New Rules for Professionals?

[Neilds]

The R&A and USGA have produced a report into the distances that professionals are hitting the ball. According to the BBC website they are looking at the possibility reducing the driver sweetspot (isn't it tiny anyway? ) or reducing the size of the head. They stress these rules would not affect us hackers who could actually get more forgiving clubs

 

[Golfnut1957]

I'm not a big fan of bifurcation but if it has to happen these changes sound like a good compromise.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/60766719

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I don't understand the obsession/fear that golf has regarding bifurcation. It seems so obvious to do it.

 

[Orikoru]

I don't understand the obsession/fear that golf has regarding bifurcation. It seems so obvious to do it.

They already have some of their own rules anyway, like not being able to change balls, err, not being able to wear shorts. Stuff like that. So what does it matter if we limit their clubs as well?

 

[PJ87]

Surely the bay hill tournament showed how easy it was to defend courses

Grow the rough , make fairways a little narrower.. make missed cost more

Scores there where much more controlled

 

[Barking_Mad]

Just change the ball?

 

[Crow]

I'm all for it, I'm sick of the professionals using clubs that are easier to play than mine.

 

[IanM]

I wonder how we'll feel using using the "easy peasy hackers bats??"

 

[Crow]

Just change the ball?

And I'd love it if they bought back a nice spinny ball that behaved like the old balata balls did.

 

[jim8flog]

And I'd love it if they bought back a nice spinny ball that behaved like the old balata balls did.

I do not think the spin on some balls has changed that much.

It is the limits put on grooves that has changed the amount of spin we now see.

I know my old clubs used to cost me around 3 balls a round because so much of the cover was left in the groove after the shot was played.

It was the major reason I changed clubs because balls were getting so expensive.

 

[sweaty sock]

Reading the insight report it seams they are investigating reducing the ball speed, the way i read it it seems like maximum carry of 317 with optimised spin and launch now at 125mph club head rather than 120...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't have any issue with bifurcation. If they want to reduce the cc on drivers for pros why not. If they can get the manufacturers to reign the ball in as well then so much the better. Put the emphasis on finding the fairway so it is easier to hit the required longer club in

 

[Crow]

I do not think the spin on some balls has changed that much.

It is the limits put on grooves that has changed the amount of spin we now see.

I know my old clubs used to cost me around 3 balls a round because so much of the cover was left in the groove after the shot was played.

It was the major reason I changed clubs because balls were getting so expensive.

I'm referring to the spin on driver, fairway woods and long irons.
Older wound balls had a very different spin characteristic to today's solid balls, which have been developed to limit spin on long shots and maximise it on short game shots.

It's the spin on the long game shots that causes issues for the "smash-it-as-hard-as-you-can" modern Pro, but that same spin allows the player who can control the ball/spin to shape the ball more which makes for much more rewarding and entertaining golf, IMHO.

 

[jim8flog]

I'm referring to the spin on driver, fairway woods and long irons.
Older wound balls had a very different spin characteristic to today's solid balls, which have been developed to limit spin on long shots and maximise it on short game shots.

It's the spin on the long game shots that causes issues for the "smash-it-as-hard-as-you-can" modern Pro, but that same spin allows the player who can control the ball/spin to shape the ball more which makes for much more rewarding and entertaining golf, IMHO.

I am old enough to have played with 'balata' balls, the modern balls side spin just as much with a very poorly hit big pull hook or big slice. Most modern pros have just as much problems with side spin as we all do you just have to watch enough golf on the TV to see it.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

I'm referring to the spin on driver, fairway woods and long irons.
Older wound balls had a very different spin characteristic to today's solid balls, which have been developed to limit spin on long shots and maximise it on short game shots.

It's the spin on the long game shots that causes issues for the "smash-it-as-hard-as-you-can" modern Pro, but that same spin allows the player who can control the ball/spin to shape the ball more which makes for much more rewarding and entertaining golf, IMHO.

The notion that you cannot shape the ball with modern equipment because of limited spin just isn’t true.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1502768237150359552

Also see Bubba and every high handicapper who has a 60 yard slice.

 

[Crow]

I am old enough to have played with 'balata' balls, the modern balls side spin just as much with a very poorly hit big pull hook or big slice. Most modern pros have just as much problems with side spin as we all do you just have to watch enough golf on the TV to see it.

Side spin is put on a ball with the same mechanics as back spin, modern balls are designed to reduce spin on long irons shots to optimise distance, a wound ball would spin more than a modern ball on long game shots.

The notion that you cannot shape the ball with modern equipment because of limited spin just isn’t true.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1502768237150359552

Also see Bubba and every high handicapper who has a 60 yard slice.

I didn't say you can't shape a modern ball, I said a wound ball span more than the modern ball. This magnifies a flaw in a shot where unwanted spin is put on a ball, be that side spin or back spin.
You can say that I'm looking through rose tinted spectacles but I firmly believe that the best players who used the wound ball were better at controlling its flight than today's players, it's a skill that isn't needed so much now so doesn't get practiced.

 

[Jimaroid]

There is no such thing as side spin. Balls can only spin on one axis. How the spin axis is aligned to the balls direction of travel is what shapes its trajectory.

 

[Crow]

There is no such thing as side spin. Balls can only spin on one axis. How the spin axis is aligned to the balls direction of travel is what shapes its trajectory.

For simplicity's sake, perhaps then we should say that the ball was spinning on an axis of 28 degrees or such to the horizontal.

 

[Foxholer]

There is no such thing as side spin. Balls can only spin on one axis. How the spin axis is aligned to the balls direction of travel is what shapes its trajectory.

For simplicity's sake, perhaps then we should say that the ball was spinning on an axis of 28 degrees or such to the horizontal.

Far simpler to perceive by splitting it into Vertical and Horizantal components imo.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Ooooh, my head is spinning again. I'll feel better after some coffee.

Different rules for pro events?

Hell yes. Make 'em play with 10 clubs max.