PGA Tour surveys players on golf ball rollback

The PGA Tour is digging deeper into the great golf-ball distance debate.

As first reported on Thursday by Golf.com, the Tour sent a 13-question survey to its membership on both the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour, seeking to better understand their views on a potential rollback.

The timing is curious given that the USGA and R&A have already announced plans to change how golf balls will be tested to combat ever-increasing driving distances, potentially by up to 15-20 yards at the elite level. The USGA recently issued a notice to manufacturers, inviting feedback on changing the proposed date when the changes would take effect. The plan has been for elite players to start using the distance-reducing balls starting in 2028, followed by amateur players in 2030. The proposal would have all golfers switch in 2030, and an announcement on pushing the date back is expected shortly.

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It also comes not long after several players on the Tour policy board and Player Advisory Council expressed their concern about whether the rollback would achieve its goal. Last week’s biggest story ahead of the PGA Championship was that Cameron Young already was using a prototype golf ball that reportedly could be approved under the revised rules, but he hadn’t lost any distance since putting it into play last August.

Among the questions on the survey, which “should take 3-4 minutes,” include:

• What skill should be tested more on the PGA Tour than it currently is?

• Is driving distance a problem on the PGA Tour?

• How effective has the USGA and the R&A’s rule making process and efforts been in responding to the needs of the professional game?

• Should the PGA Tour have its own rule-making process for both play and equipment rules?

• Have you tested any prototype golf balls expected to conform under the new conditions?

The USGA and the R&A initiated the Distance Insights Project in May of 2018 and published their first report in 2019. In December, 2022, the governing bodies announced the change in testing conditions for golf ball conformance. Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley has consistently supported a rollback, while the PGA of America has reiterated its opposition to the proposed rule change. The PGA Tour’s CEO, Brian Rolapp, said in March that he is still studying the issue. He is expected to hold a press conference at the Travelers Championship next month.

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This article originally appeared on Golfweek: PGA Tour surveys players on golf ball distance rollback