Does the Rollback Make Sense?

We are in the era of the rollback. Golf’s governing bodies have decided the golf ball travels too far. As a result, they claim, some of the great, old courses are becoming obsolete.

But is it true?

Pinehurst #2 is one of those great, old courses, and it more than held its own in last year’s US Open. And it is course with no rough anywhere. Only native areas and the difficult green complexes serve as defense.

The modern golf ball is far superior to its predecessors. Combined with better equipment and increased clubhead speed due to golfers training as elite athletes, the average driving distance on the PGA Tour has increased immensely.

For instance, the PGA Tour started keeping driving distance stats for players in 1980. That year, the average driving distance on tour was 257. The longest driver on tour was Dan Pohl who averaged 274 yards off the tee. By comparison, the PGA Tour average in 2024 was 300.2 yards with Cameron Champ leading all the long hitters with an average of 322.8 yards. The lowest average in 2024 belonged to Brendan Todd who averaged 279.8 yards off the tee. Even in last place, Todd hit it further than Dan Pohl in 1980.

Obviously, players are hitting the ball a lot farther. No doubt about it. And they are able to do it for all the reasons listed above. Better clubs, better ball, better training.

This is a persimmon driver. PGA Tour players used this type of driver for many years, and they were still in use in 1980. Compared to the massive drivers of today, this looks more like a modern day 5-wood or hybrid.

Using a persimmon wood was one thing, but the balata ball added another component to the lack of distance.

The balata ball was a soft cover ball which generated a lot of spin. They were perfect for hitting irons into greens and for chipping and pitching the ball. Putting with one felt incredibly soft.

Because they created a lot of spin, however, having a lot of clubhead speed could be detrimental. The spin caused the ball to curve more. More clubhead speed meant more spin which meant more curve which reduced accuracy.

And, they didn’t hold up very well for tour players let alone the average golfer.

One slightly thin shot and the cover cut open leaving a “Smiley Face” as we liked to call it. It would cut right through the cover and expose the insides of the ball which were essentially rubber bands wrapped tightly around a small core.

Sometimes, the rubber bands broke inside while the cover remained intact making the ball off balance.

Today’s ball, like the Titleist Pro V1, have synthetic covers with solid cores which can spin when struck with an iron but have reduced spin when struck with a driver. Having less spin allows players to swing faster without creating excessive spin. This translates to longer shots with a lot of control.

The only PGA Tour player I remember espousing the virtues of hitting the gym was Gary Player. In fact, when I grew up playing, the general rule of thumb was to stay away from lifting weights. Gaining muscle would lead to reduced flexibility and loss of touch around and on the greens.

None of which is true, but it is what was peddled.

And tour players were more likely known for doing 16-ounce curls well into the wee morning hours back in those days.

The modern professional golfer is in the gym training just like other elite athletes. They train for strength, mobility and speed. They have personal trainers, physical therapists, personal chefs, dieticians and coaches. All of which keeps them in peak physical condition in order to swing a golf club at the speeds they currently reach.

And, yet, scores are not dramatically better.

The scoring average leader in 2025 is Rory McIlroy with an average of 69.261. Jacob Bridgeman currently rounds out the top ten with an average of 70.158.

Let’s go back 30 years to 1995. The scoring average leader that year was Greg Norman with an average of 69.060. Tenth place in 1995 belonged to Peter Jacobsen with an average of 70.031. Both Norman and Jacobsen have better averages than their counterparts.

In 1980, Lee Trevino led the scoring average with 69.73. That number would be good enough for 3rd in 2025.

While there are some anomalies in the scoring leader on the PGA Tour, the average score on the PGA Tour has not dropped below 71.

Some will argue the reason scoring hasn’t changed is because of the added length to golf courses which has merit. Golf courses once measured less than 6000 yards. In the 1990’s, golf courses averaged 6600-6700 yards. Today, we see championship caliber courses well over 7000 yards.

PGA Tour courses in 1980 tipped out at 6900 yards. In 2020, the yardage had risen to 7300 yards. Adding length to courses has always been the way to combat advancements in technology.

So, what actually is the biggest reason Tour players are hitting the ball so far?

Great question.

It’s the ball. The golf ball technology has advanced well beyond the balata ball. Using today’s equipment and a 1980’s ball does not produce the same distances we see today. However, using 1980’s equipment and today’s golf ball does result in a small increase in distance.

Bifurcation, a shorter flying golf ball for tour professionals only, was considered but dismissed by the USGA and R&A. No real reason was provided other than to say their research indicated the new limits on golf ball speed would have minimal to no effect on the average player.

Where do I stand on the issue?

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As always, be grateful when you play. Be thankful for the privilege and opportunity to play this amazing game. Now, go golf!