Colin Montgomerie Calls For Bifurcation: "Something Has To Be Done"

The eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winner told BBC 5 Live that the game has changed dramatically and the ball needs to be reigned in

Colin Montgomerie Calls For Bifurcation
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winner told BBC 5 Live that the game has changed dramatically and the ball needs to be reigned in

Colin Montgomerie Calls For Bifurcation: "Something Has To Be Done"

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“It’s great to see athleticism in the game, but to see him carrying 330 yards in the air and with the bounce you are up to 350, 360? This is getting unreal, something we haven’t seen before, a whole new game we are beginning to witness.

"Something has to be done or these classic courses cannot be used.

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"On Friday, Bryson had 10 holes on which he was within 100 yards of the green for his approach. And if you include the four par threes that means there were only four holes on which Bryson was more than 100 yards away for his approach.

"The game has changed dramatically. It's now brute force and a sand wedge.

"I'm an advocate of what Jack Nicklaus proposes - a tournament ball for professionals, that goes only 80-85% as far.

"The time has come, because we can't be building courses at 10,000 yards.

"We haven't the money or the space and there are the obvious ecological reasons.

A tournament ball would be a massive step, because of that term 'bifurcation'.

"Yet haven't we reached that stage, now?"

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He covered the 2022 and 2025 Masters from Augusta National and was there by the 18th green to watch Rory McIlroy complete the career grand slam. He has also covered five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews.