Planned 2030 Golf Ball Rollback

[DaveP043]

4 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... Other than a few forum members, especially those that love to argue debate,  I don't know anyone that objects to bifurcation. ........

... I know I keep beating this same drum but the roll back isn't gonna effect the average golfer anywhere near what it effects the pros because most Am's just don't regularly hit the sweet spot on any off their clubs. While the LPGA has swing speeds much more similar to the above average Am, they hit the middle with uncanny accuracy. Of course they have instructors, practice and play every day for hours on end so it would make sense and they will be effected more than Ams. 

... I will deal with it if and when it happens and loose no sleep at al........ And if all the OEMs stop making "illegal" balls, they will just play with whatever is available. 

... While interesting to all of us that love the game for our own personal reasons in the end it is Much Ado About Nothing. If they made the change today and my group had to use a rolled back ball, other than maybe needing another 1/2 club at most there would be non difference in our scores, our enjoyment of being outdoors in the fresh air and sun and appreciating the camaraderie of being together for 4-4.5 hours. Our lives will not change at all.  

From everything I read when the initial proposal came out, for a MLR that would have been in effect primarily at high-level competitions, pretty much all of the stakeholders disliked the potential for bifurcation.  It wouldn't bother me, but I can see lots of potential issues with it.  So if we're going to blame someone for OUR rollback, blame the PGA Tour, blame the manufacturers, blame the stakeholders who shot down the initial plan for bifurcation.

Amen to the second bit.  Sure, I'll miss a sudden loss of distance, but after a short adjustment, it'll be golf as usual.  And as you say, other than a few who decide to buy a 10-year supply of "hot" balls, most of us won't have much choice but to play a conforming ball.  

 

[vandyland]

Plus, personally, I would much rather them shorten the ball a little than come for the driver face/size/forgiveness. If they take away my Mizuno ST-Z 230 where I can hit it pretty much anywhere on the face and it still goes THAT would change my game significantly. 

[ballhawk]

I have the perfect solution to the ball distance for the pro's. Starting in January for the champions tournament in Hawaii, just have the tour players use the Wilson Duo ball. It goes about 15 to 25 yds shorter already and they can get them at cost from Walmart............

[MGoBlue100]

37 minutes ago, vandyland said:

Plus, personally, I would much rather them shorten the ball a little than come for the driver face/size/forgiveness. If they take away my Mizuno ST-Z 230 where I can hit it pretty much anywhere on the face and it still goes THAT would change my game significantly. 

Drivers will be next. Already some speculation about that on the ol’ interwebs…

[vandyland]

Just now, MGoBlue100 said:

Drivers will be next. Already some speculation about that on the ol’ interwebs…

Oh I know. I am just living it up for now. 

[MGoBlue100]

26 minutes ago, ballhawk said:

I have the perfect solution to the ball distance for the pro's. Starting in January for the champions tournament in Hawaii, just have the tour players use the Wilson Duo ball. It goes about 15 to 25 yds shorter already and they can get them at cost from Walmart............

If Wilson had any brains, they’d be in Augusta with Manelo right now getting the DUO named as “The Masters” tournament ball. 

[ShimmyCocoBop]

Today, I took out my old TaylorMade R580 driver (400cc) and felt like I was at least 15% shorter off the tee and much less accurate.  

It made me realize how far equipment has progressed over the past 21 years.

Maybe focusing on reducing head size and COR might be a better approach. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

21 minutes ago, MGoBlue100 said:

Drivers will be next. Already some speculation about that on the ol’ interwebs…

They can’t figure out how to punish off center hits more without causing more issues. 
 

The USGA is trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube. OEMs weren’t even close to the 460cc size when the USGA made that decision. And they knew in the mid 2000s what the distance was with the current ball and equipment and pushed the growing the game agenda.

 

[Preeway]

As I was looking at all the holiday deals online today, and seeing everyone post about stocking up on non-conforming golf balls, it got me thinking about changes coming to the golf ball as we know it. If manufacturers already modify their ball every couple of years in an effort to make them spinnier or longer, wouldn't it make sense that they would begin to slowly make changes to their ball(s) to make them closer to conforming over the next 6-10 years? Seems like they would rather "sneak" these changes into play over time so the change in distance is much harder to notice instead of dropping a bomb on the general public and making it that much more obvious. 

