The USGA and R&A have finally proposed changing the ball for the pro tours. Shockingly enough Titleist and others are against this. As club designer what is your opinion of shortening driver length? Say to 43” or even 42”?
1.5″ change in club length will effect distance by approximately 4.6 yards. I hear Rory is going to a 44″ driver, so it will be interesting to see if he hits it shorter than his 45″. My guess is not much. The only way, without radically changing club specifications, to make us all hit it shorter is with the ball. I just do not see how that is overall good for the game. Maybe compromise and reduce the ball for everybody by 10% so that we all still play the same ball. I don’t know, but the USGA and the R&A are going to do what they are going to do no matter what we think. Reducing the ball by 20% for the pros is a lot.
Britt Lindsey
I should have framed the question a little differently, if the driver was shorter how much difference might that make for players over 115 in swing speed? That seems more reasonable, in baseball only pros and one or two elite amateur leagues, play with wood bats. Doesn’t stop Easton and the rest from selling $500+ metal bats.