TaylorMade has issued a statement on the R&A/USGA’s announcement last week of a Model Local Rule where highly skilled golfers use a different golf ball from 2026 onwards. “This will introduce bifurcation into our sport, meaning that you – the golfer – will play with different equipment than the professionals. We believe a large part of golf’s appeal is this underlying sense of: `I can do that, too,’ and using the same equipment as the pros gives us a more accurate feel for how talented these players are. Most of us will never know what it’s like to play in Madison Square Garden, throw a touchdown in the Super Bowl, or score the game-winning goal in a World Cup final, but we can go to St. Andrews, walk across the Swilcan Bridge and for a moment feel what it’s like to be a professional. Walk in their shoes, play the same courses, and use the same equipment. It’s all part of why we love this sport,” read the TaylorMade statement that calls for feedback on the rule here. … Inflation figures for February released on Tuesday could keep the Bank of Canada on hold when it comes to future interest rate hikes. Canada’s inflation rate was down to 5.2 per cent in February, its largest drop since April 2020, according to Statistics Canada. That compared to 5.9 per cent in January. However, prices for food were up 10.6 per cent compared with a year ago as gasoline prices fell 4.7 per cent. The entire report is here … This week’s GNN Poll asks readers if they think the latest proposal by the R&A/USGA to roll back the golf ball will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026, as scheduled, or be delayed past that date. As of this writing, 67 per cent of respondents said no, with 33 per cent saying yes. If you haven’t already, you can cast your vote on the GNN home page.
If the intent of the rules changes is to rein in distance why not ban the clubs that produce it? For elite players ban drivers, fairway woods and hybrids. The top players use driving irons that travel 275 yds. Isn’t that the distance a driver went before the ball changed? The longest hitters would still maintain their advantage on a proportionate basis, courses wouldn’t constantly require additional land, and maintenance costs would be reduced. The USGA & R&A would return to a position where they could control further attempts to increase distance and do something about it if and when it returns.