because people can jump higher now?”
However, Tiger Woods said this in 2017. "We've had to lengthen so many golf courses now, and eventually you're going to run out of property. Some of the older golf courses, we're going to lose them. I see no reason why we can't be like baseball and have a line of demarcation between college or amateur and the professional ranks, which would be the minor leagues all the way up to the bigs. My idea was to have it so that every professional would have to play a reduced-flight ball.”
With all this being said, it should be interesting to see how all of this unfolds in the next couple of years. There are many levels to it, including out this affects the golf ball industry and the recreational golfer. I do think there are both positives and negatives to the rule change. What do you think of it?
