Gary Player Is Not Happy With The R&A, And He Hasn't Even Heard About The Planned Old Course Changes!
Thanks to reader Mark for this unbylined SAPA story sharing Gary Player's latest (stock) rant on assorted topics (belly putter, lack of bifurcation, longer courses, water).
His venting on changing courses to accommodate the governing bodies and their fear of acting on distance regulation came before he could hear about the R&A's plans for the Old Course to keep it relevant. Can't wait to hear what he has to say about that!
"I would first of all realise, if I were the R&A, that there are two different games and they say it's one game," said Player.
"It isn't because professional golf and amateur golf are as far apart as from here to Cairo. The thing is, they don't want to recognise that."
Player said the R&A need to distinguish amateurs from professionals and have according governing rules.
"If they think it's the same game, go and tee it up and play with Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy and you'll really get the message.
"The amateur is still the important man, not the professional golfer.
"We've to keep continuing with technology for the amateur, but for professional golf we've got to tomorrow cut the ball back 50 yards. It's hurting golf."
Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 06:50 PM
Reader Comments (24)
Turn back the ball and ban anchoring asap!
Come on man! USGA and the R & A need to get with the times!
If there is different rules for pros and amateurs, then isn't it two different?
I don't think amateurs will play a ball with less distance.......the pros don't pay for balls, so where is the incentive?
The better thing to do is for everyone to play with a lower compression ball. There is a compression coefficient for drivers, right? So if you can't sell a "hot" driver (i.e. coefficient of restitution >0.83). Why can't balls be certified to be a certain factor in the same way?
Square grooves from Ping were too good. Conforming grooves in 2010. Faces can be too hot. Frankly, it's time to reign in the ball. If we all play a softer ball, everyone wins. Amateurs will get better control. Pros will have more control. And guys who get paid for distance will have to compete with guys who have better control and better iron play. I see no downside.
And when you say "but what about manufacturers"... what a bonanza! They have to live with rules as they stand now, so adding another layer will help them sell way more than ever before.
Courses need to get shorter. It costs more money to maintain larger areas of land. That's a fact. No one wins with this lengthening race.
The best players in the world are very good and getting better-it's natural progress. Ultimately if (when) somebody shoots 59 at St. Andrews why is this a problem? How to retain the challenge for the best and the relevance of our famous courses? Play to par 70 or 69 when the tour stops at courses the members play at 72. Tighten up landing areas (Bubba Watson ranks 135th in driving accuracy and 2nd in Greens in reg.). Smaller, slopier greens.
New designs should look at short holes that still scare the tour players i.e. the postage stamp at Troon, 12th at Augusta, 17th at Sawgrass and the tricky short par 4s i.e. 3rd at Augusta, 10th at Riviera.
With a bit of thought we won't have to either significantly lengthen courses or limit the ball.
#1 - do nothing, but risk the "integrity" of the game, whatever that means to you.
#2 - lower the hardness of the ball, therefore cutting down the some of the distance gained solely through technological gains.
#3 - start enforcing tee usage by handicap - if you're a 36, go to the forwards only.
Otherwise, you have duffers like me who can hit 315y drives (true) and can't ever find my ball (sometimes). My advantage is that it's always better to take a 100y shot from the rough than 160 from the fairway - on average. Thus, I will keep bombing them, and scoring better. I wish I had an incentive to take a shorter shot, but frankly, it isn't. It's a handicap to play "old school" golf. Bomb and gouge scores lower, and that is also what sells. This needs to change, or golf may get more untenable for more courses and players.
Fair play to any golfers who've the athletic ability and technique to generate the clubhead speeds required to consistently hit 300 yard plus drives, that's a skill in itself. But there's so much more to the game. How many guys from the Long Driving Championships would cut it on the PGA Tour? I think the integrity of the game really isn't under threat.
To me the biggest problem with 300 yard plus drives is that they just fly it right past all the trouble and then wedge it onto the green.Not much of a challenge there then!
Adding rough at landing areas is boring in the extreme-most of them just hit an iron off the tee(Lytham)
A drive and a wedge at the Road hole is impressive for sure but a Seve chasing a 4 iron up from the right hand side was sublime.
i ACCEPT THAT PLAYERS THESE DAYS ARE BIGGER.FITTER STRONGER AND WELL TRAINED BUT ADVANCES IN EQUIPMENT HAVE TAKEN THE SKILL OUT OF THE GAME AND THATS A SHAME(sorry-not shouting-can't b bothered to change capitals!)
On the Road Hole, I remember when it was 2 and 3 irons being played into the green- a low chasing hook using the contours. Don't see that played so much these days, but it's still a horrendously difficult hole and only a few would be able to go in with a wedge. 17th stroke average at the 2010 Open was 4.66.
What could be done....IF they refuse to slow down these new fangled high tech balls/smacking implements Tour pros are using more and more these days...is to lower the # of clubs for PGAT events/majors. If they want to blend shot-making with the new tech, then let em play tough tracks with 10 or 11 clubs.
That said, I think the negative impact of the new equipment on the game is really being exaggerated by many, Mr Player included. This years Major winners are any less skilled than those from bygone years? I just don't see that.