Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas did not hold back in their criticisms of one very specific rule change set to come into play in the world of professional golf.
DeChambeau and his fellow American Thomas are certainly not shrinking violets, and both players have always aired their views honestly, sometimes to the detriment of themselves.
The LIV Golf star and the PGA Tour golfer may play on different tours, but they joined forces back in 2023 to protest against a new rule being implemented by the USGA.
DeChambeau and Thomas played together at the Ryder Cup last month in the Friday morning foursomes.
In spite of that, it’s fair to say that the duo haven’t always seen eye-to-eye. Thomas criticized DeChambeau back in April for his comments about Rory Mcilroy not talking to him during the final round of The Masters.
However, in 2023, both American golfers were very much on the same page regarding one issue in particular.
Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas blasted USGA rule change
The rule in question does not take effect until 2028 for professional golfers and 2030 for recreational players.
However, the USGA first announced their intention to implement the rule back in 2023.
With golfers like DeChambeau hitting the golf ball longer than anyone on Tour has done before, certain traditional golf courses are slowly becoming obsolete.
As a result, the USGA are moving to prevent that from becoming a possibility, with the ‘golf ball rollback’.
The ball is set to fly around 10-15 yards shorter through the air for the very longest hitters in the game.
And when talk first emerged of the rule change back in 2023, DeChambeau went to town with his criticism of the USGA.
He said: “It’s a great handicap for us guys that have worked really hard to learn how to hit it farther.
“I think it’s the most atrocious thing that you could possibly do to the game of golf. It’s not about rolling golf balls back; it’s about making golf courses more difficult.
“It’s the most unimaginative, uninspiring, game-cutting thing you could do. Everybody wants to see people hit it farther. That’s part of the reason why a lot of people like what I do. It’s part of the reason a lot of people don’t like what I do.
“But again, it creates more conversation in a positive way than cutting it back and trying to make everybody equal. I’m all about equality. I’m not about equity on this front.”
Thomas echoed a similar sentiment to DeChambeau by saying: “I think the USGA over the years has made some pretty selfish decisions.
“They definitely, in my mind, have done a lot of things that aren’t for the betterment of the game, although they claim it.
“I had conversations with some USGA members and I don’t understand how it’s growing the game. They’re trying to create a solution for a problem that doesn’t exist. It’s so bad for the game of golf.”
What Jack Nicklaus said about the USGA’s golf ball rollback rule change
While DeChambeau and Thomas have passionately opposed the incoming rule change., Nicklaus is a fierce advocate of it.
The 18-time major winner offered his opinion on the golf ball rollback in June.
He said: “When and if they ever enact their new golf ball rule, it will only help this golf course. I guess they pushed it back two more years, did they? They pushed it back from what, ’26 to ’28? And as I understand the ball is about 14 yards shorter for the longest of hitters out here, maybe two or three yards shorter for the average golfer.
“I think that will only help sort of put a line in the sand, hopefully the line doesn’t go anywhere. We can’t just keep buying land. You can’t just buy the golf course next door. Not many people can afford what Augusta did at Augusta Country Club, you just can’t do that.
“We don’t have any land to buy. I mean, I can go buy houses and knock ’em down. I obviously can’t do that, but, you know, that’s what we would have to do. But the game’s controlled by how far a golf ball goes. If you control it within some reason then we know that a golf course that is here today will still be sufficient 20 years from now.“
This is obviously an extremely complex debate. However, the main issue in my eyes is why are the longer hitters having their strength taken away from them?
Even if certain players are making a mockery of old-fashioned course designs, then so what? Don’t fans enjoy seeing the best players in the world fly the ball well over 300 yards through the air?
There is a real danger that the incoming golf ball rollback could make the sport less appealing to the younger generation, and that would be disastrous.
After the comments from DeChambeau and Thomas, the USGA cannot say they haven’t been warned!
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