The golf ball rollback is just the beginning. The amount of titanium and carbon fiber in the driver’s clubface increases the rebound effect at impact, which adds distance. Both the USGA and The R&A understand that more-forgiving drivers are the real problem of added distance, so that’s likely next on their agenda. Course setup and more physically conditioned athletes are also huge factors in the distance argument, but they are not being addressed with this most recent edict. Ignoring those two parts of the equation is yet another logic-defying aspect of the USGA and The R&A’s reasoning. Recreational player surveys are overwhelmingly against this restriction. The PGA Tour, the PGA of America, as well as ball manufacturers have also expressed serious complaints to the ruling bodies, but these two governing bodies, the USGA and The R&A, have decided they know better saying, “It’s for the good of the game.” The entire process was further flawed by the USGA and The R&A having already made up their collective minds before solicitation of outside input and a formal comment period from “stakeholders.” Some observers see this as strikingly disingenuous. Mike Davis, former CEO of the USGA until retirement two years ago, was quoted on several occasions that he was going to affect a curtailment of golf ball distance if it was the last thing he did. Current USGA CEO Michael Whan has also been vocal about ball distances and presumably this opinion was an important part of him getting the job after Davis. The pandemic may have delayed the inevitable outcome, but now they are getting their wish. Lest you think this rant is really whining, it is something that has been reflected in this writer’s columns for a long time. We are, however, all big boys and girls, so even though the decision is faulty and went against our reasoning, just like other tough obstacles in our lives, we will survive it. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” The decision to roll back the ball was made years ago, but the Grinch finally got around to telling us just in time for the Holidays.
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