R&A and USGA take steps to limit golf ball distances

LONDON : Golf's longest hitters could be reeled in under new proposals to limit the distance balls struck by elite players can travel.

Average driving distances are around 300 metres on the PGA Tour but many players are well in excess of that, meaning some courses are in danger of becoming obsolete.

While great attention is given to club technology, rules makers the Royal and Ancient and United States Golf Association (USGA) are now turning their attention to balls.

They are proposing the introduction of a Model Local Rule (MLR) which would give competition organisers the option to require players to use only balls tested under modified launch conditions and that meet maximum-distance criteria.

It would have no impact on recreational golf.

"Hitting distances at the elite level of the game have consistently increased over the past 20, 40, and 60 years," Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, said in a statement on Tuesday.

"It's been two decades since we last revisited our testing standards for ball distances. Predictable, continued increases will become a significant issue for the next generation if not addressed soon."

Notice of the proposal was sent to golf equipment manufacturers on Monday and have been invited to provide feedback until August this year.

If adopted, the proposal would be effective from 2026.

To conform to the MLR, golf balls must not exceed the current Overall Distance Standard (ODS) limit of 317 yards (plus three yards tolerance) at modified Actual Launch Conditions (ALC) with a clubhead speed of 127mph and based on a calibration set-up for 11 degrees and 2220 rpm.

All other balls, including those typically used by recreational golfers with lower swing speeds, would continue to be tested on existing ALC values.

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