HE golf world Whether an intervention is appropriate given the distance they can go has been debated for years. hit professional players. technological evolution clubs and balls We gradually extended the length of tee shots. northern irish Rory McIllroyDeniz, who is currently ranked 2nd in the world rankings, broke the average distance record of 298.37 meters this year. t-shirtbeating the mark held by the Americans by just over two metres. Bryson Dechambeau, one of the big brown monsters on the circuit. The older, multifunctional Tiger Woods is capable of sending the ball farther than ever before. And here’s another eye-opening fact: If you take the 75th player from today’s list of hardest hitters, his ball flies 28 meters farther than the 75th player’s in 1998.
Given this and more data, golf’s governing bodies decided last week that balls must change their construction to reduce travel. They consider it necessary to preserve the essence of the game and, above all, to do so. do not override most fields. Debates are heated in the industry of a sport that has more than 60 million practitioners around the world.
New era in 2028
The new measure mandates manufacturers that a ball struck with a swing of 125 miles per hour (just over 120 kilometers per hour) cannot exceed 290 meters. For a hard-hitting professional golfer like McIllroy, this could mean losing almost 14 metres; 8 to 10 meters for the less muscular. For amateur players, the effect will be limited to 2 to 5 meters. It should be noted that two players with the same handicap may have different swing speeds, so the effect may also vary.
Higher limits were expected. And it was feared that a bifurcation would be decided, in which some balls would have to be produced for professionals and others for amateurs, causing bubbles to form. After all, the measure is universal, although the golf elite will have to start using them in 2028 and the rest of humanity in 2030.
The USGA and R&A, the organizations that adopted the change, relied on a report showing that putting distances have increased by an average of almost a meter per year over the past 20 years. And some fields have noticed effects. In a bid to avoid losing its halo, Augusta National spent almost 25 million euros buying land to expand Azelea, the legendary par 5 13th hole. But not everyone has the economic capacity or the suitable land around them to grow.
Various blows
The sustainability argument is accompanied by another argument about the quality of the game: one often hears criticism that golf has recently become a way out of society. t-shirt Using a big-headed club that swallows distances and ending the entrance to the ‘green’ with a short iron is something that will spoil the essence of the sport that requires a variety of shots and skills. Golf officials hope to see longer irons with changes to the introduction of the game. green.
In any case, the new instructions to manufacturers sparked some protests. Like Dechambeau, he is one of the most influenced. “I think it’s the cruellest thing that can be done to our sport. It’s not about knocking balls back; it’s about making golf courses more difficult. I think it’s the least creative and boring thing you can do. “People like to see how far you can go.”
McIllroy defends the regulations. “I don’t understand the outrage. It won’t make any difference to the average golfer and will put golf back on the path to sustainability. “I don’t think anyone who gives up between 5 and 10 yards will give up. t-shirt It will have a material impact on your handicap or your enjoyment of the game,” he wrote on social networks.
The decision follows a comprehensive distance analysis in golf history called the Distance Insights Project, which was created in 2018 and collected data, shared research and solicited feedback from golf course owners, players and stakeholders across all sports. Some manufacturers have protested, but others see an opportunity to increase business.