Golf’s governing bodies are officially concerned about how far players are driving the ball it has been revealed in the latest USGA driving distance report.
So much so, the R&A and the USGA have now committed to bringing forward proposals to improve procedures for the approval of new products.
So it seems we won’t be getting ‘rolled back’ golf balls or smaller driver heads but we can expect to see tougher regulation of new equipment that may cause a further rise in distances.
Everything that is on the market now, should remain legal. So breathe a sigh of relief if you’ve just splashed out £450 on a new driver.
And they have also stated that lengthening of courses is pretty much the last thing they or anyone else wants to do.
Both the USGA and the R&A began compiling stats in 2015 in a bid to identify any worrying trends surrounding driving distances and golf equipment.
The 2015 and 2016 reports, which looked at driving distances from 2003 onwards, noted an increase of around 0.2 yards per year.
With each of the last reports both the USGA and the R&A stated they were not concerned by these trends.
But the results of the 2017 edition, which looks at driving distances from seven worldwide tours, has noted an average gain of three yards since 2016.
“As noted in previous annual reports, variability in driving distance of four or more yards from season to season on any one tour is not uncommon,” the joint statement explains.
“However, this level of increase across so many tours in a single season is unusual and concerning and requires closer inspection and monitoring to fully understand the causes and effects.”
It is worth noting from the details below that average clubhead speeds are up to their highest-ever level.
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Also, average launch angle is up and spin rate is down which proves players are technically hitting more optimal drives which is no doubt due to better fitting and better knowledge of how to hit it further.
