Earlier this year, the PGA began experimenting with golf ball rollback. An effort to reduce the distance that pro golfers’ balls travel by creating a new ball. The PGA, however, is against this rollback requirement. The PGA CEO, Derek Sprague, has stated that the league is vehemently against the rollback; in fact, he has reiterated that stance ahead of the 2025 PGA Championships. Sprague has also said that the PGA is working on another solution to solve the problems that golfball rollback is trying to address.
Rollback Story Recap
The golfball rollback came about because of a certain situation that has been coming up recently. As equipment improves, pro golfers have been hitting their balls further in further. In LIV Golf’s Mexico City event, the league made a big deal about how far players were hitting their balls. Each swing inching closer and closer to record-breaking. This is true across all leagues, and as a result, golf courses were feeling a bit too small for the big leagues.
The most expensive solution is to expand a course and renovate each hole to accommodate longer drives. Two issues come out of this. Issue number one is the logistical issues with expanding a course, it could be the case that the surrounding land is fully developed. Issue number two is that it really is a temporary solution. Equipment will continue to improve further and could lead to the courses needing to expand again further down the line. All this course expansion has the potential to add to the slow play discourse, as Scottie Scheffler alluded to. This all leads to the rollback golf ball, something that Sprague has pointed out, no one would like.
Sprague On The Rollback
The above reasons are why the rollback was decided back in 2023, and by 2028, they should be in place for pro players, and everyone else by 2030. That 2030 deadline is a real sticking point for Derek Sprague.
“I don’t know one recreational golfer that wants to hit it shorter.” He added: “We’re really concerned about the 28 million golfers in this country, and since I took that stance back in January, a number of people have reached out, a number of amateur golfers, recreational golfers have reached out and have the same concerns that we do.”
This view has been reaffirmed in an interview with Golf Digest. Sprague then added that there have been meetings with the governing bodies on how to approach this.
What Is Derek Sprague’s Rollback Solution?
At the time of writing, there is no alternative solution to the rollback. Sprague is more concerned with how it will affect casual golfers and has started talking with a number of them. Anyone who would lend their time to talk with him really. His current goal is to at least put a pause on the rollback. He does want a different solution, but that solution hasn’t come up. Casual golfers are not happy with the rollback, and this rollback is meant to address pro golfers. There is a sweet spot somewhere in these discussions, and the PGA wants a say in these discussions, and they don’t think making a less aerodynamic ball is the solution.
Main Photo Credit: © Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
