Distance deniers have long found excuses for why golf’s governing bodies should not do their job by taking some dimples off the ball or reducing driver head sizes for elites. So they’ve blamed everything from agronomic influences to silly assertions about the crossover athletic abilities of modern golfers. But the message is always the same: tweaking the existing equipment rules to ensure courses and skill remain relevant would be unfathomable.

Typically, the contrarians are motivated by pure dollars and (ad) cents. Lately even more casual golfers are invested in the notion of athleticism as a life style that makes them, as average golfers, athletes too. Yikes.

Long ago we were told the equipment rules had drawn a line in the sand and anything more would prompt action. That was May, 2002. Now carry distances are absurd, Bryson DeChambeau has proven that speed and good putting can be everything, and even Rory McIlroy admits to making moves in an effort to maintain relevance.

From his pre-CJ Cup press conference at Shadow Creek, as reported by Rex Hoggard:

McIlroy also addressed the issue of whether the distance craze has reached a tipping point.

“It's the way the game's going,” he said. “I got sent a really good article last weekend, it was in the Wall Street Journal just about every single sport becoming faster, longer, stronger and I don't think golf's any different. I'm just trying to keep up with the way it's going.”

Again, this is his right as a grown man and probably the right way to think about the future of the game barring rules tweaks that discourage Happy Gilmore golf.

But just imagine the kids out there who don’t have power, don’t have a body that will let them add muscle, and who are watching this. What a shame.

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A post shared by RORY (@rorymcilroy) on Oct 6, 2020 at 10:04am PDT