Despite the contributing factors and there are a few (the ball, the clubs, better fitness, better fitting Technology etc ) , the bottom line is the game has evolved to a point where distances are excessive . It cannot continue down this path. Pros are hitting 8irons 200 yards and 360 yard drives witn regularity. Courses need to be 8000 yards.
Most Pros play unique tour only equipment. I would like to see a tour only ball and if that isnt possible reduction in COR on woods. This is logical and something they could easily implement for pros only.
In softball , improved technology and stronger dudes with better swings all but made most 300 foot fields obsolete. In my 50's I was hittting the ball over fences 300 feet away where in my 30's 250 was a good poke. What did they do, moved to a reduced flight ball and outlawed certain bats that were too lively. Problem solved . This in a sport played by millions of ams.
I was a high school and university javelin thrower. Biigger stronger athletes and better tecnology forced a change In the javelins designs I used in high school to be modified to a reduced flight one that is still used today.
These of course are amateur sports, without the big money of golf but even the NHL had to reduced the size of goalie pads, rules for max curvature on sticks.
I don't think a tour ball it would do anything at all to us amateurs , we could still use a regular ball. The companies would just need to make a tour ball now. Pros represent a very small % of golfers. To me that is the simplest and best option. If ball companies can make longer and better performing balls, they can make a distance restricted ball. Heck, they had them 25-40 years ago. Failing a change in the ball, i would fully support a reduction in COR of clubs. Again, no need for amateirs to to follow suit. In fact open it up so no equipment is illegal for amateurs. If colleges and universities want to follow the pros let them do so.
Sure tightening up fairways and leaving rough grow is one way to force them to take less than driver, but we see that in the US open and while a nice change, not sure I want to see guys chipping sideways in every event when they miss a fairway. Plus guys are hitting hybrids and hybrid irons 300 yards now. That should be the Maximum distance any shot goes, JMHO