[Beakbryce]

1 hour ago, ballhawk said:

I have the perfect solution to the ball distance for the pro's. Starting in January for the champions tournament in Hawaii, just have the tour players use the Wilson Duo ball. It goes about 15 to 25 yds shorter already and they can get them at cost from Walmart............

and we don't have to wait until 2028 to see how the pros like it! This is to funny.

17 minutes ago, Preeway said:

As I was looking at all the holiday deals online today, and seeing everyone post about stocking up on non-conforming golf balls, it got me thinking about changes coming to the golf ball as we know it. If manufacturers already modify their ball every couple of years in an effort to make them spinnier or longer, wouldn't it make sense that they would begin to slowly make changes to their ball(s) to make them closer to conforming over the next 6-10 years? Seems like they would rather "sneak" these changes into play over time so the change in distance is much harder to notice instead of dropping a bomb on the general public and making it that much more obvious. 

That's why we are going to hoard Pro V1x from now on!

[fixyurdivot]

5 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Interesting since I see alot of people who have serious disdain for the ruling bodies and have seen people stop supporting them more and more over the heads after continued bad decisions. I could see a large exodus over this issue.

What options do we have in lieu of the USGA's GHIN system... soon to be part of another of theirs and the R&A's braintrust/fart, World Handicap System?  If they continue down this road and I have a viable option for keeping my handicap, I'll drop my membership as a form of protest.

[Golfspy_CG2]

Statement from Acushnet CEO David Maher on USGA and R&A Golf Ball Rollback Announcement

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (Dec. 6, 2023) – At a time when interest in golf is vibrant (2023 will mark the 6th consecutive year in which the number of golfers has grown), golf courses are broadly adding forward tees, back tees are used for less than 5% of rounds, and the average carry distances for female and male golfers are 147 yards and 215 yards, respectively, it is appropriate and necessary that the merits of any proposed equipment rollback are thoroughly evaluated in pursuit of a high degree of consensus and support around meaningful change.

As we consider today’s R&A and USGA announcement against recent feedback provided by the World Alliance of PGA’s and the PGA TOUR, we are also concerned that the golf ball rollback overly impacts golfers and does not fully reflect the input of those closest to the game. There have been requests to align on what data is used and how it is used to draw conclusions prior to any equipment changes being made.  Many important stakeholders do not see distance as a problem the way the governing bodies do, and therefore come to differing conclusions about how to proceed to ensure the best possible outcome for the sport.

We support the position of the PGA TOUR and others that there are many areas of focus at the elite level, including initiatives related to golf course setup and conditioning, and other competitive variables which, if desired, can limit the effects of distance while also providing the opportunity for a diverse skill set to succeed at the highest level.

It is also Acushnet’s position that existing golf ball regulations are effective and stand the test of time.  Golf balls are already tightly controlled for initial velocity, overall distance, size, weight, and uniformity.  As a result of existing initial velocity and overall distance regulation, ball speeds have been moderated as was the intent of the rule.  

We note that the mean of the fastest 1% of measured clubhead speeds on the PGA TOUR was flat from 2019-2021 and declined in 2022 and 2023. The mean of the fastest 5%, 10%, 20% and 50% of measured clubhead speeds has been flat since 2017. We consider that the average course playing length on the 2023 PGA TOUR is less than 7,200 yards, just as it has been every year since 2004. We also note that U.S. golf courses built during the period 2010-2020 averaged 6,652 yards – 274 yards shorter than those built between 1990-2010, which is at odds with the notion that equipment has forced courses to expand.  

Not all sports have endured from generation to generation the way golf has endured, and the governing bodies deserve credit for having effectively balanced the forces of tradition and technology. This has helped to preserve golf’s unified appeal and values while encouraging innovation that has helped to make the sport more relevant and enjoyable. 

We believe that further collaboration and cooperation with the R&A, USGA and other stakeholders is critical prior to moving forward with such a significant equipment regulation change. We continue to advocate for stakeholders to convene to have a meaningful examination of this decision and its consequences, and to discuss alternatives as we look to protect golfers’ enjoyment of the game and the health of golf courses around the world to ensure golf’s promising future.  

[Big C]

Hey guys this golf ball rollback shouldn’t affect amateur golfers much I would say if ur a good ball striker next shot take a longer club n maybe we’ll just ad a lot of long irons n our bag done deal

[Fred Mitchell]

33 minutes ago, Cecil Williams said:

Hey guys this golf ball rollback shouldn’t affect amateur golfers much I would say if ur a good ball striker next shot take a longer club n maybe we’ll just ad a lot of long irons n our bag done deal

You must not play much with older players who already struggle with distance. There will be hazards they cannot clear that they now must lay up or try to swing out of their shoes to compensate and they screw up, shot par 5's that are reachable that wont be in the future. The same for younger players who for whatever reason physically cannot hit the ball for distance. The PGA tour you know the same one that has made a total fool of their selves over LIV golf and the way they lied to the players are now doing this for our "own good" If their leadership was a food it would be a soup sandwich.

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, fixyurdivot said:

What options do we have in lieu of the USGA's GHIN system... soon to be part of another of theirs and the R&A's braintrust/fart, World Handicap System?  If they continue down this road and I have a viable option for keeping my handicap, I'll drop my membership as a form of protest.

Right now none. Things I could see happening. PGA tour breaking from the RBs and using their own rules, they could partner with grint to do handicap and form their own association.

PGA of America taking over and again forming an alliance with grint or someone else to do handicaps.

Maybe some other alliance. 
 

the chance of that happening is probably low.

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Some more evidence to not trust the USGA. 

In testing with the NP-500 ... participants reported a perceived distance reduction of about 4.9 percent (210 yards compared to a 221-yard self-reported average). This is consistent with expectations based on laboratory testing.” In other words, not quite one to five yards. Still, Thomas Pagel, the USGA's chief governance officer, told Golf Digest everyday golfers should rest easy.

"It's five yards at most and likely limited to your driver," Pagel said.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/usga-randa-golf-ball-rollback-for-everyone?utm_medium=email&utm_source=120623&utm_campaign=hitlist&utm_content=DM46868&uuid=b9ad2eaf-d3e6-43d2-aceb-675680c392b4

 

[Rob Person]

57 minutes ago, Cecil Williams said:

Hey guys this golf ball rollback shouldn’t affect amateur golfers much I would say if ur a good ball striker next shot take a longer club n maybe we’ll just ad a lot of long irons n our bag done deal

I'm an amateur golfer, and can tell you, even with improvements to.my techniques,  I have limited physical range of motion issues.  Also, I absolutely suck at long irons, and have spent a good amount of time trying to improve on 4-6i striking and distance, to no avail...  

[Josh Parker]

1 hour ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Statement from Acushnet CEO David Maher on USGA and R&A Golf Ball Rollback Announcement

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (Dec. 6, 2023) – At a time when interest in golf is vibrant (2023 will mark the 6th consecutive year in which the number of golfers has grown), golf courses are broadly adding forward tees, back tees are used for less than 5% of rounds, and the average carry distances for female and male golfers are 147 yards and 215 yards, respectively, it is appropriate and necessary that the merits of any proposed equipment rollback are thoroughly evaluated in pursuit of a high degree of consensus and support around meaningful change.

As we consider today’s R&A and USGA announcement against recent feedback provided by the World Alliance of PGA’s and the PGA TOUR, we are also concerned that the golf ball rollback overly impacts golfers and does not fully reflect the input of those closest to the game. There have been requests to align on what data is used and how it is used to draw conclusions prior to any equipment changes being made.  Many important stakeholders do not see distance as a problem the way the governing bodies do, and therefore come to differing conclusions about how to proceed to ensure the best possible outcome for the sport.

We support the position of the PGA TOUR and others that there are many areas of focus at the elite level, including initiatives related to golf course setup and conditioning, and other competitive variables which, if desired, can limit the effects of distance while also providing the opportunity for a diverse skill set to succeed at the highest level.

It is also Acushnet’s position that existing golf ball regulations are effective and stand the test of time.  Golf balls are already tightly controlled for initial velocity, overall distance, size, weight, and uniformity.  As a result of existing initial velocity and overall distance regulation, ball speeds have been moderated as was the intent of the rule.  

We note that the mean of the fastest 1% of measured clubhead speeds on the PGA TOUR was flat from 2019-2021 and declined in 2022 and 2023. The mean of the fastest 5%, 10%, 20% and 50% of measured clubhead speeds has been flat since 2017. We consider that the average course playing length on the 2023 PGA TOUR is less than 7,200 yards, just as it has been every year since 2004. We also note that U.S. golf courses built during the period 2010-2020 averaged 6,652 yards – 274 yards shorter than those built between 1990-2010, which is at odds with the notion that equipment has forced courses to expand.  

