Lucas Glover Criticizes 'Stupid And Reactive' Golf Ball Rollback Plan

Lucas Glover has criticised the decision of the sport's governing bodies to introduce a golf ball rollback.

In December 2023, the USGA and The R&A announced that the golf ball would be rolled back for professional, elite amateur and recreational players to "reduce the impact of increased hitting distances have on golf's long-term sustainability." The plan is for pros to begin using the new balls in 2028, while recreational players will start using them in 2030.

However, 2009 US Open champion Glover told Golfweek's Adam Schupack he is against the plan. He said: "It’s not a way to grow the game to have people hit it shorter. It’s stupid and reactive like everything else.

“The (USGA and R&A) never get ahead of anything and then they need to do something drastic on the back end to make up for it.”

The plan was introduced amid concerns that golf courses continually need to be made longer to accommodate the trend of increased driving distances.

At the time of the announcement, then R&A CEO Martin Slumbers explained that “we are convinced that this decision is one of the key ways of achieving a sustainable future for golf, protecting the integrity of the game and meeting out environmental responsibilities.”

However, Glover doesn’t think the rollback plan is the way to address the issue, particularly as other sports haven’t changed a fundamental aspect to cater to improved performances.

He added: "They are breaking the world record in the 100 meter, they don’t make it 110. Guys are shooting three-pointers better, they don’t move the line back. They haven’t made the goal posts narrower when field goal kickers got better."

Glover’s comments came after, as Schupak also reported, a test session on the new ball was carried out by the PGA Tour at Retreat Golf Course in St. Simons Island, Georgia, where players including Keith Mitchell, Patton Kizzire and Davis Thompson tried out a prototype of the new ball.

The six-time PGA Tour winner's remarks echoed those of PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague, who said in January: “I don't know one recreational golfer that wants to hit it shorter. I don't think we want 30 or 40 million golfers to go out and have to not only buy new golf balls, but now buy new equipment to match the new golf ball."

The new ball is expected to see a reduction in hitting distance of 13-15 yards for the longest hitters down to “5 yards or less” for recreational golfers.

The plan was announced after a previous proposal to introduce bifurcation, which would have seen pros and recreational golfers use different equipment, faced a backlash, including from the PGA Tour and manufacturers.