I think the idea makes as much sense as anything else if applied only to the professionals.

garyt1957 Why punish guys because they're good? Taking a club away that's been so important through the history of the game seems really dumb to me. Some people think putting is too important in golf. Let's take away putters and make them chip it in the hole. Bad analogy, but you get my drift.

Just a thought and topic. A new topic instead of the old . 😀

      Rickochet Most of the pros can still kill a fairway wood off of the deck.

      No COR/CT limit either...

          garyt1957 I was going to comment on that too. I thought maybe this is a really old article. 10.5 is common now on tour.

          McIlroy's 2020 TMAG Sim is 9*. He's probably the best driver of the ball on the PGA. Rory hits his 3 wood 285.

              Spuzz No COR/CT limit either...

              If they/PGA actually tested them more would be banned from use as did the R&A in last years Open. What were there a number of them and someone leaked the players name that they banned. Forget how that went down. They took a number of over the limit drivers out of play.

                  scotts33 Just a thought and topic. A new topic instead of the old . 😀

                  Nice to have an actual golf topic to chime in on for a change. But I don't agree with Nick. Is it usually the short hitters who are always trying to cut back distance? Nicklaus would be an exception.

                    scotts33 If they/PGA actually tested them more would be banned from use as did the R&A in last years Open. What were there a number of them and someone leaked the players name that they banned. Forget how that went down. They took a number of over the limit drivers out of play.

                    I think he means no COR on 3 woods. They don't test them, correct? I guess they figure it's hard to get over COR on such asmall head.

                      scotts33 In the article Faldo says back in the day with persimmon there were 10 great drivers of the ball not every PGA pro. Now there are 10 poor drivers of the ball. I think that was Faldo's point.

                      But that's with persimmon and balata. The balata ball was probably more responsible then the persimmon. He's not suggesting we go back to balata so I don't think smaller drivers will make much difference for pros.

                        garyt1957 Nobody said they're all at 10.5, but 9 is nowhere near 6*

                        Rory's driver in 2017: TaylorMade 2017 M2 (8.5 degrees at 8.25 degrees). See the trend Gary. It's the design of the face of the M5/M6 then the Sim.

                            scotts33 Rory's driver in 2017: TaylorMade 2017 M2 (8.5 degrees at 8.25 degrees). See the trend Gary. It's the design of the face of the M5/M6 then the Sim.

                            ?? Right so now he's up to 9. So the trend is more loft, again no one is going towards 6

                              Rickochet

                              I highly doubt that gutta percha balls are returning any time soon so that isn't a logical option.

                              Banning the driver is an option.
                              3 wood distance stats compiled by Trackman show on average 3 wood carry distance is 32 yards less than the driver. IMO, This would be an ideal reduction to apply to the field although I believe that a tour ball would be the choice over no tee if it came down to it. No tee would by far be the easiest, simplest and most immediate change

                                  scotts33
                                  I was speaking of the 3 woods.
                                  The USGA would eventually have to change the rule if the pros started ditching drivers, I assume.
                                  Distance would still be priority 1 for these guys so no tee would mean they ditch driver, imo, and join Stenson.
                                  Stenson would be saying "knulla mig katten är ur väskan nu"

                                    Weirfan
                                    Assuming that the pros would not lengthen their 3 woods, which would, in theory, close the distance gap between driver and 3 wood in the stats posted.
                                    They would also practice more with them than they do today.
                                    JMO

                                        Weirfan 3 wood distance stats compiled by Trackman show on average 3 wood carry distance is 32 yards less than the driver.

                                        I imagine if they had no driver they could close the gap between 3 wood and driver quite a bit. They're hitting 3 wood for accuracy now, if they needed it for more distance they'd go to lower lofted fairway woods with different designs for distance.

                                            garyt1957

                                            Sure , one can also make the argument that pros aren't swinging full and for max distance many times with the driver either.

                                            low lofted (13*) 3 woods already exist now...... hitting off the deck will never give the spin and launch variables and distances that off a tee does. Some guys will still hit it 300 off the deck with a 3 wood but they are the ones who routinely hit it 330+ with their driver .

                                            I don't think the PGA will ever use Faldo's idea, but if reducing distances is a goal of the Associations and Tours, it would be a cheap and easy thing to do

                                                Spuzz

                                                perhaps a rule maximizing length of the 3 wood like they have with the driver. Again, I don't see the no tee thing being adopted, while there might be idle talk, I don't even think there are any serious discussions taking place about changing the game to reduce distance ongoing so expect status quo for the next 5-10 years at least