As Golf Digest reported last week, there is a golf ball rollback, in some form, coming.

“We have been very clear, as has [CEO] Mike Whan at the USGA,” R&A head Martin Slumbers told Golf Digest last month. “There are only three options: We can bifurcate; you change the whole game; or you do nothing. And doing nothing is not an option. We stand by that.”

The golf ball rollback, if you’re unfamiliar, is a proposed rule change by the USGA and R&A, golf’s rule-making bodies, to address the continued increase in the distance professional golfers are hitting the ball. Proponents of the rollback say it protects historic golf courses from becoming obsolete, among other things. Opponents of the rollback say these are golf’s old-school elitists trying to hamper progress.

Personally, I’m a sceptic on the rollback, but wherever you land, it’s increasingly clear that something is going to happen, and probably soon with a rule that will apply eventually to all golfers, not just elite players. So let’s do a quick runthrough of a few potential outcomes, ranked from least to most severe.

Rollback fails, status quo remains

Given all the efforts in recent years to study the issue, then take a stance that distance is a matter that needs to be addressed, and with the pending rule set to be announced, it’s hard to see the governing bodies announcing a full-on retreat anytime soon. However, there’s a potential case they may be forced into one. Perhaps it’s via a lawsuit from equipment manufacturers, or blowback from the public that’s so heated they get spooked. Or maybe the game’s other power players, like the various tours, simply refuse to abide by the new rule, which pulls the governing bodies back from their plans.

Again, it’s unclear how or if the governing bodies could land in a “let’s just forget about it” position, but the result would be the least drastic of all: Golf takes the scenic route to everything staying the same.

Forty years ago, in the December 1983 edition of the magazine, Golf Digest was exploring the possibility that the distance golf balls were travelling might require action from golf’s governing bodies.

Tournament-specific golf balls

Of course, everything above would require the powers that be to back away from their own idea of a rollback. But if the response to impacting average golfers with a rollback is harsh enough, it could be that the governing bodies return to their original proposal of a model local rule. The fight to get here though might be so heated that potentially they only enact that rule sparingly, on specific courses. The Open Championship at the Old Course, for instance, or the U.S. Open at Merion, etc.

Week in, week out, things will basically stay the same. But when the championship goes to a legacy course that can’t or won’t be changed, then the rolled back ball comes out.

Competitive-recreational golfer split

Turn the temperature one notch further up, and you’ve got something similar to the previous proposal being adopted (aka, a local rule that can be enacted at-will by tournaments), but one that isn’t used sparingly. Rather, it’s adopted on a wider scale as a new normal.

Every USGA or R&A tournament adopts the rolled-back ball, for instance, or every NCAA tournament. This would, I would guess, end up dividing down competitive-recreational golfer lines. If you’re playing in non-handicap stroke play tournaments, there’s a good chance you’re using the rolled back ball.

Of course, this gets messy if the major tours, like the PGA Tour, doesn’t adopt the rule (which officials have said is their current stance), but we’ll get to that …

Rollback for everyone

Perhaps it’s posturing, perhaps it’s hinting at what’s ahead. But there were inklings in Slumbers’ comments that it may be cleaner to adopt a rollback across all of golf. And that is what sources tell Golf Digest is coming soon from the USGA and R&A.

This is one of the scenarios in which the proposed rule would likely affect you, the golfer. The rolled back ball is designed to chop 20 yards off the drives of golf’s best players. What would it mean for you? Without knowing the ball, it’s hard to know. Probably something slightly less but similar.

Some golfers would say they would simply refuse to adopt the rolled back ball, as they’ve indicated in a recent Golf Digest poll in which more than 60 per cent of respondents said they wouldn’t honour a new rule that restricted distance.

Breakaway chaos

And then there’s the most severe outcome of them all: Some kind of standoff that doesn’t get resolved, and instead escalates the divide.

What do I mean? Let’s say the USGA and R&A announce a rollback of some sort, whether for some or all. But then, the PGA Tour and LIV refuse to adopt it, and many of the major equipment manufacturers simply refuse to make a new golf ball model. Perhaps there’s even a threat to form a breakaway governing body to compete with the others.

Who knows how it’ll all turn out, all that’s clear is that in this scenario, it gets messy. Very messy.

