“It is something that we feel could lead to division”: PGA of America push back on proposed golf ball rollback

The golf ball rollback rule has been the center of debate amid the changes in rules for the 2026 season and onward. The PGA of America recently released a statement denouncing the rule and explaining the several complications that might come with it.

The USGA and the R&A announced earlier this year that they were planning to propose the golf ball rollback rule, which would alter the golf balls that pro players use. It will bring back the distance traveled by golf balls by almost 15 to 20 yards, and has not been a popular choice among players.

The PGA of America also seems to agree with the pro golfers on this matter. Speaking via a statement obtained by Golf Digest, the organization said:

“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. It is something that we feel could lead to division and cause us to lose a very precarious characteristic of golf; the fact that we all play on the same course with the same clubs and balls. In our view, this dynamic should be preserved as a fundamental tenet.”

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PGA of America cites several concerns regarding the proposed golf ball rollback rule

The concerns do not just stop there. The PGA of America gave further reasons as to why the golf ball rollback rule would not be effective if put into place. This includes issues, not only for the players, but also for the manufacturers of golf balls and clubs.

“There are a number of operational issues related to the two-ball scenario including, but not limited to: policing of players to ensure they are playing the right ball, retailers having to stock two different specifications of balls, certain players playing different balls for different events and ranges (and coaches) having to provide both balls for different golfers."

The golf ball roll back rule, only applicable to men's professional golf, aims at reducing the distances achieved by golfers that increase on a daily basis. Needless to say, the rule is only going to be applied to men's golf. That is also a cause of concern since playing with a 'recreational' (normal) golf ball will be a backwards step in the world of women's golf.