Equipment
Brandel Chamblee: Why the proposed rollback will not sufficiently slow the best players down
Golf’s governing authorities have proposed introducing a golf ball rollback in 2028. Under this plan, all golf balls currently in use would no longer meet R&A and USGA standards, with the goal to reduce driving distances among the longest hitters by at least 15 yards.
Ahead of this week’s Masters, golf’s leading analyst, Brandel Chamblee, gave his view on the upcoming rollback, explaining why it “will not sufficiently slow the best players down.”
In our Master’s Q&A with Brandel published on Monday, I asked him, “Augusta has subtly lengthened the course multiple times to keep up with how far these guys hit it. Where does that battle stand right now, and where does it go from here?”
Chamblee responded, saying:
“With all due respect to the USGA and the R&A, the proposed rollback will not sufficiently slow the best players down, as they will recoup the distance lost very quickly, especially if the current trend in the game to widen corridors, cut down the trees and rough continues.
“The average clubhead speed on the PGA Tour is around 116 mph, but there are people who can swing upwards of 150 mph, and that gap is going to close inexorably going forward. This is a way of saying that the only way to slow the best players down and bring back longer more momentous shots, is to either bifurcate the game, or have an Augusta National golf ball made that must be used in the tournament. I don’t see the latter happening, and the former would take a decade or more to implement, unfortunately.”
Brandel added some high praise for Augusta National in how they’ve “kept in step with the technological advances in equipment and the physical changes in the players,” saying:
“Having said that, there is no golf course that I know of that has kept in step with the technological advances in equipment and the physical changes in the players better than Augusta National. Thankfully, more often than not, the Masters still gives us the most compelling and dramatic Sundays in golf.”
You can read more of Chamblee’s thoughts on this week’s Masters in the full Q&A here.
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
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Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
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Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
