Frustrated Campbell hits out at the heavy hitters
Michael Campbell doesn’t like the sport golf has morphed into. The 2005 US Open champion believes the skill has been sucked out of the game by rapidly evolving club and ball technology, which allows bighitters to blaze their way around ever-growing golf courses.
Campbell cut a frustrated figure when bemoaning the evolution of the sport at the Millbrook Resort in Arrowtown yesterday, the day before he lines up in the 101st New Zealand Open.
The 51-year-old, who can still muster about 290 yards off the tee, had a practice round with Northlander Luke Brown on Tuesday, the latest reminder how much the game has changed.
‘‘He hits it 60 yards past me. He’s a bomber,’’ Campbell said.
‘‘It’s made me realise that the game has moved on, a lot. I don’t like it, to be honest with you. I feel [golf has] lost its creativity and imagination because the ball doesn’t move as much.
‘‘All they do these days is bomb it as hard as they can and find it.’’
Campbell isn’t the first Kiwi to curse the big-hitting game. Sir Bob Charles told Stuff in 2018 R&A and US Golf Association (USGA) bosses had to put a stop to ‘‘ridiculous’’ ball and club technology ruining the sport.
USGA and the R&A earlier this month released findings from their ‘‘Distance Insights Project’’, which revealed a steady increase in distance for more than 100 years – with average gains of about 30 yards by PGA Tour players in the last 25 years – and golf courses which keep expanding.
Changes are on the cards, but in what shape, and exactly when, is very much up in air. Among options being explored, is using specific golf balls or clubs which result in players not blasting the ball so far.
‘‘Golf is a game of skill, a broad range of skills, and no one skill should dominate,’’ R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said when the report was released.
Campbell was given a firm reality check last year when he utilised his lifetime European Tour status and lined up in five tournaments.
Now, having discussed it with other seniors, including South African Retief Goosen, he’s unsure if he’ll again bother.
‘‘Pradraig Harrington, he struggles out there. Thomas Bjorn, around the same age as me . . . you just know you’re not good enough for these young
‘‘I feel [golf has] lost its creativity and imagination . . . all they do these days is bomb it as hard as they can and find it.’’
kids, who hit it so far now.
‘‘I remember when I first turned pro, 15 guys are going to win every single week and they were the most talented ones. Now, you’ve got rookies winning every single time, which goes to show the less talented, due to the golf ball, the design of the club, the driver, the sweet spot, gives them more chance.’’
A year after launching his comeback in the 100th New Zealand Open, this year’s tournament will be his first in about four months.
Having shed 10kg and now weighing 90kg – his playing weight in his prime – Campbell’s primary goal in 2020 is to gain Champions Tour status.
Having played 12 Senior Tour events last year, which included one second placing, he’d hoped to already have some starts in the bag.
‘‘I was a bit disillusioned with the response from the sponsors. I thought that I would at least get 10 invites,’’ Campbell said.
‘‘I thought my resume was good enough to have their own national open winner playing in their events, but not to be.
‘‘But it is what it is. I need to up my game and hopefully get a few starts on the Champions Tour this year.’’