Rollback Alliance

Because a short game’s a good game. United by our concern with the changing nature of golf due to the ever-increasing influence of ball and club technology.

[Rollback Alliance @rollbackgolf]

“I’m worried about the game. I think we have lost our way in so many aspects. Golf is too expensive. The courses are too long. We have equipment that is really designed for the recreational player, but which produces unhealthy distance for the elite players.” – @FrankNobiloGC

[Mike Stachura @MikeStachura]

It is worth noting that we tested this with a rollback ball and we did not find this to be the case. Using McIlroy's and Henley's launch conditions "both players' percentage loss is similar: about 3.5%."
https://t.co/WfVWjPt7dP

[Frank Nobilo @frank_nobilo]

No different to what I thought before and it’s not just distance. I would start with. 1) Limit length of driver to 44 (maybe 45) inch. 2) Reduce the size of the driver head to no more than 300cc. Maybe less (Original metal drivers were less than 200cc) 3) Reduce the C.O.R to around .8 (it is currently.83). 4) most loft on a wedge 60 degrees. 5) putter shortest club in the bag . The ball would have to be tweaked to accommodate some of the above. I realize that is too radical for most and all I’m doing is answering your question.

But the goal would be to restore the reward system of golf. For example a long straight drive should be rewarded more than it does today. Par 5’s for example are really two shotters today. The longer crooked drive shouldn’t be rewarded more than a shorter straight one. With the above I’m not penalizing skill I’m rewarding it. Long + straight is better rewarded. Straight over crooked is rewarded. Same with the short game.

Manufacturers would market by brand and look as they did before. People still need clubs and balls.

[Matthew Mollica @MattMollica]

You’re conflating responsible equipment regulation with scoring and the nebulous / subjective concept of entertainment. On a course where millions of dollars have been spent on adding hundreds of yards of length and dozens of bunkers no less.

[Fried Egg Golf @fried_egg_golf]

"Professional players and the equipment companies have their reasons for being anti-rollback and are entitled to those opinions. Most of them, however, are driven by competing interests, most of which are personal. That rarely exists on the other side of the debate, unless you think architects are about to get rich from a rollback. When met with facts, looking through a lens for the betterment of the overall game, how is this still a debate?"

- @AdamWoodard on Crushers GC speaking out against rollback for today's newsletter

[Simon B @CambridgeGrey]

@feedtheball @KVanValkenburg The precedent set at St. Andrews has wide ranging & deleterious effects across the game. Well-intended but ill-informed changes at any golf club will be justified against the standard they set at TOC. Allowing carte blanche for pet projects & changes by the "invincibly ignorant"

[Kevin Van Valkenburg @KVanValkenburg]

I don't generally write about golf architecture but the changes to The Old Course reminded me of endless plastic surgery on actors. At what point does the mask become the face? @fried_egg_golf https://t.co/N9xBHmxFIB

[Matthew Delahunty @OccasionalGolfr]

@feedtheball It's somewhat disturbing that the body that has the power to regulate the distance the ball travels instead decides to lengthen its own course.

[Rollback Alliance @rollbackgolf]

@TheOpen … But the presumption, absent such clear and convincing reasons, is that historic courses should not be changed architecturally. I can think of no course where that burden of proof is higher than The Old Course.” @Otey71 on @GolfClubAtlas back in 2012. Prophetic words.

[Rollback Alliance @rollbackgolf]

@TheOpen "I think a useful way to think about such issues is in terms of burdens of proof. Before deciding to change a historically significant course, proponents of changes must overcome a presumption against changes. There might sometimes be good, convincing reasons to make changes…

[Mike Stachura @MikeStachura]

Just in case you weren't paying attention, average driving distance on PGA Tour for 2025 at 303.7, up 14.1 yards from 2015. That kind of 10-year gain is reminiscent of the early 2000s. For what it's worth.

[Andy Johnson @AndyTFE]

The same company that said we can't bifurcate the game because amateurs want to play the same equipment as the pros has a CPO "Customized Performance Option" program that is unavailable to amateurs.

I think this qualifies as a bad faith argument.

[Andy Johnson @AndyTFE]

🙌🙌🙌

[Brendan Porath @BrendanPorath]

“The game has been waging a battle against the inventor, and the architect has come to its assistance. The one aim of the inventor is to minimize the skill required by the game: he tries to invent something which will make skill less necessary; he appeals to the skill-less player and offers him something ‘much easier to play with.’ The inventor has been allowed too much license, and but for the countering influence of the architect the game would have been entirely emasculated.” ~ John Low, a century ago, before the AI McTwistyface

[Jamie Kennedy @jamierkennedy]

Best video you'll watch this week....

Bob MacIntyre explaining to Andy Murray how he PURPOSELY tries to miss the middle of the face on certain tee shots 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[Andy Johnson @AndyTFE]

Powerful message about the golf ball rollback from @USGA President Fred Perpall today.

The further the ball goes, the more time it takes and the more it costs to build and maintain golf courses.

[Joseph LaMagna @JosephLaMagna]

Coming tomorrow @fried_egg_golf, a Q&A with a guy who knows his way around Oakmont.

One of the great voices in the game

[Joseph LaMagna @JosephLaMagna]

Jack Nicklaus today on modern equipment:

"I mean, the golf ball goes too far. It has gone too far for a while. Then they continue to lengthen things.

But to me, lengthening only does a couple things: One, it takes longer to play. It costs more money, it costs more money, it costs more money.

The whole thing, it just gets expensive."

[Josh Schrock @Schrock_And_Awe]

Asked Rory if playing Philly Cricket in the rain and wind on Friday, when the ball wasn't going as far, gave him a better sense of how the golf course was meant to be played.

"If the golf ball just went a little shorter, this course would be awesome."

[Joseph LaMagna @JosephLaMagna]

.@PReedGolf on modern club technology and a potential equipment rollback

[Matthew Mollica @MattMollica]

Baseball & golf aren’t the only sports with equipment problems. Regulatory inaction = dumbing down of sports. It’s unfortunately commonplace these days Andy. Below, Barry Richards compares his cricket bat of yesteryear with one used today.