DeChambeau "Flattered" By Proposed Equipment Restrictions

The US Open champion says proposals to restrict hitting distances are "a little flattering"

DeChambeau "Flattered" By Proposed Equipment Restrictions

Bryson DeChambeau says that the proposal from the R&A and USGA to limit the maximum driver shaft length is "a little flattering."

The 2020 US Open winner has spoken over recent months of his intention to put a 48-inch driver shaft into play in his search for ultimate distance.

Already regarded as the longest hitter in the elite professional game, DeChambeau admits that he will still have the advantage no matter what equipment restrictions come into play.

He also says he will not be putting the 48-inch shaft into play as he couldn't get it to work.

"When it comes to the equipment aspect, they are trying to make it more of a I guess you could say same or fair playing field where you can't just put a 48-inch driver and it works for this person, you could gain six, seven miles an hour where somebody couldn't because the driver just doesn't work for them or whatever," Bryson said ahead of this week's Saudi International.

"I think the most important factor in this whole discussion is that they are focused on keeping the integrity of the game and trying to make it more of a fair playing field while not taking out the human element.

"From my perspective, I think it suits me really well because as of right now, I'm still playing the 45-and-a-half-inch driver, and it's suiting me perfectly well, and I'm not going to the 48.

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"So if someone was trying to go to the 48 for them they could gain six, seven miles an hour pretty quickly and now it's not a possibility.

"And I think it's going to be more difficult for people to gain speed easily.

"They are going to have to work really hard, just like I have.

"For me right now, I feel like it's a pretty good advantage from the way I look at it.

"I think it's a really cool thought process.

"It's a little flattering in a sense, because I did talk about that 48-inch driver for so long, and it just didn't work for me the way I wanted it to.

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"I think I might be pushing them a little bit.

"I'm just trying to play my best golf and get the ball golf ball in the hole in the least amount of strokes possible in whatever way the rules allow me to do that, right. I think that I'm willing to try things that people don't really, are not okay with trying.

"So with that regard, when you go to the fringe limits of the rules, there will be conversations about it for sure.

"I'm okay with that, as long as I'm playing under the rules, which I will continue to do so, there's never going to be an issue."

DeChambeau seems confident that no matter what equipment rules are brought in, he'll still have the advantage.

" I think whenever you're trying to shorten the equipment or whatever, the person that can swing it the fastest will always have an advantage," he said.

"So no matter what way you look at it, from a swing speed perspective, the person that could swing it the fastest and control it the best is going to have a greater advantage in that regard no matter what way you look at it."