Episode 152: Mike Whan Addresses the Rollback Debate

12/19/23 • 58 min

The golf world took sides earlier this month when the USGA and R&A announced their plans to reign in distance with a rollback of the golf ball for both professionals and amateurs starting in 2028. The data presented by the governing bodies includes statistics claiming that high club-head speed players will lose up to 10 yards with the new ball restrictions, while shorter hitters will only see a 3-5 yard difference. So why the rule change? Why now? What happened to bifurcation? What about course setups, sustainability and green speeds? How is all of this good for the game?

Tom Coyne brings all of these questions to USGA headquarters where he sits down with its CEO Mike Whan. In a candid conversation including questions submitted by TGJ members, Coyne and Whan attempt to find common ground on one of the game’s most heated subjects.

Read Titleist’s response to the rollback here: https://www.titleist.com/titleist-response-distance-insights

The Golfer's Journal is made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

Read Titleist’s response to the rollback here: https://www.titleist.com/titleist-response-distance-insights

The Golfer's Journal is made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

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Mind Game 08: Kelly Slater, What Greatness Requires

A 30-plus year career at the highest level of surfing, 11 world titles, and an incalculable impact on his sport and beyond: A case can be made that nobody has ever been more dominant at their sport than Kelly Slater. Another could be made that he is one of the best pro athletes-turned-golfers on the planet. Slater joins Mind Game to discuss his path to greatness, communicating with the ocean, structure vs. creativity, performing under pressure, what’s driving him to still compete, his love for Moe Norman and the time he played 18 holes between heats.

Mind Game and The Golfer's Journal are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

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Episode 153: Smylie Kaufman's Second Act

Smylie Kaufman was once one of golf’s most exciting and popular young players—winning shortly after turning pro in 2015 and playing in the final group of the 2016 Masters. Then, golf happened. A few years of injuries, swing changes and “heartache” later, Kaufman decided to switch career paths, and has since become a standout voice on golf broadcasts and the podcasting landscape. Kaufman joins host Tom Coyne for a wide-ranging discussion on his playing career, what he learned from watching tour pros in 2023, and his next chapter in a game that he deeply cares about.

The Golfer's Journal is made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: ⁠https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT⁠

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist