Golf’s governing bodies insist a new rule change to reduce the distance balls travel is “proportionate” and will have “minimal” impact on recreational players.
The R&A and USGA had previously proposed a Model Local Rule (MLR) to give elite tournaments the option to require the use of balls which would travel around 15 yards less.
R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers and USGA counterpart Mike Whan confirmed that the MLR would apply in their own events, most notably the Open Championship and US Open, respectively.
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods supported the proposal but it was opposed by the PGA Tour and PGA of America and strongly criticised by top equipment manufacturing company Acushnet and the likes of Justin Thomas, who plays their market-leading Titleist balls.
In response to what Slumbers termed “pretty much no support” for the MLR, the R&A and USGA are now revising the speed at which balls are tested, which will effectively make current versions non-conforming.
The change will apply at the elite level from 2028, but also for recreational players from 2030.
Keegan Bradley said during last week’s Hero World Challenge that he had already tested a potential version of the new ball and claimed it was 40 to 50 yards shorter with his driver, labelling it “monstrous” that amateur players would be impacted by the new rule.
However, Slumbers told the PA news agency that such “emotional numbers” were completely inaccurate as he outlined the rationale behind the change.
“Having had pretty much no support for an MLR, we thought how can we best achieve our objectives, which is bringing back a little bit more skill in the game, slowing down hitting distance and our environmental sustainability concerns, without a tremendous impact on the recreational game,” Slumbers said.
“We can do nothing, we can bifurcate the game – which was the MLR – or change the game for everybody. We always said that doing nothing was not an option.”
The clubhead speed at which balls are tested will rise from 120mph, which was implemented in 2004, to 125mph, while the distance limit remains at 317 yards, plus three yards of tolerance.
“Over the last six months we’ve had quite a lot of golf balls sent to us that could have conformed with the MLR so we’ve been able to test and understand how a ball at the fastest clubhead speeds would perform with the different rule,” Slumbers added.
“The impact on the game is as follows: For the fastest swing speeds it will be 13-15 yards, for the average Tour speed nine to 11 yards and for the average recreational player less than five yards.
“We also know that as the clubs get shorter, the impact will tend towards zero because the clubhead speed drops.
“We do think it is proportionate and it is targeted and the impact to the recreational game is minimal and certainly not the emotional numbers that have been discussed in recent days.”
Reaction to the change is certain to be mixed, but Slumbers gave short shrift to any suggestion of further “notice and comment” periods.
“This is a rule change, a change to the rules of golf equipment standards,” added Slumbers, who conceded that the PGA Tour and PGA of America would have preferred the status quo.
“There is a process that we agreed with all the industry and we followed that diligently.
“It’s taken five years to get to this point and we have listened, but we feel we’ve got to the end of that process and the reality is that the rule change doesn’t come into effect into January 2028.
“This is a significant period of time and we have given more, as we were previously talking about 2026.
“Governance is not easy, but our responsibility is to look to the future and make sure the game is appropriately structured for the long term and we believe this rule change is part of that.
“I think it’s an important moment for the game and it’s a positive moment for the game.”
In addition, the governing bodies will monitor how drivers can become non-confirming through regular use and research how the clubs perform with off-centre hits.
The PGA Tour and PGA of America both gave a qualified welcome to the news while also expressing opposition to the increase in test clubhead speed.
“Throughout the process we have provided feedback to the USGA and The R&A and are pleased to see a number of our recommendations reflected in this most recent announcement,” the PGA Tour said in a statement.
“However, we believe the proposed increase in test clubhead speed to 125mph is disproportional to the rate of increase we see when analysing PGA Tour radar data.
“In conjunction with guidance from the Player Advisory Council, Player Directors and Policy Board, we will continue to share our feedback with the USGA and The R&A.”
'The game is testing me' – More agony for McIlroy as Horschel wins BMW PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy admitted golf is "testing" him more than usual after enduring yet another near miss at the BMW PGA Championship, losing to Billy Horschel in a play-off.
McIlroy, Horschel and Thriston Lawrence were forced into a three-way play-off after they all finished 20-under through four rounds at Wentworth.
Lawrence carded a final round of 65 to close a two-shot gap to McIlroy and Horschel, but the South African bogeyed the first play-off hole to put himself out of contention.
