R&A and USGA announce golf-ball rollback rule from 2028
December 6, 2023 – 8:54 AM PST
Golf’s Longest Hitters to Face New Rules Limiting Ball Distance
(Reuters) – Golf’s longest hitters will be reeled in under new rules announced on Wednesday by the R&A and USGA that will limit the distance balls struck by the game’s elite players can travel starting in January 2028.
In a bid to reduce the impact increased hitting distances have on golf’s long-term sustainability, the governing bodies said in a joint statement that the longest hitters can expect to see a reduction of as much as 13-15 yards in drive distance.
USGA Chief Executive Mike Whan stated, “Governance is hard. And while thousands will claim that we did too much, there will be just as many who said we didn’t do enough to protect the game long-term. But from the very beginning, we’ve been driven to do what is right for the game, without bias.”
“As we’ve said, doing nothing is not an option – and we would be failing in our responsibility to protect the game’s future if we didn’t take appropriate action now.”
Starting in 2028, golf balls will be limited to travel 317 yards, with three yards of tolerance, via testing conditions that will increase from the current standard of 120 mph swing speed to 125 mph.
This marks the first time that test speeds have been updated since 2004, when the current standard was set based on the longest hitters at that time.
The average driving distances on the PGA Tour is around 300 yards — up from 286.5 yards in the 2004 season — but many players are well in excess of that, meaning some courses are in danger of becoming obsolete.
According to the R&A and USGA, average professional tour and elite male players are expected to see a reduction of 9-11 yards in driving distance while LPGA players can expect a reduction of 5-7 yards.
The rule will also impact recreational golfers — which was not expected to be the case when the R&A and USGA unveiled their proposals in March — beginning in 2030 when driving distance reductions will be five yards or less.
Longer golf courses require additional resources such as water, the cost of renovating or moving elements like tees and bunkers continues to rise and other long-term impacts have been identified as a result of increased distance.
The governing bodies believe that if the sport is to enjoy a sustainable long-term future then the aforementioned economic and environmental impacts have to be kept under control.
“We are convinced that this decision is one of the key ways of achieving a sustainable future for golf, protecting the integrity of the game and meeting our environmental responsibilities,” said R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers.
Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Christian Radnedge
House Republicans Seek to Restrict Intelligence Community Surveillance on Americans
UNLV Locks Down During Mass Shooting, Schumer Prioritizes Ukraine Border Security, McCarthy Announces Departure
Biden’s Foreign Policy Backfires, Straining Relationships with Allies and at Home
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy to Leave House of Representatives
Meta Platforms to Enhance Transparency with Invisible Watermarking
Alphabet Introduces Advanced AI Model Capable of Processing Various Forms of Information
Unidentified Governments Surveilling Smartphone Users Through App Push Notifications
Elon Musk’s xAI Startup Files for $1 Billion Equity Offering
rnrn
What is the expected reduction in driving distance for average professional tour and elite male players due to the new rules?
Golf’s Longest Hitters to Face New Rules Limiting Ball Distance
December 6, 2023 – 8:54 AM PST
A general view of a bucket of balls at the practice area during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Golf’s longest hitters will be reeled in under new rules announced on Wednesday by the R&A and USGA that will limit the distance balls struck by the game’s elite players can travel starting in January 2028.
In a bid to reduce the impact increased hitting distances have on golf’s long-term sustainability, the governing bodies said in a joint statement that the longest hitters can expect to see a reduction of as much as 13-15 yards in drive distance.
USGA Chief Executive Mike Whan stated, “Governance is hard. And while thousands will claim that we did too much, there will be just as many who said we didn’t do enough to protect the game long-term. But from the very beginning, we’ve been driven to do what is right for the game, without bias.”
“As we’ve said, doing nothing is not an option – and we would be failing in our responsibility to protect the game’s future if we didn’t take appropriate action now.”
Starting in 2028, golf balls will be limited to travel 317 yards, with three yards of tolerance, via testing conditions that will increase from the current standard of 120 mph swing speed to 125 mph.
This marks the first time that test speeds have been updated since 2004 when the current standard was set based on the longest hitters at that time.
The average driving distances on the PGA Tour is around 300 yards — up from 286.5 yards in the 2004 season — but many players are well in excess of that, meaning some courses are in danger of becoming obsolete.
According to the R&A and USGA, average professional tour and elite male players are expected to see a reduction of 9-11 yards in driving distance while LPGA players can expect a reduction of 5-7 yards.
The rule will also impact recreational golfers — which was not expected to be the case when the R&A and USGA unveiled their proposals in March — beginning in 2030 when driving distance reductions will be five yards or less.
Longer golf courses require additional resources such as water, the cost of renovating or moving elements like tees and bunkers continues to rise, and other long-term impacts have been identified as a result of increased distance.
The governing bodies believe that if the sport is to enjoy a sustainable future, it is necessary to address the issue of distance, ensuring that the challenge and integrity of the game are maintained while also considering the environmental and economic factors associated with longer courses.
The new rules announced by the R&A and USGA represent a proactive step towards balancing the game of golf and protecting its future for generations to come.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
