Good news … at long last the R&A have decided to halt the advancement of technology and the need for longer and longer golf courses. Finally we can get back to how golf used to be played.
Last week I spoke to some of my golf course architect friends during the European Institute of Golf Course Architects conference held in St Andrews and many said if things carry on the way they were going, they would be designing 9000 yard courses by 2015!
Experts around the world have said for the last 20 years, that changes have to be made to the ball, and that’s exactly what has happened.
This morning the R&A will announce the reintroduction of the Gutta Percha ball, effective from Thursday 15th July 2010.
To begin with only professionals playing in R&A sanctioned events will be forced to play the affectionately known “Gutty”.
Interestingly this type of ball is made by boiling and then molding the latex-like sap from trees native to the Maylay peninsula. Rumour has it that Titleist have been working closely with a supplier in South East Asia, in a bid to secure the best crop of Sapodilla trees.
Robert Adams, CEO of Titleist, has already said on their Facebook page that they welcome this move by the game’s governing body and will be launching the new Titleist Gutty V1 in early May.
On a personal level it will great to see holes such as the par 5 5th hole ( “Hole O’Cross” ) on the Old Course play as a real 3 shoter during the Open in July.
Expect to see the full press release on the official R&A site later today at http://www.randa.org
Let me know your reaction by leaving a comment below. I understand not everyone will be happy with this new move.
{ 74 comments… read them below or add one }
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A different ball for every age ,, why not ,, as we get older a ball that goes 10 yards farther for each 10 years of chronological age as each golfer gets older,, regulations and more solutions ..would be great for us with some of that chronological stuff ..
Happy April Fools Day, Andy. I’ve just dug out my old hickory shafted clubs. Does this mean that the R&A will go back to the old entry rules which let old fogies like me play and show El Tigre how it’s done.
This is a step in the right direction; but only a step. If we really want to make golf more accessible to the masses living in the inner cities and to old men with gimpy knees like me, we need to adopt the wiffle-ball-like plastic practice ball with holes in it for regulation play. That would allow a course to be built in the space, roughly, of a vacant city block; and I could even walk a round. Of course, I expect intense resistance from the golf cart industry.
Hi, April fool to you too!!!!!
Cheers Maurice
Ho, Ho Ho !!
I think it is a good idea.!!!!
Bring back hickory shafts and mashie niblicks!
Good April Fools joke.
However, it would fun to see how the professionals of today would score on the Old Course.
On another note, bring back the BALATA balls. In some ways TECHNOLOGY has made scoring easy and scores to low.
thanks
Wow! Andy I never thought I would have even MORE detailed info than you, but apparently you missed the second half of that news release. Not only will they reintroduce the Gutty, it will also be CUBE shaped so that course designers can finally create par 3′s with 90+ degree doglegs!! It’s a brilliant piece of sporting fun on the part of the R&A that should add a dynamic new element to the game. I wouldn’t want to be a spectator standing tee-side when that first shot in struck though…ouch! Thanks for the chuckle, Andy! Cheers!
And a Happy April Fools Day to you too, Andy. Great joke!
Skip
April Fools Day from here in America!!
YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ESPECIALLY ON APRIL 1st.
BUT NOT A BAD IDEA. EH!!!
You forgot to mention that these “new” Gutta Percha balls are only for play on April 1st. They are illegal for the other 364 days of the year.
It is April 1st!!!!!!!!!
You had me there for a few secs…worrying about rubber trees!
Good April fool’s Andy.
Although it might be an idea to force the pros to use the ‘guttys’ and us mere mortals to use the technologically advanced balls to try and narrow the gap between the pros and the amateurs.
All the best,
Kevin.
Yea, sure it’s the 1st of April (April Fool’s Day) in Canada as well. Hey we drive for show and putt for dough. With this old ball if indeed it is re-introduced back into the game will sure change that along with a number of others including the game. JD’s drive will now only be 150 yards, boy that’ll be something to watch won’t it.
I think its a great idea, look how modern technology has ruined tennis, golf should not be all about big hitters and big clubs, it should be about touch and skill not brute force. I say good on the powers that be bring it on.
happy April fools every one
Trev ireland
Hi Andy,
What does this mean as far as my ” lake balls ” are concerned? Are Golf Clubs expected to adopt this ruling as obligatory in the not too distant future?
Regards
Eric
Hi Andy,
In speaking with a local golf course designer, she said that a high percentage of golf courses are land locked and don’t have the real estate to be lengthened. Something had to be done, hence the V grooves and now the golf ball.
I think this is good news…
Tom
All sport have different changes in equipment. Why single out golf? Don’t you think what applies for the one sport should also apply for all the others, example look at bikes, mountain bikes, tennis rackets and so forth. what applies for the pro golfers I think then should also apply to all other golfers, to make it interesting. It can then only improve everybody’s game. don’t you think the long hitters must still learn to chip and putt. I know many young pros that can’t.
Hi Andy, I understood your first April joke directly.