Main image: Eóin Noonan

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The rollback would be implemented for golfers of all levels in 2030—different than the bifurcated proposal those governing bodies put forward earlier this year. The USGA and R&A predict a 10-15 yards decrease for golf’s longest hitters, down to 1-5 yards for amateurs.

We have finalized the next step in our years-long effort to address consistent increases in hitting distance and golf’s sustainability.

These changes to the Overall Distance Standard will take effect in January 2028.

— USGA (@USGA) December 6, 2023

Naturally, the rule change caused an eruption from golfers on all sides. Let’s break down some of the most noteworthy reactions.

Bridgestone Golf

Golf ball maker Bridgestone Golf issued a statement effectively saying they don’t like it, but they accept it and are moving on.

Bridgestone Golf statement regarding USGA/R&A distance roll back announcement: pic.twitter.com/L290S6nJtX

— Bridgestone Golf (@bridgestonegolf) December 6, 2023

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy has been outspoken in support of his rollback. After a tweet over the weekend, McIlroy joined Sky Sports on Wednesday morning to support the official proposal, saying that it’ll lead to a more “skilled” game.

"I think this change will make the game more skilful again" ?

World number two golfer Rory McIlroy has backed the new changes to rules regarding golf ball specifications which will see a reduce in distance they travel ?️? pic.twitter.com/XamHvgVhBA

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 6, 2023

TaylorMade Golf

McIlroy’s sponsor, TaylorMade Golf, released a statement on the rollback, expressing opposition but acceptance. On Golf Channel, the company’s CEO David Abeles said: “This decision has been made, and we will move forward.”

PGA Tour

The PGA Tour, with a vast majority of players being against the decision, released a statement questioning the specifics of the new testing protocols, saying they aren’t representative of on-course speeds.

Callaway Golf

Callaway Golf carved out a unique position, expressing disappointment that the USGA moved away from a bifurcated proposal.

PGA of America

The PGA of America released a statement praising the delayed timeline of implementing the new rule, but expressing concerns over a “greater reduction of distance than we would advise” for recreational players.

We appreciate that the USGA and R&A ran a collaborative and patient process over the past several years. We are particularly gratified that they heard our concerns regarding the significant operational challenges bifurcation would have presented and are no longer considering a local rule regarding the ball for elite players. We are also pleased that the proposed change to the ball has been delayed until 2028 for elite players and 2030 for recreational golfers. Given the important role our nearly 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals play in the recreational game, having more time to adjust to the new rule is helpful. We remain opposed to any change that may potentially lessen the enjoyment of the game for recreational golfers or diminish the unprecedented momentum the game is enjoying. It appears recreational golfers will see a greater reduction in distance than we would advise. While this decrease has been lessened, we continue to recommend being more moderate on the swing speed change for the golf ball conformance test. At this time, we continue to have concerns and look forward to continuing this important conversation and finding resolution with all of our golf industry partners.

USGA and R&A CEOs Mike Whan and Martin Slumbers

Defending their own proposal on Golf Channel, Slumbers said that the move was designed to “protect the long-term health and sustainability of the game…with the environmental concerns,” while Whan punched back against some of the proposal’s critics:

“There’s gonna be a lot of ambulance chasers and alarmists that are gonna make this thing seem so much worse than it really is. … I don’t want a few loud voices that are trying to get more clicks and more viewers and more phone calls to drive a frenzy that quite frankly isn’t based in fact.”

.@RandA and @USGA CEOs Martin Slumbers and Mike Whan detail what the universal golf ball rollback announcement means for players of all levels.

?: @GolfCentral breaking news coverage live now on Golf Channel pic.twitter.com/remf2OX3Q2

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) December 6, 2023

Main image: Mike Ehrmann

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The short answer is no—nor can you remove recently repaired grass or tamp down grass in a divot hole to ensure it won’t impact your next shot. You also can’t repair a pitch mark or any other uneven surface on your line if it’s off the green. All of this is covered in Rule 8.1 and comes with the general penalty for a violation (loss of hole in match play or a two-shot penalty in stroke play). To be clear, you can remove loose impediments on your line of play, but if it’s something like a weed, and it’s growing, plucking it out of the ground is a penalty.

Albeit rare, this rule is even violated by professionals. Annika Sorenstam was penalised at the 2006 LPGA Championship for removing some sod in a divot hole that was deemed to improve conditions affecting her next stroke.

