USGA/R&A Distance Report

PA-PLAYA · 2020-02-07T05:53:34+00:00

Well... apparently the governing bodies have finally come to the conclusion that golf's changing distance climate does indeed exist. Without wasting enormo...

Luc_Van_Daele

DonM If the changes were happening now, I wonder what LIV would do.

They'll play to the rules of golf, what else?

Typhoon

Sneakylong Narrow the fairways and grow the rough.

People don't go to baseball games to see a bunt single fest or in football a field goal fest. Yeah, pitching duals and low scoring games are fine here and there. But people like to see scoring.

100% right Sneaky. I stared writing that but got sidetracked last night. You don’t go to a basketball game to watch a final score of 18-12. Like I said, look at how they set up a US Open course and follow that blueprint… idiot’s right??!

ode

Sneakylong depends on who is in charge, but the PGA types seem to be less uptight then the USGA types!

Sneakylong and then BAD won a US Open.

Sneakylong

ode

I forgot Ernie Els who won an Open with a belly putter as well. Mike Davis looked like a fool after saying they wouldn’t ban long / anchored putters. It was ok as long as the Champions Tour guys were winning with them.

But as soon as some PGA Tour guys started winning especially Majors he did a quick 180. It’ll be interesting to see if the PGA Tour pushes back on this reduced speed golf ball stuff.

The PGA, USGA and R&A can do whatever they want. I’d like to see bifurcation with everything golf. If a manufacturer can make the game easier for the masses have at it. Most golfers don’t have a handicap and don’t play in tournaments anyway.

ode

is this going to be for USGA events only🤔

Eguller

ode

The USGA & the R&A seem to be lock-step twins.

ode

Sneakylong that's essentially where it is headed, which IMO isn't a bad thing but it won't be perceived in a positive light at all. They will just be adding fuel to outfits like LIV who will use it against them (bifurcation).

Re anchoring. It should have been outlawed a long time ago. It is not a stroke and significantly takes away from skill of putting....and the resultant aftermath IMO is a bunch of guys essentially cheating right under their nose and a new method called armlock. That's where they messed up is waiting too long!

Spuzz

DonM If the changes were happening now, I wonder what LIV would do.

Welcome a lot of new members, if they wish.

Eguller

The USGA just released its announcement. Check your email. They are looking for input.

KCee

I don't why they worry so much about scoring. We like to see scoring! It's why we love football, baseball, and basketball, but NOT soccer!

As others have said, just make the course play harder rather than longer. Let the fairways and rough grow. You don't get 50 yards of roll at a New England muni. Have some bunkers rock hard and others with too much sand. Greens should be all different speeds too. If there's no water and not enough trees then have more OB.

Eguller

KCee

Seems the real arguments to rein distance have to do with the costs - land, environmental issues, green fees, etc.
Older, elite courses can only lengthen so much before they become not useful to the modern pro game.

Any course can be made extremely difficult, but those watching tournaments prefer to see how good these
guys are versus how much pain can be inflicted on them by a brutal course (except me 😉). The TV product
has to be interesting and fun to watch or it won't survive long term. Length is relative.

Sneakylong

Just heard Michael Breed on PGA Tour Radio and he’s totally against this. Normally he’s a huge USGA fan.

DonM

Sneakylong Just heard Michael Breed on PGA Tour Radio and he’s totally against this. Normally he’s a huge USGA fan.

He's also a Titleist flack.

ode

Eguller costs

I think consumer expectations is out of whack....wanting everything to be perfect, greens, fairways, etc. And I don't buy the land argument....at some point folks just need to say NO to expanding courses as a result of how far the pros are hitting it. Pros are how much of the golfers that play % wise🤔. I take no issue with Pros smashing drives 350 and/or being able cut corners, hit over trees/lakes/OB, etc. There are other solutions which is narrowing fairways, growing rough OR change the # on the card from a 5 to a 4!

Par4QC

These old farts need to do more thinking and less quaffing of the rum.
Distances really mean little when compared to final scores. And they are not looking at scores at all while making asinine decisions as they mostly do. Distance does not equal score.

I have a great idea!!.....simply increase the Par for every hole!!! That will shut down the 'score to Par' bullshit they are complaining about.
Yeah, I'm kind of a genius, I guess. I should prolly be a member of the R&A group. 🤔

sdandrea1

Par4QC idea!!.....simply increase the Par for every hole!

That would go against tradition and we can't have that.......no, we certainly can't have that. 🤣

Sneakylong

Just heard that the proposal is to reduce the ball by 7 to 8 percent. Obviously it would affect every club in the bag. So what would go 100 yards now would go 92 to 93 yards with the reduced speed ball.

Par4QC

Sneakylong I really like that! And it is brilliant.
Instead of a 347 yd. drive followed by a 130 yd. SW, they will have to hit a 320 yd. drive and a 157 yd. PW.

We just do not give these old boys enough credit sometimes.

Eguller

Sneakylong the proposal is to reduce the ball by 7 to 8 percent.

10% would be just about right. Or - bring back the balata ball to make them play 'shots'.
While were at it, maybe no graphite shafts also. 🤣

Par4QC

Eguller While were at it, maybe no graphite shafts also.

I was going to say that, but Jack hit a lot of 300 drives. And a lot of these guys are bigger than he was.

DonM

Have to say, I don't care at all about the issue. If it happens we will forget about it in no time. Pro golf will be just as interesting or not. They will still gain distance as years go by, albeit within new ranges.

Eguller

Par4QC these guys are bigger than he was.

Bigger doesn't alway compute - look at JT & M.W.Lee.
How to keep courses relevant or limit distance considering the future ?

Par4QC

Eguller How to keep courses relevant or limit distance considering the future ?

Have you ever watched those old Shell's World of Golf? Take notice of the greens, let alone the fairways. The greens looked like our muni fairways. Those old boys were 'banging' putts, just to go 20' sometimes. They were not 'stroking' the ball on the greens. That alone will add plenty of strokes to anyone's game. Limiting distance through equipment never will. Taking away 7-8% is nothing. They can carry 14 clubs. And will use them with great precision. Give them all 'woods' and it will still be the same. They cannot change the human body.
Maybe they should ban 'fitness'.??????

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