Let’s see, for the first time Tiger Woods will go a full season without a tournament win, rules officials at every level seem to be in the news – most of it not good, Dustin Johnson showed he has game by winning at the BMW Championship after the U.S. Open and PGA and the USGA after making repeated statements of the inadvisability of two sets of rules-one for pros and a different one for the rest of us-has done just that by the decision to disallow box grooves and then phase in implementation over more than a decade. Makes one wish for simpler times.
The latest revelation is the USGA has been testing shorter flying golf balls. Dick Rugge, Technical Director of the Association, says this has been an ongoing program for five years which naturally raises everybody’s hackles as in why the secrecy. Rugge explains it by saying the program and most especially the results have not been publicized since they don’t want to affect future testers with past results.
This naturally begs the question, if you were asked to test a golf ball by the USGA, wouldn’t you think one if not the most important result they were looking for was distance?
In any event the issue of two sets of rules is out in plain set still and needs to be addressed in some other manner than the USGA is doing presently, such as not being so worried about secrecy or tradition and more about the health of the game. One can understand both points of view by the Far Hills administrators however these are not the most pressing problem faced by the game or the business of golf.
Golf has always been and presumably always will be changing. New materials, manufacturing techniques, agronomic improvements and better player conditioning each play a part and if you read anything of golf history always have. To focus solely on equipment (drivers, grooves, balls) which the USGA has done particularly behind closed doors is both short sighted and bad for the game.
Frank Thomas, former USGA Technical Director and current industry consultant, wrote recently:
It is true that the USGA is testing a golf ball, which has reduced flight properties — about 20 to 25 yards less distance than the present ball. The distance the elite players hit the ball has been a concern since 1890. The fear is that the increase in distance will continue and that something needs to be done. It is this mindset that has initiated numerous and very questionable rules changes, which have had no effect on the distance balls go.
The fact is that the average distance on tour – the elite golfers are the only golfers the USGA is really concerned about — has peaked out at just under 288 yards because the laws of nature are stepping in. The average golfer is not hitting the ball too far and in fact, his average distance has not increased from just under 200 yards in the couple of decades.
Having said this; the good news is that the USGA is conducting tests which I am sure will include the average gofer not just the elite (.001%) of the golfing population, and that the effect on the game as a whole will be very carefully considered. This is a sizable study which if done correctly will take a number of years to complete. The bad news is that the tests are being done as much behind closed doors as possible. This is not the way to govern the game.
If we really have a problem with the distance the ball goes we need to clearly define this problem. We then need to explain to the golfing public – indirectly the USGA’s constituents – that this problem needs to be resolved to protect the integrity of our game.
About Ed Travis
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