So now that you know you can’t go full greenskeeper on the land in front of your shot, here are a few things to remember about this rule:

1. It is not a penalty if it’s unlikely your actions on the line of play would give you a potential advantage in playing your next stroke. For example, there’s a divot hole several yards in front of you on your line of play that you repair before hitting a 150-yard shot into the green.

2. It is still a penalty if you improve conditions on your line of play for a particular type of shot, even if you opt for a different type of shot that would not have been impacted by the improvement. For example, going with a lofted wedge shot instead of that bump-and-run in the scenario that began this article.

3. It is not a penalty if you repair damage on the putting green (Rule 13.1c(2)) regardless of whether your ball is on or off the green. So if you’re worried about that pitch mark on the green impacting that bump-and-run you’re about to hit, go ahead and repair it.

Main image: microgen

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In a perfect world, you’d avoid all the wet stuff, precisely placing your drive in the highest and driest part of every fairway. Of course, that’s not likely to last, as eventually even a piped drive down the middle will likely find its way into a huge puddle. Thankfully, it’s not a hazard that will cost you a penalty stroke—provided you know the proper way to get yourself out of the soggy situation.

What we’re referring to here is something called “casual water,” which can generally be found in low points on the golf course, particularly in bunkers. Causal water is also described as “temporary” water. The more official phrase used in Rules of Golf is “Abnormal Course Conditions” (see Rule 16).

The two basic things to keep in mind if you’re ball ends up in casual water, er, Abnormal Course Conditions are, as the Rules of Golf put it, 1) These conditions are not treated as part of the challenge of playing the course, and free relief is generally allowed except in a penalty area, and 2) The player normally takes relief by dropping a ball in a relief area based on the nearest point of complete relief.

RELATED: Rules of Golf Quiz: How many penalty strokes are you taking to ‘play’ this par 5?

This rule covers a number of different Abnormal Course Conditions, including casual water, ground under repair, immovable obstructions, etc. But right now we’re focused on casual water and how to proceed when your ball ends up in it, be it in the fairway, rough or bunker. To put it simply, if your ball is in a giant pool of water that isn’t in a penalty area, you take free relief at the nearest point of complete relief (a dry area) no closer to the hole, measuring one club length to create your relief area and play from there. The only instances you are not allowed free relief is if your ball is out of bounds or in a penalty area. One other thing to note: If your ball finds casual water in a bunker, your point of free relief still has to be in the bunker. If you did want to take it out, you’d have to assess yourself a one-stroke penalty.

Graphic courtesy of the USGA

Free relief is also granted if the casual water is affecting your stance. Your ball may be in a perfectly dry spot, but if you take your stance and water begins seeping out of the fairway, you are technically standing in casual water and allowed to take relief at the nearest point of complete relief.

Same goes for casual water on the putting green. If your ball is touching it or it’s affecting your stance, you may place a ball at the nearest point of complete relief on the putting green, or in the general area.

You’ll notice we keep saying “complete relief.” That’s not by accident; it’s an important nuance of the rule. You’ll hear announcers mention it during golf broadcasts when players are getting relief from a cart path. To properly take relief, you need to make sure where you’re dropping your ball is not in a place that can still be defined as casual water or that your stance will still be casual water. The Rules of Golf describe it as relief from all interference by the abnormal course condition.

The only situation that seemingly could get a little dicey is if your ball ends up in a rather large pool of casual water, say in a bunker, and you cannot find it. If it is known and virtually certain that the ball is in that pool, the player may take relief using an estimated point of where the ball last crossed the edge of the casual water. Once a new ball is put in play in this situation, the player may no longer play the original ball, even if it is then found before the end of the three-minute search time. If it is not known or virtually certain that the ball came to rest in the casual water, however, the player must play it as a lost ball and take stroke-and-distance relief.

Main image: Andy Cheung

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1: You’re playing a four-ball match today and it’s time to tee off, but your partner hasn’t shown up. A coin flip determines that you are away. What should you do?

a. Take a loss-of-hole penalty and hope your opponent shows up on the next hole.
b. Take a two-stroke penalty and play your opponents by yourself.
c. Play your opponents by yourself, no penalty.
d. Request a 10-minute delay of the tee time and let another foursome go ahead of your group.

