USGA/R&A Publish Research on Distance Distance Gains on PGA Tour

It seems that everyone, from media critics to former players, has a solution for the problem of distance gains in golf today, whether it’s to dial back the golf ball, change regulations on equipment or to continue to lengthen golf courses. Even Jack Nicklaus offered his advice: “Change the friggin’ golf ball.”
On Thursday, the USGA and R&A published research from a joint study on driver distance that may put those concerns to rest for the near future.
The study looked at data on driver distance across seven major professional golf tours — the PGA, European, Japan Golf, Web.com, Champions, LPGA and Ladies European. As presented in the research, distance gains are at a “slow creep,” as opposed to what some critics have suggested.
Click here to read the full study. 
The chart below was used in the research study, showing yearly driving distance averages across the seven major tours — data for the PGA Tour dates back to 1980.

Also included is a look at yearly scoring averages, which the report also refers to as a “slow creep” downward.

Important takeaways, according to the study

• From 2003 to 2015, average driving distance on the PGA, European, Web.com and Champions tours increased about 1 percent, while the other three tours decreased about 1 percent, over the same period.
• Average launch conditions (club head speed, launch angle, ball speed and spin rate) have remained “relatively stable” since 2007 on the PGA Tour.
• Scoring averages have dropped approximately 0.04 strokes per year across the seven major tours.

So, what does this mean going forward in terms of rules and regulations from the USGA and R&A? From the report:

The R&A and the USGA believe, however, that any further significant increases in hitting distances at the highest level are undesirable. Whether these increases in distance emanate from advancing equipment technology, greater athleticism of players, improved player coaching, golf course conditioning or a combination of these or other factors, they will have the impact of seriously reducing the challenge of the game… The R&A and the USGA will consider all of these factors contributing to distance on a regular basis. Should such a situation of meaningful increases in distances arise, the R&A and the USGA would feel it immediately necessary to seek ways of protecting the game.

From the presentation of information granted in the research study, it does not appear that the USGA or R&A have any immediate plans to make drastic changes to the rules and regulations in professional golf. The joint statement does, however, reiterate that both parties have golf’s best interest in mind.

The purpose of the Rules is to protect golf’s best traditions, to prevent an over-reliance on technological advances rather than skill, and to ensure that skill is the dominant element of success throughout the game.