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The telegraph
Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player call for action to reduce punching distance in Augusta
After hitting the opening practice ceremony in Augusta on day one of the 84th Masters, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player used their legendary status to demand action from the game’s governing bodies to prevent the ball from going that far. In a series of passionate pleas that will surely get the R&A and US Golf Association to sit down and take note as the distance problem escalates, Player has expressed his fears that if something is wrong. not done, the pros would hit drives from 500 yards. Nicklaus is adamant that the R&A and USGA will soon be throwing a ball back, although he claims he doesn’t know the details. The next phase of R&A and USGA’s Distance Insights project has been delayed until March, due to the pandemic, but is then expected to speed up the process. Fred Ridley, Augusta chairman, said on Wednesday: “We have been hoping with studies that have been going on for some time that we are approaching a call to action.” Nicklaus agreed. “I think they probably would have brought him back this year without Covid, or at least they would have thought about it or seriously committed to bringing him back,” he said. “The USGA and R&A have said they’re serious about this. They have to make some changes with, if not all of the old golf courses, all the strategy and everything you had on the golf courses, are gone. It does not mean anything. The player went further, painting an almost apocalyptic picture. “It’s something that Jack and I have been advocating for I don’t know how long,” he says. “They have to cut the ball, and they will. Otherwise, they’ll drive that first green to Augusta. In reality, [Bryson] DeChambeau, if it wasn’t that rainy weather, if he was firm, he would lead him to the green, and take a three wood and put it on the third green. “We are seeing things that we never thought about and we are still in our infancy. You have players who are going to carry the ball to where DeChambeau is now. I said 20 or 25 years ago that the players would hit the ball from 400 yards, and I was mocked. Now I don’t know how far the ball can go, I don’t know what the limit can be, but don’t be surprised if you see them hitting 500 yards because these guys are so big and so strong it’s scary . The big obstacle is the threat of litigation from the OEMs. The “fork” was seen as the preferred option, with the R&A and USGA jointly releasing a survey suggesting that the notion of different rules for amateur and professional games is on the table. “No, they will change it for everyone,” Nicklaus said. “They don’t want to fork the golf balls. I don’t know what they are developing, but I guess the faster the clubhead speed, the less progress you get as you go down. If you swing at 125 miles an hour, you will be limited to that distance. If you are swinging at 100 miles an hour, you won’t lose that much distance. If you go to 90, you will lose virtually no distance. Nicklaus was also asked about the US election, but declined to talk about it. Nicklaus gave President Trump a resounding endorsement a few weeks ago, advising his fellow Americans to vote for him over Joe Biden. However, when asked if Trump should now accept defeat with grace, Nicklaus replied, “I think I’ve said enough. I don’t think this is the place for politics.
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