The debate over distance in golf may never end, but the R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA) are finalizing the possibility of ensuring golf balls don’t regain distance ahead of an announcement at the end of the year.
seems to have solidified its position.
It will fly far in the sky.
After proposing the Model Local Rule (MLR) and following a comment period that ended in August, the R&A and USGA may have given a hint on how to proceed.
“The ball is clearly flying further than it was 15 years ago,” R&A CEO Martin Slumbers told Golf Digest.
“And I have no reason to doubt that this situation will not continue.
I have had this idea for a long time.
” And I had to keep it a secret for a long time.
However, when we published the Distance Report at the beginning of this process, it was clear that this issue needed to be addressed for the benefit of the game.
“From this standpoint and from an environmental protection standpoint, we have to do something.
We’ve been very clear, as well as Mike Wang (CEO) of the USGA, that the options are There’s only 3.
You can separate it, either change the whole game or do nothing.
And doing nothing is not an option.
The MLR proposed in March was intended for elite competition only.
Reflecting the longest shots in professional play requires the use of golf balls tested under modified launch conditions.
Officials from the PGA Tour and PGA of America issued statements opposing the MLR proposal, which could result in players missing out on the British Open and U.S Open.
PGA Championship and PGA Tour competitions require opening one type of golf ball and using a different type of golf ball.
Augusta National also indicated it supports a rollback ahead of the 2023 Masters.
Although the majority of PGA Tour players expressed disdain for MLR, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, who recently placed first and second in the Player Impact Program, both expressed support.
McIlroy even said he will be using the new MLR golf balls at PGA Tour events in preparation for major championships.
“The game wasn’t happy with the model local rules,” Slumbers said.
“We felt this would divide the game at the elite level.
There was very strong resistance to that.
” The PGA Tour has been very public about this.
The same goes for the American PGA.
Several players spoke up.
And our job is to listen.
“But our responsibility lies in the long-term future of the game.
” The R&A, along with the USGA, are the guardians of the game.
We are responsible for our own timespan, which has been and will continue to be for hundreds of years.
So let’s listen.
And we made a decision about what we were going to do.
It is currently in development and scheduled for release later this year.
