Sneakylong Heard on Hank Haney's show recently (he hates the USGA btw) that when Jim Furyk won the U.S Open they gave him the trophy and told him he had to get the trophy engraved on his own.
That's unbelievable.
It's not real complicated for those of us who follow the game on tv and play competitively at our clubs on weekends, (not to mention some of us former dues-paying members who've come to the conclusion over the past several years that we can no longer find good reason to continue supporting an organization that no longer supports the weekend club players and their enjoyment of the game) to see what is going on here.
The 'Far Hills Facade' is in crisis mode, trying to somehow restore its relevance and credibility. That's why they decided a year or so ago to make changes in the rule book, to make some of the most common rules more player-friendly and easier to understand. Yet membership continues to decline, and that is a huge problem for the lawyer/executives running the circus there being paid these (nearly) 7-figure salaries with golden parachute strings attached.
But this survey wasn't really designed for weekend club player input. It was designed because there's a small albeit very vocal number of traditionalists (who've undoubtedly made sizable charitable donations to the USGA over the years) who've been screaming that distance and equipment technology is ruining the sport for the past decade.
The USGA feels obligated to at least pretend to address their concerns as well.
And I say "pretend" because it's one thing for Augusta National to introduce a reduced-distance ball if they feel it's needed to protect their own interests. But it's a whole different ball of wax if the so-called "ruling bodies" decide to roll back clubs and balls across the board.
I don't think the PGA Tour would be onboard with it. I honestly think that if it came right down to it, the Tour would simply institute their own local rule for PGA Tour sanctioned events allowing the clubs/balls that were permitted prior to the ban, and then adhere to the remainder of the USGA rules per usual. Fans aren't paying money to go out and support a tournament, spending a weekend and a couple hundred bucks to see the longer hitters hit 280 yard tee shots. They're coming out to see world-class golfers hit a golf ball like they never could dream of doing themselves. The Tour recognizes the tremendous positives that distance and technology have done for their bottom lines over the years. They're not gonna let the Far Hills Facade make such dramatic changes without putting up a serious fight. And make no mistake - if the USGA doesn't feel they're going to get compliance from the PGA Tour - they ain't gonna go through with it. Especially not now, that they're already dealing with a serious credibility problem.
Mike Davis might say he's gonna roll back the ball back before he leaves, but the execs left picking up the pieces after he's gone might have a different opinion on the matter.