2: The late-arriving teammate debacle aside, it’s your turn to play and you hit your tee shot toward a penalty area on the right side of the hole. You don’t see it splash, but everyone hears something like a splash and a group of ducks in the water scatter as you hear the sound. What should you do?

a. Since you’re not 100 per cent sure it’s in the water, call for a provisional ball and play it until you can find the original.
b. Since your partner has yet to arrive, you’re entitled to play two balls against your opponents and you hit another in the fairway.
c. Search for your ball, you’ve got five minutes to find it before it’s considered lost.
d. There’s enough evidence to consider it in the water, so add a stroke to your score and take a drop estimating the relief by where it likely last crossed over the margin of the penalty area.

3: One of your opponents looks a little nervous. After taking a few practice swings on the first tee, he’s ready to go, but his first stroke is a whiff. The gust is strong enough to make the ball fall off the tee, but it stays behind the tee markers. What should he do?

a. Count the stroke and play the ball as it lies.
b. Re-tee the ball, no penalty.
c. Count the stroke and re-tee the ball.
d. Don’t count the stroke but play it as it lies.

4: After your opponents get off the tee, you walk to your balls only to look back at the tee and see your partner is trying to get your attention. Since he’s less than five minutes late for the tee time, he’d like to tee off and join the competition. What should he do?

a. Take a two-stroke penalty for arriving late and join the competition mid-hole.
b. Pick up his ball and move out to the fairway to give you advice on how to beat your opponents now that it’s 2-on-1.
c. Tee off and join the competition on the first hole, no penalty.
d. Although his score doesn’t count, tee off and play the hole anyway as a warm-up for the next hole.

5: One of your opponent’s tee shots embedded in mud in the rough just off the fairway. He claims he’s entitled to lift, clean and move the ball out of the pitch mark without penalty. What should he do?

a. Lift, clean and replace the ball in the relief area that is no closer to the hole than the spot where it is embedded. No penalty is applied.
b. Lift the ball, but don’t clean it, before taking penalty-free relief.
c. Take an unplayable lie, add a penalty stroke, and play on from the proper relief area.
d. Since it’s in the rough, and not embedded in turf that is fairway height or less, there’s no relief. Play it as it lies.

6: After advancing the ball from near the penalty area, you’re ready to hit your next shot when you notice that between you and hole, only five yards away, is an irrigation control box. You’re worried you might hit it. What should you do?

a. Consider it an immovable obstruction and take relief to get clear of the irrigation control box, no penalty.
b. Play it as it lies.
c. Play two balls, one with free relief, and one without, and let the committee decide after the match.

7: Your opponent is about to hit his approach shot but he can’t see the green. His partner goes in front of him and stands on a hill near the green, indicating his line of play. What should happen next?

a. The partner should stay at that spot until the teammate’s stroke is completed.
b. The partner should move before his teammate hits.
c. The partner is not allowed to indicate the line of play until the putting green. They should be penalized.
d. The partner should move before his teammate hits, but he can leave a club or another marker on the spot to give the teammate something to aim at.

8: You’re in position to hit the green with your next shot and your opponent has a similar lie from a similar distance. After you knock it on the green, pin-high, you walk back to put the club in your bag and your opponent comes over and watches you replace the club to determine how to play his next shot. What should happen next?

a. Your opponent is out of the hole for trying to obtain advice on how to play the next shot.
b. Your opponent gets a two-stroke penalty for spying on your club selection.
c. There is no penalty, and your opponent plays his next shot with the newfound information from your club selection.
d. To avoid disqualification, your opponent is required to announce that he committed a rules violation by spying on your club selection.

9: You reach the green and are standing over a putt to win the hole. You’re a touch nervous and when making a practice stroke, you accidentally hit your ball. What should you do?

a. Add a stroke to your score and play your next stroke from the new position.\
b. Add a stroke to your score and play your next stroke from the original position.
c. Play the ball as it now lies, no penalty.
d. Replace the ball in its original position, no penalty.

10: You’re on the green 20 feet from the hole. Both your opponents are in greenside rough, short-sided, about 15 feet from the hole. What should you do?

a. Wait for both your opponents to play onto the green before putting.\
b. Wait for one of your opponents to play before taking your turn.
c. Hit your putt.
d. Offer for your opponents to play first to save time.

