USGA, R&A acknowledge distance is an issue for golf courses

The USGA and R&A released a report acknowledging changes in the average distance balls are being hit.

After years of ignoring the distance problem in professional golf, the sport’s two governing bodies, the USGA and the R&A, have finally concluded what the rest of us have known for 20 or 30 years. The distance that the very best players can hit the ball is obsoleting golf courses.

It doesn’t affect you and the course you play unless you’re on a college team. It doesn’t affect the course down the street or around the corner from your house. But the ones that the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, European Tour and the rest of the elite players play are at the core of the issue.

Hitting the ball too far isn’t a problem for a majority of amateurs, maybe that’s why golf’s ruling class didn’t pay attention to it until now. If the head of the R&A or USGA isn’t gaining distance with his drives, he doesn’t think distance is an issue. In fact, amateurs still need more distance.

That’s borne out in their data on average men amateurs driving distance in the U.K. which is 216 yards. They say that number has increased by 24 yards over a period of 24 years.  Female amateurs had an average driving distance of 148 yards between 2013 and 2019. That’s with all the so-called game improvement technology.

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Many courses have been lengthened over the years because people think they should be playing a track as long as PGA Tour courses, not because golfers are suddenly that much better. That’s both a distance problem and an ego problem. It’s also an equipment manufacturer problem.

Today’s equipment is built primarily for the clubhead speed of professionals, according to Davis Love III. Love said the new high-tech drivers don’t help amateurs that much at all. Because of the pros’ clubhead speed, there is some additional spring-like effect that, when combined with the right ball, make it possible for pros to hit much farther than they ever had before. But it mainly only works for the pros.

Amateurs need equipment that gives them more distance.  They need a driver with more spring-like effect. They need a hot ball. They need springy shafts. They need a bazooka.

They also need shorter tees that they can make acceptable, just to have a chance to make bogey, never mind par. But the pros are in a different class, and amateurs can’t let their skills ruin the ability for them to have a proper test on the great old golf courses of this country or the world. That’s what this study finally addresses.

How bad has this become?  Last year Augusta National had to buy land from neighboring Augusta Country Club to lengthen the 13th hole. Again.

They also bought houses from across Berckmans Road, one of the original boundaries of the club, in anticipation of needing more land and to provide some parking. Then, last year, the club moved the 5th tee across Berckmans Road to lengthen the hole.

Now that the two organizations have officially recognized the situation, the issue is what can be done. That’s undecided. What the USGA and the R&A did say was that they didn’t want two sets of rules and they didn’t want to mandate different equipment.

"“The R&A and USGA continue to believe that the retention of a single set of rules for all players of the game, irrespective of ability, is one of golf’s greatest strengths,”"

I’m not sure how they do this without two sets of rules on equipment, because the equipment improvements are the issue. The challenge is figuring that out. As the report said, they want to “prevent an over-reliance on technological advances rather than skill, and to ensure that skill is the dominant element of success throughout the game.”

However, in their announcement, they suggested that the adoption of a local rule during the week of a tournament, such as the U.S. Open or a PGA Tour event, could allow “the use of reduced-distance equipment.”

One idea which has been floated by others would be a special tournament ball. That would be the easiest solution, except that professionals would need to fine-tune their clubs to use it properly.

A special “tournament ball,” for instance, might have allowed Augusta National to keep the same tradition of their course without having to buy land from the neighboring club.

I mean, if you could buy the official Masters or U.S. Open or British Open golf ball, would you?  Probably.

And, while we don’t know this for certain unless you are one of those 330-yard drivers of the ball, it might go the same distance as your current ball.

What was encouraging, however, was that they said they don’t believe the ball should go further than it does now.

Now, the only issue with the report is that they focus on average driving distance. Average numbers aren’t necessarily the problem. It’s the longer than average players that are the concern. But at least they are finally paying attention.

Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA summarized the reason for the report as follows:

"“This is not about the last few years or the next few years but rather about the long-term future of the game. This report clearly shows a consistent increase in hitting distance and golf course lengths over the last 100-plus years. These increases have had a profound impact on costs to build, modify and operate golf courses and they have impacted golfers at all levels. We believe this problem will continue unless this cycle is brought to an end.”"

We await their ideas on how to keep golf exciting, fun and still have a high level of play at what have historically been the best golf courses in the nation and around the world.