"Distance is worth pursuing" - USGA CEO Mike Whan gives cryptic remark on Golf Ball rollback

USGA CEO Mike Whan is the newest addition to the long list of golf experts to share his remarks on the golf ball rollback. Since the recent announcement of the golf ball rollback, the golf world has been in the fray. On one side, where a few supported the decision, a larger number of professionals seemed to be disappointed with the new plan.

In a recent podcast for SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio, Mike Whan, the CEO of the United States Golf Association (USGA), shared his views on the golf ball rollback.

"Distance is worth pursuing. It's an advantage that's good in the game, and the game certainly creates that as an incentive. We don't want kids or future players to not be pursuing it."

Whan went on to add differences that will be seen in future plans by implementing a golf ball rollback rule,

"We just want to make sure that that pursuit doesn't require golf courses all around the world to have to continue to make changes, and we'll never build a golf course next to a city again, where there's all kinds of golf courses that are completely landlocked for all kinds of reasons."

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Mike Whan does not want to hinder athleticism

With his tee shot on the 18th hole at the 2023 WGC-DELL Match Play, Rory McIlroy produced one of the finest drives, finishing barely three feet from the hole from a distance of 375 yards. However, the amazing shot generated significant debate, with many speculating as to whether it would have occurred if the golf ball had been rolled back.

In a podcast called 'A New Breed of Golf' on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio, Mike Whan went on to discuss the USGA's new local proposal to roll back the golf ball for the elite player.

Mike Whan gave an example for defending the rule of golf ball rollback, he said,

"Nobody loves a drivable par 4 more than us. We love the game right now. I watched that last night and loved every second of Rory doing that. So, let's just do this for example. For example, if this were to go in place in 2026, and the PGA Tour still wants that to be a drivable par 4, they're going to take the tee box and they're going to move it up 15 yards, and Rory's going to do the same thing that he did last night."

Mike Whan feels that athleticism will grow over time and it will be very difficult to build a bigger golf course.

"Now, the difference is, Rory’s kids and his kids' kids, if athleticism continues to grow, which we both know is true – I don't want to hinder athleticism, I don't want to hinder advancements, I want to watch people continue to grow, but I don't want to watch a golf course have to go buy another 17 acres of land just for Rory's kids' kids."

Rory McIlroy was among the professionals who were in favor of the new golf ball rollback rule. The four-time Major champion recently stated that he likes the new rule of reducing the hitting distance of golf balls at the elite level.