Update: Governing bodies confirm proposal to bifurcate golf ball
Golf’s governing bodies, the R&A and USGA, are expected to announce plans to bifurcate the game of golf where the world’s elite players could end up using a different spec ball to amateurs.
A new Model Local Rule is reportedly being proposed, meaning that any equipment changes would only affect the world’s best golfers. Model Local Rules are specific rules that committees can adopt for tournament play.
According to reports in the US, the plans are set to relate the testing swing speed of golf balls increasing from 120mph to 127mph but the distance remaining at 317 yards (with a tolerance of three yards). By doing this, it would mean all current golf balls played on pro tours would be non-conforming and eventually lead to a ball spec that traveled somewhere around 15-25 yards shorter. The MLR could reportedly come into play in 2026.
A press conference at 10am ET on Tuesday will reveal more.
The governing bodies have made their stances very clear that the golf ball flies too far over recent years. The driver shaft length was reduced from a maximum of 48-inches to 46-inches last year and the Distance Insights Report in 2020 stated that increased hitting distances are “detrimental to the game’s long-term future.”
“Longer distances and courses, longer tees and longer times to play are taking golf in the wrong direction and are not necessary for a challenging, enjoyable and sustainable game,” it said.
The governing bodies, and a number of key figures in the game, are worried that today’s courses are becoming obsolete and moving away from their original designs due to the increased distances the world’s best are hitting the ball. There’s also a worry about upkeep and sustainability with many tour courses approaching the 8,000 yard mark.