ANSWERS

1. c (Rule 23.4)

2. d (Rule 17.1c)

3. a (Rule 6.2b(5))

4. b (Rule 23.4)

5. a (Rule 16.3, Rule 14.1c)

6. b (Rule 16.1a)

7. b (Rule 23.5, Rule 10.2b)

8. c (Rule 10.2a)

9. d (Rule 13.1d)

10. c or d (Rule 6.4a)

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Gallagher, a financial planner from Canton, Georgia, won the second to fifth holes with birdies. Her lead was cut to two through 14 holes, though she was three-up with three holes to play. Kuehn won the 16th with a par and the 17th with a birdie, before each bogeyed the par-4 18th to give Gallagher the victory.

Has it set in yet, that she won a USGA championship, she was asked? “No,” she said. “I don’t know, probably when I get home, see my husband and kids, I think.

“I hit the ball really, really well. And I putted quite well. I think having a lot of confidence in the number that I had into the green because Erin [Packer, her caddie] is so good at just providing all the information, allowed me to make good club choices. So I was in the right spots. My misses were in the right spots, too, which was important.”

Kuehn, from Asheville, North Carolina, is a member of the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame, who despite a sparkling resume came into this championship and its final with no expectations, she said.

“None. Truly none,” she said following her semi-final match. “I wanted to just come and compete.” She accomplished that, but ultimately was in too deep a hole to overcome.

“You know you have a choice,” Kuehn said. “You have to just go out there and hit the best shot you can. She played great. I mean, she did not give a whole lot of opportunities. When I hit a couple times in there for birdie, she knocked it to three feet. So it was hard.

“I want to tell you, when you’re dormie, there’s pressure there on you, almost more so on me because I’m done, but on her she has to keep it in play. So I felt that if I just kept hitting it in play, I had to force her to keep playing as she did the first, whatever, 15 holes.”

Both players receive exemptions into the 2024 US Women’s Amateur and US Women’s Open. Kuehn likely will be joined in the Women’s Amateur by daughter Rachel, a fifth-year senior and All-American at Wake Forest, who is 10th in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Main image: Jason E Miczek

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The quartet of future championships include the 2020 US Girls’ Junior, 2034 US Amateur, 2038 US Open and 2045 US Women’s Open.

“This partnership with The Country Club gives juniors, amateurs and professionals alike the opportunity to vie for a USGA championship and etch their names in golfing history at one of the nation’s most iconic venues,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer, in a press release. “We look forward to witnessing the incredible talent and passion that will be on display in the coming years.”

One of the USGA’s five founding member clubs, The Country Club last hosted the US Open in 2022 when Matt Fitzpatrick won the title by a stroke over Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler. The Englishman also won the US Amateur when it was played for the sixth and most recent time there in 2013. Fitzpatrick joined Jack Nicklaus as the only golfer to win a US Amateur and US Open at the same club.

When the US Girls’ Junior is held in 2030 it will mark 80 years since the only previous time the championship has been played at The Country Club.

By hosting the US Women’s Open in 2045, The Country Club will become just the 23rd course to have hosted the men’s and women’s national championship. Fifteen have already done so while another seven will accomplish the feat between now and 2045 before TCC joins them.

The Country Club/USGA championships
1902 US Women’s Amateur: Genevieve Hecker
1910 US Amateur: William Fownes Jr
1913 US Open: Francis Ouimet
1922 US Amateur: Jess Sweetser
1932 Walker Cup: United States
1934 US Amateur: Lawson Little
1941 US Women’s Amateur: Betty Hicks Newell
1953 US Girls’ Junior: Mildred Meyerson
1957 US Amateur: Hillman Robbins
1963 US Open: Julius Boros
1968 US Junior: Eddie Pearce
1973 Walker Cup: United States
1982 US Amateur: Jay Sigel
1988 US Open: Curtis Strange
1995 US Women’s Amateur: Kelli Kuehne
2013 US Amateur: Matt Fitzpatrick
2022 US Open: Matt Fitzpatrick

Main image: Boston Globe

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Stewart Hagestad reacts to a putt during the 2021 Walker Cup Match. Sam Greenwood

Nick Dunlap, the newly minted US Amateur champion, already had secured his spot on the US team that will take on Great Britain & Ireland in the 49th Walker Cup. On Sunday, the bulk of the team was selected for the honor to compete on the Old Course at St Andrews, September 2-3.

