Is it time to change the golf ball?

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I went to the Open on Thursday and Friday this week and was blown away by the distance these guys are hitting it now. The Par 5's were generally around the 570 yrd mark and even into the wind this was not a problem for these guys. 450 yrd par 4's where nothing but a drive and a flick.

Is it time to change the ball and limit the distance these guys can hit it - it would be so much easier to set up a course that is a true test of the whole golf game?
 
Absolutely. These guys are superhuman athletes and the best courses in the world are now virtually obsolete. There is no other option than the deal with the ball... or make them play persimmon and blades.
 
Narrow the fairway and grow the rough is the answer. I have no issue with them hitting the ball so far, watching Rory hit drives like he does is a joy to behold.
 
Some of these old courses have little protection these days apart from the weather. I thought the rough at this Open was about right and would hate to see it as brutal as other venues. This means the only thing to do would be to reign the ball in. Nicklaus and Player amongst others have been campaigning for a pro only design that doesn't go as far for years so that many of the courses they play aren't simply over powered.
 
Probably.

I found it fascinating to hear Ken Brown compare Roberto Di Vincenzo's win and this years Championship.

Ken was comparing the driver distances from 1967 to today and there was an 18% difference. This was then equated to the course, meaning that it would need to be lengthened from it's current yardage of 7350 yards to 8673 yards in order to offer a comparable test.

Very interesting indeed.

I don't think changes to the tour pro balls will happen though. Too many commercial, vested interests preventing this in my view.
 
ball has to be reigned in... McIlroy average drive was 320 yds, 550 yds par 4 reached with couple of 2is or drive and 5i.

Exceptional play but would be great to see top hitters reigned back to the 280-290 mark, which if 3w was then circa 250 would mean the 550 yd holes being more like a drive and 3w. The great players would still be great but the bomb it and wedge it would have to have game plan b.... as it is the 320 yds drive coupled with a 150 9i means they can cover the par 4s with minimal variation in play or technique.

and maybe a hope, forlorn I know, but if the ball wasn't flying of the tee like it was going off into orbit the morons that scream 'in the hole' might have less to base their inanity on.
 
Are amateur golfers not benefitting from the better balls as well though given we use the same as the pros? i.e would you like to see length being taken off your drives??
 
shouldve happened 10 yrs ago, really struggle to see it happening now (would fully expect a legal challenge from the producers if the powers that be tried to limit it more than current rules)
 
The R&A were looking at it about 3 years ago. One of the guys in our roll up is on the R&A Rules committee and we tested a ball, that was designed to lose a greater % depending on swing speed. We have a couple of guys in the group that have pro clubhead speed and they were the only ones that noticed any diff in distance.

not heard anything since though, next time i see him i'll ask;)
 
gdunc79 said:
Are amateur golfers not benefitting from the better balls as well though given we use the same as the pros? i.e would you like to see length being taken off your drives??
Click to expand...

Yep fine by me, most courses we play arent designed for the ball travelling as far as it currently does. Much rather courses not being overpowered and made all but obsolete. Plenty of courses being lengthened for lengths sake, have hazards that arent at the effective distance they were designed for etc and are worse for it. Not convinced longer rough the right idea either, maybe more hazards would help on some courses (or moved ones so they are at driving distance not just bombed oveR)
 
patricks148 said:
The R&A were looking at it about 3 years ago. One of the guys in our roll up is on the R&A Rules committee and we tested a ball, that was designed to lose a greater % depending on swing speed. We have a couple of guys in the group that have pro clubhead speed and they were the only ones that noticed any diff in distance.

not heard anything since though, next time i see him i'll ask;)
Click to expand...

Wow, interesting concept, not sure thats the right approach in that the better player gets punished more, surely just an 80% of current length ball be a fairer option, but makes sense if you were trying to get something the big brands could potentially go along with
 
gdunc79 said:
Are amateur golfers not benefitting from the better balls as well though given we use the same as the pros? i.e would you like to see length being taken off your drives??
Click to expand...

wouldn't bother me as it is relative, courses have lengthened to accommodate... you now choose your tee in many course to suit your length, green tees for your club man at the 6000-6200 yds, 6600-6800 if you're longer and 7000+ if you're a 300yd driver.
 
HawkeyeMS said:
Narrow the fairway and grow the rough is the answer. I have no issue with them hitting the ball so far, watching Rory hit drives like he does is a joy to behold.
Click to expand...

Good point. They did this at the Canadian Open a couple of years back and the bomb and gouge guys imploded and cried like little girls. Hogan understood that fairways and greens makes you a great golfer not hitting it as far as possible knowing the rough is anything but and you'll have a LW to the green.

[video=youtube;2PoAOegUv2s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PoAOegUv2s[/video]
 
I don't think the scoring has changed much.
I remember an Italian guy scoring 63 at Muirfield in 1966.
Norman holds the lowest 72 hole Open total from about 25 years ago.

Seems to me they have it about right.
 
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