David Feherty says he's worried about the governing bodies' plans to rollback the golf ball at the sport's elite level and doubts whether LIV Golf would even enforce it if it did come into play.
The R&A and USGA announced a new Model Local Rule proposal where competition organizers at the elite level would be able to enforce that players used a shorter golf ball. If the proposal was confirmed, a local rule to use a ball that would travel around 15-20 yards shorter would come into play in 2026.
"I'm worried about the ruling bodies doing something to the golf ball," Feherty said in a segment broadcast during this weekend's LIV Golf League event in Orlando, FL.
"It occurs to me to wonder how a change back to a slower ball would affect our players at LIV. Will Bryson's head explode? Will DJ's beard fall off? Will Cam's mullet melt?
"I don't think so. And in fact, I doubt even that we'll adopt the proposed change. We're 'golf, but louder', so 'golf, but shorter' doesn't really fit in the wheelhouse.
"But if the golf, but quieter chaps, which is everyone but us, do adopt it, then our players will suddenly find themselves having to get used to a duller pellet the week before a Major, or at least I think that's what they'd have to do this week rather than just to go into The Masters cold turkey."
David Feherty just said on the LIV broadcast that if there’s a ball rollback they might not adopt the local rule. “We’re golf but louder, so golf but shorter doesn’t really fit”Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/T8l3VxO5o5April 2, 2023
The proposed rollback of the ball is one of golf's hottest topics, with some of the game's biggest names divided. Rory McIlroy is in favor of the move but Bryson DeChambeau called the plans "atrocious."
A survey from equipment manufacturer TaylorMade showed that 81% did not agree with the proposal for bifurcation.
