Will golf’s ruling bodies roll back the distance golf balls travel, or take other steps to contain yardage gains at the elite professional levels? As when watching Bryson DeChambeau hit tee shots, you’ll just have to wait a little longer for the next stage of distance studies to land.
The United States Golf Association and the R&A have delayed any further release of information in their study of the distance debate in golf until March of 2021, the governing bodies announced Monday.
The USGA and R&A released the initial phase of their combined Distance Insights Project in February of 2020 with a report that determined that distance is playing an excessive role in the game and causing the sport to go in an unsustainable direction. That Distance Insights Report signaled potential changes in the equipment rules could come in the next several years, with significant time for research and evaluation before any action.
But the global coronavirus pandemic put all those plans on hold as the industry works to stabilize.
The ruling bodies released this statement Monday:
“Given continued health concerns and the impact on golf worldwide, the R&A and the USGA are now targeting March 2021 for the release of equipment research topics. We will continue to monitor the recovery of the golf industry and may update this target date accordingly. In accordance with the Equipment Rulemaking Procedures, the time for golf equipment manufacturers and other interested parties to participate in this research will also be amended to account for the delay.
Until then, the R&A and the USGA will continue to monitor the effects of distance on the game.
The incredible distances that top male professionals hit the ball was on full display at the PGA Championship that concluded Sunday in San Francisco, with 320-plus-yard tee shots a fairly common occurrence. Much of the buzz in golf over the past several months has centered on DeChambeau’s transformation into a monster driver of the ball.
The ruling bodies have stated they want such focus on distance to end. Citing the Rules of Golf, the February report stated, “golf is a challenging game in which success should depend on the player’s judgment, skill and abilities.”
And beyond the PGA Tour, there are other considerations such as the use of more land to build longer courses and the consumption of natural resources such as water to maintain more acreage of grass.
On the flip side are some who believe distance attracts more fans to PGA Tour coverage. They also point out that recreational players have not gained the kinds of distance seen at the elite levels. Several golf equipment manufacturers also have expressed skepticism at rolling back yardage that was gained under current rules.
Where is it all headed? Check back in March.
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