Recreational golfers facing 'less than five-yard loss' in golf ball roll back

Recreational golfers will barely feel the impact of a golf ball roll back, according to The R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers, as that much-talked about proposed step in recent days was confirmed by the game’s governing bodies.

It had been claimed that a decision by The R&A and USGA to change the Overall Distance Standard could see recreational players lose roughly 11 yards in terms of hitting distance, but, with everything now out in the open, it appears that has been exaggerated.

Briefing The Scotsman about the roll back, which isn’t set to start until 2028 and won’t fully impact the overall game until 2030, Slumbers hammered home why he believes the reaction to the potential impact of this step on the recreational game at a time when the sport is booming has been over the top.

“The impact based on all our work is that for the fastest ball speeds (186mph) it is 14-15 yards, for the average tour speed it will be 9-10 yards and for the average recreational player (93mph for males and 72mph for females) it will be less than five yards. So, for the average recreational player less than five yards,” he said, repeating that in a bid to emphasise it being minimal for the vast majority of golfers around the world.

Martin Slumbers, The R&A Chief Executive, is adamant that something has to be done to tackle the distance issue in golf. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

“With the shorter clubs, which obviously create lower ball speed, the impact on the new ball will tend towards zero. It’s all on the longer clubs and that impact of five yards on the recreational golfer is clearly a lot lower than what has been rumoured to be in the media over the weekend.”

Earlier this year, The R&A and USGA proposed a Model Local Rule (MLR) that would have given competition organisers the option to require the use of new conforming golf balls. Intended for use only in elite competitions and have no impact on recreational golf, it would have led to bifurcation only for that prospect to be met with little support from within the game.

Hence why the governing bodies have now gone down a different route and, though Plan B may be even less appetising for some - former PGA champion Keegan Bradley says “for the amateur world to hit the ball shorter is monstrous” while it has already been opposed by the PGA Tour and PGA of America - Slumbers insists something has to be done in the battle against distance.

“Over the last five or six years, we have done an enormous amount of research and analysed all the data from the Distance Insights Report,” he said. “We also spent a huge amount of time putting out proposals and listening to the industry and that’s the players, tours and manufacturers, and I think where we are at is a rule change that does have a huge amount of that listening in place and has reflected that listening. I’ve had at least one person say to us that never in the history of their time working with them has the governing bodies listened so much and reflected the listening.

“But we were also very reflective of our understanding that there are only three options: doing nothing, bifurcating the game, which was the Model Local Rule, or changing the ball for everybody. And I have clearly said, as has (USGA CEO) Mike Whan, that for the future of the game and development of the game and the long-term integrity of the game doing nothing is not an option.”

Speaking at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Tiger Woods reiterated his preference would be bifurcation but, at the same time, effectively said the governing bodies were there to make such calls while Rory McIlroy came out strongly in favour of the new plans after also supporting the MLR proposal.

"It will make no difference whatsoever to the average golfer and puts golf back on a path of sustainability," the world No 2 wrote on social media. "I don't understand the anger about the golf ball roll back. The people who are upset about this decision shouldn't be mad at the governing bodies, they should be mad at elite pros and club/ball manufacturers because they didn't want bifurcation.

"Elite pros and ball manufacturers think bifurcation would negatively affect their bottom lines, when, in reality, the game is already bifurcated. You think we play the same stuff you do? They put pressure on the governing bodies to roll it back to a lesser degree for everyone. Bifurcation was the logical answer for everyone, but, yet again in this game, money talks."

While others think differently to Woods and McIlroy, Slumbers was happy to hear what two of the game’s biggest figures had to say on the matter. “I do think it is very helpful and important that Tiger and Rory have expressed their views on how they see the future of the game as I do think they see that bigger picture,” he admitted.

“Governance is probably one of the hardest things to do. And, as I’ve said before, particularly when it comes to this topic, the driver behind governance is looking forward and making sure we are taking a long-term view and not a view today. You know, change is not easy for anybody, but it is important that we maintain the long-term sustainability of the game for all of us. And, as part of that, we are asking all the players to take what is a relatively small change except for the fastest swing speeds.

“We’ve been working on this for at least five years and we have changed our views and thought on it as we have learned more from a facts point of view and also from listening to the industry. This is targeted, it is proportional, it is analytical and it is intended to facilitate the future growth of the game.”