June 17 (Reuters) - The R&A and USGA have delayed the implementation of a new rule that would reduce the distance golf's longest hitters can achieve, moving the golf-ball rollback rule to 2030 rather than a phased implementation from 2028.
The rule bids to reduce the impact increased hitting distances have on golf's long-term sustainability, limiting the travel of golf balls to 317 yards, with three yards of tolerance, via testing conditions that will increase from the current standard of 120 mph swing speed to 125 mph.
The average driving distance on the PGA Tour was around 302.8 yards last year, up from 286.5 yards in the 2004 season, but many players are well in excess of that, meaning some courses are in danger of becoming obsolete.
"Over the past eight years, The USGA and The R&A have raised concern about distance increases and the long-term consequences of failing to address this consistent trend," said a joint statement from the R&A, the USGA, PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
"Through a series of formal feedback processes and numerous individual stakeholder meetings, the governing bodies agreed on an across-the-game change in how golf balls are tested via the Overall Distance Standard (ODS).
"Feedback from the industry... indicated that the majority support a single-date implementation (2030) versus a two-date, phased implementation (2028 and 2030)."
The tours are concerned that the updated ODS testing approach may not achieve the desired results and are open to reconsider alternative approaches, the statement said.
"There will be no change to the ODS testing approach until January 2030 while these options are evaluated," they added.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru)
