The genie is out of the bottle for golf. Distance and LIV are the two biggest debated issues in golf today. Both showed up in two big stories this week sending social media platforms into a frenzy of commentary. The proposed golf ball “rollback”, and Jon Rahm leaving for LIV led to a controversial week for the already fractured golf world. Can golf put the genie back in the bottle, or should golf even try?
The first genie out of the bottle is distance. The USGA and R&A have decided on a plan moving to deal with distance. They will introduce new testing parameters raising the swing speed balls are tested at from 120 mph to 125 mph with an 11-degree launch angle and 2200 rpm. The new rules will go into place for tour pros in 2028 and amateurs in 2030.
I’ve gone back and forth on this subject as I’ve listened to many different voices. Sifting through the noise, this is where I currently stand.
What was announced is closer to a freeze rather than a rollback of the golf ball. If the testing started today, tour pros would lose 10-15 yards. Given the time frame, I am confident in saying tour pros will be just as long, if not longer, in 2028. They already are in the gym training for strength and speed which is a big part of why they can swing at the speeds they do and still be able to control the golf ball. They also have the ability to tweak clubs from week to week or even day to day to get optimal performance. Between equipment adjustment and training for speed, they will be fine.
As for amateurs, with 30% of all current balls already in compliance (according to the USGA), many amateurs are already playing with a ball which will still be usable in 2030 meaning those golfers will not see any change in distance at all. My gut feeling is the upper tier of balls, such as the Pro V-1, are most likely in the 70% non-conforming category. Players using those golf balls will possibly see a change in distance by 2030, but manufacturers will work, as they currently do, to get the most out of the ball they can.
Overall, there will be a nominal difference in distance for the majority. It might not be noticeable depending on your current swing speed. Amateurs with higher swing speeds might see a drop in distance as it stands today. How much of difference remains to be seen.
As an amateur, if you are truly concerned about losing distance, there are two things you can and should do right now: get properly fitted and get in the gym.
I understand the anger from so many on this. No one likes change. Numbers have been thrown around. I have been going back and forth myself on the is issue. The timing is terrible with everything in the golf world in turmoil. But overall, based on other changes with golf equipment, I believe this will turn into much ado about nothing.
I believe the USGA realizes the distance genie is out of the bottle and can’t be put back in the bottle. What they can do and are attempting to do is to reign the genie in a little bit.
The announcement Jon Rahm is heading to LIV is the bigger issue for golf. I’ve stayed away from the PGA Tour / LIV Tour debate for my own reasons, but Rahm’s decision to join LIV makes it impossible to stay out any longer.
For the record, I am not a fan of LIV for a lot of reasons, but I am also a realist.
If a professional in any field is offered a lot more money for less work, it is understandable why that individual would accept the offer. Who doesn’t want to get paid more for less work?
On the surface, that’s not the issue.
The question is simple: is LIV good for golf?
Short answer: no.
Long answer: potentially yes.
The genie out of the bottle in this case is the amount of LIV money being thrown at players, and the inability of any other professional tour to compete with those dollar amounts.
LIV arrived on the golf scene throwing bags of money at tour players. Rahm has reportedly agreed to a package potentially worth $500 million dollars (or more). Phil Mickelson got a reported $200 million. Dustin Johnson received a reported $150 million. Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith got reported deals worth $100 million. Do the math. Over $1 billion for five players who are arguably LIV’s biggest stars. The PGA Tour and the DP world Tour cannot compete with that kind of money. NFL, MLB and NBA contracts don’t compare to that kind of money (Ohtani just signed a $700 million ten-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers). Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Christiano Ronaldo was the highest paid soccer player in the world last year at $260 million (Saudis are paying him $200 million per year for 2 1/2 years for their league). If soccer doesn’t pay that kind of money, there is no way the PGA Tour or DP World Tour, no matter how they restructure, can offer anything close to those dollars.
In the moment, this is bad for golf. It creates an atmosphere of unhealthy competition between tours. It creates an unhealthy divide between players causing former friends to become permanent adversaries according to their own words (it’s important to note some have remained friends). It has the potential to destroy the long-standing traditions in competitive golf.
This genie is out, and it can’t be put back in. Like the distance genie it can only be reined in some way. How that happens, I can only hope the negotiations supposedly taking place are creating an appropriate framework moving forward.
The money aside, LIV does have the potential to make golf better in the long run.
As currently structured, LIV is a limited field tour. While there are some big names, the fields are not strong top to bottom. Too many of the stars are on the downward side of their careers. Many recognizable players are no longer seriously competitive on the PGA or DP World Tours. Others at the bottom end do not have the game or name recognition. It is too easy for the few still at the top of their games to dominate.
If LIV is going to end up good for golf in the long run, the fields are going to need to be deeper. It can remain a limited 48 player tour, but the best players in the world are going to have to be the members. Players should have to earn their place on the tour each year. Fall out of the top 48 in the world (assuming the top 48 would all agree to participate), and you are out. The number of events should be cut down to allow for the majors and events on the other tours. For instance, 10 LIV events, the 4 majors and 6 other events minimum for 20 events total minimum. The top players in the world currently play a slightly fuller schedule each year. This means the PGA and DP World Tours can remain relevant and driving forces to continue to grow the game.
The format also needs to be changed. It feels and looks too much like a corporate charity event rather than a serious professional tournament. Some small changes in format such as eliminate the shotgun start and change to a 72-hole tournament would be a good place to start. The jury is still out on the team concept. The music playing during the round is okay. It has become commonplace for golfers to play music during rounds. I personally can take it or leave it. As long as it is a constant background noise, I am okay with it. I have also been in favor of professionals wearing shorts in tournaments for a long time. No issue for me there.
No matter what you think of the PGA Tour or DP World Tour, LIV is not currently good for golf, but it has the potential to be great for golf, and I hope it will be in the future. If the different tours and LIV can come together and work out an agreement which benefits the fans, the tours and the players, I’m in favor.
Ok. Rant over.
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Well said Jon. On rollback, I mostly agree w/ ur take. I’m not in favor of an amateur rollback. Length is not an issue for 90+% of golfers. But it’s not the end of the world.
As for Rahm. Agree. I could see this being the impetus for a deal between the PGA Tour and LIV.
Exhausting stuff!
The genie is certainly out. Pretty depressing outlook for what professional golf will look like in the immediate future. 2024 will be strange. Will probably start to feel like tennis where we get really excited for 4 weeks out of the year. I agree that the long term view of a star-studded limited field tour with relegation can be exciting. How we get there will be interesting... Fortunately, we can all focus on our own golf games whether we tune in on Sundays or not.