Not all sports have endured from generation to generation the way golf has endured, and the governing bodies deserve credit for having effectively balanced the forces of tradition and technology. This has helped to preserve golf’s unified appeal and values while encouraging innovation that has helped to make the sport more relevant and enjoyable. 

We believe that further collaboration and cooperation with the R&A, USGA and other stakeholders is critical prior to moving forward with such a significant equipment regulation change. We continue to advocate for stakeholders to convene to have a meaningful examination of this decision and its consequences, and to discuss alternatives as we look to protect golfers’ enjoyment of the game and the health of golf courses around the world to ensure golf’s promising future.  

Happy to see some actual stats. Unfortunately, like many regulations today, the decision has been made without anyone actually having any input other than the decision makers themselves. 

We just saw it in the trout regs this past year. (Fishing capt.) The freeze killed off a lot of fish and they took it down from 5 to 3 and changed the size.  They asked for feedback but ultimately went with their original opinion. The size they chose were fish that would cause even more death because of mishandled or miss out on reproducing.  

 

[RockerFCC]

I don't see this affecting me at all, with my slower swing speeds it shouldn't affect me more than a yard or 2, if that. Not to mention if you even miss a little on contact, that has way more effect than the ball.  People smarter than me are saying even at 110-115 it isn't much, mainly affects the driver and anything less than a 5 iron won't have any effect. Not sure what all the fuss is, other than for Pro golfers. If the best are only losing less than 15 yards, I can't see how this matters much to most golfers. 

[LICC]

From Golf magazine:

How many yards will golfers lose with the rollback?

Don’t believe everything you read online. According to the governing bodies’ research, recreational players should expect to see a decrease of less than five yards in driving distance, based on an average swing speed of 93 mph for male golfers and 72 mph for female players. And when they get into their irons, they’re likely to see no perceptible change in distance. 

“The way it works, especially if you make the change through aerodynamics [of the ball], it goes actually to the square of the velocity,” John Spitzer, the USGA’s managing director of equipment standards, told GOLF.com. “So we don’t expect to see much distance loss at all — even at the highest levels — once you get to the 5-iron. And when you have low swing players like myself, I’m going to lose my distance almost all on the drive and I won’t see anything in the fairway woods or hybrids. But the rest of the golfers at the highest level, by the time they get to 5-iron [their distances] would be the exact same.”

[RickyBobby_PR]

16 minutes ago, RockerFCC said:

I don't see this affecting me at all, with my slower swing speeds it shouldn't affect me more than a yard or 2, if that. Not to mention if you even miss a little on contact, that has way more effect than the ball.  People smarter than me are saying even at 110-115 it isn't much, mainly affects the driver and anything less than a 5 iron won't have any effect. Not sure what all the fuss is, other than for Pro golfers. If the best are only losing less than 15 yards, I can't see how this matters much to most golfers. 

It’s 8-11 yards at 115 maybe a little more per the USGA. It’s 5-7 yards for female golfers. If you believe the USGA those are the ranges but even in an interview the USGA admitted that in testing 221 yard drives we’re going 210 yards so they have two stories going on. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Statement from Acushnet CEO David Maher on USGA and R&A Golf Ball Rollback Announcement

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (Dec. 6, 2023) – At a time when interest in golf is vibrant (2023 will mark the 6th consecutive year in which the number of golfers has grown), golf courses are broadly adding forward tees, back tees are used for less than 5% of rounds, and the average carry distances for female and male golfers are 147 yards and 215 yards, respectively, it is appropriate and necessary that the merits of any proposed equipment rollback are thoroughly evaluated in pursuit of a high degree of consensus and support around meaningful change.

As we consider today’s R&A and USGA announcement against recent feedback provided by the World Alliance of PGA’s and the PGA TOUR, we are also concerned that the golf ball rollback overly impacts golfers and does not fully reflect the input of those closest to the game. There have been requests to align on what data is used and how it is used to draw conclusions prior to any equipment changes being made.  Many important stakeholders do not see distance as a problem the way the governing bodies do, and therefore come to differing conclusions about how to proceed to ensure the best possible outcome for the sport.

We support the position of the PGA TOUR and others that there are many areas of focus at the elite level, including initiatives related to golf course setup and conditioning, and other competitive variables which, if desired, can limit the effects of distance while also providing the opportunity for a diverse skill set to succeed at the highest level.

