So I thought id throw my hat in the ring and give my opinion on the equipment debate, especially talk of limiting the ball in golf.
Dustin Johnson hits a drive at the Sentry Tournaments of Champions 400+ and taps in for eagle and the first thing people start ranting about is "the ball goes too long" "we've got to limit equipment".
Now who are the people who are calling for these limits? Mostly former great players & usually people who don't hit a long ball.
One main thing I always bring up to people who want equipment dialed back is "can you hit it 400yards" No? now why is that? Anyone and I mean anyone who thinks that players hit it longer now due to equipment are only starring at the surface. Lets dig a little deeper!
Technology is definitely better and so it should be, name any item in the general world that hasn't improved over the centuries and name a good reason why anything shouldn't?
Drivers are better, Shafts are better and the ball is better, so why doesn't every club member or social golfer hit it 400 yards? Hmmmm lets see, one of the big factors that people tend to disregard is how good coaching and training is these days. You've got Trackman, Boditrak, 3D analysis, greater knowledge of the body, ground force pressures, injury prevention, and don't get me started on the training players do now.
Tiger started a revolution of players turning to the gym for that extra advantage. There isn't many top players on tour now who don't do some sort of training to build strength, power, stability and mobility which all equal the ability to deliver maximum power to the golf ball.
Lets play devils advocate for a minute here, lets limit the ball and equipment and players hit it the same distance as your average club golfer. What do we market to the public? What to the golf companies market their products too? Come watch the best in the world who you can out-drive. Watch DJ hit a 4 iron into a par 4?
Its very easy to go well lets just limit pro events and the rest can stay normal. Ask your golfing mates and club golfers if their happy to lose 30 yards distance from now on, I can guarantee the list of complaints will be very high and very long. So why would we do it to the Pro's?
I often here the comparison to baseball where they tried the aluminum bats and players seemed to smash it out of the park, so they quickly reverted back to wood. Now I''m no super baseball fan but if I went to the game I want to see some home runs. Show me highlights of ground hits and I'm changing channels.
Technology is inevitable but its only as good as the players who use it. I hit a decent ball, a 300 yard drive isn't behind me but do i hit it 400+ consistently hell no! Why is that because I don't have the technique & physical assets to do so no matter how good my gear is and I have a shaft that maximizes me to a tee so i have no excuses.
I find it ironic that most players who don't like that players hit it so far and sometimes dominate a course when the conditions are favorable aren't using wooden clubs and an old balata ball? why not? Because its harder to hit and wont go as far!
Times change, things aren't comparable to past because people change, coaching changes, knowledge gets better, people get stronger, so the ball goes further. If we didn't look to advance anything we'd still be in the cave trying to make fire.
My opinion is fairly clear and I'm not saying my thoughts are right or wrong purely just my thoughts but to those who are avid on saying technology has come to far I say...
Hand in your Smartphone, hand in your flat screen TV, drop your cars to the wreckers and grab yourself a horse an cart and enjoy the old days. Technology has helped us evolve in so many ways, I don't watch F1 racing to see how slow they go, I don't watch the 100m sprint to see them go 11 seconds and I'm definitely not going back to a 51cm box TV haha.
Golf equipment must evolve, for the industry to survive and people to watch and money to come in. Golf is business like all sports are at the elite level, changing things back to the past isn't going to bring in money, sponsors or new fans.
Ill leave you with this old adage, equipment is only as good as the person using it if you cant hit it 400+ yards I'm sorry but the top guys are just better than you!