Rollback Policy, a Boon or a Curse? The Controversial System That Might Redefine the Golfing World by the End of 2030

The distance golf balls travel has increased multifold. So a change is necessary to address the issue. Otherwise, the golf courses need to be perpetually extended. Not us. This is the opinion of both Royal & Ancient (R&A) and United States Golf Association (USGA) officials who decided it’s time to bring in the golf ball rollback policy. According to them, with new technologies, golf balls are covering far more distance, resulting in lengthening the courses and incurring a greater financial burden on the golf clubs. Moreover, there are a growing number of voices who feel golf has become way less competitive nowadays.

On the other hand, there is a chance this might create bifurcation, which no one likes. The rules are non-binding in nature. So, tours and regional governing bodies can decide for themselves whether to implement them or not. Regardless, suppose R&A and USGA, which organize 35 championships between themselves, put this into action, and PGA and other Tours reject them. In that case, amateurs might be playing with ‘corrected’ balls, while the Tour pros will be playing with the same balls. Steeped in rich irony, indeed. Although the proposed rules are not set to be implemented before at least 2026, let’s explore the existing complications.

What happens to the majors with the rollback policy?

If they pass the rules, the R&A that organizes The Open and the USGA, the organizer of the U.S. Open, will have the limited-flight balls in these two majors. What about the others? That’s for the Augusta National and PGA of America to decide.

Notably, Seth Waugh, the PGA of America CEO, in a memo to R&A, denounced the proposals, taking along nine other PGAs across the globe. While Fred Ridley, the chairman of Augusta National, didn’t exactly bang the drum for MLR, the former amateur golfer did stand behind the governing bodies, saying he would much prefer to see the issue finally addressed. Notably, Augusta infamously ‘Tiger-proofed’ their course to make it ‘tougher’ for golfers (read Tiger Woods).

One thing should be noted here. Although R&A and USGA both organize two LPGA majors, the Women’s Open and the U.S. Women’s Open, respectively, the rules will apply only to two men’s golf. Why? Because the average driving distance on the LPGA Tour is still well within the accepted norm of the two regulatory bodies. We haven’t heard any noise from the female circuit, even though Lexi Thompson shot a 316-yard drive at the Shrines Children’s Open. But the PGA Tour Pros and LIV Golf Pros chimed in with their thoughts.

What do players think of this?

Most players are less than happy with the change. And that reaction cut across the LIV Golf-PGA Tour divide. Justin Thomas, a fifteen-time winner on the Tour who is also a part of the PGA Tour policy board, termed it “selfish” on the USGA’s part. “I think the USGA over the years has, in my eyes, it’s harsh but made some pretty selfish decisions,” he stated. “They definitely, in my mind, have done a lot of things that aren’t for the betterment of the game, although they claim it.”

The 2022 PGA Championship winner drew an interesting comparison. In the NBA, players now jump much higher than they did in the 1990s. But the hoop height has stayed the same at 10 feet above the playing surface. The two-time Major winner credits the player’s grind for this.

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Echoing similar sentiments, Bryson DeChambeau, who joined LIV Golf in 2022, said, “It’s a great handicap for us guys that have worked really hard to learn how to hit it farther.” The 2020 U.S. Open Champion regularly crushes drives to 310–320 yards. No wonder he termed the policy “atrocious.”

Interestingly, Rory McIlroy, whose average of 326.7 yards puts him on top of the PGA Tour’s driving distance leaderboard, backed this proposal for elite-level golfers. Speaking to the No Laying Up Podcast, the five-time Major winner said, “I think it’s going to help the overall professional game. I think making guys hit some long irons again and some mid irons and being able to hit every club in your bag in a round of golf.”

What does the Big Cat have to say about this? After all, it was Tiger Woods, whose astounding power behind the shots in the late 90s and early 2000s started the debate. Surprisingly, the fifteen-time major winner feels a course correction is necessary here. “I think this should have happened a long time ago.”

In fact, he said something that might not sit well with most, “I’ve been of the position if you play in a pro event or you have a P next to your name, you should be playing a pro ball. If you have an A next to your name and you’re playing an amateur event, you should use an amateur ball.”

How will the golf ball rollback policy affect LIV golfers?

The R&A and USGA have not made it binding on any governing bodies to implement the rules. For the breakaway league, this is the easiest path. One reason is that power hitters such as Bryson DeChambeau will be affected in more ways than one otherwise.

Secondly, a league that thrives on thrills and excitement will lose its USP if the ball suddenly doesn’t travel 300 yards on most occasions. As of this year, 28 of 48 LIV golfers average over 300 yards driving distance. Dustin Johnson and DeChambeau are both in the top five.

But one crucial thing to remember here is that the golf ball rollback policy will render most balls totally ‘unplayable’. Moreover, the PGA Tour has contradicted itself several times in the past few years. It won’t be surprising if Monahan & Co. eventually decides to agree with the policy change sometime later. So, the question remains: how viable would it be for manufacturers to produce two types of balls, one for Majors and the other for LIV Golf? This just throws the world of golf into uncharted territory.

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