It is also Acushnet’s position that existing golf ball regulations are effective and stand the test of time.  Golf balls are already tightly controlled for initial velocity, overall distance, size, weight, and uniformity.  As a result of existing initial velocity and overall distance regulation, ball speeds have been moderated as was the intent of the rule.  

We note that the mean of the fastest 1% of measured clubhead speeds on the PGA TOUR was flat from 2019-2021 and declined in 2022 and 2023. The mean of the fastest 5%, 10%, 20% and 50% of measured clubhead speeds has been flat since 2017. We consider that the average course playing length on the 2023 PGA TOUR is less than 7,200 yards, just as it has been every year since 2004. We also note that U.S. golf courses built during the period 2010-2020 averaged 6,652 yards – 274 yards shorter than those built between 1990-2010, which is at odds with the notion that equipment has forced courses to expand.  

Not all sports have endured from generation to generation the way golf has endured, and the governing bodies deserve credit for having effectively balanced the forces of tradition and technology. This has helped to preserve golf’s unified appeal and values while encouraging innovation that has helped to make the sport more relevant and enjoyable. 

We believe that further collaboration and cooperation with the R&A, USGA and other stakeholders is critical prior to moving forward with such a significant equipment regulation change. We continue to advocate for stakeholders to convene to have a meaningful examination of this decision and its consequences, and to discuss alternatives as we look to protect golfers’ enjoyment of the game and the health of golf courses around the world to ensure golf’s promising future.  

Love when the data comes out and busts the courses have been getting longer narrative, shows the ball isn’t going further and guys have been swinging the same or slower for the last several years.

Yet posts have been questioned when those comments were previously made 

[LowSwingSpeed]

Having spent many years and thousands of dollars on equipment and lessons so I can hit the ball further, I strongly object to golf bureaucrats screwing me and the other 99.9% of golfers who are not "destroying the integrity of iconic golf courses" with increased distance. Why don't we put speed governors on formula 1 race cars and make NBA centers wear ankle weights. Please stick to generating obscure rules regarding outside agency or undo delay.

[funkyjudge]

1 hour ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Some more evidence to not trust the USGA. 

In testing with the NP-500 ... participants reported a perceived distance reduction of about 4.9 percent (210 yards compared to a 221-yard self-reported average). This is consistent with expectations based on laboratory testing.” In other words, not quite one to five yards. Still, Thomas Pagel, the USGA's chief governance officer, told Golf Digest everyday golfers should rest easy.

"It's five yards at most and likely limited to your driver," Pagel said.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/usga-randa-golf-ball-rollback-for-everyone?utm_medium=email&utm_source=120623&utm_campaign=hitlist&utm_content=DM46868&uuid=b9ad2eaf-d3e6-43d2-aceb-675680c392b4

 

And I say that Pagel is full of sh!t.

[fixyurdivot]

2 hours ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Statement from Acushnet CEO David Maher on USGA and R&A Golf Ball Rollback Announcement

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (Dec. 6, 2023) – At a time when interest in golf is vibrant (2023 will mark the 6th consecutive year in which the number of golfers has grown), golf courses are broadly adding forward tees, back tees are used for less than 5% of rounds, and the average carry distances for female and male golfers are 147 yards and 215 yards, respectively, it is appropriate and necessary that the merits of any proposed equipment rollback are thoroughly evaluated in pursuit of a high degree of consensus and support around meaningful change.

As we consider today’s R&A and USGA announcement against recent feedback provided by the World Alliance of PGA’s and the PGA TOUR, we are also concerned that the golf ball rollback overly impacts golfers and does not fully reflect the input of those closest to the game. There have been requests to align on what data is used and how it is used to draw conclusions prior to any equipment changes being made.  Many important stakeholders do not see distance as a problem the way the governing bodies do, and therefore come to differing conclusions about how to proceed to ensure the best possible outcome for the sport.

We support the position of the PGA TOUR and others that there are many areas of focus at the elite level, including initiatives related to golf course setup and conditioning, and other competitive variables which, if desired, can limit the effects of distance while also providing the opportunity for a diverse skill set to succeed at the highest level.

It is also Acushnet’s position that existing golf ball regulations are effective and stand the test of time.  Golf balls are already tightly controlled for initial velocity, overall distance, size, weight, and uniformity.  As a result of existing initial velocity and overall distance regulation, ball speeds have been moderated as was the intent of the rule.  

