On Tuesday, the USGA and R&A announced a proposal for a new Model Local Rule that would rollback the golf ball in an effort to limit distance at the elite level.
As you’d expect, fans took to social media to discuss whether or not the change would be good for golf. But they weren’t the only ones.
Over the last 24 hours, numerous PGA Tour pros have chimed in with their thoughts, as did Bryson DeChambeau of the LIV Golf League, who is less than pleased with the governing bodies’ decision.
Here’s what DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, Phil Mickelson and five more pros had to say:
Justin Thomas
“My reaction was disappointed and also not surprised, to be honest. I think the USGA over the years has, in my eyes, it’s harsh, but made some pretty selfish decisions. They definitely, in my mind, have done a lot of things that aren’t for the betterment of the game, although they claim it. I had conversations with some USGA members and it just, to me, I don’t understand how it’s growing the game. For them to say in the same sentence that golf is in the best place it’s ever been, everything is great, but…
“And I’m like, well, there shouldn’t be a but. You’re trying to create a solution for a problem that doesn’t exist. To me, it’s just, it’s so bad for the game of golf. … I mean, some of the great things to me is the fact that you can play the exact same golf ball that I play. I mean, that’s cool. For an everyday amateur golfer, it’s very unique that we are able to play the exact same equipment. Yeah, I understand that I may have a different grind on a wedge, whatever you want to call it, but you can go to the pro shop and buy the same golf ball that I play or Scottie Scheffler plays or whatever.
“Like, try to explain to me how that’s better for the game of golf. And they’re basing it off the top 0.1 percent of all golfers.
“So I know I went on a rant a little bit, but it irritates me because it’s consistent with, I feel like, decisions and things that the USGA has done in the past when it comes to rules or whatnot and data. I mean, what is it, using 127-mile-an-hour clubhead speed? Like, if you can swing 127 miles an hour, like, power to you. 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?
“Like, no. It’s evolution. We’re athletes now. Like, we’re training to hit the ball further and faster and if you can do it, so good for you. So yeah, as you can tell, I’m clearly against it.”
Bryson DeChambeau
“If you could say I’m the complete opposite times 1,000, that’s what I would be.
“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.
“I think it’s the most unimaginative, uninspiring, game-cutting thing you could do. Everybody wants to see people hit it farther. That’s part of the reason why a lot of people like what I do. It’s part of the reason a lot of people don’t like what I do.
“But again, it creates more conversation in a positive way than cutting it back and trying to make everybody equal. I’m all about equality. I’m not about equity on this front.”
Sam Burns
“Personally, I think it’s pretty silly. I would say if you look at the last few years of golf, I think the game has grown tremendously. At the end of the day no matter what it is we’re an entertainment sport and I think, I don’t think people necessarily want to come out here and watch guys hit it shorter. They enjoy watching guys go out there and hit it 350 yards. I don’t see what the problem is with that. I think that’s a skill and I don’t really agree with trying to take that away.”
Phil Mickelson
“I was actually surprised to hear this. So I have not read up on it. I haven’t looked into it. I haven’t really liked looked at the data, so I don’t really have an opinion on it right now. I just don’t have enough knowledge to really, on the subject to formulate an opinion yet.”
Stewart Cink
“I’m not really in favor of doing that,” Cink told Golfweek. “I just don’t see the need. Having been in the game for a long time, I don’t think that players really are hitting their drivers father than they’ve hit it over the years. I think we’re hitting driver by choice more often on different holes and so therefore the driving average is higher because there are holes we used to hit 3-iron off and now we hit driver. We’re driving the ball a lot farther on those holes but it’s not because of the golf ball. It’s because the statistics available and the strategic decisions that we’re all making just trying to squeeze every little bit we can out of our golf games. Because the competition is just incredibly close nowadays.
“I don’t like putting the manufacturers in a position where they have to make two different balls and one of them is pretty much going to be a zero-revenue ball. It’s going to end up costing golfers more to pay for the regular golf balls. I just don’t really love it.”
Cameron Champ
“There’s always news of trying to rollback things, but generally scores haven’t changed much in 30 years,” he told Golfweek. “Obviously, the courses have gotten longer, technology has gotten better, but it’s not like scores have changed or anything. If anything, if there’s any rollback in clubs, balls, whatever it is, generally speaking, the majority of guys on the Tour, or even average hitters, it’s just going to disadvantage them even more.
“It’s just going to be a long game. If you gave Rory or some of the very long guys, if we had to play with persimmons, just think about that. If everyone had to play persimmons, for the long guys it would be even more of an advantage using those clubs than it would now. I get that they’re trying to make sure it doesn’t go too far technology, but as far as advances go, golf courses are longer than they were back in the 60s and 70s and scores haven’t changed much.”
Matt Fitzpatrick
“I’ll be honest, I don’t really have an opinion on it,” Fitzpatrick told Golfweek. “If they want to do it, fine. Just got to get on with it. The only thing I would say is … if they’re going to do it, everyone should play that style of ball, amateurs as well. You either do it fully or it just becomes too confusing. … Juniors growing up, they want to play the same ball as Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy.”
Maverick McNealy
“I think the game of golf is in a great place. I think professional golf is the strongest it’s ever been. I have some concerns about rolling back the golf ball,” he told Golfweek. “I think it will hurt the professional game for a couple reasons. For one, the players that have fundamentally changed the game of golf and made it popular have all been generationally long and straight drivers of the ball. Think about Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Rory McIlroy, these guys all hit it far. If we want to expand our fan base as a game, non-golfers they resonate with birdies, hole-outs, backspin and ball speed.”
