One big question following the joint announcement by the USGA and R&A that they are proposing a model local rule that would modify the way golf balls are tested to curb distance in elite competition: Where do the governing bodies envision the line being drawn between who implements this MLR, if enacted starting in 2026, and who doesn’t? “I think…

Surely the PGA Tour's fastest swinger would be opposed to any rollback of the golf ball? Well, not exactly. Brandon Matthews, who leads the Tour in average clubhead speed (126.6 mph) and ranks second in average driving distance (320.4 yards), responded to Tuesday's news that the USGA and R&A were attempting to curb hitting distance with a proposal that would…

The USGA and R&A announced Tuesday a proposed model local rule that would give elite competition organizers the option to use golf balls tested under modified launch conditions, a major effort to roll back the ball in hopes of curbing ever-increasing distance gains. And golf's stakeholders, including the PGA Tour and Acushnet, parent company of Titleist, have responded: PGA Tour…

A rollback is coming. The USGA and R&A releases a joint statement Tuesday morning to announce a proposal that would modify the testing conditions for golf balls used in elite competition via model local rule by January 2026, a move that would reduce hitting distances at the game's highest levels and bifurcate equipment rules within the sport. Specifically, the governing…