At the conclusion of the US Am, the USGA announced at Cherry Hills Country Club that Nick Gabrelcik, Austin Greaser, Stewart Hagestad, Ben James, Dylan Menante and Preston Summerhays would join the players already selected — Dunlap, David Ford, Gordon Sargent and Caleb Surratt. (Michael Thorbjornsen had earned his place on the team but had to withdraw because of a back injury).

“I am beyond excited to have our full team set as we begin to prepare for the Old Course,” said US captain Mike McCoy.

GB&I is set to announce its team on Monday.

A brief look at each of the six players picked on Sunday:

• Hagestad, 32, of Newport Beach, California, is the only non-college player on the team. He has been a member of three winning US Walker Cup teams (2017, 2019, 2021) and reached the quarter-finals of both the 2022 and 2020 US Amateurs. He has played in 26 USGA championships, including two victories in the Mid-Amateur.
• Summerhays, 21, of Scottsdale, Arizona, reached match play in this week’s US Amateur, falling in the Round of 64. The Arizona State product has played in two US Opens and won the 2019 US Junior. He comes from a famed golf family based in Utah, with his father, Boyd, works as an instructor for Tony Finau among others.
• Greaser, 21, of Vandalia, Ohio, was runner-up to James Piot in the 2021 US Amateur, played in the 2022 Masters. The fifth-year senior at North Carolina also won the 2022 Western Amateur.
• Gabrelcik, 21, of Trinity, Florida, is a rising senior at the Universeity of North Florida who made the semi-finals of the 2021 US Amateur at Oakmont. He won the Southern Amateur this summer.
• James, 19, of Milford, Connecticut, advanced to the quarter-finals of this week’s US Amateur. The rising Virginia sophomore won the 2023 Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award and was a First-Team Ping All-American.
• Menante, 22, of Carlsbad, California, is the first North Carolina player to finish in the top 10 in both an NCAA regional (T-6) and the NCAA Championship (T-4) in the same season. The fifth-year senior transferred last year from Pepperdine, where he was twice named West Coast Conference Player of the Year. He reached the semi-finals of the 2022 US Amateur.

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It is a moment that will eventually be lost to time. When Nick Dunlap’s US Amateur victory at Cherry Hills Country Club is recalled in the decades to come, the conversation will turn to him matching Tiger Woods as the only men to win both the US Junior and US Amateur. Considering there have been 123 editions of the senior edition, that is a rare and remarkable feat.

As Dunlap humbly noted after he had beaten Neal Shipley, 4&3, by making 12 birdies over 33 holes on a toasty Sunday outside of Denver: “I think it’s only a third of what he’s actually done.” He is right, of course, with Woods having captured each of the two titles three times — all before the 19-year-old Dunlap was born.

Elite company ? pic.twitter.com/NApypxjTbB

— USGA (@USGA) August 21, 2023

There were plenty of times in Woods’ six championships that he was on the verge of being eliminated, and those aren’t noted much, just as Dunlap’s horrible start in this championship and what happened to change it will be forgotten.

In this case, it shouldn’t be, given the nature of Dunlap’s turnaround and the way he played so splendidly for the next six days.

A triple-bogey. A double-bogey. Five-over par through seven holes. That’s the way Dunlap will remember how he started the tournament.

Last Monday at Colorado Golf Club, which co-hosted the two stroke-play rounds, Dunlap opened the tournament with a birdie, but on the third hole he somehow managed to hit the wrong ball and, including a two-stroke penalty, made a triple-bogey.

The World’s No. 9-ranked amateur from the University of Alabama then compounded the damage with a double-bogey at the fifth and a bogey at the seventh. At five-over through seven, Dunlap was in a huge crater, considering only 64 of the 312 competitors in the field reaching the match-play portion after 36 holes.

“Whenever you get off to a rough start,” Dunlap explained in an NBC interview broadcast on Sunday, “the round could be over like that, in a snap. You don’t know what happened and you shoot and you’re out of the tournament.”

"I just learned that anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it.”

Nick Dunlap’s fighting attitude carried him to victory at the 123rd #USAmateur. ?

— USGA (@USGA) August 21, 2023

Lucky for him, he had one of the savviest caddies in all of amateur golf on his bag. Jeff Curl, 44, once aspired to be a professional golfer like his father, Rod, who won once on the PGA Tour. Injuries kept the younger Curl from that dream, but he got to know Dunlap as a young kid at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama.

