Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley tear into 'monstrous' expected golf rule change

Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley have become the latest PGA Tour stars to offer their opinion on the expected golf ball announcement.

Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley tear into 'monstrous' expected golf rule change

You can count Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley in the opposed column over the expected announcement to roll back the golf ball. 

The thorny issue of distance in golf has been a hot topic for years but we are apparently nearing a decision on how golf's rule-makers will deal with it. 

Per an extensive report by Golf Digest, it is said the R&A and USGA will announce a full roll back of golf ball technology. 

The initial plan was to rein in the most proficient players in elite competitions from 2026 with a Model Local Rule. 

"The game was not happy with the Model Local Rule," Martin Slumbers, the chief executive of the R&A, told GD. 

He was referring to the pushback by the PGA Tour, the PGA of America, equipment manufacturers and even the game's biggest stars. 

It left the governing bodies with three options, he said. 

Either change the ball for the whole game, bifurcate and create model local rules or do nothing. "Doing nothing is not an option," he said. 

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have already had their say on the issue. 

Woods, 47, gave his assessment after completing his first 72 holes of golf since he withdrew from the 2023 Masters

McIlroy decided to take his argument to social media. "Yet again in this game, money talks," he blasted

Fowler and Bradley tore into the plans after competing in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. 

For his part, Fowler said the game is in the 'best place' it has ever been so to make this change now is a 'monumental' step back. 

Bradley described the plans as monstrous. 

Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley tear into 'monstrous' expected golf rule change

Keegan Bradley

"I think that the USGA … everything that they do is reactionary.
"They don't think of a solution.
"They just think we're going to affect a hundred percent of the population that plays golf.
"For the amateur world to hit the ball shorter is monstrous.
"I can't think of anything more stupid than that.
"I don't think it's very smart at all, especially when golf's growing in popularity literally coming out of COVID."

Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley tear into 'monstrous' expected golf rule change

Rickie Fowler:

"To take the game and knock it back when it’s in the best position it’s ever been in, I don't want to see it as the golf ball being necessarily the right move.
"I don't see how when we're at the best place the game has ever been 'Oh, you love the game? Yeah. Hey, thanks for joining us over COVID.
"Now we're going to make you hit it 20 yards shorter. 'Have fun.'
"I understand both sides. But looking at it as far as the game and everyone talks about growing the game, I think it's going to be a huge step back."

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