The game of golf contains an interesting juxtaposition of old tradition and new science, ideas, and technology; possibly more so than any other sport. While new age technology is certainly altering the game in a wide array of areas, it has arguably had the most obvious effect on the golf ball. This paper will briefly discuss the technological advancements of the golf ball, and analyse both its impact on the sport and whether measures should be taken to decrease the distance that the ball can be hit.
In order to fairly and intelligently discuss the golf ball distance debate it is crucial for one to understand the advancements made in golf ball technology over the past 50 years, and the impact those advancements have had on the game. While people have been inventing new ball technologies and revising old golf ball designs for centuries, the first ball thats chemistry and construction was similar to our modern day …show more content…
One such individual is the vice president of marketing at Titleist, Michael Mahoney. Mahoney was quoted saying, “there’s ‘no empirical evidence distance is hurting the game and golfer’s experience of the game.’” (Nickel, Chris). The main difference between Mahoney’s standpoint and the standpoints of Nicklaus or Woods has to do with the intended audience. Mahoney’s statement is in regards to the amature player, while it is unclear whether a proposed rollback in distance would affect professional golfers only, or pros and amateurs alike. Also, while concerns about increasing cost due to expanding courses, and increased time of play due to increased course length are certainly valid, Mahoney is correct that there have been no data to support this claim. While rolling back golf ball distance and moving forward without any change are both potential options, it is safe to say that many people would be more likely to support a