Curl was on Dunlap’s bag for his 2021 US Junior win, and in the early rough going in the first round at CGC, the looper knew what his player needed. On the page for the eighth hole in the yardage book, Curl wrote: “This can be an amazing story if you let it happen.”

Dunlap said the words shook him out of whatever funk he was in.

“For whatever reason, something clicked. I snapped out of it,” Dunlap said.

Did he ever. Dunlap birdied the next two holes and made four more in the rest of the round to shoot even-par 72. He backed that up with a 70 the next day at Cherry Hills, tied for 38th, beat World No. 1 Gordon Sargent in the first round of match play, and won four more matches to reach the final against Shipley.

In tears as he spoke after Sunday’s triumph, Dunlap said of Curl: “Honestly, there’s no chance I’m standing here [without him]. He was a part of the US Junior, and he’s part of this. I told him one of my main goals was to make history. For him to be alongside me, it means the world, man.”

Standing near where Dunlap was celebrating with his family and teammates at Alabama, an emotional Curl said: “I didn’t quite get to where I wanted to be in golf, but to help Nick and others, there’s nothing better. It is the greatest feeling. I wouldn’t trade it for anything I’ve done, or to have gone further, in this moment.”

For much of the day, the final lived up to the anticipation of Dunlap, who’d won back-to-back big events this summer, facing Shipley, the 132nd ranked amateur who had three runners-up in prestigious events of his own.

Pittsburgh native Shipley, 22, who was trying to be the first Pennsylvanian since Arnold Palmer to win the US Am — on the layout where Arnie captured the 1960 US Open — had become a crowd favourite, thanks to his long hair, demonstrative play and the stunning shot he hit into the 17th hole on Saturday to close out his semi-final.

Sunday’s play got off to a roaring start when both birdied the first and Dunlap tacked on birdies at Nos. 2 and 5 to go 2 up. But Shipley answered with a birdie at 6, and in a flurry at the end of the first 18, Shipley tied it with a par at 15, Dunlap made a birdie on 16, and Shipley answered with a short-range birdie at 18.

The play was so stellar that the two combined for 11 birdies, including concessions — Dunlap with six and Shipley five.

With each golfer having played more than 100 holes in the week, the afternoon was not as sharp and was defined by a couple of birdies by Dunlap and miscues by Shipley.

There were a couple of classic match-play twists. Early on the front nine, Dunlap badly missed three fairways, but he won two holes while Shipley scuffled in the rough and bunkers. Both players hit the green on the 25th hole, but Shipley three-putted to give Dunlap a 3-up lead, and Dunlap widened the margin to four with a birdie at the 28th.

Shipley, who missed a short birdie putt at the par-3 30th hole, still had a bit of life when Dunlap missed the green and butchered the 31st. But Shipley hooked his approach badly on the next hole, lost and fell back again to 4 down.

Dunlap closed out the match at the par-3 33rd hole when they both made par.

Shipley, who has one season remaining at Ohio State, was clearly disappointed, but was upbeat about how he played and the consolation prize he receives—an expected invitation into the 2024 Masters as well as a spot in next year’s US Open.

“It’s pretty crazy. It’s the stuff of dreams to be doing what you’re doing, to do what I’m doing this week,” Shipley said. “Just glad I took time to soak it in every day and really enjoy it. This is likely my last Amateur, and just a really cool week and something I didn’t initially think I’d have the opportunity to do.”

Soon, Dunlap will start his sophomore year at Alabama, and he’ll no doubt be welcomed as a hero. As it is, Crimson Tide coach Jay Seawell was on hand, as were four of Dunlap’s teammates who got up early in the morning to fly in for the final.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Seawell said of his pride in Dunlap. “I think he said it best. The greatest part of being coach is to get to come along and see what nobody else sees … the hard work, the want to, the grind, the blood, sweat and tears.”

The weight of the victory will always come back to matching Woods in history. That is all the more meaningful for Dunlap, who says he has from a young age idolised the 15-time major winner.

“Just to be in the same conversation with Tiger is a dream come true and something I’ve worked my entire life for,” Dunlap said. “It’s hours and hours that nobody sees to try to get to this point and try to win this tournament. It’s just unbelievable.”

This was an amazing story, and Dunlap let it happen.

