USGA and R&A Announce golf ball rollback for everyone!?!?!

[caniac6]

Been a member of the USGA for a very long time, and just cancelled my membership. I think that’s really the only way to show my displeasure in their decision.

[Double Mocha Man]

14 minutes ago, Jayjay_theweim_guy said:

Go pay Titleist to build one for you, but don't lean on your friends in the USGA to mandate your fix for the rest of us.

 

Actually, the ball is already out there.  It's the Srixon Soft Feel.  At 60 compression it's fine with swing speeds under 100mph.  Any higher and you over-compress the ball and it doesn't go as far.

[Double Mocha Man]

2 minutes ago, caniac6 said:

Been a member of the USGA for a very long time, and just cancelled my membership. I think that’s really the only way to show my displeasure in their decision.

 

I hope they asked for a reason for cancellation and you responded...

[rsballer10]

I think golfers whining about rule changes is an absolute joke. In comparison to other sports, golf is very equipment centric and the athlete has a lot of control over so much of it. Adjust to the new golf ball or don't. If you're opinion mattered, you would have had a vote.

 

[caniac6]

3 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

I hope they asked for a reason for cancellation and you responded...

They did not, and I just wanted to be polite to the lady on the phone. Besides, I don’t think they really care.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, caniac6 said:

I just wanted to be polite to the lady on the phone. Besides...

 

Good for you.  She's probably fielding a lot of nasty calls today...

[caniac6]

Just now, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Good for you.  She's probably fielding a lot of nasty calls today...

She did say their system was very slow due to volume.

[bekgolf]

1 minute ago, rsballer10 said:

I think golfers whining about rule changes is an absolute joke. In comparison to other sports, golf is very equipment centric and the athlete has a lot of control over so much of it. Adjust to the new golf ball or don't. If you're opinion mattered, you would have had a vote.

 

 

That's exactly the arrogant attitude that's making regular members upset.  We are the backbone of the USGA and our opinion on changes should matter. 

[Mike_C]

I don't think a 5% rollback of the golf ball is going far enough.  

 

Square groves?  Out.   Did Arnold Palmer have square groves to gouge it out of the rough for virtually no penalty back in his day?  No, neither should you.

 

Lightweight shafts? Goodbye.  If Jack Nicklaus could drive it 300+ yards with an old steel shaft at 43 inches, well, buddy, you could too; just hit the gym.

 

Long putters?  No way, ban them, out, out, out. 

 

While we are at it, no special grooves on putters.  Evenroll, shut your company down.   And for that matter, no heel or toe weighting; that Anser design has taken the skill out of putting......  Did Bobby Locke putt with a monstrosity like a Ping?  No he didn't, if he could putt with a flat blade putter so can you.   Same goes for irons, if your Irons have a MOI greater than a set of 1965 Wilson Staff blades, get rid of them, you are not really playing golf anyways......

 

And modern course conditions are a joke, these top clubs employ hundreds of people to keep their course perfectly manicured, bringing in perfect sand for the bunkers and dumping tons of toxic chemicals on the land, shaving the fairways down to nothing. None of this is needed.  Hire a couple of guys named Angus and Alfie, bring in a few sheep, and you are done. Play it as it lies gentlemen.

Edited December 4, 2023 by Mike_C

[North Butte]

2 hours ago, RCGA said:

 

With that logic, why don't you play non-conforming gear right now? 

I certainly would if they announced that from now on I needed to go back to a steel shafted wooden headed driver. 

[JinxyJ08]

4 minutes ago, Mike_C said:

I don't think a 5% rollback of the golf ball is going far enough.  

 

Square groves?  Out.   Did Arnold Palmer have square groves to gouge it out of the rough for virtually no penalty back in his day?  No, neither should you.

 

Lightweight shafts? Goodbye.  If Jack Nicklaus could drive it 300+ yards with an old steel shaft at 43 inches, well, buddy, you could too; just hit the gym.

 

Long putters?  No way, ban them, out, out, out. 

 

While we are at it, no special grooves on putters.  Evenroll, shut your company down.   And for that matter, no heel or toe weighting; that Anser design has taken the skill out of putting......  Did Bobby Locke putt with a monstrosity like a Ping?  No he didn't, if he could putt with a flat blade putter so can you.   Same goes for irons, if your Irons have a MOI greater than a set of 1965 Wilson Staff blades, get rid of them, you are not really playing golf anyways......

 

And modern course conditions are a joke, these top clubs employ hundreds of people to keep their course perfectly manicured, bringing in perfect sand for the bunkers and dumping tons of toxic chemicals on the land, shaving the fairways down to nothing. None of this is needed.  Hire a couple of guys named Angus and Alfie, bring in a few sheep, and you are done. Play it as it lies gentlemen.

Hell yes

[rsballer10]

17 minutes ago, bekgolf said:

 

That's exactly the arrogant attitude that's making regular members upset.  We are the backbone of the USGA and our opinion on changes should matter. 

This regulation pales in comparison to other sports. Everyone will survive. People whined about the groove rule in 2010, yet the sport lives on.

[North Butte]

1 hour ago, RCGA said:

 

Augusta spent $26 million to move one tee box. The par 5 became a driver-wedge making it the easiest hole on the course. 

 

But you must know better.  

I don't give a s*** what some rich guys choose to spend their money on. 

[caniac6]

6 minutes ago, Mike_C said:

I don't think a 5% rollback of the golf ball is going far enough.  

 

Square groves?  Out.   Did Arnold Palmer have square groves to gouge it out of the rough for virtually no penalty back in his day?  No, neither should you.

 

Lightweight shafts? Goodbye.  If Jack Nicklaus could drive it 300+ yards with an old steel shaft at 43 inches, well, buddy, you could too; just hit the gym.

