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It’s been less than a year since the governing bodies that oversee the world of golf announced a plan to introduce a ball designed to limit distance off of the tee, and now, we have some insight into exactly how much those numbers will likely drop when the new cap becomes official.
If you keep tabs on the world of golf, you likely know the average drive distance on the PGA Tour and beyond has slowly but surely risen over the past few decades thanks in no small part to the introduction of new technology in both the club and ball space.
Bryson Dechambeau tried (and largely failed) to revolutionize the game by prioritizing his distance off of the tee, and while that particular approach left a bit to be desired, officials have still had trouble grappling with players who’ve made the sport relatively easy and reduced the importance of certain aspects of course management by hitting absolute bombs with their first shot.
Toward the beginning of 2023, the USGA and R&A (the two organizations that essentially govern the world of golf) announced their plans to introduce a new set of standards that would limit how far a golf ball can travel.
While that proposal was met with a fair amount of backlash, it was nonetheless passed, and as of today, we know how much golfers across the board will be impacted when the new balls start rolling out in 2028.
According to a press release, the longest drivers on the PGA Tour can expect to lose between 13 and 15 yards off of the tee, average hitters on that circuit will see their distance reduced by 9-11, while LPGA players will see it drop between 5 and 7.
Average amateur players won’t have to deal with similarly significant dropoffs, as the powers that be project male golfers will lose between 3 and 5 yards while female golfers will lose between 1 and 3 (those numbers respectively rise to 9-11 and 5-7 for members of the “elite” category).
It’s worth noting these numbers only apply to drives, as the rollback is not expected to have any significant impact on iron or wedge play. While the balls will become the standard starting in 2028, there will be a grace period, as recreational golfers will be able to use the ones they’re accustomed to until the start of 2030.