Palmer, Woods Talk of Support for Ball Rollback
by Ryan Ballengee on Sep 2, 2010 2:52 PM EDT
in Pro Golf
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PrintWhat a firestorm that USGA ball test leak might have caused. First it led to Geoff Shackelford's reporting of participant anecdotes from Canada. We added some crucial details of the history of this and prior tests. Then, in consecutive days, legends of the sport were asked about the subject and expressed varying degrees of support for the Rollback That Won't Happen But Is Being Tested.
First, Arnie talked about it with Reuters's Mark Lamport-Stokes.
"Because of technology, the players of today hit it too far," Palmer said. "That should be one of the major things on our agenda, to slow the golf ball down so that we don't tilt the scale.
"We have so many great golf courses but, as the players start hitting it so far, they are outdating our golf courses. We need to see if we can't just keep it in the range that we have known it for so many years."
Today, Tiger was brought down a similar line of questioning at TPC Boston.
"It's just, I can understand them wanting to obviously pull the game back a little bit, because the guys are just becoming more athletic. Here I am 6 foot and I'm considered short. Most of the guys now are 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Just like every other sport, it's evolved, become more athletic."
"Understand" obviously isn't "fully endorse," but Woods typically has come down on the side of regulation where appropriate. He vouched for drug testing though later received controversial, albeit totally legal, therapy. Woods had (has?) been on the top tier of the PGA distance charts, but has since scaled back to a degree.
The USGA came out earlier this week and said that this study has been ongoing for a number of years and there is no intent to perform a ball rollback anytime soon. (Both in our report.) USGA Technical Director Dick Rugge said the organization would release its findings in a manner it deems appropriate. Until they are released, don't expect any kind of imminent action.
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What would happen if this was turned into a marketing project instead of a statistical project ? Is there a way to get ball manufacturers to get the credit and let them put together a rah-rah campaign – phase in the new balls from the pros on down, eventually the long balls will sell out and be deposited in the lakes and woods. Within two or three years at most, all that would be left in the stores would be tne new balls and tournaments that want to can just check for conforming balls.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Faldo is 6ft 3 in
and was not that’s long. It’s rubbish to say length today is about ahleticism…equipment allows them to rip it more. Palmer is right, Woods to say they are more athletic is bull. The field is, but not the top players. They have always been athletic. woods is 6 ft. Nicklaus is 5 11…big deal.
Roll Back ???
So now we have to buy Golf Balls at Wal Mart ?
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Easy...I would guess that Wendy, with
her history of grip cleaning and replacement doesn’t either….probably just looks in the woods and such…..jist sayin…..STUB
Very rarely lose golf balls
‘cept maybe in the lake on the 12th – magnetised obviously. Therefore do find more than I lose – never anything I want to play, however, so usually hand them over to husband (you know, the one who’s playing with those lime green Srixon balls).
Tip for you Wendy..
Mostly men hit it into the woods..as you know by now, our egos wont keep the driver in the bag. Men outnumber ladies at clubs here about 5 to 1. Most of those 18 plus handicaps hit it about 180-220 yards into those woods with a slice..I’m guessing when you hit a bad one it’s about 20-30 yards less, but you will be on the fairway most of the time. Next time you casually play, after you hit your 2nd shot, walk to the right and look the next 50 yards or so, you will find some of those prov’s and callaways you have been looking for ! I swear I haven’t bought any balls for years…helps that one of my mates off 20 hits it to the right more than he should…I usually find his and another from time to time . Try it, my uncle off 9 does this all the time and never buys them either . Good luck.
Thanks Easing.
Only a couple of woods on my course ‘though many fairways tree-lined (for rebounds!). Best place for finding balls is in the rough – usually 30 yds. less than where “the ego” is searching for it ;o) I count on hitting 16/17 dead straight tee-shots – but would need gale force following wind to get to 200 yds., I’m afraid. I watched a couple of men playing Monday morning – couldn’t help it – both tee-shots sliced far, far right over onto my fairway, next shots hit wildly into the ob left of their own fairway (they played them anyway or at least threw balls down & played them from the ob), next shots into the ditch in front of their green – didn’t see after that as we had already moved onto the next hole. Hope they had fun anyway – they were certainly getting their money’s worth!
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