 

Long putters?  No way, ban them, out, out, out. 

 

While we are at it, no special grooves on putters.  Evenroll, shut your company down.   And for that matter, no heel or toe weighting; that Anser design has taken the skill out of putting......  Did Bobby Locke putt with a monstrosity like a Ping?  No he didn't, if he could putt with a flat blade putter so can you.   Same goes for irons, if your Irons have a MOI greater than a set of 1965 Wilson Staff blades, get rid of them, you are not really playing golf anyways......

 

And modern course conditions are a joke, these top clubs employ hundreds of people to keep their course perfectly manicured, bringing in perfect sand for the bunkers and dumping tons of toxic chemicals on the land, shaving the fairways down to nothing. None of this is needed.  Hire a couple of guys named Angus and Alfie, bring in a few sheep, and you are done. Play it as it lies gentlemen.

I see you have a longer than normal putter, plus a nice bag full of modern equipment. 

[Mike_C]

1 minute ago, caniac6 said:

I see you have a longer than normal putter, plus a nice bag full of modern equipment. 

Just was doing my Abe Simpson spiel.

 

[klebs01]

2 hours ago, North Butte said:

I am honestly amazed there are any posts defending this silliness but that's just the nature of Internet discussions, I suppose. I guarantee you not 1 in 100 of the people who are out playing golf at this very moment have any desire to hit the ball 5% (or 6% or whatever) shorter than they do now. If USGA does ever get around to actually implementing this, they will be roundly ignored by the vast majority of golfers.

 

But the more I think about it, the more sure I am that their "plan" (such as it is) will be to threaten to implement this in a few years, then push back the date a time or two and then finally (in their cunning dreams) force the industry to accept the bifurcation that was flatly rejected a couple years ago.

 

In which case, they will also eventually be ignored as a bunch of noisy doofuses with no connection to the actual game at its grassroots level. 

Ive spoken to a fair number of people about this and almost all the sub-45 single digit caps are in favor of the rollback. Others say they wouldn’t notice. This is the only real screaming I’ve heard. Similar to the grooves, no one cares but 5 people here. 

[klebs01]

49 minutes ago, caniac6 said:

Been a member of the USGA for a very long time, and just cancelled my membership. I think that’s really the only way to show my displeasure in their decision.

thanks for the reminder. I’ll sign up right now. 

[rsballer10]

2 minutes ago, klebs01 said:

Ive spoken to a fair number of people about this and almost all the sub-45 single digit caps are in favor of the rollback. Others say they wouldn’t notice. This is the only real screaming I’ve heard. Similar to the grooves, no one cares but 5 people here. 

 

LOL people lost their minds about the grooves on here. Haven't heard someone mention conforming grooves since 2010.

[North Butte]

5 minutes ago, klebs01 said:

Ive spoken to a fair number of people about this and almost all the sub-45 single digit caps are in favor of the rollback. Others say they wouldn’t notice. This is the only real screaming I’ve heard. Similar to the grooves, no one cares but 5 people here. 

I don't believe you, sorry.

[PuffyC]

1 hour ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

How about just throwing a yellow flag and moving it back to the line?

 

 

I'd be with you if it was throw a yellow flag and move their ball 20 yards behind the line, otherwise there's no actual penalty and you're not rewarding the player who has the golf skills and courage to try driving their ball exactly 299 yards.

[MattC555]

17 minutes ago, klebs01 said:

Ive spoken to a fair number of people about this and almost all the sub-45 single digit caps are in favor of the rollback. Others say they wouldn’t notice. This is the only real screaming I’ve heard. Similar to the grooves, no one cares but 5 people here. 

 

[HoosierHacker89]

I don't really see the point one way or the other for this. My initial thought is it seems stupid, but I'll keep playing whatever they sell. 

[Celeras]

Weird ... because I've spoken to exactly 1 more person than @klebs01 did, and not only do they all hate the idea of a rollback but they also told me with absolute certainty that @klebs01 fluffs his lie when nobody is looking.

 

Take that for what it's worth.

[LumpyPockets]

What if you play a two piece?  Think they'll reformulate those too or just let em ride since no PGA pro plays them and they're shorter than tour balls arleady. 

[Double Mocha Man]

54 minutes ago, PuffyC said:

 

I'd be with you if it was throw a yellow flag and move their ball 20 yards behind the line, otherwise there's no actual penalty and you're not rewarding the player who has the golf skills and courage to try driving their ball exactly 299 yards.

 

Good point.  Yellow flag and a 20 yard penalty... 1st and goal.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, rsballer10 said:

This regulation pales in comparison to other sports. Everyone will survive. People whined about the groove rule in 2010, yet the sport lives on.

 

Well, to be fair, that rule didn't affect every shot.  This one does.  I'm assuming putts could come up 15% shorter, too.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, klebs01 said:

thanks for the reminder. I’ll sign up right now. 

 

3507 cancellations today.  1 new sign-up.

[klebs01]

3 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

3507 cancellations today.  1 new sign-up.

gotta do my part. 

[PZero]

I'll continue to use old non-conforming balls. Take my PGA Tour card away if you must.

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

2 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Actually, the ball is already out there.  It's the Srixon Soft Feel.  At 60 compression it's fine with swing speeds under 100mph.  Any higher and you over-compress the ball and it doesn't go as far.

Interesting.  How does it perform when Byron hits it?  Is there a significant likelihood of it losing concentricity with a few hits from a pro-level strike?

 

How are spin, launch affected?  If it were this easy to fix, it seems like we have a winner:  Let tournament hosts dictate if this type of ball is the only one acceptable or not, and leave the rest of us alone.