Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player demand action to curb striking distance at Augusta
After hitting the opening ceremonial drives at Augusta on the first day of the 84th Masters, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player used their legendary status to demand action from the game’s governing bodies to stop the ball going so far.
In an impassioned set of pleas that will surely make the R & A and US Golf Association sit up and take notice as the distance issue intensifies, Player expressed his fears that unless something was done, pros would be hitting 500-yard drives.
Nicklaus is adamant that the R & A and USGA will soon introduce a reined-back ball, although claims not to know the specifics.
The next stage of the R & A’s and USGA’s Distance Insights Project has been delayed until March, due to the pandemic, but they are then expected to speed up the process. Fred Ridley, the Augusta chairman, said on Wednesday: “We are hopeful with the studies that have been ongoing for some time that we’re coming close to a call to action.”
Nicklaus concurred. “I believe they probably would have brought it back this year if it wasn’t for Covid, or at least they would have thought about it or got serious about bringing it back,” he said. “Both the USGA and the R & A said they’re serious about it. They have to make some changes with it, otherwise all the old golf courses, all the strategy and everything else that you’ve had on golf courses, is gone. It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.”
Player went further, painting an almost apocalyptic picture. “This is something Jack and I have been advocating for I don’t know how long,” he said. “They’ve got to cut the ball back, and they will. Otherwise they’re going to drive this first green at Augusta. In fact, [Bryson] DeChambeau, if it was not this wet weather, if it was firm, he’d drive it on the green, and take a three-wood and put it on the third green.
“We’re seeing things we never thought of, and we’re in our infancy. You’ve got players coming along that will carry the ball past where DeChambeau ends up now. I said 20, 25 years ago that players would be hitting the ball 400 yards, and I was scoffed at. Now I don’t know how far the ball can go, I don’t know what the limit may be, but don’t be surprised if you see them hit it 500 yards because these guys are so big and so strong, it’s frightening.”
The big obstacle is the threat of litigation from the equipment-makers. “Bifurcation” was thought to be the favoured option, with the R & A and USGA jointly publishing a survey hinting that the notion of different rules for the amateur and professional games is on the table.
“No, they’ll change it for everybody,” Nicklaus said. “They don’t want to bifurcate golf balls. I don’t know what they’re developing, but my guess it’s a ball that the faster the club-head speed, the progression is less as you go down. If you swing at 125 miles an hour, you’ll be limited to this distance. If you swing at 100 miles an hour, you won’t lose as much distance. If you go to 90, you won’t lose hardly any distance.”
Nicklaus was also asked about the American election, but declined to talk about it. Nicklaus gave President Trump a ringing endorsement a few weeks ago, advising fellow Americans to vote for him over Joe Biden. However, when asked if Trump should now accept defeat graciously, Nicklaus replied: “I think I’ve said enough about that. I don’t think this is the place for politics.”
