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Ball Rollback For All - USGA/R&A

Posted on 12/2/23 at 5:47 pm
Posted by Hou_Lawyer
Houston, TX
Member since Jun 2019
1866 posts
Posted on 12/2/23 at 5:47 pm
quote:

he USGA and R&A are expected to announce early next week that they will be changing the rules to roll back distance in golf—and not just for elite players. The expected decision likely would make nearly every popular golf ball played both professionally and recreationally non-conforming. The news comes from multiple industry sources with direct knowledge of the plans of golf’s governing bodies,


LINK

Thoughts? I think it’s BS. Changing the ball for the amateurs will come back to bite them. Do the ball manufacturers continue to produce balls as they exist now and not in compliance when the rule goes into effect? How will local clubs handle?

Posted by jimjackandjose
Member since Jun 2011
6496 posts
Posted on 12/2/23 at 6:53 pm to
Excited about that 50% off pro v1 sale coming!

Wonder how much distance this cuts off mid handicappers
Posted by kfont28
Parts Unknown
Member since Aug 2004
968 posts
Posted on 12/2/23 at 7:05 pm to
I get doing this for tour players but for the average amateur this is stupid.

What’s stopping companies like Vice or Snell from saying nope we ain’t changing anything. I play once a month and want to enjoy myself as much as possible. I would buy non rollbacked balls
Posted by jmtigers
1826.71 miles from USC
Member since Sep 2003
4970 posts
Posted on 12/2/23 at 7:14 pm to
quote:

I get doing this for tour players but for the average amateur this is stupid.


Say no to bifurcation. That’s part of what makes golf great. We all play the same game.
Posted by GeauxTigersLee
Atlanta
Member since Sep 2010
4643 posts
Posted on 12/2/23 at 7:33 pm to
Starts for the pros in 2028 and for everyone else in 2030. I expect balls like the prov1 will be updated to the new ball in 2028/29 and they move to a non-bifurcated ball by then.

Makes no sense for the USGA for the amateur level, especially the non-elite.

The USGA has been campaigning "tee it forward" for years, telling people they play too long tees, only to reduce the distance of the ball.
This post was edited on 12/2/23 at 7:43 pm
Posted by kfont28
Parts Unknown
Member since Aug 2004
968 posts
Posted on 12/2/23 at 7:33 pm to
I enjoy watching professional golf the way it is but if the heads of the usga and r&a are adamant about this then they need to keep it just for the pros.

In baseball only pros use wooden bats while amateurs are very happy with their metal bats
Posted by GeauxTigersLee
Atlanta
Member since Sep 2010
4643 posts
Posted on 12/2/23 at 7:40 pm to
quote:

What’s stopping companies like Vice or Snell from saying nope we ain’t changing anything. I play once a month and want to enjoy myself as much as possible. I would buy non rollbacked balls
Non-conforming balls exist today, very few play them.

Vice/Snell market to golfers, and many of that target audience play in some type of league, club tournaments, ect that would be subject to USGA rules. They don't market to the casual person who plays a couple times a year and will buy the cheapest on the shelf.
Posted by makersmark1
earth
Member since Oct 2011
15788 posts
Posted on 12/2/23 at 8:14 pm to
I’ll play the ones I have until I lose them all.

I’m not buying new balls because a bunch of stiffs say, “we have to roll the ball back, because Makersmark1 broke 80!”
Posted by makersmark1
earth
Member since Oct 2011
15788 posts
Posted on 12/2/23 at 8:18 pm to
quote:

Say no to bifurcation. That’s part of what makes golf great. We all play the same game.


The tour is the most talented players in the world playing on perfectly manicured courses.

I don’t play the same game as them. Never have.

Low score wins, why do they care whether some small fraction of 1% can hit a golf ball 350yards? I don’t.
Posted by FOBW
N.O.
Member since Sep 2016
299 posts
Posted on 12/2/23 at 10:35 pm to
Bring back balata and persimmon.

The manufacturers have absolutely outmuscled the courses. Lengthening the courses is a poor solution at best. I doubt the average golfer’s score changed that much.
Posted by kfont28
Parts Unknown
Member since Aug 2004
968 posts
Posted on 12/3/23 at 4:17 am to
Yes, there a few rogue companies that have none confirming balls with the current rules. But look at others on this thread who hate this roll back. The market for non roll backed balls will be huge. Companies like turning profits and have spent millions on developing the best ball they can. so I can definitely see some brands not conforming and amateur players not following the roll back.

