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Apparently, the USGA wanted to roll back the golf ball as early as 1936

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The golf ball distance debate, stoked to a healthy blaze recently, has been going on since well before pros were belting drives 300 yards.

Indeed, in the transition from the the featherie to the gutta percha ball or from that mound of sap to the Haskell Flyer and similar, one imagines furious debate. But credit to John Strege at Golf Digest for uncovering this gem from the 1936 edition of Golfing.

“During the National Open the United States Golf Association and the leading golf ball makers had a meeting at which time the USGA voiced the opinion it would be inadvisable to attempt to build any greater distance in the golf ball.”

Forget rolling back the ball! The USGA didn’t want the thing to roll any further forward…in 1936?

“The first day of the Open, Paul Runyan, one of the shortest hitters in big-time golf, got an eagle three on the 602-yard eleventh at Baltusrol. That gives you an idea of what confusing details attend this matter of ball legislation. Runyan also was the 1935 winner of the Radix cup for the year’s lowest medal average. Johnny Revolta, who won more prize money than any other player during 1935, is not much longer than Runyan.”

A 602-yard par 5! Even Little Poison and other short hitters were lighting up the 600-yarders in ‘36.

“And to make this thing still more bewildering: the last time the USGA adopted specifications to keep the ball short, the net result was to stir manufacturing ingenuity to the extent that yards were added to the distance of balls, and obsolescence expenses estimate to more more than a half million dollars were added somewhere in the golf ball bill.

Thus, legislation (and limitations), and manufacturer efforts to get around the intended consequences of such limitations by pursuing new technologies, are nothing new.

“Four years ago data was compiled from the handicap lists of New York, Chicago, Detroit and several other district associations, indicating that 92% of the golfers score more than 90. Which again shows that the golf ball problem — if there is one —probably is to reduce the number of sliced, hooked and topped shots rather than the distance of the comparatively few shots hit hard and straight.”

Indeed! Where is that hook-proof ball! If only ball companies had been working on the problem since 1936 we’d all be hitting it straighter than Moe Norman.

What do you think about Strege’s excavation, GolfWRX members?

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19th Hole

TaylorMade signs 15-year-old AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year to an NIL contract

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This week, TaylorMade Golf announced that they’ve signed AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Miles Russell, to an NIL contract.

In a statement, TaylorMade called Russell “nothing short of remarkable”.

“Miles’ record setting success at his young age is nothing short of remarkable and we are excited he chose us to support him in his growth as a golfer to continue to accomplish his career goals. Identifying and developing the top junior talent in the world has always been a priority for us at TaylorMade. Miles and his family epitomize the type of athlete and human being we are looking to add to Team TaylorMade.”

Russell has broken plenty of records in recent months. This season, he was named American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Boys Player of the Year, making him the youngest male player to receive the award. The record was previously held by Tiger Woods who was about 10 months older than Russell at the time he received the award.

At age 14, J he became the youngest player ever to win the Junior PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass at age 14.

The 15-year-old also played in his first Korn Ferry Tour event on Thursday, the LECOM Suncoast Classic, and shot a first-round 68.

In the aftermath of the agreement, Russell released a statement.

“I have had a great relationship with the team at TaylorMade for years now and couldn’t be more excited to continue to work with them in the future. TaylorMade has a history of developing the top junior talent in the world to help reach their goals of becoming PGA TOUR and major championship winners. I am looking forward to working with the team to reach those and other goals I have laid out for my career.”

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19th Hole

Group of PGA Tour caddies sign endorsement deal with underwear company

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In an interesting turn of events, a group of PGA Tour caddies have signed an endorsement deal with an underwear company.

Geno Bonnalie (Joel Dahmen), Aaron Flener (J.T. Poston), John Limanti (Akshay Bhatia) and Joel Stock (Will Zalatoris) and John Ellis (Wyndham Clark) have signed a deal with the underwear brand, SAXX.

Here are some details about the endorsement deal:

  • The deal eclipses six figures in total value, extending what last year marked the first significant apparel agreement with a group of pro caddies. Of note, Geno and John Ellis appeared in the Netflix docuseries, Full Swing.
  • The caddies will wear SAXX underwear, shorts and polos on and off the course.
  • SAXX will donate $100 to the Testicular Cancer Foundation for every birdie made by the caddies’ players for the rest of the season.
  • SAXX will bring the Ball Masters to the masses at the Travelers Championship, hosting a fan activation with underwear giveaways, photo opportunities, appearances from the Ball Masters and more.
  • Fans can become an honorary Ball Master, which includes a year’s worth of underwear, among other things. Go to SAXX.com/ball-master-application from now until June 15 to enter.

The partnership is great for the caddies and also represents a great cause.

Check out the video they shared on YouTube:

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19th Hole

Man charged with stealing millions of dollars worth of memorabilia from Augusta National

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Augusta National

According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, a man has been charged in Chicago with stealing millions of dollars’ worth of memorabilia from Augusta National.

The man, Robert Globensky, was charged with transporting the memorabilia across state lines.

The report states that between 2009 and 2022, Globensky allegedly transported “millions of dollars’ worth of Masters golf tournament merchandise and historical memorabilia” from Augusta National “and transported to Tampa, Florida, knowing the same had been stolen, converted and taken by fraud.”

The document was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Per the court records there is no mention that Globensky worked for the golf club.

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