CHIEFS GO THE DISTANCE TO HALT PROBLEM
GOLF’S governing bodies intend to break the “everincreasing cycle of hitting distance”, fearing the big hitters could make courses obsolete.
Advances in fitness and golf equipment technology have allowed players to hit the ball further and further in recent years.
That development prompted the launch of a two-year Distance Insights Report (DIR), published yesterday, and conceded that “an increasing number of courses... are at risk of becoming less challenging or ultimately obsolete”.
The report also found “any further significant increases in hitting distances at the highest level are undesirable”.
R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “This is a pivotal moment for the game. We need to bring the ever-increasing cycle of hitting distance to an end and start the debate on solutions.”
The USGA and R&A will assess the potential of a “local rule” which would allow tournament committees to “specify use of clubs and/or balls intended to result in shorter hitting distances”.
That raises the prospect of limited-distance kit being a requirement for entry into certain tournaments, although Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said last year, “it’s very unlikely that we would ever produce a Masters ball”.
A further nine to 12 months of consultation will now take place before any potential rule changes are proposed, after which equipment manufacturers will be given the chance to have their input.
The USGA and R&A have pledged to review their current specifications for equipment to see if they require “tightening or adjusting”, but potential changes would be aimed at top-level professionals and amateurs, rather than recreational players.
“It’s very important that we bring the industry with us for the game to ensure it’s thriving 50 years from now,” added Slumbers.
“This difficult problem will only reach its solution if we all work together.”