Proposed rule modifications that might restrict how far gamers can drive the ball at elite golf tournaments could be detrimental to the game, two-time main winner Justin Thomas stated.
“You are attempting to create an answer for an issue that does not exist. To me, it is simply so dangerous for the sport of golf,” Thomas instructed reporters Wednesday forward of this week’s Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Common driving distances are round 300 yards on the PGA Tour, however many gamers hit effectively in extra of that, which means some programs are in peril of turning into out of date.
The proposal by the Royal and Historical and United States Golf Affiliation would give competitors organizers the choice to require gamers to make use of solely balls that meet most distance standards. Below the proposal, which might be efficient beginning in 2026, balls must not exceed 320 yards with a clubhead velocity of 127 mph.
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“When you can swing 127 mph, energy to you,” Thomas stated. “Persons are working quicker, so, what, are they only going to make the size of a mile longer in order that the quickest mile time would not change, or are they going to place the NBA hoop at 13 ft as a result of individuals can soar larger now? Like, no. It is evolution.”
Previous U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, one of many longest hitters within the sport, stated it might be “probably the most atrocious factor that you would probably do to the sport of golf.”
“It isn’t about rolling golf balls again. It is about making golf programs tougher,” DeChambeau stated Tuesday forward of a LIV Golf occasion in Tucson, Arizona. “I feel it is probably the most unimaginative, uninspiring, game-cutting factor you would do. Everyone needs to see individuals hit it farther.”
The governing our bodies are taking suggestions from producers and others on the proposed modifications till Aug. 14.
“Within the debates and the arguments that may actually ensue over the subsequent days and weeks that we’ll all be part of, I feel we’ll always discover ourselves on this dialogue about any individual saying, ‘Why would you do that at the moment, the sport is ok at the moment,'” USGA CEO Mike Whan stated. “… This isn’t actually about at the moment. It is about understanding the historic traits over the past 10, 20, 40 years and having the ability to be very predictive when it comes to these traits over the subsequent 20 or 40 years going ahead and questioning whether or not or not the sport can maintain 20 or 40 years from now the form of will increase which might be so extremely straightforward to foretell.
“If we merely do nothing, we go that to the subsequent technology and to all of the golf course venues world wide for them to simply merely determine.”
Thomas stated he was disillusioned however not shocked by the proposal.
“I feel the USGA through the years has — in my eyes, it is harsh — however made some fairly egocentric choices,” he stated. “They positively, in my thoughts, have carried out a number of issues that are not for the betterment of the sport, though they declare it.”
Data from ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and Reuters contributed to this report.
