From the Clubhouse: Will the golf ball roll back be an issue for club golfers?
‘Golf is doing well and we don’t want to undermine this’. So said the R&A and USGA as they unveiled a proposal to unleash a new competition golf ball on elite events – but steered well clear of anything that could affect the recreational game.
Should club golfers feel left out as governing bodies seek comment on their plans to reduce hitting distances at the highest level?
On this week’s From the Clubhouse podcast, in association with TaylorMade, Tom Irwin and Steve Carroll break down what they think of the Model Local Rule, the golf ball roll back in general, and ask whether it will have any impact on us at our clubs.
How far down the amateur ladder could the proposals reach, should we get the chance to try out a reduced-distance ball, and is it a fallacy to think we’ve ever played the same game as the world’s best?
Tom’s also surging with excitement for the start of the club match play season, and will Steve stump him again with this week’s rules question? There’s a lot to discuss, so let’s get stuck in…
From the Clubhouse podcast on the golf ball roll back
Listen to our views on what the R&A and USGA’s proposed golf ball roll back could mean for club golf on the From the Clubhouse podcast in the player below, or on your preferred podcast platform.
More on the golf ball roll back
Vital for the game or too little too late? What do you think about the proposed golf ball roll back and would you like to try such a ball in your weekly game? Get involved in the discussion and let us know with a tweet.
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Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
