EVENTS CAN CHOOSE TO LIMIT LENGTH OF DRIVERS IN NEW YEAR

Organizers running professional or elite amateur golf competitions will have the option of reducing the maximum length of golf clubs to reduce hitting distances, the Royal and Ancient and United States Golf Association said on Tuesday.

The rule will allow competitions to limit the maximum length of a golf club, excluding putters, to 46 inches from the current limit of 48 inches and will come into effect on Jan. 1.

The proposal was announced in February and was part of the latest updates to the Distance Insights Report published last year that said increased hitting distances changed the challenge of the game and risked making courses obsolete.

“We have taken time to consult fully with the golf industry, including players, the main professional tours and equipment manufacturers, and have considered their feedback carefully,” said Martin Slumbers, the Royal and Ancient’s chief executive.

“We believe this is the right thing for the game at this time and it will provide tournament organizers with the flexibility to choose for themselves within the framework of the rules.

“We are working hard to maintain an open, collaborative and considered dialogue with these key stakeholders as we continue to evolve the equipment standards rules to ensure they reflect the modern game.”

The proposal was met with mixed reactions earlier this year, with former world No. 1 Rory Mcilroy criticizing golf’s lawmakers and describing the campaign as a “huge waste of time and money.”

However, Bryson Dechambeau, above, known for his powerful drives that averaged nearly 330 yards last year with a 48-inch driver, said he was not worried about any changes to the rules.

Phil Mickelson committed to defend his title at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, officials announced Tuesday.

The tournament is set for Oct. 22-24 at the Country Club of Virginia in Henrico, Va.

Mickelson, a 45-time winner and six-time major champion on the PGA Tour, has won three of the four tournaments he’s entered on the Champions Tour since turning 50 in June 2020.

He’ll be part of a 72-player field that includes Miguel Angel Jimenez, Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer, this season’s leading money winner with US$2.7 million.