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It is being reported that the PGA Tour is set to ban players from using green-reading books, perhaps from as early as October.
According to a report by Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch, the Players Advisory Committee voted overwhelmingly in favour of banning the books at a meeting during the Memorial Tournament a fortnight ago.
The matter will now go to the PGA Tour Board who, themselves, will vote on whether or not to outlaw the divisive manuals.
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There has been growing pressure on the game’s major tours to follow the lead of Augusta National Golf Club and ban the books. Whilst their use has become commonplace at the top end of the game in recent times, it is been argued that they eliminate the skill of reading greens and, to some extent, contribute to slow play.
In 2019, the R&A and USGA introduced new rules that reduced the amount of information contained within the books.
However, critics complained that those rules still didn’t go far and, now, it appears players are taking matters into their own hands.
Speaking ahead of this week’s US Open, Rory McIlroy, the chairman of the Players Advisory Council, said: “Everything that’s talked about in those meetings is somewhat confidential, but what I can say, I think — I use a greens book, and I’d like to get rid of them.
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“I think everyone is in the same boat, most guys on tour are in the same boat, that if it’s going to be available to us and it helps us, people are going to use it, but I think for the greater good of the game, I’d like to see them be outlawed and for them not to be used anymore.”
If supported at Board level, it is understood that the new rule come into effect in time for the start of the 2021/22 PGA Tour season later this year.
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