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The proposed rollback of the golf ball by the USGA and the R&A is now moving to its next, and perhaps most definitive — and potentially most contentious — stage.

The deadline for companies, golf associations and individuals to file documents with the USGA and R&A on a proposed rule that could essentially roll back the ball for elite male professional events like the US Open and Open Championship passed on Monday, and while the ruling bodies have not made public any of the comments they received, they apparently received plenty.

The USGA released a statement to Golf Digest on Thursday that reads: “The close of the comment period marks another important step in a thorough and inclusive governance process for golf. We’re grateful for the insightful feedback we’ve received across the game. It’s now our job, in partnership with The R&A, to thoroughly review this latest round of information we’ve received. One thing is clear‑there are many who care about golf’s future as much as we do, and all voices play a critical role as we determine the best path forward. We anticipate providing further direction on this topic in the coming months.”

The distance issue has been a front button topic for the R&A for the last five years, culminating in an announcement in March seeking comment from any and all constituents on a proposal to institute a new testing procedure for golf balls. That new test could be used to create what’s called a Model Local Rule, which is basically a stipulation that an event or tour could put in place for its participants. This particular stipulation would raise the swing speed used for testing balls for conformance in specified events from 120 miles per hour to 127 miles per hour. That could reduce driving distances by as much as 20 yards. The USGA and R&A have stated firmly they would plan to implement such a rule at their respective open championships, and they have stated that “the MLR is intended for use only in elite competitions and, if adopted, will have no impact on recreational golf”. As proposed, it would go into effect beginning in 2026.

Recently, both the PGA Tour and the PGA of America released statements saying they will not support the proposed rollback MLR. As well, several manufacturers contacted by Golf Digest have expressed their disagreement with the need for any such MLR on golf ball distance, off the record. However, no statements or documents on the comments they’ve received have been made public by the ruling bodies, and it appears the next step is several months away. That next step could be a decision to go forward with the proposed MLR, to pull back from any proposed distance-related changes, or to adjust any of the specifics in the current proposed ruling or testing process, thus beginning another notice and comment period.

According to the USGA’s official process for making equipment rule changes, comments will be published on the USGA and R&A websites, although “appropriate controls will be in place to prevent comments from being published without the submitter’s permission”. Under the terms of the process, “The USGA and The R&A will consider all comments equally, whether or not the submitter gives permission for the comments to be published.”

USGA’s Mike Whan. Rob Carr

While the official guidelines for the equipment rulemaking process stress transparency, it is also clearly stated that the final decision rests with the USGA and the R&A. The leaders of both organisations, USGA CEO Mike Whan and R&A CEO Martin Slumbers, have been clear that a change to distance at the elite level of men’s golf is required. Whan said in announcing the proposed MLR in March: “You want to critique the USGA and the R&A over the last 20 years, on: ‘Why didn’t you do this five, seven, 10 years ago?’ Fair comment, and we’ve taken that on, too. But taking another 10 years off, looking the other way and saying: ‘Distance is great, everybody is excited, and of course [distance] is going to grow by more than a yard a year for the next 20 years, and we all know it but we’ll just turn the other cheek’? Well, that would be a shame.”

The PGA of America’s memorandum to the USGA on the MLR, which was co-signed by eight other PGAs worldwide, called for the ruling bodies to pause and reconsider the “unintended consequences” of the proposed change. “We fear that the proposed changes could seriously interrupt the current momentum in the game and be fundamentally damaging and detrimental in the long run. We are also very aware that there are sets of data that conflict with the R&A and USGA materials … We would ask that the R&A and USGA firstly extend the consultation period to allow a review of the conflicting data being presented and for more data to be gathered to prove or disprove if change is indeed required.”

Currently on the PGA Tour, the average driving distance is 299.8, 0.2 yards ahead of where it was this time a year ago. While that marks the fifth time since 2015 that the average declined or was less than a yard, four other times that increase was 2.5 yards or more. If it finishes at that number, it would be 12.4 yards ahead of where it was in 2013. As well, the percentage of drives 320 yards or longer was about seven per cent 10 years ago. Today, it is 19.45 per cent. Conversely, according to data provided by Arccos, the GPS stat-tracking app that’s recorded more than 750 million shots, the average drive for the average male golfer dropped by half a yard from 2018 to 2022 to 226 yards.

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