The United States Golf Association along with the Royal and Ancient have finally come up with their plan to put a damper on distance.
It’s been nearly a year since the two governing bodies of golf released their Distance Insight Project and within that stated that the ever-increasing length of some modern players is “detrimental” to the sport, they have outlined proposed equipment rules, changes and testing standards as well as other “areas of interest” in an effort to produce shorter hitting distances in the game and released them this past Monday.
Their three proposed changes to manufacturers were:
A limit on maximum driver length. They’re taking that back from 48-inches to 46-inches. They also will effect how drivers (spring-effect) and golf balls are tested for distance. The shaft-length limit has a 30-day review period (ends March 4) while the ball and driver test changes review will go for six months, pushing to early August.
The driver length could affect “competitions limited to highly-skilled players (ie professionals and elite amateurs).
Also included were six specific “areas of interest” that cover every aspect from shorter golf balls to smaller, less forgiving and less-springy drivers. Though not a formal proposal, these are targeted research topics that are being explored: a reduction in the limit to the overall distance standard; modification in the limitation of ball efficiency; other ball specifications (size, mass); reduction in the performance of drivers, including club length and clubhead dimensions (i.e. volume); changes in the clubhead specifications on spring-like effect and moment of inertia, also considering the utilization of radius of gyration limitations; and production of spin from all clubs from all areas of the course.
The report also stated:
“We will also evaluate the potential use of a local rule option to specify use of a defined subset of conforming clubs and/or balls intended to result in shorter hitting distances and/or an enhancement in the balance between distance and other skills,” the release read. “The concept is that a committee or golf facility would have the option of requiring the use of equipment meeting these specifications or a subset of them.”
Both governing bodies said they will accept feedback on those areas until November 2.
If they are adopted and right now that’s a big “if” — there’s no specific timeline for implementing the changes.
Have A Spare Two Billion? You Can Buy TaylorMade:
With a hefty asking price of $2 billion, TaylorMade is officially on the market.
KPS Capital Partners, owner of TaylorMade, has hired New York investment banking firm Morgan Stanley to solicit would-be suitors.
KPS bought it for $425 million from Adidas four years ago.
Golf was down worldwide back in 2017 when Adidas figured out there’s no money in golf equipment, choosing to focus on the high-profit margin item of clothing and shoes.
TaylorMade forks out a lot of money to have the likes of Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy, among others, playing with their “stuff.”
4 Comments
baxter cepeda
There’s a long way to go with this so we can take it slow.
Since Tom posted this article players like JT, even dealing with one controversy, and Rory, to a smaller extent his own controversy, are jumping into this controversy with bold statements.
While it is in vogue to say rolling back distance will benefit bombers as it did for tiger back in the day— it’s not the same —tiger was the best iron player from any distance.
These bombers and stars today seem to be hiding their personal concerns by advocating for the weekend warriors.
Btw The word amateur doesn’t apply here because many amateurs are even longer than many top players.
What is important to remember is any roll back will simply not allow the Brysons and Rory’s and all the bombers of the world to eliminate iron play from elite golf.
Weekend warriors will not even notice a change.
Rory seems to want to eliminate the iron and full wedge play which kills him weekly ; his advantage is a drive and a chip. But sorry rory, that changing. Eventually.
Its also likely a player like JT , who is specifically defending the ball today, must be worrying that he is so good with the wedge and ball combo now, he may not be able to do the things he can do that rory cannot do.
The top guys are also seemingly defending the manufacturers whom sign checks for them.
It is important to note this is about eliminating the spring effect guys who swing well over 110 mph get; really it’s the 120 mph and up guys getting the crazy spring effect currently.
This means these guys not only hit it farther, they are getting an extra boost. This is the main issue. Tripp addressed this again, as well as his desire for more spin at high speeds, which I don’t know if that’s as needed personally; but not against it. The sweet spot issue, the spin issue, these are tied but also separate to distance. But it would be good fit there to be more discrepancies in distance based in hitting sweet spots. Today if a guy cuts a huge corner over a neighborhood, he knows he will most likely pull it off. It shouldn’t be that obvious. There needs to be more risk.
Today’s golf technology — aside from the driver face being the size of a 70s tennis racket, which helps weekend warriors make contact — is really designed for the elite golfer. The ball also.
They know people will buy what the stars use.
Again, weekend warriors will not notice any changes. If I give a kid or a friend a brand new Titleist, they really would notice no difference from a 20 year old range ball. They just hit it and play and have fun. Let’s not make this about them.
That being said What really needs to happen is that It’s time manufacturers truly get back to making stuff for consumers; instead of elite golfers.
Make swings under 90 mph get some spring effect while the faster swings have to earn every yard.
But again, no one needs panicking here. The usga is not full of itself, as rory is implying, it simply has an incredibly tough job balancing what these elite golfers and manufacturers collaborations are doing to the game.
Let’s not even get into the prices of equipment, which the manufacturers must recoup from weekend warriors despite the design of the clubs being for the elite golfers; whom are also getting the companies money.
I really find the whole thing with golf equipment unfair to the consumer. I play a 913 Titleist I bought used a few years ago. I bomb it and do think I’m good enough to benefit some from newer technology but definitely not enough to spend hundreds even thousands for one club. It’s just not worth it. Wish more people understood the prices folks see on the shelves for golf stuff is a huge deterrent for them.
Sure there is cheaper stuff and used stuff, but that’s what people see and say because they don’t know better. If they only knew this stuff wasn’t even designed for them.
Weekend warriors: have no fear.
Pga tour boys: stop crying.
Take it easy. Nothing will happen overnite but maybe start working on your iron game a little more.
Tom Edrington
Baxter: Yes, a ways to go on this, will have no effect on recreational players; Mostly professional tours; Guys a rollback would hurt — a guy like Webb Simpson and someone like Tiger, he can’t afford to lose any distance….
baxter cepeda
I don’t think so Tom. Webb gets no significant spring effect already. He will be playing from the same places.
Tiger, who still pushes to be in those higher ball speeds because he wants that special spring effect, would struggle. But I think it helps tiger if the top guys have to play more irons. We know how good he is with irons.
Tom Edrington
Tiger’s problem is two fold: 1. Doesn’t putt as well as he used to; 2: Doesn’t read the greens as well as he used to (44-year-old eyes)….looking forward to him getting back out there; But as we look at the discussion and feedback period for any changes, doubt anything happens until sometime in 2022.