The USGA and R&A jointly announced on Wednesday morning a global golf ball rollback. This change will not only affect the best golfers in the world, but also every amateur.
Thomas Pagel is the chief governance officer of the USGA.. The average PGA Tour and elite male player, such as a college student, would lose 9 to 11 yards. LPGA players’ clubhead speeds were 5 to 7 yards. “And recreational golfers? We’re talking 5 yards or less.”
This change will not affect recreational golfers until 2030.
MORE: Reactions from golf ball manufacturers, professional tours and players
This section on the driver should be read carefully among all the other changes made to the ball by the USGA and R&A.
Continue to monitor drivers, and explore additional options in relation to distance. We will investigate the forgiving nature of drivers, and their performance when they are hit off-center.
We will continue to seek feedback from the industry and work with manufacturers to identify design features of drivers that can be regulated to reward hits in the center impact position versus miss-hits.
Drivers have become more forgiving thanks to the technological advancements of the last decade. TaylorMade, for example, introduced its “Twist Face Technology,” a feature that helps with accuracy when a strike is off-center.
This change would not only help with the distance issue but also reward players who can hit the middle of the face more consistently.
You can read the full statement below if you are interested.
Today’s release from the @USGA and @RandA: pic.twitter.com/bAFTLWxZmZ
— Golfweek 6 December 2023
