Roll Back Discussion

[Wabinez]

No need for buy back. There will be a very long lead in to this for us. The same as the change to 1.68", or 0.83 drivers. Nothing is happening over night. This is a move for the long term, and there is no hurry with the phase in.
There will be 5 years or something for tge likes of us.

assume you read the article?

pros from 2028. amateurs from 2030. sure it’s 6 years from now, but it’s only 2 years after the pros.

if I was to guess, all conforming balls will be on general sale from 2028

 

[D-S]

Let’s hope that it is the same roaring success as the groove change, hardly ever see the Pros get any spin out of the rough now, it fundamentally stopped ‘bomb and gouge’ in its tracks. Also the ‘trampoline effect’ change to drivers really worked well too - it’s been good to see none of the older courses being over powered due to length.

 

[Slab]

No need for buy back. There will be a very long lead in to this for us. The same as the change to 1.68", or 0.83 drivers. Nothing is happening over night. This is a move for the long term, and there is no hurry with the phase in.
There will be 5 years or something for tge likes of us.

But the old balls won't dissappear or dissolve, so there very much is a need, and that need is for balls to go back to source for recycling

 

[Mel Smooth]

I've got a brilliant solution to this..

1. If you are concerned about long courses getting 'overpowered' - have a word with yourself.

2. Scrap the idea


It's as simple as that.

 

[Mandofred]

Too much length from the pros. If you really want to turn people off from golf.....make golf courses that you only have to hit driver and then a wedge and a putt. I'd give the game up right there.....it would be boring as heck.

 

[wjemather]

There's a lot of misinformation out there at the moment driven by people blindly following what the equipment manufacturers, and their ambassadors, have been saying.

Hopefully, the USGA and The R&A step up and ensure the narrative changes to focus on the issues that rollback actually seeks to address, and the negligible impact on >99.9% of the amateur game.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Too much length from the pros. If you really want to turn people off from golf.....make golf courses that you only have to hit driver and then a wedge and a putt. I'd give the game up right there.....it would be boring as heck.

Because that's all pro's ever do right? The pros set the standards as to what is achievable if you are at the very top of the game - but in the real world none of us are hitting driver wedge into anything other than a short par 4 at best.

 

[Mandofred]

Because that's all pro's ever do right? The pros set the standards as to what is achievable if you are at the very top of the game - but in the real world none of us are hitting driver wedge into anything other than a short par 4 at best.

My point....was that watching golf is really boring. If because of equipment changes I could hit 320yd drives and take a short iron into the green......then it would not only be boring to watch golf, but it would be too boring for me to play. You obviously disagree.....you seem to want golfers to hit 400yd drives next year....and further and further than that in the future. I don't want that. But then again, I really don't understand how someone can just watch other people play golf....it's a mystery to me.

 

[D-S]

There's a lot of misinformation out there at the moment driven by people blindly following what the equipment manufacturers, and their ambassadors, have been saying.

Hopefully, the USGA and The R&A step up and ensure the narrative changes to focus on the issues that rollback actually seeks to address, and the negligible impact on >99.9% of the amateur game.

Couldn’t agree more. Some detailed, unbiased information as to how this may or may not effect the ‘normal’ amateur game would be very welcome.

 

[Mel Smooth]

My point....was that watching golf is really boring. If because of equipment changes I could hit 320yd drives and take a short iron into the green......then it would not only be boring to watch golf, but it would be too boring for me to play. You obviously disagree.....you seem to want golfers to hit 400yd drives next year....and further and further than that in the future. I don't want that. But then again, I really don't understand how someone can just watch other people play golf....it's a mystery to me.

There is absolutely nothing boring about smashing a drive an absolute mile, watching it fly through the air with what seems like infinite hang time, knowing you have set yourself up to a shot that will provide greater accuracy to the hole. That my friend, is the essence of the game - those feelings are what get us addicted to the game. Why anybody wants to retard that is totally illogical.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I am old enough to remember when we changed from 1.62 to 1.68 balls.
If I remember correctly amateurs were given a 2 year lead in time.
As a young pro playing against low handicap amateurs around a breezy Dunbar in a winter league I felt at a distinct disadvantage.

Many good amateurs went straight to the 1.68 as they felt they would benefit quicker.
It was really odd selling both size balls in the pro shop.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

There is absolutely nothing boring about smashing a drive an absolute mile, watching it fly through the air with what seems like infinite hang time, knowing you have set yourself up to a shot that will provide greater accuracy to the hole. That my friend, is the essence of the game - those feelings are what get us addicted to the game. Why anybody wants to retard that is totally illogical.

So how come Tiger won an Open at St Andrews and only used a driver on a few occasions.
That my friend is a better essence of the game.

 

[Backache]

There's a lot of misinformation out there at the moment driven by people blindly following what the equipment manufacturers, and their ambassadors, have been saying.

Hopefully, the USGA and The R&A step up and ensure the narrative changes to focus on the issues that rollback actually seeks to address, and the negligible impact on >99.9% of the amateur game.

If they think there won't be an effect on >99.9% of the amateur game why did they suggest bifurcation initially?

 

[Mandofred]

There is absolutely nothing boring about smashing a drive an absolute mile, watching it fly through the air with what seems like infinite hang time, knowing you have set yourself up to a shot that will provide greater accuracy to the hole. That my friend, is the essence of the game - those feelings are what get us addicted to the game. Why anybody wants to retard that is totally illogical.

To you. I don't understand a lot of people....it's life.

 

[Mel Smooth]

To you. I don't understand a lot of people....it's life.

All the polls today suggesting people like me (opposed to it) are in a large majority - so we’re changing the game to suit a minority.
It’s absolutely ludicrous.

 

[wjemather]

If they think there won't be an effect on >99.9% of the amateur game why did they suggest bifurcation initially?

Because change is only needed at the elite level, but the manufacturers rejected that.

Rollback for all is better, but there are billions of existing golf balls to be dealt with that wouldn't be an issue with bifurcation.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Because change is only needed at the elite level, but the manufacturers rejected that.

Rollback for all is better, but there are billions of existing golf balls to be dealt with that wouldn't be an issue with bifurcation.

Correction

No roll back is better

 

[D-S]

Because change is only needed at the elite level, but the manufacturers rejected that.

I assume the manufacturers will now go into double overdrive in the pay more for this distance club as they can push the ‘this club will allow you to hit it as far or even further than before rollback’ mantra. Another reason to sell distance and then more distance to us.

 

[Mandofred]

All the polls today suggesting people like me (opposed to it) are in a large majority - so we’re changing the game to suit a minority.
It’s absolutely ludicrous.

I admit.....I don't know about these polls. Where did you get them? Not saying you are wrong.....I literally have no idea. But then again, most decently done reviews on whether the flag should be left in or out seem to indicate that leaving it in is slightly better (I consider it 50-50)(although with skinny bottom flags it's a dunk for leaving it in).......and the people who hate the flag in, just....don't.....care. They hate it in. They are convinced that it knocks 100% of their putts out of the hole.

edit: just looked and saw a Taylormade poll that indicated 80% hate it. Might be true, but then again....done by Taylormade so there could be bias. Personally, I think it's all related to golfers in general. They HATE change. Any change.

 

[Junior]

There’s more people playing golf now than ever before. Why do something to make it harder ?

Make the ball go further I say, heck even make the holes bigger