Golf’s Governing Bodies Put Bifurcation Back On Table With Latest Proposal

The R&A and USGA have issued a notice to equipment manufacturers proposing three new Model Local Rules tailored for elite competitions. The proposed rules focus on golf balls, driver face flexibility, and maximum club length. Manufacturers have been given until October 21 to provide feedback on the proposed measures.

These optional rules would allow tournament organizers to enforce stricter equipment standards by removing current testing tolerances. This includes eliminating the three-yard tolerance for golf ball distance and removing the 18-microsecond tolerance for driver face Characteristic Time. The proposals will not alter standard retail equipment or affect the global ball rollback scheduled for 2030.