Faldo...Restore Skill to the Game

scotts33 · 2025-09-21T11:32:23+00:00

Golf legend Sir Nick Faldo believes the sport's governing bodies should ban tees and lob wedges and limit low-degree drivers, instead of rolling back the bal...

azgreg

This is what happens when you kick the can down the road. Eventually it reaches a point where it can't be picked up.

Typhoon

Stu1961 Well what is the USGA bitching about really?? Scoring or how far they hit it? Bottom line is scoring is their issue. Making the hole smaller is the easiest thing to do.

You’re right that it’ll make golf unwatchable but… they complain about scoring average so…..

Stu1961

Typhoon
I don’t agree that scoring is/was their primary concern - more of a byproduct of skill being reduced in the game, making scoring easier as a result. Their decision to attack the ball was, maybe?, the easiest to implement. I don’t see how they could have, easily, shrunk sweat spots on all clubs (or maybe just drivers?).

Typhoon

If I want to watch short hitters, shitty golf…. I’ll sit out front of our pro shop with. 12 pack.

Typhoon

Stu1961 What could be easier than super narrow fairways, long rough or smaller holes? Any equipment changes like “the ball” need companies to invest millions to comply.

Nicklaus and Faldo, loved them when they played but now they are just grumpy old men.

Par4QC

Stu1961 Their decision to attack the ball was, maybe?, the easiest to implement.

True. Balls are much cheaper for companies to make than any club.

But if anyone thinks 'skill' is going to be reduced, or even enhanced, by changing ANYTHING associated with equipment....they are very much sadly mistaken. These players, depending on ages, started playing as far back as 40 years ago. Then 20+/- years ago they became Pros. They were that good with 20-40 year old clubs and balls!! Skill!!
A human development, not manufactured.

They will still shoot low 60's. Every week. 250 or 350 yard drives notwithstanding. 7500+/- yards courses.

Spuzz

USGA/Faldo/Nicklaus:

stroh

U.S. Open golf is boring. Tiger Woods 2000 not withstanding.

Sneakylong

Before Covid golf was on the decline. More people leaving the game than coming in. More courses closing than opening.

Ironically Covid was a gift to golf. My local Edwin Watts had it’s best year ever during Covid. The USGA is tone deaf. Trying to fix something that isn’t broken.

There is nothing wrong with golf as it is right now. It’s enjoying a renaissance. As popular as ever. However, a bunch of blue blazer, silver spoon in the mouth, out of touch country club elitists want to flex their power.

Again, the PGA of America and the PGA Tour should take control and regulate themselves.

Typhoon

Sneakylong Exactly!!!

Typhoon

Sneakylong Yup… clueless. The excitement of watching the game is the long ball, low scores…. Like I said, who want to watch shit golf? People want excitement… it draws them to the game. What about NASCAR? How exciting would it be it they governed the speeds at 35 mph?? What are they going to do about baseball?? Records were meant to be broken. The goal post thing in football is dumb, a 65 yard FG attempt is exciting to me because if you miss it the other team gets good field position so it’s a nail biting decision. A bunch of 30 yard chip shots is boring.

Stu1961

Typhoon
I definitely see your point, but people also like rivalries and "greatness", seeing something special ... even if it means dominance. Easier seen to the extreme, where if technology were to make the game even easier (example: everyone able to hit it 350 down the center of the fairway, and pin point approaches to the flag) you would see routine sub 60 rounds (even more than there are now - 98 in professional tours) and a chance of 50 different winners in 50 tournaments. I believe that would be detrimental to the sports popularity - even though there were long balls and low scores. Basically a four day coin toss contest.
When was golf at it's peak popularity? Was it because of distances in excess of what they are proposing? 😁

Typhoon

Stu1961 Yup, the rivalries! I agree… back then they played for the chance to beat each other. Nobody was pissing and moaning that Nicklaus could hit it further than everyone else.

The thing is today money talks…. There are no rivalries when there could be. Scottie and Rory… LIV…. Money gets in the way.

And as long as the human body is involved nobody will hit every shot down the middle and every shot stiff. It’s like baseball…. Nobody is going to hit a home run with every hit.

sdandrea1

Typhoon So look at Agronomy. Grow the rough and narrow the fairways. Narrow them a lot. Use grasses in the rough that make it harder to escape. And make the greens rock hard

Thank you. I've been saying this forever. Problem is it's easier to change the ball than require all these courses to change their conditions.

Luc_Van_Daele

Stu1961 I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see ball manufacturers to focus on specific swing speeds (80, 90, 100) with claims/proof that their new ball goes just as far at that swing speed as their previous ones did.

Apparently a lot of the softer balls amateurs play already meet the new distance requirement @125mph. Pro's won't carry 300 yards with a pink lady Top Flite you fished out of a lake either.

Par4QC

Luc_Van_Daele I've witnessed otherwise.

I've had Jake hit many different types of balls. No matter the construction, or compression, he kills them all. Well over 300.

Pros only average around 115 mph now. Maybe only 2-3 can breech that 125, or even reach it, and will not do it but here & there. Plus they seldom hit the driver 14 times/round. Very seldom.

So how does the 'limitation' of the new balls show with other clubs in the bag? I've found longer balls from the tee, but from any other lie I find them all basically the same in distances. That encompasses a large variety/types of balls.

They are barking up a tree. At ghosts.😉

KCee

They should make them play glow balls. Those things go nowhere.

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