Count me as one of those that is not going to listen to some old guys who want to protect the “integrity” of their old ultra exclusive course that I will never be allowed to play.
This post was edited on 12/3/23 at 4:18 am
Posted by makersmark1
earth
Member since Oct 2011
15788 posts
Posted on 12/3/23 at 5:03 am to
I can’t see the majority of players emptying their bags of every golf ball and immediately purchasing “conforming” golf balls.

My 82 mph driver swing is not a significant threat to the sanctity of golf.
Posted by TaderSalad
mudbug territory
Member since Jul 2014
24640 posts
Posted on 12/3/23 at 5:26 am to
quote:

Thoughts


It’s a racket. Golf OEMs will tinker with equipment to regain the distance and we’ll all be forced to buy new gear.

frick this rule change bs
Posted by BigApple
Member since Jun 2022
401 posts
Posted on 12/3/23 at 6:08 am to
quote:

Golf OEMs will tinker with equipment to regain the distance and we’ll all be forced to buy new gear.


I’m not sure that they find anymore “distance” by tinkering with the drivers. In fact, you can get the exact same distance numbers that you get from the newest baddest Taylor Made driver than you can get from a Taylor Made driver from the early 1990s. Companies really haven’t engineered distance in a long long long time.

All the advances in distance over the last 30 years have come from the golf ball. I’m not a huge fan of the rollback but at least the USGA is being proactive. I’m sure by the time the roll back occurs you will be hitting the “new conforming” ball just as far as you hit a ball now.

This post was edited on 12/3/23 at 6:11 am
Posted by dek81572
Bossier City
Member since Apr 2012
873 posts
Posted on 12/3/23 at 6:32 am to
I say leave the ball where it is and make the pros go back to using wooden drivers and fairway woods. Baseball has different equipment for pros, why not golf. While your at it, make the pros all conform to a loft standard, no more bending a 7 iron into a 5 iron.
This post was edited on 12/3/23 at 6:34 am
Posted by The Johnny Lawrence
Member since Sep 2016
2162 posts
Posted on 12/3/23 at 7:16 am to
I think they produced the data. I doubt most people would notice a difference between the current ball and the roll backed ball.

They may not have changed the clubs to make them go further, but they made them more forgiving. That means you can swing harder without fear of hitting it bad. I could see where they also shrink the size of the head for pros.


Posted by cptigger
Nola
Member since Jun 2005
1488 posts
Posted on 12/3/23 at 8:34 am to
I am very against rollback for all.

Makes Mike Whan look like a pussy IMO. They caved to the pressure from the manufacturers. Makes sense though bc they are the one who support this whole ecosystem known as professional golf. Them and the corporate sponsors.



Posted by Hou_Lawyer
Houston, TX
Member since Jun 2019
1866 posts
Posted on 12/3/23 at 8:46 am to
Rory has opined on X
LINK
quote:

I don’t understand the anger about the golf ball roll back. It will make no difference whatsoever to the average golfer and puts golf back on a path of sustainability. It will also help bring back certain skills in the pro game that have been eradicated over the past 2 decades. The people who are upset about this decision shouldn’t be mad at the governing bodies, they should be mad at elite pros and club/ball manufacturers because they didn’t want bifurcation. The governing bodies presented us with that option earlier this year. Elite pros and ball manufacturers think bifurcation would negatively affect their bottom lines, when in reality, the game is already bifurcated. You think we play the same stuff you do? They put pressure on the governing bodies to roll it back to a lesser degree for everyone. Bifurcation was the logical answer for everyone, but yet again in this game, money talks.
Posted by FOBW
N.O.
Member since Sep 2016
299 posts
Posted on 12/3/23 at 9:18 am to
Interesting he calls out the elite pros. I wonder what the split is on tour.

Manufacturers marketing departments probably crapping their pants right about now.
Posted by thelawnwranglers
Member since Sep 2007
38769 posts
Posted on 12/3/23 at 9:23 am to
quote:

bifurcation


I don't care what pros play

Just tying to break 100
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