An Overview Of How The Distance Debate Got To This Point
For those who haven't read my 2005 thriller The Future of Golf, or perhaps who have friends needing to understand why the governing bodies are warming up on the distance issue, Golfweek's Alistair Tait sets up the reason for the shift in position as we anticipate a report in the coming days.
Tait gets to the key question many were asking here at Riviera: What’s happened in the last year to change Slumbers’ mind?
“There has been a significant move up across all tours,” he said. “We’re looking at the longest on-record average driving distance. It’s caused us as well as our colleagues at the USGA serious concern. We had talked for a number of years about slow creep. This is a little bit more than slow creep. It’s actually quite a big jump.”
“Our 2002 joint statement of principles put a line in the sand, or purported to put a line in the sand. Our view is when you start to look at this data now, that we have probably crossed that line in the sand and that a serious discussion is now needed.”
Now what?
The Allan Robertson testing facility seems ideally suited to get on top of hitting distance. A tour of this facility is like entering a new, high-tech world. Clubs and balls can be tested to the limit under the watchful eye of professor Steve Otto, the R&A’s director of equipment standards and chief technology officer. There doesn’t seem to be anything about golf equipment the former NASA employee doesn’t know.
The problem is trying to please all facets of the game. No avid amateur golfer wants to hit the ball shorter. The manufacturers have worked within the governing bodies’ guidelines and will feel miffed if the two bodies take drastic action. Many tour pros obviously won’t welcome a rollback.It’s a big job, but long overdue. It’ll be interesting to see what the two bodies propose next.
Monday, February 19, 2018 at 01:50 AM
Reader Comments (19)
No avid golfer wants to give up an advantage, if others are not. Nobody is clamouring to use a 50” driver, they accept that a length has been set and all reputable manufactures are adhering to this maximum length.
The USGA and R&A have a huge opportunity on the care for the environment ticket.
Declare that in 5 years all sanctioned pro and elite amateur tournaments will conducted with biodegradable balls. When setting the parameters for biodegrading also set CORs, minimum sizes, weights and spin rates.
General play and non-elite competitions can continue with current stock for a further 3 years and then only fully contained, recyclable facilities such as driving ranges can use balls produced under current methods and at end of use those balls are recycled.
Ball manufacturers then have a built in obsolescence, Langer can return to playing 18 balls a round, everybody wins
Titleist. We’re not the longest ball but we’re still pretty good
Isn’t a great marketing position?
Same reason they missed the cut in the 80's, 70's, 60's, 50's....etc...etc. Try harder the next time you attack the Straw Man.
Amateurs, up through the elite level, would still use the the regular equipment available so manufacturers would feel little if any impact. The graduation from game improving, amateur equipment to tour level professional equipment would begin at competitive lower professional levels (mini tours up through web.com). I don't think the conversation differs too much from the transition baseball players deal with specific to bats as they come out of college to the professional ranks. There is an adjustment to consider, but the best of the best will adapt.
Some of my favorite players growing up were guys like Nick Price and Olazabal, guys who's best weapons were 2 / 3 / 4 irons. In today's game, I fear they would have little ability to compete and certainly not in majors.
Who used a solid core ball for less spin and more distance when he was number one??