Lucas Glover Criticizes 'Stupid And Reactive' Golf Ball Rollback Plan

The 2009 US Open champion has told Golfweek why he is not in favor of the plan, which would see elite golfers use a different ball from 2028, with recreational players following two years later

Lucas Glover takes a shot at the Genesis Invitational
Lucas Glover has criticized the golf ball rollback plan
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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Lucas Glover has criticised the decision of the sport's governing bodies to introduce a golf ball rollback.

In December 2023, the USGA and The R&A announced that the golf ball would be rolled back for professional, elite amateur and recreational players to "reduce the impact of increased hitting distances have on golf's long-term sustainability." The plan is for pros to begin using the new balls in 2028, while recreational players will start using them in 2030.

However, 2009 US Open champion Glover told Golfweek's Adam Schupack he is against the plan. He said: "It’s not a way to grow the game to have people hit it shorter. It’s stupid and reactive like everything else.

“The (USGA and R&A) never get ahead of anything and then they need to do something drastic on the back end to make up for it.”

The plan was introduced amid concerns that golf courses continually need to be made longer to accommodate the trend of increased driving distances.

At the time of the announcement, then R&A CEO Martin Slumbers explained that “we are convinced that this decision is one of the key ways of achieving a sustainable future for golf, protecting the integrity of the game and meeting out environmental responsibilities.”

However, Glover doesn’t think the rollback plan is the way to address the issue, particularly as other sports haven’t changed a fundamental aspect to cater to improved performances.

He added: "They are breaking the world record in the 100 meter, they don’t make it 110. Guys are shooting three-pointers better, they don’t move the line back. They haven’t made the goal posts narrower when field goal kickers got better."

Glover’s comments came after, as Schupak also reported, a test session on the new ball was carried out by the PGA Tour at Retreat Golf Course in St. Simons Island, Georgia, where players including Keith Mitchell, Patton Kizzire and Davis Thompson tried out a prototype of the new ball.

Davis Thompson takes a shot at the Arnold Palmer Invitational

Davis Thompson was among players who reportedly tested a prototype of the new ball

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The six-time PGA Tour winner's remarks echoed those of PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague, who said in January: “I don't know one recreational golfer that wants to hit it shorter. I don't think we want 30 or 40 million golfers to go out and have to not only buy new golf balls, but now buy new equipment to match the new golf ball."

The new ball is expected to see a reduction in hitting distance of 13-15 yards for the longest hitters down to “5 yards or less” for recreational golfers.

The plan was announced after a previous proposal to introduce bifurcation, which would have seen pros and recreational golfers use different equipment, faced a backlash, including from the PGA Tour and manufacturers.

Mike Hall
Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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