We note that the mean of the fastest 1% of measured clubhead speeds on the PGA TOUR was flat from 2019-2021 and declined in 2022 and 2023. The mean of the fastest 5%, 10%, 20% and 50% of measured clubhead speeds has been flat since 2017. We consider that the average course playing length on the 2023 PGA TOUR is less than 7,200 yards, just as it has been every year since 2004. We also note that U.S. golf courses built during the period 2010-2020 averaged 6,652 yards – 274 yards shorter than those built between 1990-2010, which is at odds with the notion that equipment has forced courses to expand.  

Not all sports have endured from generation to generation the way golf has endured, and the governing bodies deserve credit for having effectively balanced the forces of tradition and technology. This has helped to preserve golf’s unified appeal and values while encouraging innovation that has helped to make the sport more relevant and enjoyable. 

We believe that further collaboration and cooperation with the R&A, USGA and other stakeholders is critical prior to moving forward with such a significant equipment regulation change. We continue to advocate for stakeholders to convene to have a meaningful examination of this decision and its consequences, and to discuss alternatives as we look to protect golfers’ enjoyment of the game and the health of golf courses around the world to ensure golf’s promising future.  

Excellent response Mr. Maher... most excellent indeed!!   If the OEM's and Tours form a unified front on this, the USGA and R&A are going to look pretty bad.  If that happens and they choose to stay the course, litigation will almost certainly ensue and could keep this tied up for years. 

Don't know about all of you, but I really hate seeing what is happening to the sport the past few years.  Another example of a few screwing it up for the majority. 

[Rob Person]

I am sure we will be seeing tons of different/conflicting articles put out as this progresses. Some will be biased to protect the justification,  and some will be pure conjecture. Until there is an actual ball to play, and is indeed played enough times to quantify the numbers, we won't know for sure. 

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by Rob Person

[RickyBobby_PR]

7 minutes ago, funkyjudge said:

And I say that Pagel is full of sh!t.

And their equipment guy admitted the increase they have seen on tour isn’t really from the equipment but the golfer himself. Shows is the golfer putting in work to hone their swing, optimize their ball flight and put time in the gym to get stronger and faster.

I trust zero of what comes out of any of their mouths

[fixyurdivot]

3 minutes ago, Rob Person said:

I am sure we will be seeing tons of different/conflicting articles put out as this progresses. Some will be biased to protect the justification,  and some will be pure conjecture. Until there is an actual ball to play, and is indeed played enough times to quantify the numbers, we won't know for sure. 

 

I am sure we will be seeing tons of different/conflicting articles put out as this progresses. Some will be biased to protect the justification,  and some will be pure conjecture. Until there is an actual ball to play, and is indeed played enough times to quantify the numbers, we won't know for sure. 

 

I am sure we will be seeing tons of different/conflicting articles put out as this progresses. Some will be biased to protect the justification,  and some will be pure conjecture. Until there is an actual ball to play, and is indeed played enough times to quantify the numbers, we won't know for sure. 

 

First we have to implement the change before we can see if it works... where have I heard something to that affect before? 

Here's hoping the OEM's and tours form an alliance and send the USGA and R&A a clear and unequivocal message.

[FrogginBullfish]

8 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

First we have to implement the change before we can see if it works... where have I heard something to that affect before? 

Here's hoping the OEM's and tours form an alliance and send the USGA and R&A a clear and unequivocal message.

If this does actually go into effect, I do think the ball manufacturers will manage to sort it out in time, but I do wonder at what cost? We're talking about a pretty significant change if there's not a ball in the last nearly 30 years that can pass the new test. The R&D and mass development costs of these new conforming balls isn't going to be cheap. Who's footing the bill? The people playing the game or the governing bodies? What happens to the smaller DTC brands that don't have the resources to actually reinvent the golf ball? 

[Kenny B]

11 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/so-the-usga-wants-a-golf-ball-rollback-now-what/

full mgs article up

I had to laugh when I read TaylorMade Golf CEO's response in this article...

“While appreciative of the opportunity to have a seat at the table and a voice in the debate, we feel like the rollback is simply disconnected from what golfers believe is best for the game” – David Abeles, CEO, TaylorMade Golf

The OEM's thought they had a seat at the table, but actually, they were on the menu.     Sadly, so are the rest of us.