R&A and USGA Put Golf Ball Distance Limits on Hold, Reconsidering Options

Plans to limit how far golf balls can fly in the professional game have been put on hold by the R&A and United States Golf Association, and other options are being considered to try to solve the game's distance problem.

There remains a lack of consensus among golf's stakeholders including the leading tours, their players, manufacturers and governing bodies who have been anxious to implement change.

For the past eight years the R&A and USGA have been examining ways to counter the massive length modern players such as Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler can generate, especially with their tee shots.

They thought they had found an answer by introducing new rules that would have meant that from 2028 leading pros would be forced to use balls manufactured to new distance-curbing specifications.

Estimates suggested they would see a reduction of around 15 yards as a result of changing the Overall Distance Standard (ODS) of the new balls.

Because of their slower swing speeds, recreational golfers would be less impacted and the changes for them were scheduled come into play in 2030.

Now it has been announced that any change in the elite game will not occur before 2030 and that there will be no phased introduction of new regulations.

Recent industry feedback, most notably from the PGA and DP World Tours indicated support for this single-date implementation across the whole game.

It is now clear the distance debate has been reopened as result of what the R&A and USGA said have been "constructive discussions".

Those discussions involved the bosses from the PGA and DP World Tours as well members of the PGA Tour's Player Advisory Council.

A joint R&A and USGA statement says those meetings recognised that distance continues to increase at the elite level and acknowledged there is "a concern by the tours that the updated ODS testing approach may not achieve the desired results".

While the process is not yet back to square one, it is still clearly a long way from being completed to the satisfaction of the golf industry as a whole. The new deadline is 2030, despite the lengthy consultation period that has already elapsed.

"It creates a sense of urgency for all parties," Mike Whan, the chief executive of the USGA told reporters on the eve of Thursday's start of the US Open, at Shinnecock Hills in New York.

"This isn't another eight-year effort. We need to get at it and do it with a sense of urgency."

Other options are under consideration. They include putting extra limits on ball specifications, and looking at other aspects of the equipment rules to try to curb distance.

"We've taken 2028 off the table. We're leaving 2030 on the table," Whan said.

"So when we talk about other approaches, we want to be doing that with the speed of saying if we were going to do something other than 2030 or in addition to 2030, we need to know that sooner than later."

The rulesmakers, who also have support from the Masters, believe increased distance in the elite game, where drives can regularly fly up to 350 yards, is rendering historic golf courses obsolete and making the game one dimensional.

Leading players can reduce previously challenging par-four holes to a drive and short wedge shot and the majority of par fives can comfortably be reached with two lusty blows.

Playing footprints have been extended to cope. It is expensive to maintain greater areas of land and there are environmental concerns regarding access to extra water which is routinely needed to maintain golf courses.

Rounds take longer because players have to walk further, often backwards to new tees that have been built to make holes longer.

This debate lies at the heart of how the game of golf will be played at all levels in the future. Discussions will involve stakeholders across the game including leading players.

The governing bodies remain under pressure to find a solution acceptable to all. "I think it would be crazy to not take the time to see if we could come up with something together," Whan insisted.