While the golf pro’s previous fight was bold, daring and outspoken, his next battle is quieter – and being waged much more secretly. The topic at hand? A golf ball backswing. This week’s mechanism? A PGA Tour survey sent to players.
The discourse surrounding the proposed return of the golf ball to curb the growing dominance of distance in the sport is only bound to heat up over the summer as the golfing world gathers for championships held by the USGA and R&A. These two governing bodies are on the right foot for what they believe is equal to sport, although they do not have full support from all other bodies who supervise the game.
That was made clear during last week’s PGA Championship and also this week by the PGA Tour, which sent out a 13-question survey to its members and members of the Korn Ferry Tour. The goal is clear: The tournament would like to officially assess how it is as a whole membership ponders one of the most pressing debates in recent sports history. It’s not uncommon for the Tour to send out player surveys, but this one is particularly targeted.
“What skill should be tested more on the PGA Tour than it currently is?” The multiple-choice survey begins, with seven possible answers to choose from, randomly ordered:
1. Driving accuracy
2. Driving distance
3. Long range shooting
4. Placement
5. Fighting
6. Short iron shots / approach wedge
7. Shooting formation
The survey goes in different directions, pondering whether the Tour should have its own rulemaking processes — rather than the USGA’s Rules of Golf — asking players whether they have tested prototype golf balls expected to conform to the proposed rules, and even asking them to guess how long it might take to transition smoothly into such conforming equipment. Finally, it offers players the opportunity to share additional thoughts and even the option to attach their name to their answers. Check it out for yourself below.
For years, the debate over the distance and joint decision by USGA and R&A has hung ominously in the background and is a major point of contention. Many Tour players have publicly denounced it, while the heads of several governing bodies have repeatedly (and forcefully) demanded its importance. Look no further than Masters Chairman Fred Ridley, who echoed the views from the world’s most famous club last month.
“Until recent years golf has been a game of imagination, creativity and variety,” Ridley said. “The game has become much more one-dimensional. As players drive the ball incredible distances and routinely hit short irons on par-4s and even some par-5s, this issue goes beyond competitive impacts. Increasing course length results in more time, more cost and more environmental concerns.”
While the PGA Tour’s newest leadership has been coy about the comeback, its outgoing leadership — see: Jay Monahan — has condemned it, calling it “unwarranted and not in the best interest of the game.” This statement came via a July 2023 memo to players and a meeting with the 16-person Players Advisory Council followed. In other words, it came after conversations with PGA Tour players; it wasn’t just Monahan who attacked himself.
But the statement was nonetheless important. It was an on-the-ground action that recognized that the proposals might not work for everyone and that some important decisions would be made. Monahan noted that the Tour had every intention of cooperating with the USGA and R&A then, and that remains the case. But fast forward to 2026, and some important developments have occurred. First, in January, the USGA and R&A suggested an opening to implementing those standards in 2030 for all players — professional or amateur — that deviated from their original goal of having pros make changes before 2028. And then, at last week’s PGA Championship, it was reported Cameron Young was already playing a ball that would comply with the proposed distance limits.
In fact, these reports would imply that one of the game’s longest-tenured players was not significantly affected by the proposal, calling into question whether the return is necessary at all. The reports came from anonymous sources and were barely commented on by anyone except Young himself, who said he started playing that ball because it was easier to control with his irons. Young added that he thinks all pros are sacrificing an element of distance in pursuit of control.
He ended that press conference in a curious way, saying that his opinion is irrelevant, as “it won’t be up to us, I don’t think”. The PGA Tour conducting a player survey on this exact topic would suggest otherwise.
