Will a Ball Rollback Be Announced by 2023?

[iacas]

35 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

You hear occasional players talking about having separate "PGA Tour Rules"

And they’re not talking about distance when they talk about that.

[DaveP043]

5 minutes ago, iacas said:

And they’re not talking about distance when they talk about that.

I realize that, but the lack of action on having PGA Tour Rules of Golf leads me to believe that there's no way the Tour will take action towards a PGA Tour Equipment Rules.  Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

[ChetlovesMer]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

You sure it's not just a variant of "back in my day…"?

One thing I sometimes wonder about when it comes to the "back in my day..." discussion is how different the greens and fairways were? From watching classic golf like from the 50's and 60's it looks to my eye like the greens are closer to what todays fairways look like, and the fairways are closer to what today's rough looks like, etc... 

I would think that would make hitting it further a little easier today compared to back then but wouldn't it also make putting more difficult today as compared to back then? Or am I way out of whack?

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

You sure it's not just a variant of "back in my day…"?

“And the rough was like a foot tall! My persimmon was only a little bigger than the ball. Wind, everyday, was at least 25 mph! The courses were much hillier!”

[WillieT]

I do see it happening as it will be deemed the "right thing to do" from the old guard. I still have a ton of old rubber band balls that were given to me, a ton of 2-3-4 piece OPB's that have been handed off to me and the occasional find on the course.  What will I do with all these balls if they make them illegal.  I know, I will still play them, lose them and find them.  Is the whole need to roll the ball back in response to the pro golfers coming into their own as fully skilled athletes?  Not to say that Hogan, Jones, Trevino, Palmer, Nicklaus were not in their day, but the modern pro trains differently, uses the same science that gives us super athletes we see in other sports.  Just as in automobile racing, the rules only make the competitors try harder to find that little edge, and it becomes a law of diminishing returns, we've seen that already with the ball makers, club makers. Yes,  I love seeing the long ball hitters hit, but what really makes the game fun to watch is when it is the mastery of the complete game in play - long ball, short ball, bunker shots, recovery shots, and putting all come together for that one gentleman or lady on that one day where life for a moment is in perfect harmony and a champion is crowned.  For me a bad hack, I will never have to worry about hitting it too far.  If it means playing a "deadened" ball, so be it.  I can still have a good time and enjoy the game.

[iacas]

42 minutes ago, WillieT said:

Yes,  I love seeing the long ball hitters hit, but what really makes the game fun to watch is when it is the mastery of the complete game in play - long ball, short ball, bunker shots, recovery shots, and putting all come together for that one gentleman or lady

You don't think that today's players have "mastery of the complete game"?

175-225 is still a VERY important range in the game, today, in determining who does well on the PGA Tour.

[WillieT]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

You don't think that today's players have "mastery of the complete game"?

175-225 is still a VERY important range in the game, today, in determining who does well on the PGA Tour.

Oh contraire @iacas - I should have been more clear in my assessing the mastery of the complete game, as the range you noted is very key.  Mastery of this range is one of the highest Separation Values a player can master.  My summation should have included "approach" shots as well, which would have included this area.  

[Seenya]

21 hours ago, iacas said:

Dude, no. They certainly hit the ball harder with composite rackets and bigger heads that weigh less.

And you missed the point on the rest.

Have they had to make tennis courts bigger?

[DaveP043]

7 minutes ago, Seenya said:

Have they had to make tennis courts bigger?

Is there something here that has anything at all to do with whether you think the USGA/R&A will roll back ball distances?  Anything at all?  After the short digression into other sports which you initiated, its probably time to get back to the original topic.

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, Seenya said:

Have they had to make tennis courts bigger?

Let's revisit what you had said:

23 hours ago, Seenya said:

Golf is the only sport where technology is used to make the game easier FOR PROFESSIONALS.

No, it isn't, and that's a preposterous thing to say. Tons of things have made the game easier for professionals in all sports.

Hell, they engineer gloves to make it easier for wide receivers to catch the football in the NFL. They've used doppler radar and other high-end tech to help make pitchers more effective, throw harder, with more spin, etc. Technology is pervasive.

And, like I said, tennis players use larger, lighter, faster rackets than they used to. That's a SPORT where TECH has made the game EASIER (at every level, including for PROFESSIONALS).

23 hours ago, Seenya said:

They make footballs that the average Joe can throw a country mile

They have "big cup" tournaments in golf, too.

23 hours ago, Seenya said:

smaller basketballs for younger players

smaller clubs for younger players in golf

23 hours ago, Seenya said:

big bats for junior baseball

23 hours ago, Seenya said:

light weight bowling balls, and on and on

light weight clubs for juniors (and I don't think light weight bowling balls are illegal in high level competition, just that nobody would want to use those).

23 hours ago, Seenya said:

But they can't use them in the professional game.

Again, you can't use a Nerf football in even Little Gridders, either.

In that case you're talking about a toy, and in the others… accommodations made for children, which golf also has. (And maybe doesn't have enough of.)

23 hours ago, Seenya said:

If old timers, like myself, could carry a 7 handicap on 7000+ yard courses with persimmon woods and blades then the modern pros should be able to win with rolled back technology.

Of course they'd still win with the rolled back tech. They're better than players were back then. Give them persimmon and balata and blades and… they'd hit it better than the guys did back then. And farther.

You don't have a point here, @Seenya.

6 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Is there something here that has anything at all to do with whether you think the USGA/R&A will roll back ball distances?  Anything at all?  After the short digression into other sports which you initiated, its probably time to get back to the original topic.

Seconded.