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I agree in the distance roll back. I am losing distance because of age so I realize I cannot play from the tips on most courses. That’s ok because that’s golf. It doesn’t bother me whether I hit a 9 iron, 8 iron or even a 7 iron from 145 yards. 30 years ago I was hitting a PW with a Titleist Balata ball 145 yards. Distance is merely a number and I will hit the club needed to get the ball to go where I intend. To me the quest for distance is mere ego. My ego gets stoked when I post a lower score than those I compete with. I can always move to a tee box more suited for my distance limitations. Since I no longer play in tournaments where I tee it up makes no difference to me since my ego isn’t distance based.
With regard to the skilled golfer benefitting, they’re benefiting like crazy now. Incredible distances gained with the ball today has wrecked the ability for true shot making. The low spin balls have harmed the skill of maneuvering the ball. I would prefer setting a higher spin rating for balls so those with the ability to hit for prodigious distances don’t have the ability to render a golf course and its design useless. Pros hitting a 7 iron 225 yards have done more harm to golf because the ball has made it possible to blast past design elements meant for shot making. When playing against my playing partners I take great pleasure when I have to hit from the fairway first (because I hit for shorter distances) and hit it stiff just to watch the other golfers choke from shorter distances. While this isn’t always the case it happens and to to me that’s competitive golf. I love to get up and down and walk away with par when the young distance bombers choke and gag it in for a bogey or double. I LOVE the mental side of the game as much as the physical. I don’t employ gamesmanship tactics and let my ability to golf my ball affect those who I play with. Of course I often gag it myself so I have to have a very good short game. Rolling back the golf ball distance doesn’t really affect shots from 60 yards in. So that’s fine with me.
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