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.<\/p>\n
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).<\/p>\n
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.
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Jack Nicklaus<\/strong> Hootie Johnson<\/strong> Greg Norman<\/strong> Geoff Shackelford<\/strong> Gary Player<\/strong> Average Golfers<\/strong> The USGA<\/strong> Wally Uihlein<\/strong> Davis Love III<\/strong> The Sand Trap<\/strong> July 11, 2005:<\/em> Initial publication. We’ll update this article as necessary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The distance debate is all about two things: the golf ball alone or all of technology. Some like things the way they are.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-swing_thoughts"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nA 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.<\/p>\n
\nBent 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.<\/p>\n
\nPresumably, 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.”<\/p>\nAnti-Technology<\/h3>\n
\nA 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…<\/p>\n
\nGary 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.<\/p>\nPro-Status-Quo<\/h3>\n
\nWho 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.<\/p>\n
\nThe 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.”<\/p>\n
\nThe 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.<\/p>\n
\nDavis 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.<\/p>\n
\nWe 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.<\/p>\nUpdates and Changes<\/h3>\n