“Doing nothing is not an option” - R&A and USGA inch closer to resolving golf's 'distance debate’

The so-called "Model Local Rule" proposed by the R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA) has been one of the hot topics of 2023 in the world of golf. The decision on the rule could be announced before the end of the year and the R&A has already advanced its position, in the words of its top representative: "Doing nothing is not an option."

R&A's CEO Martin Slumbers offered an exclusive interview to Golf Digest in which he assured that despite the opposition they have received, maintaining the current state of affairs is unsustainable.

He said:

"We [the R&A] have been very clear, as has [CEO] Mike Whan at the USGA. 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.”

Martin Slumbers also explained that they have faced a lot of opposition to their proposal. He also said that they have "listened" to all sides but have made their decision.

"The game was not happy with the Model Local Rule," said Slumbers. "There was a view that it would create a bifurcated game at the elite level. It was a very strong pushback against that. The PGA Tour was very public about it. So was the PGA of America. A number of players spoke out. And our job is to listen."

"But our responsibility is to the long-term future of the game. Along with the USGA, the R&A is a custodian of the game... So, we are listening. And we have made a decision about what we are going to do. We’re working that through at the moment and will make it public before the end of the year," he added.

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The "Local Model Rule" of the R&A and the USGA: What does it stand for?

Scientific and technological advances applied to both training methods and golf apparel manufacturing have resulted in increased distances in golf. An elite golfer can carry the ball more than 300 yards and shots in excess of 400 yards are becoming increasingly common.

This represents a serious problem for golf since the increase in distances means that the difficulty of the courses is reduced. The sport risks losing its main attraction if players have to face fewer and fewer challenges, based on how far they carry the ball.

The R&A and the USGA are in talks on how to address this issue, at least from 2020. One solution that might seem obvious is to modify the courses to make them longer and more difficult.

However, this is an impractical solution. The economic and ecological costs of modifying all the world's first-level courses are unaffordable. Therefore, the solution fell on reducing the distances to which players can carry the ball.

Originally, the proposal seeks that manufacturers produce balls that when hit with a clubhead speed of 127 mph and with a launch angle of 11 degrees, have a spin rate of 37 revolutions per second. According to R&A and USGA calculations, this should reduce the average driving distance by 15 to 20 yards.

Among the main opponents of this proposal are the PGA Tour and the PGA of America, as well as several players who have spoken out against it. A possible scenario in which this measure governs the world's major tournaments has not sat well with golf equipment manufacturers who, not coincidentally, sponsor many of these events, players and circuits.