USGA commissioner on golf ball rollback: ‘We're full speed ahead'

Straits Times

a day ago

USGA CEO Mike Whan speaks to the media prior to the 125th US Open. PHOTO: AFP
OAKMONT – Despite opposition from professional players, USGA commissioner Mike Whan said on June 11 that the governing body is 'full speed ahead' on its plan to 'roll back' the golf ball.
Whan spoke with reporters at Oakmont Country Club ahead of the first round of the US Open on June 12. Forthcoming equipment regulations were one of the chief topics he addressed.
In December 2023, the USGA and R&A announced they will change the speed standard they use to test golf balls beginning in January 2028. The changes will 'only minimally' affect the recreational golfer starting in 2030, they said at the time.
The PGA Tour and PGA of America opposed the move, but Whan said that recent 'stakeholder meetings' at The Players Championship and the Masters left him feeling encouraged.
'I get this isn't easy and everybody has got their own constituents,' he said.
'I'll just say what I said yesterday again, as an industry we have to be able to make small adjustments that are in the best interest of the game long-term, that we all know would be better 40 years from now if we were smart enough to make them today.
'We'll make those. Not everybody will like it. But nobody is going to die. The game is going to be great. We're full speed ahead on what we've announced. Those decisions have been made.'
Asked if the USGA and R&A have a Plan B, Whan countered: 'We've announced our plan.'
Ultimately, the goal is to decrease a player's driving distance, which leaders have agreed is necessary for the long-health of the game. For now, golf ball manufacturers are in the research and development phase and submitting prototypes to the governing bodies.
Whan said the USGA will 'stay open-minded' to new data that could change its position – in short, that the current chase for distance off the tee is not sustainable for the future of golf – but it has yet to encounter such data.
Whan and USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer covered a number of other issues, including:
– The rough this week at Oakmont will be a bit longer than five inches, and dense. Players practising on the course have had trouble simply punching the ball out of the rough at all.
'We have plenty of spotters, but no guarantees we won't lose a golf ball or two, but we're going to do everything we possibly can not to do so,' Bodenhamer said.
'But we feel good about that. As I said, I think the rough, players that drive the ball in the fairway will have an advantage, no question about it.'
Oakmont long has been considered the toughest test of championship golf in the US, and Whan said of the 1,385 golfers who have played a Major championship at Oakmont, 27 finished under par after four days – less than 2 perccent.
'Frankly, we give the players all of – we're pretty transparent,' Whan said. 'We show them what our plans are for green speeds, rough height, everything, our cutting document. We think that's the right thing to do.'
– Phil Mickelson has been transparent about the likelihood that this week could mark his final US Open.
He was granted a special exemption into the 2021 US Open, but rendered that moot when he won the PGA Championship at 50 years old, assuring himself of invitations into the next five US Opens. That runs out this week in Pennsylvania.
Bodenhamer did not rule out the idea that the USGA would grant Mickelson a special exemption again next year.
'It's like anything; we would review things for Shinnecock ahead of next year and look at all of those possibilities and evaluate it from there,' he said.
'I think the way that we would also think of Phil is we hope he earns his way in, and I think he'd tell you the same thing.'
Mickelson has won six Major tournaments, with only the US Open eluding him. He has finished second or tied for second six times at the event. REUTERS
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