The Telegraph

Jack Nicklaus and Gary Participant demand motion to curb putting distance at Augusta

After hitting the opening ceremonial drives at Augusta on the primary day of the 84th Masters, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Participant used their legendary standing to demand motion from the sport’s governing our bodies to cease the ball going up to now. In an impassioned set of pleas that may certainly make the R & A and US Golf Affiliation sit up and take discover as the space problem intensifies, Participant expressed his fears that until one thing was accomplished, execs could be hitting 500-yard drives. Nicklaus is adamant that the R & A and USGA will quickly introduce a reined-back ball, though claims to not know the specifics. The subsequent stage of the R & A’s and USGA’s Distance Insights Venture has been delayed till March, because of the pandemic, however they’re then anticipated to hurry up the method. Fred Ridley, the Augusta chairman, mentioned on Wednesday: “We’re hopeful with the research which have been ongoing for a while that we’re coming near a name to motion.” Nicklaus concurred. “I imagine they in all probability would have introduced it again this 12 months if it wasn’t for Covid, or at the very least they might have thought of it or obtained critical about bringing it again,” he mentioned. “Each the USGA and the R & A mentioned they’re critical about it. They need to make some modifications with it, in any other case all of the previous golf programs, all of the technique and all the pieces else that you simply’ve had on golf programs, is gone. It doesn’t make any sense in anyway.” Participant went additional, portray an nearly apocalyptic image. “That is one thing Jack and I’ve been advocating for I don’t understand how lengthy,” he mentioned. “They’ve obtained to chop the ball again, and they’ll. In any other case they’re going to drive this primary inexperienced at Augusta. In reality, [Bryson] DeChambeau, if it was not this moist climate, if it was agency, he’d drive it on the inexperienced, and take a three-wood and put it on the third inexperienced. “We’re seeing issues we by no means considered, and we’re in our infancy. You’ve obtained gamers coming alongside that may carry the ball previous the place DeChambeau finally ends up now. I mentioned 20, 25 years in the past that gamers could be hitting the ball 400 yards, and I used to be scoffed at. Now I don’t understand how far the ball can go, I don’t know what the restrict could also be, however don’t be shocked for those who see them hit it 500 yards as a result of these guys are so huge and so robust, it’s horrifying.” The massive impediment is the specter of litigation from the equipment-makers. “Bifurcation” was regarded as the favoured possibility, with the R & A and USGA collectively publishing a survey hinting that the notion of various guidelines for the beginner {and professional} video games is on the desk. “No, they’ll change it for everyone,” Nicklaus mentioned. “They don’t need to bifurcate golf balls. I don’t know what they’re growing, however my guess it’s a ball that the quicker the club-head velocity, the development is much less as you go down. In case you swing at 125 miles an hour, you’ll be restricted to this distance. In case you swing at 100 miles an hour, you gained’t lose as a lot distance. In case you go to 90, you gained’t lose hardly any distance.” Nicklaus was additionally requested in regards to the American election, however declined to speak about it. Nicklaus gave President Trump a ringing endorsement a couple of weeks in the past, advising fellow People to vote for him over Joe Biden. Nonetheless, when requested if Trump ought to now settle for defeat graciously, Nicklaus replied: “I believe I’ve mentioned sufficient about that. I don’t suppose that is the place for politics.”