Is this true?????

[EnglishGolfer]

I was told today that it is fairly common knowledge that all the ball manufacturers are trying to come up with a standard ball for tournament profiessionals which limits, maybe even reduces their distance in a bid to prevent having to lengthen courses further.

Once the standard is settled on they will all have to conform with the limitations and effectviely be making exactly the same ball but with different logos on. It sounds crackers to me and I'm not entirely sure that I'm not being wound up, but even if it is crap what would you think of doing this?

 

[Davebud]

It would be Okay if the longdrive Comp's keep going and gain a bigger following. Otherwise all the developement in balls will tend towards the short game and durability.

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

There has been talk of this over the last year. There was even a tournament this year, in Ohio I believe, that did just that and required use of the same type of ball for all players. I personally thought it was a good way to eliminate any chance of getting big names because of endorsements, however if all ballmakers should make their own, it should be a possible option.

 

[Bravo]

Well EG, I think you have much of the story correct although to the best of my knowledge...I don't think it's reached the level of "fairly common knowledge"...

First, the pressure for a standard ball is coming from the R&A/USGA, not from the manufacturers. From what I know, the manufacturers would like the situation to remain as it is - with them continually making longer and longer balls.

The R&A/USGA recognize that if nothing is done to limit the performance of equipment (including clubs) then indeed many of the great courses of the world will become obsolete. As Colin Montgomerie said recently, "We can't continue to go into people's gardens to get more land to lengthen these courses. There's just no room left".

In the US, each state has its own "Golf Association" which governs amateur golf in that state...staging various men's, women's, junior and senior tournaments etc. This is done in voluntary cooperation with the USGA.

I have heard that the Ohio Golf Association is considering requiring all contestants use the same ball in their tournaments to insure that no competitor is given advantage over another. I haven't confirmed this however...

I really believe the pressure on the equipment issue is going to come from the R&A/USGA and amateur golf bodies and if a limit is defined and distributed - it will then trickle down to the manufacturers who will be dragged kicking and screaming into compliance...

I think the day is coming though....

 

[Rosmo]

I'm all for keeping courses from being even longer...I am a very good ball striker but I'm not a huge hitter and I struggle on a lot of holes, especially par 4's to make it in two and it gets very annoying.