, which would utilise a new ball that would travel less distance at elite level from 2026. Under the proposal, balls must not exceed 320 yards when struck with a clubhead speed of 127mph in the lab. Manufacturers could meet that criterion by making the ball lighter, softer or by changing the dimple pattern. The reason is to add more variety and strategy to golf and allow courses to be played as the architects originally intended them. The alternative is to keep lengthening courses, which){kind=link}
The PGA Tour has refused to support plans to introduce a new “rolled back” ball and prevent the big hitters from overwhelming golf courses.
Years of debate led the R&A and US Golf Association to propose a Model Local Rule (MLR), which would utilise a new ball that would travel less distance at elite level from 2026. Under the proposal, balls must not exceed 320 yards when struck with a clubhead speed of 127mph in the lab. Manufacturers could meet that criterion by making the ball lighter, softer or by changing the dimple pattern.
The reason is to add more variety and strategy to golf and allow courses to be played as the designers originally intended them to be. The alternative is to keep lengthening
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