AdvertisementAdvertisementJun 5, 2026; Dublin, Ohio, USA; The TaylorMade golf ball of Rory McIlroy sits on the first tee during the second round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images18 Jun 2026 01:53AM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInAdd CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.Read a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST June 17 : The R&A and USGA have delayed the implementation of a new rule that would reduce the distance golf's longest hitters can achieve, moving the golf-ball rollback rule to 2030 rather than a phased implementation from 2028.The rule bids to reduce the impact increased hitting distances have on golf's long-term sustainability, limiting the travel of golf balls to 317 yards, with three yards of tolerance, via testing conditions that will increase from the current standard of 120 mph swing speed to 125 mph.The average driving distance on the PGA Tour was around 302.8 yards last year, up from 286.5 yards in the 2004 season, but many players are well in excess of that, meaning some courses are in danger of becoming obsolete."Over the past eight years, The USGA and The R&A have raised concern about distance increases and the long-term consequences of failing to address this consistent trend," said a joint statement from the R&A, the USGA, PGA Tour and DP World Tour.Show MoreShow Less"Through a series of formal feedback processes and numerous individual stakeholder meetings, the governing bodies agreed on an across-the-game change in how golf balls are tested via the Overall Distance Standard (ODS)."Feedback from the industry... indicated that the majority support a single-date implementation (2030) versus a two-date, phased implementation (2028 and 2030)."The tours are concerned that the updated ODS testing approach may not achieve the desired results and are open to reconsider alternative approaches, the statement said."There will be no change to the ODS testing approach until January 2030 while these options are evaluated," they added.Source: ReutersNewsletterRecommended ReadSubscribe to CNA's Recommended ReadA single handpicked story that we think you shouldn't miss. Just one a day.Sign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST