PGA Tour (finally) have their say on golf ball rollback debate

The PGA Tour have stayed quiet on the proposed golf ball rollback. Until now.

The R&A and USGA announced in March that they would introduce bifurcation with a Model Local Rule for balls used in elite competitions. In short, they decided the golf ball goes too far at the top end of the game, so would prefer the pros to use a different ball to amateurs.

And while many players and a number of equipment manufacturers were quick to voice their frustration at the decision, the PGA Tour largely stayed out of it.

But in a memo sent to players, commissioner Jay Monahan told players that, following talks at a Players Advisory Council meeting, the PGA Tour “is committed to collaborating”, but is ultimately “not able to support” the changes.

• What is the proposed Model Local Rule?

• What does bifurcation mean?

Monahan, who is just returning from some time away due to health issues, wrote: “Although there has been some level of support for limiting future increases, there is widespread and significant belief the proposed Modified Local Rule is not warranted and is not in the best interest of the game.

“Following a discussion on the topic at a recent PAC meeting, we have notified the USGA and R&A that while the PGA Tour is committed to collaborating with them — and all industry partners — to arrive at a solution that will best serve our players, our fans and the game at all levels, we are not able to support the MLR as proposed.”

The governing bodies plan to bring the MLR into effect in the January 2026 update to the Rules of Golf.

Alex Perry is the Associate Editor of bunkered. A journalist for more than 20 years, he has been a golf industry stalwart for the majority of his career and, in a five-year spell at ESPN, covered every sporting event you can think of. He completed his own Grand Slam at the 2023 Masters, having fallen in love with the sport at his hometown club of Okehampton and on the links of nearby Bude & North Cornwall.

Associate Editor