While the ruling bodies are committed to implementing a change to the distance golf balls fly beginning in 2030, the overnight announcement suggests we are a long way from clarity. Here are some questions and answers.
The announcement comes after what tour sources tell Golf Digest was a passionate meeting between players, USGA representatives and the tour on the subject at a recent tour event.
TaylorMade introduces its 2026 Tour Response and SpeedSoft golf balls, blending tour-inspired performance with soft feel and accessible distance for everyday players.
When Henrik Stenson teed it up in the Senior PGA Championship, he did so with a golf ball you’ve probably never heard of – and that’s kind of by design.
While golf’s ruling bodies mull over whether to delay the timeline for the start of the golf ball rollback, USGA chief executive Mike Whan indicated that the rulemaker has been collaborating with manufacturers to study prototypes to clarify exactly what these new shorter golf balls will and won’t do.
The Bridgestone Tour B family of golf balls gets a boost in speed from a new mantle layer material that adds greater density to maximise the core’s resiliency. As has been the case for nearly two decades, the line-up will feature four models.
This latest announcement indicates that golf’s ruling bodies are considering comments to do away with the two-year interim period, implementing the rollback rule for both elite golfers and average golfers starting in 2030.
The fifth iteration of the Titleist AVX features a reformulated core and a new aerodynamic package on a softer cast urethane cover to produce the driver and iron flight of the previous AVX but with more short-game spin and control.
The next generation of Chrome series golf balls launches with a distinctive upgrade in a stronger, stiffer mantle layer designed to boost initial ball speed throughout all three models in the line.
Australian Golf Digest
