'A huge waste of money': Golfers line up to criticise planned rule change
Rory McIlroy has launched a belittling attack on the plans of the R&A and US Golf Association to roll back the ball and place restrictions on clubs, telling the governing bodies that they are “wasting a huge amount of time and money" with their bid to arrest the game’s distance issue.
The game expected Bryson DeChambeau to go on the offensive following Tuesday’s announcement that 48in drivers are almost certain to be banned and that limits are set to be introduced on the distance balls can be hit.
Yet after golf’s biggest-hitter surprisingly said he “welcomed” the impending overhaul, it was left to McIlroy, Northern Ireland’s four-time major-winner, to fire off the retaliatory barbs, warning that the average player could be disadvantaged.
“The R&A and USGA, are looking at the game through such a tiny little lens, that what they're trying to do is change something that pertains to 0.01% of the golfing community,” he said. “99.99% of the people who play this game play for enjoyment, for entertainment. They don't need to be told what ball or clubs to use.
“We have to make the game as easy and approachable as possible for the majority of golfers. Honestly, I think this distance insight report has been a huge waste of time and money. That money to do this report could have been way better distributed to getting people into the game, introducing young kids to the game, introducing minorities to the game.
“I heard Mike Davis [the chief executive of the USGA] say something about we're trying to protect the game for the next 100 years. This isn't how you do it. This is so small and inconsequential compared to the other things happening in the game. It's the grassroots. It's getting more people engaged in golf. That's where they should be spending their money.”
The R&A and USGA are adamant that the normal weekend golfer will not be affected, because the restrictions will only be introduced as “local rules” and will not have to be enforced at club level. McIlroy, however, said he would prefer it if they simply introduced two official rules books - one for the pros, another for the amateurs - but this is a scenario the authorities are desperate to avoid.
“If they want to try to make the game more difficult for us or tried to incorporate more skill to the game, then yeah, I would be all for that, because I think it only benefits the better play,” he said.
McIlroy was joined in his criticisms by world No 3 Justin Thomas, who declared “there's no reason to change the ball” and claimed technology is not to blame for the dramatic increase in distances, but “the fact players are training and becoming stronger and more optimal in their distance”. Furthermore, Thomas accused the R&A and USGA of being “extremely selfish” in threatening to undo all the “hard work” and investment of the equipment makers.
DeChambeau was rather more conciliatory. “It’s funny, I’m sure there’s a lot of excitement about me having a potentially controversial thought on it but I don’t,” he said. “I think it’s a really cool thought process. I welcome it as long as they don’t change the human element. I’m going to do what they say is legal and find the best way to play for me under the rules.”
DeChambeau tees it up in this week at the European Tour’s Saudi International. With vast quantities of appearance money being paid, the controversial event has attracted four of the world’s top 10 (world No 1 Dustin Johnson, Tyrrell Hatton and Patrick Reed, as well as DeChambeau). McIlroy and Thomas, meanwhile, appear at the Waste Management Open in Phoenix.
