Tiger Woods, the ‘Emperor of Golf’, expressed his opinion on the golf ball distance regulation debate, saying, ‘The balls used by pros and amateurs must be different.’

On the 5th (Korean time), Woods said this at a press conference at the Augusta National Masters in Augusta, Georgia, USA, where he expressed his opinions on various topics. On the 21st of last month, Woods made it clear that he was in favor of regulating golf ball distance through the Model Local Rules (MLR) announced by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the British Royal Golf Association (R&A).

“I support the Golf Association’s efforts to address golf ball rollback and distance gains more broadly in the sport,” Woods said. “I think this should have happened a long time ago.” “If you play professionally or have a P next to your name, you are in a position to play professionally. If you have an A next to your name, you must play amateur ball.”

He also added, “When I first debuted as a pro, my tee shot was 279-280 yards, but now I hit 320 yards. I hope you don’t look beyond the new 13th hole teeing area at the Masters.” “Not all golf courses can move the battlefield backwards like Augusta National. We want to be able to still enjoy the old traditional great golf courses.”

Woods, who won the Masters by 12 strokes in 1997 and achieved the Tiger Slam in 2001, is the one who triggered the trend of expanding the golf course. As such, it was an exquisite timing for Woods to talk about the golf ball distance regulation.

Augusta National increased the length to nine holes in 2002 to prevent the course from being tampered with by Woods. Since then, the Masters has been extended a total of 21 times since 14 of Augusta National’s 18 holes have been played, as it remains the world’s highest-paid tournament.

Hole 13, which postponed the battlefield by 35 yards this year [Picture = Masters]

Over the past two years, the course has been increased to move the tee again in four holes (5, 11, 13, 15). In particular, the teeing area of ​​the par-5 13th hole, which was said to be the easiest this year, was pushed back 35 yards and set at 545 yards, making the total length 7545 yards.

There is a stark contrast between the opinions and positions of the players regarding the announcements of the two golf organizations. Justin Thomas (USA) objected to the regulation, saying, “An increase in distance is evolution, so regulations that reduce the performance of golf balls are rather harmful.” Looking

at the key contents of the MLR presented by the USGA and R&A, which will be implemented from 2026 after receiving feedback by August 14, the performance of the ball is the swing robot’s head speed of 127 mph (miles per hour: per hour). 204.4 km), a launch angle of 11 degrees, and a spin of 37 rotations per second (2220 rpm), the distance should not exceed a maximum of 320 yards, including an error of 3 yards, which is an increase from the previous head speed of 120 miles per hour.

Market-leading product manufacturers immediately expressed opposition to the announcement of golf equipment. David Maher, general manager of Acushnet, Titleist, which owns the Pro V1, the number one golf ball industry, said, “It is a dualization that distinguishes elite players from amateur golfers. (bifurcation) will only add to the confusion and break the game’s ongoing structure and connection.”

TaylorMade recently released an urgent survey of 40,000 amateur golfers and announced that 81% of golfers did not want it. However, if you look at the contents of the answer, there are corners that can be interpreted in various ways.

For example, in response to the question, ‘Will interest in professional golf be affected if the proposed golf ball regulation is implemented?’, 45% answered that ‘interest is reduced’. 49% said they were equally interested, and 6% said they would be more interested. 안전놀이터

In addition, to the question, ‘If the proposed golf ball regulation is implemented, will it affect the enjoyment of golf?’, 85% answered ‘no effect’. 14% said they would ‘play less golf’ and 1% said they would ‘play more golf’.

Now, the key is how public opinion will move in the remaining period. Also of interest is what the USGA and R&A will think of golfers’ public opinion through August. This will be dealt with in the near future in the JTBC golf golf issue program ‘Club House’.