{"id":295877,"date":"2023-12-03T15:24:32","date_gmt":"2023-12-03T15:24:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/?p=295877"},"modified":"2023-12-03T15:24:32","modified_gmt":"2023-12-03T15:24:32","slug":"rory-mcilroy-backs-controversial-universla-golf-ball-rollback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/golf\/rory-mcilroy-backs-controversial-universla-golf-ball-rollback\/","title":{"rendered":"Rory McIlroy backs controversial universla golf ball rollback"},"content":{"rendered":"
Rory McIlroy has backed plans to universally ‘roll back’ the golf ball, claiming it will put the sport ‘back on a path of sustainability’.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, he claimed ‘money talks’ in accusing manufacturers and other pforessionals of pushing for changes to affect everybody.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Golf’s rule makers announced controversial plans\u00a0to roll back the distances travelled by balls at the elite end of the game in March – but now they want the restrictions to apply for regular players as well.<\/p>\n
The United States Golf Association and the R&A want tournaments to use golf balls that travel 15 yards less in the air because of the ever-increasing driving distances, with fears that courses would have to be lengthened otherwise.<\/p>\n
They originally wanted to bifurcate the golf ball, meaning professionals and amateurs would hit different balls under the ‘Model Local Rule’.<\/p>\n
However a report by Golf Digest\u00a0suggests that the United States Golf Association and R&A will announce changes to roll back the distance for elite and recreational players – meaning the balls will not bifurcated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Rory McIlroy has backed plans to introduce changes that would see golf balls travel less when hit at all levels<\/p>\n
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However, he was originally against the idea of the changes affecting amateurs, something he believes other elite players and manufacturers have pushed\u00a0<\/p>\n
And McIlroy has thrown his weight behind the proposals, which would likely only come in to effect from 2026.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘I don\u2019t understand the anger about the golf ball roll back. It will make no difference whatsoever to the average golfer and puts golf back on a path of sustainability,’ McIlroy wrote on X, formerly Twitter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘It will also help bring back certain skills in the pro game that have been eradicated over the past two decades.<\/p>\n
‘The people who are upset about this decision shouldn\u2019t be mad at the governing bodies, they should be mad at elite pros and club\/ball manufacturers because they didn\u2019t want bifurcation.’<\/p>\n
McIlroy originally supported bifurcation because he did not want amateur players to be affected.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He feels manufacturers and other elite professionals are responsible for the lack of bifurcation, which was the ‘logical’ answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He added: ‘Elite pros and ball manufacturers think bifurcation would negatively affect their bottom lines, when in reality, the game is already bifurcated. You think we play the same stuff you do?\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘They put pressure on the governing bodies to roll it back to a lesser degree for everyone. Bifurcation was the logical answer for everyone, but yet again in this game, money talks.’<\/p>\n
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Bryson DeChambeau opposed the idea of rolling back the golf ball, even though players hitting it further threatens the future of some courses<\/p>\n
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Course architects have generally been in favour of the changes, which would help prevent players from outdriving courses\u00a0<\/p>\n
In general, professional golfers have been against the rollback.<\/p>\n
Back in March, Bryson DeChambeau said: ‘I think it\u2019s the most atrocious thing that you could possibly do to the game of golf. It\u2019s not about rolling golf balls back; it\u2019s about making golf courses more difficult.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘I think it\u2019s the most unimaginative, uninspiring, game-cutting thing you could do. Everybody wants to see people hit it farther. That\u2019s part of the reason why a lot of people like what I do.’\u00a0<\/p>\n
Golf course architects have largely been in support of the plans, because of the increasing strain courses have been put under.<\/p>\n
To prevent courses from becoming obsolete with golfers hitting further, extending courses puts a demand on resources and space which are sometimes insurmountable.\u00a0<\/p>\n