Is USGA’s Proposed MLR DOA? By Ed Travis A letter penned by the PGA of America and sent to the USGA and The R&A may have sealed the fate of the Model Local Rule (MLR) placing limits on the carry distance of golf balls played by elite professional and amateur golfers. The two-page letter signed by Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA, the organization representing the club golf professionals that run our game day to day, said, “The proposed changes could seriously interrupt the current momentum in the game and be fundamentally damaging and detrimental in the long run.” The golf industry, according to National Golf Foundation (NGF) data, continues to see increases, even after the unprecedented growth spurt during the COVID pandemic. Learn more about NGF’s findings in last month’s Michigan Golf Journal https://michigangolfjournal. com/2023/August/10/. Waugh added, “We are also very aware that there are sets of data that conflict with the R&A and USA materials. This is confusing and, in our view, needs to be considered fully, reviewed, and clarified prior to any final decision being made.” The point in contention is the creation of MLR, which effectively rolls back the allowable performance of golf balls. The rule does not apply to recreational play, thus it would effectively
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