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SPORTS Wednesday 7 March 2018

The driving distance report that didn't go very far

By DOUG FERGUSON need more study — just
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) what Nicklaus wants to
— Whatever was said be- hear — before doing any-
tween Jack Nicklaus and thing drastic. That could in-
USGA chief executive Mike clude anything from rolling
Davis didn't show up in the back the overall distance
annual report on driving standard for golf balls, re-
distance. ducing the size of drivers or
Nicklaus has said for near- finding a way to shrink the
ly half his life that the ball players.
goes too far, an opinion Anticipation of the re-
based more on the 415 golf port led to a memo from
courses his company has PGA Tour Commissioner
designed than the record Jay Monahan to his play-
18 major championships he ers. He pointed out there
won. He believes the cul- were three instances of a
prit is the ball, not the clubs significant gain in distance
used to hit it or the players since 2003, and five cases
swinging them. where average distance
Two weeks ago, Nicklaus decreased.
sounded an alarm that He also noted that the av-
change might be on the erage clubhead speed
way. had increased by 1.5 mph
"I had dinner with Mike Da- in the last 10 years.
vis, and Mike said, 'We're Phil Mickelson, of the U.S., tees off on the 2nd hole during the final round of the Mexico Champion- "We do not believe the
getting there. We're going ship at Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico City, Sunday, March 4, 2018. trends indicate a significant
to get there,'" Nicklaus said Associated Press or abnormal increase in dis-
at the Honda Classic. tance since 2003 or from
Nicklaus said he figured ent courses used in 2017 — of the gutta percha during felt the game was easy." 2016 to 2017," Monahan
that would mean another expansive Erin Hills instead a practice round at St. An- Davis expressed his own said.
10 years of research, but of Oakmont, Quail Hollow drews before the 2000 Brit- concerns at the USGA's an- Those might have been the
that Davis told him the instead of soggy Baltusrol ish Open. He drove his Nike nual meeting last month most powerful words Mon-
USGA was getting closer to — and the increase was a golf ball to the edge of the when he looked ahead day. Because while the
agreements with the R&A half-yard. ninth green. He hit driver to the U.S. Open at Shin- USGA and R&A set the rules,
"to do something and be What does it all mean? and a 5-iron just over the necock Hills. The course the PGA Tour delivers the
able to help." That nothing has changed green with the guttie. was 4,423 yards for the first product that draws people
After two weeks of an- when it comes to advance- One more anecdote from U.S. Open there in 1896. The to the game. The PGA Tour
ticipation, the governing ments in golf, and the resis- St. Andrews: The R&A was USGA has lengthened it delivers the players to the
bodies delivered data that tance primarily from archi- so concerned about how to just over 7,400 yards for U.S. Open and British Open,
showed an average gain tectural circles. far players were hitting the 2018. tournaments (with TV con-
of 3 yards across seven It's a conflict nearly as old modern golf ball that it "Don't read into this that we tracts) that financially sup-
tours worldwide in 2017, as the Royal & Ancient lengthened the Old Course, are proposing going back port the governing bodies.
enough of a spike in one game. along with adding pot bun- to hickories and gutta per- The entertainment level of
year for them to describe The debate over golf balls kers, to protect against low cha balls in the future," Da- the sport is strong. Equip-
it as "unusual and concern- in particular surfaced in scores. That was the Haskell vis said. "But it does make ment companies pay play-
ing," and one that requires the mid-1850s when Allan golf ball, which replaced you wonder what golf ers handsomely with hopes
closer inspection. Robertson was making the the gutta percha. The year courses will look like if we consumers will want to play
More research. featherie and had a fall- was 1905. stay on this trajectory." the same products.
The PGA Tour, the only tour ing out with his apprentice, "It's not like we're making Is the spike of 3 yards across Most fans don't care what
with laser technology to Old Tom Morris, when he the game too easy," said seven tours a concern? club is used to hit the shot.
measure every shot, had switched over to the gutta Dustin Johnson, described The fact this "annual" report The care about whose
an increase of 1.9 yards. percha. by his peers as an athletic is only 3 years old suggests hands are holding the
Throw out the eight differ- Tiger Woods used a replica freak. "Because I've never that the USGA and R&A club.q