I cheeted my wife this morning that I had won a trip to the south poole by boat. To get to the poole itself, we would go by scooters. And right in the middle of the poole, there would be a longdrive competition with only one shot. The one who won the competition would get a trip to the north poole next year. My wife belived in me and I had a good morning.
Best regards
Ragnar Nilsson
Knivsta, Sweden
PS. I will make a golftrip to Italy (Parco de’ Medici) next week to start up my season. DS.
Thanks for this breaking news!
Great try Andy – Happy April Fool’s Day to you too!!
And April Fool to you! Best wishes
good try Andy It’s April 1st today
And a happy First of April to you too!!
Hi Randa (nice Anagram) I think the above say’s it all, but on a serious note? why not make the Pros play with limited distance balls instead of playing to their strenghts, and making courses longer….Duh, surely tighter is the answer not longer, I was thinking of the opening drives of Woods & Mickleson last year at the Masters, It was like the Red Arrows starburst display, miles off line both of them and if I am remembering right they both had pars! can not be right at that level
Regards John
Ha Ha
Nearly as good as the double headed maggot featured in Angling Times nearly 30 years ago!
It’s still a good idea though!
It is april fools day here in South Africa as well as in Scotland, so do not really believe your press release.
In any event a gutty would not make much difference to my game, the way I am playing at the moment.
Hi Andy,
If only I could believe it!!!
I personally believe we should go back to the original ball stuffed with feathers, we could all then carry a small kit of bits and when we lose our last ball just stuff another one to suit the conditions. We could even carry a small gun and shoot a pheasant for the freshest possible ball with maximum rebound.
In case your wondering I’m not a pheasant plucker, I’m a pheasant pluckers son, I’m only plucking pheasants cos I’ve run out of nike number ones.
April Fools day I think !!!!!!!!!!
Nice try, Andy, but I don’t think many will be fooled by this. First of the month’s greetings!
Morning Andy It’s a lovely April Fools Day here in Sussex !! Wishing you a very happy Easter.
Smiles, and a happy April Fool’s day to you as well. Hit them long and straight….or at least straight.
Mike
Sacramento, California
Hi Andy , have you seen the price of these balls, ($198 ) and that is for old ones!.
Regards Ken.
Hi Andy,
You had me for a mo,Then I looked at the date.Very good
Thanks Neil
very funny – the gutty was one of the first golf balls to be introduced – goes about 3 yards when whit with a driver
Good april 1st jipe
Derek
Nice one Andy. You have a great April too.
April Fool ha,ha,ha, but seriously Imagine they had to play with the same ball and clubs from Bobby Lockes’ days:-)
Hi Andy,
April fool or not, it is about time we did something to make the game more skillfull than a matter of power. In fact they should do that for tennis too. I just cant imagine 350 yard drives, when, not so long ago we had beer over just one 200 yd drive in a round!
Raghu, India
By the time you were out of bed this morning, Andy, April Fool’s day had been & gone in New Zealand – but I await news of the bamboo shafted drivers to be released soon by some enterprising Scotsman.
Hi Andy: It is March 31 where I am writing this but it is April 1 where you are. I enjoy your commentary. Thanks.
Gary
Moraga, California
Interesting that you scored some believers, in spite of the date. Well done.
Very good Andy . All joking aside though , it is time that the pros were reined in a bit so that we , once again , all played the same game . By the way . . . . what do the Scots think of Global warming now?!?!?
Joyeux “Poisson d’avril” de la belle Corse!
Cordialement
Rob
Corsica,France
Oh that it were true. The we would see the world’s best struggling to reach long par fours like the rest of us mere mortals.
Well done Andy!
In New Zealand we get the April Fools treatment ahead of the rest
Happy April Fool’s
Andy:I tried but could not get past this page. Sorry, have a good day.It must be April 1st. ,your time , by now. BobC
Andy: Your a day early or is it ApriL 1 in good old St. Andrews now. Actually , sounds like agreat idea. Jack Nicklaus has been talking about a new ball for some time. Have a good day. BobC
Hi Andy,
Sounds like a good April’s Fool joke to me too! Have a good Easter.
Barry, Auckland NZ
Sure and you’ll be tellin’ us that next year we will all be limited to a driver, mashie, niblick and putter… and with hickory shafts to boot. Happy April Fool’s Day!
It’s April Fool’s Day in Australia
Hi Andy,
We could go back to hitting with sticks or wooden shafts also. Even with all the technology the average score for the average player has really not changed that much over the last twenty years and as for the pro’s why are they not all shooting in the fifties. Until tiger came along scores were pretty much the same as the seventies, give or take a stroke or two. I think this is much to do about nothing and gutta percha is a supply problem also.
By the way even though I’m a American I have played Glen Eagles many times it is by far one of the prettiest courses in the world. I love playing there Andy and your country is just fantastic.
Regards
John
Hi Andy what is a “Gutty Ball’ and what will it do for the game of golf?
And happy April fools to you too!
Andy … I totally agree, it will be a welcome change … let’s get back to the essence of the game.
Regards
Steve
Perth, Australia
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