On Tuesday, the USGA and R&A proposed a Model Local Rule that would roll back the golf ball for players at the elite level. The two governing bodies hope this will end courses having to extend tee boxes to outrageous yardages and return some of the most iconic venues in the game to the way they’re supposed to be played.
As you’d expect, the potential change created quite a conversation on social media. Some believe this is the right move while others think it will take one of the best aspects away from golf: the long ball.
Here are some of Golf Twitter’s responses to the news.
We’ve obviously known this for a while, but I’m not sure it can be overstated how great of a hire Mike Whan was for the USGA. Plenty of people will disagree with the rollback stuff, but impossible to listen to him lay it out and think intentions are in the wrong place.
— D.J. Piehowski (@DJPie) March 14, 2023
A modest rollback is only going to make the professional game more interesting and protect courses from becoming obsolete.
Distance and swing speed will remain a skill and be rewarded in the same way they are today. This is the right move for the elite level of the game
— The Fried Egg (@the_fried_egg) March 14, 2023
If the PGA Tour chooses to not accept the USGA rules on the golf ball it will continue to widen the gap between the significance of the majors and PGA Tour events.
The majors will have significantly better venues, history, competition and rules.
— Andy Johnson 🍳 (@AndyTFE) March 14, 2023
The USGA and R&A will go to their graves saying this isn’t bifurcation, but you or I play Shinnecock Hills in July of 2026 and can legally use a ball that Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas or Jon Rahm can’t legally play at the U.S. Open, then we’ll have bifurcation.
— David Dusek (@Golfweek_Dusek) March 14, 2023
I 100% get the pro-rollback argument. But I have a hard time with the principle of sports moving backward. Golf is in a tremendous place right now and these types of moves, at least symbolically, give the impression that golf yearns for a bygone era.https://t.co/pUijupworK
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) March 14, 2023
“The USGA is going to make my uncle, who I love playing with, hit it shorter!”
No. Your uncle is a 7 handicap who hits it 230 yards with a 140 mph ball…
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