The ball rollback is a lot closer to being delayed.
The USGA announced this week that, after seeking comment on changing the implementation date for the new testing rule that could initially reduce elite driving distance by 15 yards, it is in fact, now proposing that the rule not go into effect until 2030. The rule involves the Overall Distance Standard test and would raise the test speed from the current 120 miles per hour to 125.
The ruling body, along with the R&A, is seeking another round of what’s known as Notice and Comment before making a final decision to change the way the distance rollback will be rolled out. In the notice, the USGA indicated that it was proposing the single date “based on consideration of feedback from a wide range of stakeholders” after it sought comment in February on the implementation date.
Instead of the original plan that involved a staggered start that would only affect elite golf in 2028 before applying to all golfers in 2030, the new proposal opts for a universal single start date of January 1, 2030.
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Under the terms of the announcement this week, balls could be submitted for conformance to the current standard up until Oct. 6, 2027, and if conforming, would remain on the golf ball conforming list until the end of 2029. Golf balls also could be submitted for conformance to the new standard beginning Oct. 7 of 2026.
The USGA and R&A announced in January that it was seeking input on whether the rollback would be better if it were set at a single date instead of a staggered start. At the time, the USGA’s Thomas Pagel, chief of governance, said, “As people have gone to implementation mode, they’ve started to understand what really goes into this at the local level, at the tournament level, and they’re saying, ‘There are a number of questions I have, and this is going to present challenges, and I think it would actually be better if we were on a single date because it eliminates the number of these open questions.’”
The deadline for submitting comments on the proposed date change is April 16.
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Main image: Andrew Redington
