Rory McIlroy has always been very outspoken when it comes to the changes he would like to see the PGA Tour make.
McIlroy is the PGA Tour‘s poster boy, and anything he says is always taken seriously.
Earlier this month, McIlroy supported the PGA Tour’s proposed plan to shorten the schedule moving forward.
The Northern Irishman enjoys playing in tournaments all over the globe and he believes a shorter PGA Tour season would attract more support to other tours around the world.
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Another issue that McIlroy has been outspoken about is the golf ball rollback which will come into play on the PGA Tour in 2028.
The five-time major champion is a big fan of the upcoming change. Usually, when McIlroy is on board with any form of change, the PGA Tour act.
The PGA Tour made a big change in 2022 after McIlroy was one of the first players to call for it just seven months prior to the official implementation of the rule.
Rory McIlroy pleaded for something he used on the PGA Tour to be banned
Professional golf continues to change and evolve right before our eyes.
There have been numerous suggestions for different rule changes ahead of the 2026 season but one of the most predominant changes was actually implemented back in 2022.
Back in 2020, McIlroy made it very clear that green-reading books should be banned by the PGA Tour.
“Look, everything that’s talked about in those meetings is somewhat confidential, but what I can say [is that] I use a greens book, and I’d like to get rid of them,“ McIlroy said.
“I think everyone is in the same boat, most guys on tour are in the same boat, that if it’s going to be available to us and it helps us, people are going to use it. But I think for the greater good of the game, I’d like to see them be outlawed and for them not to be used anymore.“
Interestingly, Collin Morikawa was actually penalized for using a green-reading book, one year after the PGA Tour banned their use.
His playing partner, Matthew Fitzpatrick called out Morikawa and the American was subsequently handed a two-shot penalty.
Morikawa insisted the rules infraction was a genuine mistake, though.
He said: “Me and J.J. made a mistake. From our perspective, the way the rules are put out, obviously we can’t use levels out on the golf course, but from officials we’ve asked in the past, saying it’s happened, how you read a putt on the practice green and use a level and see it move a certain amount and then write it in your book. You can’t do that.
“I think with the players there is still some confusion.
“I think there needs to be a clear line with how the rules are going, it can’t be that difficult. It’s on me, I take full blame on that, thankfully it only happened that one time.“
Since that incident, players are a lot more careful regarding the notes they carry in their yardage books.
Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player weighed in to green-reading books debate
Back in 2018, both Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus offered their views on players using green-reading books during tournaments.
“I’m flabbergasted,” Player said. “I’m not gonna criticize it, but I find it hard to understand when, in a tournament, I see these guys bringing out a book when they get on the green to look where to putt.
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“Really I find this very hard to understand. I and Jack have played many golf courses and exhibitions that we never played the golf course before we broke the course record. I go to a golf course, you can put me on any golf course in the world, I can read the putt as well as if I played it ten times. I’m a professional golfer, this is something I’ve got to be able to do.
“When I go to a golf tournament and you see guys having three practice rounds, then they play two rounds, that’s five rounds on a golf course,” Player continued. “Now they’re playing in the tournament and they look at the book where to putt.”
Nicklaus was in full agreement with Player’s comments.
“I think you’re absolutely dead right,” Nicklaus said.
“I think it’s absolutely absurd. You’ve gotta swing coach, a mental coach, a chef, a pilot. You got everything. And now you’ve gotta book to tell you how to do it.“
Player and Nicklaus were obviously on the same wavelength as McIlroy, and the PGA Tour finally listened in 2022.
The change made was a good one and it brought an element of skill back into putting.
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