Horschel then wrapped up his second triumph at Wentworth with an eagle on the second, having previously triumphed at the event in 2021.
McIlroy has endured a frustrating year, missing two close-range putts when in pole position to win the US Open in June, then slipping again on the final round to finish second at last week's Irish Open.
Speaking after Sunday's play-off, the Northern Irishman said: "Last week was a tough one but I left there with my head held high with the way I played the last hole, trying to make three.
"Two weeks in a row I've played well. Just not quite well enough. The game is testing me a little more than it has done in the past, but that's fine.
"It could have been a different year but the nice thing is there's next year and the year after and the year after and the year after.
"If you think of my career as a 30-year journey, it's only one year in a 30-year journey, and hopefully the other 29 are a little more productive or a little bit better."
Horschel, meanwhile, admitted the struggles of the four-time major winner, a close friend of his, put a slight dampener on his victory.
"I'm thrilled and excited for the way I played," Horschel said.
"At the same time I'm a little disappointed – Rory is a great friend of mine and he's a generational talent. I know how close he's been this year so I feel for him.
"I needed a bit of luck. There was a lot of luck on my side to get this victory today."
McIlroy pleased with 'solid' round as he chases Manassero at Wentworth
Rory McIlroy was pleased with a 'solid' bogey-free round of 66 as he sits joint-second on 15 under par, three shots off leader Matteo Manassero, ahead of the final day of the BMW PGA Championship.
McIlroy carded a six-under round with four birdies and one eagle on the fourth, only bettered by leader Manassero's 63 and Billy Horschel's 65, which included a run of seven straight birdies and put him in a tie for second alongside the Northern Irishman.
The 35-year-old, who won the event in 2014, was happy enough with his third round, despite finding the water on 18 and scrambling a par on the scoreable final hole.
He said to Sky Sports: "I had a few chances that I let slip there on the back nine, but I got going out there on moving day, shooting six under par, trying to keep up with Matteo.
"It was another solid day, my lowest score of the week and no bogeys. I know I'm going to need another low one tomorrow to try to catch him.
"I love it here. It would be amazing to get my name on the trophy again."
Manassero, who also tasted success at Wentworth in 2013, was delighted with his round, coming towards the end of a season in which he has returned from the wilderness to play some of his very best golf.
"I have to be honest, one of the best rounds I've ever played," the Italian said afterwards.
"Thinking of the difficult years, to be standing here right now in the lead - it feels amazing."
"My perspective has changed. I'm going to go out and enjoy tomorrow."
Spieth expecting to be tournament ready for 2025 PGA season
Jordan Spieth is expecting to return to action for the 2025 PGA Tour season after undergoing successful wrist surgery last month.
Spieth, who last competed at the FedEx St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind, failed to find his best form during the recent campaign out on the course.
The former world number one started the season strong, finishing third in The Sentry and then, a few weeks later, tied for sixth in the WM Phoenix Open
But the American missed the final two playoffs in the BMW Championship and Tour Championship, while also missing seven cuts, one of which included the Masters.
Spieth was seen sporting a cast on his first appearance since the surgery and was able to reveal the timeline for his return to action.
"I think that by 2025, by Jan. 1, it's my goal to be tournament-ready," Spieth told Golfweek in a Q&A published on Monday.
"And for me, that would be not just going out and seeing how it feels, you know, but expecting to play at my ceiling."
Spieth has three major wins and 13 overall victories on the PGA Tour but has not emerged victorious since the RBC Heritage in April 2022.
The American did not earn entry into the 2025 season-opening tournament. However, he is able to play in the Sony Open in Hawaii at the start of January.
While the 31-year-old's main reason for surgery was to see him return to form, he also detailed the personal reasons for his decision to go under the knife.
"I would say the number one reason why I ended up getting it done was because it affects my way of life at home," Spieth said.
"Like when it would dislocate and I couldn't get it back in, it would happen when I'm getting my daughter out of the bath, I'm putting a sweatshirt on or it just so random that it was like, I didn't want it to continue, and it happened more and more.
"And it wasn't going to heal itself based on a number of different docs and scans and whatever. So it's just inevitable."
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