“Few loud voices that are trying to get more clicks” - USGA's Mike Whan defends Golf Ball rollback dismissing skeptics

USGA CEO Mike Whan has come out in defense of the much-debated Golf-ball rollback rules that will be implemented from January 2028.

The USGA and R&A put out a joint statement on Wednesday to confirm that golf ball rollback will be implemented for every golfer, not just professionals. As per the statement, the rule aims 'to reduce the impact' of 'increased hitting distances' on the sport's sustainability in the long run.

The planned rule entails that for a golf ball to be conforming, it will be tested by a robot that swings a titanium club at 125 mph with a launch angle of 11 degrees and a 2,200 rpm spin. If the ball exceeds the Overall Distance Standard (ODS) which is 317 yards (with a three-yard tolerance), it will be rolled back.

The current rules have the swing fixed to 120 mph with 2,520 rpm of ball spin and a 10-degree launch angle. The new rule is slated to be implemented for professionals in 2028 and for amateurs in 2030. The longest hitters of the game are expected to see their tee shot distance reduced from 13 to 15 yards (especially males).

The female pros could see it differ from five to seven yards while recreational golfers are expected to have around five yards shaved from their drive. The new rules will apparently make all the golf balls available in the market nonconforming.

The rule has faced a lot of criticism and disapproval from the manufacturers and players. USGA CEO Mike Whan has now come out in its defense. He told the Golf Channel that there are some "ambulance chasers and alarmists" who have been making the rule look even worse than it really is.

As quoted by bunkered.co.uk, he said:

"There's going to be a lot of ambulance chasers and alarmists to make this seem so much worse than it really is."

He added:

"We've run those stats, we ran it by an independent, third-party ball expert, three different ball companies, two of which quickly came back to us and said we agree with your estimate, so 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 just isn't based on fact."

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What did the R&A and USGA say about the Golf Ball rollback rule?

The Golf Ball rollback rule has received mixed reviews from experts and professional golfers. While some were in favor of the rule stating it would revolutionize and bring out the best skills from a golfer, there were a few golfers such as Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley who felt it would be a setback for the game.

A joint statement released by the R&A and USGA captured the aim of the new rule. An excerpt reads:

"The decision aims to reduce the impact increased hitting distances have on golf’s long-term sustainability while minimising the impact on the recreational game."

The CEO of R&A, Martin Slumbers, said that they were convinced that the new rules would be beneficial in the long run. He said (h/t Randa.org):

"We are convinced that this decision is one of the key ways of achieving a sustainable future for golf, protecting the integrity of the game and meeting our environmental responsibilities. The measure we are taking has been carefully considered and calibrated while maintaining the ‘one game’ ethos deemed to be so important to the golf industry."

The new testing conditions will be officially implemented from January 2028.