Maybe Jack was right after all?

[Sparkplug]

So we have a groove issue on tour, drivers have been limited in volume and shape and I wonder what is next.

A while ago Jack Nicklaus proposed reducing the flight of the ball by 10 to 15% and caught a bit of heat on this.



Thinking about it a bit more I think the idea has some merit as;

• The new groove rules and driver regulations may have been avoided or made less restrictive.
• We would really be playing the same conditions as the pro's and it would not be a two tier system where AM's can play non approved clubs competitively to 2014 and they are legal for indexing purposes to 2024.
• As most golf course are less than 7000 yards they would remain relevent both for public and amateur play as well as some older courses that used to be on the PGA rota could be brought back in. Public and resort course would not run out of room in some cases. I play a Donald Ross course every spring but because of a lack of additional land they cannot increase the length beyond 6600 yards. Its a shame because if your driving is on you can overpower the original design. It is truly a shame.
• It would minimize the emphasis on length to increase difficulty. Think of playing the difficult Haute Plaines more but with hitting more drivers off the tee.
• Course design could change; narrower fairways, deeper rough, more bunkering and hazards, really good and fast greens. Hey maybe even add a Windmill or two.
• Pace of play may improve. Shorter length and misses may be easier to find.
• It may have a positive environmental impact.
• Economically, courses could redirect surplus cash flow to course improvements , maintenence, reduced fees or just improve the bottom line.

On the negative side;

• We end up minaturizing the game.
• I love the long ball so a pro would now hit a booming drive of 265y instead of 300y. This would require a perspective shift.

I am interested to read other opinions on this.

[nokids]

i wish everyone played with the same ball. prov1's for all!

[The Saint]

I totally agree. In my opinion alot of todays youth are more interested in how far they can hit it. When I go to the range 90% of the kids have driver and are trying to pound it as far as they can. Some ranges have limited the clubs to irons only just because of that fact.

I'd like to see a ball with less distance introduced than making all the technilogical changes in making the ball go farther.

[sillywilly]

i don't care as long as the scoring averages are the same. its easier to put restrictions on the clubs than the balls. you would have to rebrand all the balls so you could tell them apart from all the old stock. easier to do with clubs because there is already so much writing on the sole of the club (brand, model, loft, ect).

[quinner]

i don't care as long as the scoring averages are the same. its easier to put restrictions on the clubs than the balls. you would have to rebrand all the balls so you could tell them apart from all the old stock. easier to do with clubs because there is already so much writing on the sole of the club (brand, model, loft, ect).

I would have to disagree...manufacturers come out with new balls all the time. I think it would be very much the same as clubs. If they would release two types of balls it's just a matter of identifying the compliant ones.

[Goshawk]

So what's the problem with having a ball made specifically for the major Tour players (elite players like PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, Asian, European)? The USGA/R&A doesn't have a problem with enforcing the grove rule for these players before the rest of us mere mortals. Why not a restricted flight ball? It would put a much higher premium on accuracy and less on outright length. JMHO.

[bNeill]

Why would one think that placing restrictions on golf balls will put a premium on accuracy? It would seem to me that players will work harder in the gym to gain the advantage back of having more short clubs into greens. It would make it increasingly diffucult for short hitters because they would feel the effects of the ball on their approach shots.

There is no problem with the game now and I'm not sure why some people feel the need to change it. I think that placing restrictions on equipment is fine, however to make years of new equipment now illegal is a big mistake.

[The Saint]

Hmmm... Football, basketball, tennis... etc... they all play with the same ball... why can't golfers?

[Kilroy]

A rock, a rounded piece of wood, a feathery, gutta percha or a balata?

[quinner]

There is no problem with the game now and I'm not sure why some people feel the need to change it. I think that placing restrictions on equipment is fine, however to make years of new equipment now illegal is a big mistake.

I think they are trying to eliminate the Bomb and Gauge strategy as so many of the younger players use. With eliminating the available spin on the ball out of the rough I think they are hoping to eliminate it somewhat. The shorter players wouldn't be at any more of a disadvantage then they are now. These players are still part of the PGA because they play their longer irons so well. It could actually play into their hands a little bit as the longer players that are so good with their shorter irons are going to be forced to get better with their mid to long irons and not just the scoring clubs.

[leftylucas]

This past weekend was an example that long hitters are not always better, hitting fairways was more important. There were a few long ball hitters in the mix but none could come close to Steve Stricker, he just put the ball in the fairway time after time so he was able to get the ball onto the green with great iron shots and of course putted like a wild man. He has become the world #2 passing Phil the thrill but he cannot compare to Phil's length. Stricker has decent length off the tee but his success is due to the all around game, hitting fairways & greens and whent he putter gets hot he wins.

I saw many shots this weekend where the new grooves were mentioned but the results were for the most part quite good. I did not see many players overspin like you often saw last year. A little adjsutment is all the players need.

[bNeill]

No player on the PGA tour is there strictly for their long ball. Short game is still everything on tour and this won't change. Until they make the rough more penalizing on the average weeks on tour, players will still choose to play wedge from the rough as opposed to 8 iron from the fairway.

[3Jack]

Why would one think that placing restrictions on golf balls will put a premium on accuracy? It would seem to me that players will work harder in the gym to gain the advantage back of having more short clubs into greens. It would make it increasingly diffucult for short hitters because they would feel the effects of the ball on their approach shots.

Which could in turn lead to steriod use. Hmm. Steriod use or the use any ball?

[sharon.gmc]

I totally agree. In my opinion alot of todays youth are more interested in how far they can hit it. When I go to the range 90% of the kids have driver and are trying to pound it as far as they can.

most people play golf for fun and its fun hitting it as far as we can. im sure most kids would rather be able to hit 300yards consistently than make 10foot putts consistently.

[Slicer&Dicer]

I think the game of the Pros really needs to be reined in. I remember seeing a few years ago where Stuart Appleby was the leader in over 400 yd drives.

They can change things for the pros and leave us amateurs alone I am sure. I am almost positive that if they reduced the flight of the ball by 10 - 15 %, then most pros would proably be hitting over 300 anyways just not 350+ yds which would put more emphasis on the slightly longer clubs.

When the Pros hit driver and wedge to Par 5's, it seems like something is amiss and when they can bomb it wherever and still have little trouble getting to the green out of the rough, it seems the rough needs to be more challenging as well. Or add more trees, obstructions, etc, to place more troubles when the drives are not in or near the fairways. Also, anyone ever notice that most trees for the Pros are very high, meaning not many have low limbs, so they can easily get out of trouble.

Otherwise we are heading for 350 yd par 3's, 600 yd par 4's and 700+ yds par 5's. Not many ameteurs can even dream of these, me included.

Also, Jack and the Arnie were sometimes hitting 300+ yds with the old balls and old "woods", so they did not that bad, lol....

[sillywilly]

the scoring averages have stayed the same over the last 50 years so i'm on with everything just the way it is. they are hitting it longer... but the courses are longer now