Will the joint R&A-USGA report on the distance debate really make much difference the everyday golfer? Only time will tell. But the stars out making a living from this wonderful game of ours will certainly be affected. So what do they have to say about the possibility of golf equipment being reined in?
“I’ve always said that the game of golf, it’s fluid, it’s moving. The golf ball is certainly going a lot further than the balata days. We’ve changed it from using a tree to using high-tech metal. We’ve come a long way in this game. What’s been crazy, I’ve been a part of all that. My career when I first started, I beat Davis Love in a playoff and he was using a persimmon driver. To see the technology advance as fast as it has, the average distance was, from when I first came out on here, if you carry it 270, it took a lot of trouble out of play. Now guys are hitting their hybrids and 5-woods 270 in the air.
“So the game has evolved and it’s changed. We’re running out of property to try and design golf courses that are from the back 7,800 to 8,000 yards, it’s difficult. But on top of that, we want to keep the game so enjoyable and we’ve trying to get more participation, and having the larger heads, more forgiving clubs, it adds to the enjoyment of the game. So there’s a very delicate balancing act where we’re trying to keep the game at, but also as we’ve all recognised, the players have changed over the years, too. When I first came out it was just Vijay and myself in the gyms and now seems like everyone has their own trainer and physios and guys got bigger, stronger, faster, more athletic like all sports.”
– Tiger Woods
“The biggest thing that came out of the report for me, a lot of the stuff about the ball going too far and technology, really pertains to 0.1 percent of golfers out there. If they want to try to contain what we do as touring professionals, I’m all for that.”
– Rory McIlroy
The smaller driver would make a massive difference because you couldn’t swing hard at it correctly every time. That would take some enjoyment away from the game for the average guy, so it might have to be two sets of rules. Though I don’t like bifurcating. That’s a tough one.”
