“I don’t see it as a spot where we need change”: Rickie Fowler on ‘skewed’ golf ball changes 

The proposed rule change regarding golf balls has faced significant backlash from top golfers, including Rickie Fowler and Adam Scott. If implemented, the new directives will reduce the distance balls can travel by 20 to 25 yards.

During a meeting between the PGA Tour's 16-member Player Advisory Council (PAC) and representatives from the USGA and R&A, the bodies responsible for the recommendations, the players expressed their reservations about the proposed changes.

After the meeting, Rickie Fowler, a member of the PAC, commented on the situation. He said (via Golf Channel):

"Some things they’re looking at are a bit skewed or looking too much at the top end or outliers versus maybe averages and where things have been for the past 10 or 20 years where there really hasn’t been much movement or increases."

“The growth of distance [over the last 20 years] is fairly insignificant. I don’t see it as a spot where we need change or as big of a change that’s being proposed.”

The aforementioned meeting also included presentation from golf equipment companies such as Bridgestone, Titleist, and Callaway.

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"I think there'd be some pushback on that from the membership" - Adam Scott echoes Rickie Fowler's sentiments about new golf ball rule

Player Advisory Council chairman Adam Scott also expressed a similar opinion to Rickie Fowler. Scott believes there would be pushback from the members and that it would be "surprising" if the rule gets adopted. He said:

“I feel like that would be going against the grain strongly of what the sentiment is and certainly off the back of yesterday, I think that would be surprising. I think there'd be some pushback on that from the membership."

To justify the rollback, the USGA is using data which predates the Tour's ShortLink program, which was designed to ascertain distance gains at the highest level.

Players have also expressed concerns that during the testing period a club head with a speed of 127mph will be used. An average pro's speed is about 115mph and Cameron Champ has the fastest average speed on the 2023 Tour at 126.47mph.

Andy Pazder, PGA Tour's chief tournaments and competitions officer, has been been reserved in his comments about the situation. He said:

“It’s way too early for me to theorize if we’d take one position or another. If they decide they are going to move forward then it comes back to us, the PGA Tour, to ultimately make a decision on whether we’d use the model of the local rule in competitions.”