Nicklaus Calls For Special Golf Balls For Courses, But Why Won't He Make The Ball?
Jack Nicklaus' consistency on golf ball regulation is a thing to admire and he continued to lament the expansion of the golf course footprint at this week's HSBC Golf Business Forum.
Here were his comments from a press release summarizing views expressed during a chat with Giles Morgan at the Marriott Sawgrass Resort and Spa.
Despite the positive signs from the increased media interest in tournament golf, the game faces significant challenges—be it from a cost perspective, difficulty for some golfers, and a commitment of time. For Nicklaus, an award-winning course designer whose firm has 410 courses in 41 countries, that challenge can partly be associated with the golf ball.
“Fact is, more golf courses have closed in the US in each of the last 10 years than have opened. This is thanks in great part to changes in the golf ball and the distance it travels. Courses have had to change along with it. It’s now a slower game and more expensive than before, and that can’t be a good thing. We don’t want to change the game for the core golfer, but we need to make every effort to offer alternatives to bring more people into the game and keep them in the game. I think we need to develop a golf ball to suit the golf course, rather than build courses to suit a golf ball. Whether it’s a ball that goes 50%, 75%, or 100%, you play a ball that fits the course and your game.
“It’s not that big a deal. We used to do it when travelling to play the Open and switching from the large ball to the small. It took us only a day to get used to a different ball. But when land is a dear commodity and water is scarce, you need to do something to respond to today’s situation. It’s the same in life and business."
And yet, even though he's in the golf ball business, Mr. Nicklaus has refused to make the golf balls he describes above. They could easily be branded by naming them after his courses. The 75% Muirfield Village ball would be a staple of pro shops at places like Pine Valley, Merion and National and used by traditionalists who want to play the course as it was designed.
This is not hard. I just don't get it.
Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 06:59 PM
Reader Comments (27)
I think Nicklaus is somewhat off base about course closures. Yes, water cost in places like CA is a big factor, but close in to major cities courses have closed because their land is more valuable for development- commercial and residential. Owners want to cash out. It's the American way.
It's simple, your idea would only lose money. Businesses that only lose money are not of interest to any rational business people.
Nicklaus comments apply to a very small minority of players- mainly professionals, who don't buy golf balls anyway and anyone who hits a tee shot consistently more than, say, 280 yards. These players should use a ball which goes less far. to prevent every hole being a drive and a wedge. Or driving several par 4s at St Andrews. The rest of us, 95% of the golf ball buying public, don't.
Maybe his ball comments are to take attention away from the body of his design work which contributes more to the state of golf than longer courses which can always be played from shorter tees.
Colin - not sure I completely agree with you. I consider myself very average distance for an amateur (240-250 carry). The issue I have with the new ball is, while I've gained a few yards, the longest players have seemed to gain exponentially. I honestly can't relate to the distances top amateurs and pros hit it anymore, and it has made the game less interesting for me.
Lefty - could not agree more re Jack's courses. Played Pawley Plantation in Myrtle this past August. I can't imagine anyone has fun playing that everyday. Angular greens, few (if any) bailout options.....not much fun. But he's not wrong about the ball
Just roll back the ball for tournaments just 10% and stop kidding many golfers they can boom it when they can't hit a 7 iron 140 yards in the air.
How do you expect golf shop owners to stock both tournament and current balls on the racks?
When this was discussed in the past there was a solid discussion on this blog about handicap entry. You would have to add what ball was played to get a reasonable handicap. Although the way other things are moving with the solo rounds not being eligible entering handicap scores at all might become a thing of the past.
It deflates the mood for most knowing guys are driving +320. It's OK to be outdriven by 30/40 yards, not 90/100. Now it seems more like professional baseball or football and it's a game for kids.
It would be so easy to do: a competition specification is developed. Each manufacturer makes a competition spec ball. For Joe Average, the vast assortment of other balls are still available, but I can guarantee the manufacturers will still sell lots of competition balls because people like to play what the pros play - even if they are giving up some distance. The manufacturers still sell lots of golf balls, tournaments are more interesting, pros have to hit some long and mid irons, skill comes back into the game....everyone wins. It's pathetic and sad that it hasn't already happened. The business of golf is ruining the game of golf.
Keeping in mind that 90+% of golfers would never play in an actual competition, ever.
Not surprising ... I'm sure Mr. Nicklaus is impressed with your track record in the golf business, that is, making a living sniping and taking cheap shots. Shackelford telling Nicklaus how to run his business?...thanks for the laugh.
Another thing.....MacGregor golf balls were the worst golf balls I have ever played ! It's the only golf ball I threw away in my life. Distance balls have been around for decades. A Pinnacle golf ball was going 15 yards further 30 years ago , if you wanted a rock to hit around the greens.
He DID hit on some real problems, though, namely that water and land are resources that are not being conserved very well with existing golf courses. These are the kinds of problems that need to be addressed to keep courses open, not equipment tweaks. Make better decisions with the existing courses and get the price to play the game down.
Enough 'Genius for Life" cuz you were the best awhile ago.
Use a tournament supplied ball on 6-9 holes per round and the manufacturer/sponsor ball on the rest. Every course has (or has land /room to create) 1-3 holes where length with sponsor's ball can be showcased. Besides long driving is a skill to be rewarded on some holes. So courses don't become obsolete and fine tradition tracks can be used. Just think about the challenges/controversies that set up folks would face. The mix of tournament vs sponsor ball holes could be changed from round to round. The caddies and players would have to employ even more strategy and creativity.
Tournament and course records from the past would be a problem, but no more so as the ball and course modifications have changed.
Think about it. A bit complicated, but win for today's courses and a win for sponsors and amateurs who want the 'Long, low scoring' ball.
Blame it on the USGA. They lost control a long time ago. Drivers should have never been allowed to be larger than 190cc - the size of the original Big Bertha.
"The business of golf is ruining the game of golf." Yep I use to be all about the game. Now it is all about the business of the game.
"The irony is that Jack built 400 very hard courses out of his 410. And Jack's courses are not fun to play." Yep. Ahhhhh, the days of the so-called 'slope wars'. Make 'em harder, and harder so we can promote our development has the highest slope rating in the state !!