Rolling the Ball Back For Good?
That's what this is. The USGA all fell in love with golf and it was played in the 60s, 70s, 80s. They have a hard time watching current tour professionals play the game a different way then the golfers of a bygone era.
This would be like having the NBA ban slam dunks.
What does a freeze mean? Standards have been in place for decades at this point.
ger21
Active member
Bifurcation won't work, because the PGA Tour told them they wouldn't do it.
What happens if the USGA rolls the ball back, and the PGA Tour keeps using the old ball?
- Staff
- #130
The kind of chaos I’m here for. But Monahan is a wiener, so it won’t happen.
ger21
Active member
And rolling back the ball still will not hurt those long hitters at all. They'll still be hitting the rolled back ball 300+, while the average player will be hitting it 220.
I'd be very curious to see what LIV says about the USGA decision. Assuming a merger hasn't happened yet, and the animosity that I'm sure exists between LIV and the governing bodies already....
If the players don't like the rule that might be a good opportunity for LIV
I hate the idea of a ball rollback. I would imagine for mortals like me it might only cost me 5-7 yards per club hearing how they talk about it. But it's stupid even then
I'd love for everyone to just tell them to bugger off and say no.
I don't believe any tournaments around here ever enforced the groove rule. For example
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I think I would prefer keeping the ball at today's standard, but If they are really going forward with ball change, losing distance doesn't bother me. Get new yardages, play golf. In fact, I think a rollback could breathe some life into a couple of local courses that are acreage limited.
And, yeah, how they roll this out will be fascinating and likely a disaster. There are no easy answers.
One other addition. I play regularly with a handicapped golfer. He's amazing but distance limited. Even playing forward tees still leaves him a lot of holes where his approach shot is with a fairway wood. A rollback would be very unfair to him. I am glad I am not a decision-maker in this issue.
Is the “ball problem” a golf “problem” across the board or just a “problem” for a handful of professional golfers playing on a handful of courses where tournaments are played?
I’m not convinced it has squat to do with Joe and Jane golfer.
I’m not convinced it has squat to do with Joe and Jane golfer.
- Staff
- #135
It’s all about the top 1%, which is why it’s so stupid. It’s als a reaction to athleticism and better training, which is also stupid.
The USGA is just stupid.
The problem is the USGA can't control the mowers.
- Staff
- #137
Sure they can. They can work WITH Tours on the setup of their courses and length of fairways, letting them know if they don’t roll that back, they WILL roll the ball back.
But that would be logical, and the USGA is anything but.
- Staff
- #139
Chicks dig the long ball.
Whelp .... guess I will have to start stocking up on the legal balls we have now, then sell them on E-bay later for a fortune. 
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I hope the Tour and the manufacturers tell them to eat a d*ck and that they can manufacturer their own conforming ball.
I don’t care either way, but if they did it like F-1 tires, they’d ADD products to the shelves and the golf lunatics would HAVE to have some.
Still stupid though. Quit paying the f’n players and pay to enhance the venues if you must.
Still stupid though. Quit paying the f’n players and pay to enhance the venues if you must.
The USGA is the best at being the worst at their job.
Just useless. Terrible. Usually, when a useless organ threatens to kill its host, the organ is surgically removed. The USGA should be removed from golf.
Just useless. Terrible. Usually, when a useless organ threatens to kill its host, the organ is surgically removed. The USGA should be removed from golf.
I did some calculations. If they roll back the ball 10% for everyone, here's what happens. Guys who play 6300 yds will have to move up to 5670 yds. due to the shorter distance they'll be hitting the ball. At my home course that means they move up to the 5600 yd tees. Those who play the forward tees at 5600, will .... well the course will have to build two new tee boxes: one at 5100 yds for seniors, and the one that has been missing for women at 4600 yds.
Some older courses already have the shorter tees, but some don't and will have to go shorter. The Home Course for example will need and additional tee box. Most other local courses will need additional shorter tee boxes.
I can't see how they will leave the forward tees at 5600 yds and just say the rating for women is 76/130 now. Go suffer. These changes will cost money, and this cost will be passed onto us, unless the USGA subsidizes the effort by paying golf courses to do this.
Best solution is to do nothing. If they have to do something, just bifurcate. I like what Adam Scott said about the driver used to be the most difficult club in the bag to hit, and now it's the most forgiving. Forget rolling back the ball. So make the pros hit a small headed, less forgiving driver. Like a mini-driver. We amateurs get to keep our 460 cc drivers. Just like in MLB where they use wooden bats, but in college and high school baseball they use aluminum.
NOTE: I have about 3-4 yrs worth of the old balls in my house that have been kept at constant temp. I will use these regardless of any stupid USGA rule change. I guess it's time to stock up on the old ball.
Some older courses already have the shorter tees, but some don't and will have to go shorter. The Home Course for example will need and additional tee box. Most other local courses will need additional shorter tee boxes.
I can't see how they will leave the forward tees at 5600 yds and just say the rating for women is 76/130 now. Go suffer. These changes will cost money, and this cost will be passed onto us, unless the USGA subsidizes the effort by paying golf courses to do this.
Best solution is to do nothing. If they have to do something, just bifurcate. I like what Adam Scott said about the driver used to be the most difficult club in the bag to hit, and now it's the most forgiving. Forget rolling back the ball. So make the pros hit a small headed, less forgiving driver. Like a mini-driver. We amateurs get to keep our 460 cc drivers. Just like in MLB where they use wooden bats, but in college and high school baseball they use aluminum.
NOTE: I have about 3-4 yrs worth of the old balls in my house that have been kept at constant temp. I will use these regardless of any stupid USGA rule change. I guess it's time to stock up on the old ball.
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LIV would never comply with the establishments that are trying to sabotage them.
I wonder what percent of sales manufacturers make from amateurs and what from pros. Bottom line profits that come from amateurs on clubs and balls have to greatly exceed whatever they make off pros and ill throw College and High School in there. If the USGA wants everyone to hit limited flight balls that travel the same and shorter distance how will that affect sales and profits. And as @Jman has pointed out the pros play rock hard fairways that roll forever. When i played TPC Scottsdale a couple weeks after the Tournament i could not believe the distance and roll we were getting.We never get that kind of roll at my Club particularly in the Spring and Fall and im guessing thats the case for most here. To now make try to make us play limited flight balls is asinine . I hope the manufacturers say no and press the PGA to say no to this. They can have their rule at the US Open and just there. Sub in the Players as the fourth major if USGA wont back down.
Or soften the fairways or cut them so they dont play like concrete let the pros play fairways like the rest of us. Problem solved although i dont see it as a problem. Those who put the work in to gain distance should be rewarded not those who dont.
Or soften the fairways or cut them so they dont play like concrete let the pros play fairways like the rest of us. Problem solved although i dont see it as a problem. Those who put the work in to gain distance should be rewarded not those who dont.
I don't have a strong opinion either way (I grew up in the balata era) but I do know that the three greenskeepers at the three courses I play the most frequently are all strongly in favor of the rollback. All three courses were originally built in the 50s or 60s and all three have added some deeper tee boxes that are difficult and expensive to maintain. None of the three have anymore room to expand any deeper. Our situation might be different than other regions as we are a vacation golf area and you have to draw the tourists to your course - shorter courses are not nearly as popular apparently.