RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Bryson DeChambeau has been one of the leading voices in the anti-golf ball rollback movement.
Golf technology’s rapid advancement has seen a jaw-dropping increase in distance from modern professional golfers. To counteract this, the sport is preparing a golf ball rollback to prevent players from hitting the ball quite as far.
Many current players and legends alike, such as Rory McIlroy, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, are in favor of this move, although there are questions being raised about how effective the new golf ball will be at reducing distance.
Meanwhile, DeChambeau has argued that fans want to see players hit the ball as far as humanly possible. He says being able to drive the ball over 350 yards is a feat of human accomplishment, and it’s good for the game.
But what’s happening on the PGA Tour this season proves that DeChambeau’s take on this is complete nonsense.
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PGA Tour driving distance record to be broken this season
Aldrich Potgieter is almost certain to break the record for the longest-ever average driving distance in PGA Tour history. This season he’s hitting the ball on average 330 yards off the tee.
And he’s not the only one who’s on pace to break the old record. McIlroy’s 328.5 yards is also set to break his own record, set in 2023.
It might surprise you to learn this. It’s not been widely reported and shared with eager anticipation in the golfing world. Fans’ eyes aren’t glued to Potgeieter’s tee shots to see if they will exceed 330 yards and maintain his average. Fans aren’t itching for this record to be broken.
But when speaking about the rollback, DeChambeau said in 2023: “I think it’s the most unimaginative, uninspiring, game-cutting thing you could do. Everybody wants to see people hit it farther.”
If everyone really did want to see players hit it farther, then why isn’t Potgeiter breaking McIlroy’s record the biggest story in golf? It should be a massive milestone.
It’s barely mentioned because fans expect it to happen, and keep happening, until golf can do something to combat its distance problem. And this proves that DeChambeau is totally wrong.
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