The distance debate has split the golf world in two. Some want to blame everything on the golf ball. Others want to blame “technology” in general. Some are fine with things the way they are.
The motivations are many. Former players may not like seeing the stature of their records diminished. Architects don’t like building longer courses because they cost more. And your average weekend duffer loves hitting the ball 270 yards when they really catch one (which, naturally, they rarely do).
This list doesn’t aim to look into all of the reasons behind someone’s choice of a side, but merely to list the side they’re on based on public comments and current events. The list will start out smaller and grow as we build upon it, oftentimes linking to our own stories here at The Sand Trap as “proof” of a person’s association.
Anti-Ball
Jack Nicklaus
A former player who doesn’t like seeing his records diminished, Jack conveniently forgets that he thrived because of the distance advantage he enjoyed for much of his career. Jack is also an (failing) equipment manufacturer and a course architect.
Hootie Johnson
Bent on “preserving the shot values,” Hootie’s obsession with limiting the golf ball and simultaneously lengthening Augusta National indicate a severe case of tunnel vision.
Greg Norman
Presumably, Greg Norman can’t blame all of technology due to his large MacGregor contract (in MacGregor commercials he fawns over the technology in his new MacTect driver), so he just blames the ball. Norman supports bifurcation and says “Put the limitations on us, the pros.”
Anti-Technology
Geoff Shackelford
A fledgling golf course architect, Shackleford believes that technology has had a “negative impact” on the game. Slow play? Technology’s fault. Rising cost of the game? Technology’s fault. TV ratings down? Blame technology. Tournament ball? Why yes, I’ll take two dozen. And on and on…
Gary Player
Gary has said that new equipment “is ruining the game of golf.” Gary also believes that “golf courses are becoming obsolete.” He’s not a fan of the ball, the drivers, today’s course agronomy and maintenance, or much else.
Pro-Status-Quo
Average Golfers
Who doesn’t like busting one 270 on occasion? You know, the occasion where they hit the ball somewhere near the center of the clubface? The average golfer’s handicap has not dropped in 30 years.
The USGA
The Overall Distance Standard (ODS) was revised a few years ago to account for higher swing speeds and optimized launch conditions. If the USGA believed the ball flew too far, they wouldn’t keep saying “we’re comfortable with the distance the ball flies.”
Wally Uihlein
The CEO of the largest ball manufacturer in the world (and some darn nice clubs) is bound to appreciate technology and all that it brings to the game of golf.
Davis Love III
Davis believes that, like Jeff Gordon in a NASCAR race car, that only the better players get the most out of the ball. For the average player, the ball goes just the right distance.
The Sand Trap
We remain firmly planted on the side of reality, common sense, the limitations of physics, and the existing rules. We don’t mind Tiger Woods hitting the ball 325 on occasion, and we don’t mind hitting it 280 ourselves now and then.
Updates and Changes
July 11, 2005: Initial publication. We’ll update this article as necessary.
Is this whole discussion caused by intention of “keeping the game pure” or is it just the recently popular way of thinking, where nobody is responsible for anything, it’s always somebody (something) else at fault??? (See law suit for coffee being hot, no dodge-ball games in schools, since weaker childern are disadvantaged, racial quotas, etc, etc.) How ’bout we just leave it alone?