The USGA and R&A have released their much-anticipated Distance Insights Project. The joint study looked at distance gains in golf and how they are impacting the game.
The study found that golf essentially has a distance problem.
From the report:
“In summary, we believe that golf will best thrive over the next decades and beyond if this continuing cycle of ever-increasing hitting distances and golf course lengths is brought to an end. Longer distances, longer courses, playing from longer tees and longer times to play are taking golf in the wrong direction and are not necessary to make golf challenging, enjoyable or sustainable in the future”
No specific remedies were mentioned in the report which can be read it its entirety HERE. The Distance Insights Project does seem to be the first step in reigning in distance increases, however. The expectation is for golf’s governing bodies to roll out changes to equipment guidelines over the next several years.
“We just think this continuing cycle of golf courses having to expand is detrimental to the game,” said USGA CEO Mike Davis about the report. “This is not an emergency. We don’t have a crisis. This didn’t happen overnight. But we are looking to solve a problem that we believe is in the best interest of all golfers.”
We’ll certainly be hearing much more about this issue in the months and years to come. Changes are almost certainly coming. What exactly those changes will be and when they’ll happen are anyone’s guess at this time.
