The tour said after hearing feedback on the USGA and R&A’s proposal, it surveyed its own members and found a small number of players on the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions and Korn Ferry Tour were using clubs longer than 46 inches. So it is only affecting a small number on the tours. Longer lengths means less accuracy, which I believe we have seen. Personally I would rather see golf played from the short grass. Fairways and greens for me. Guess the average golfer or those who may not play much, love to see those bombs off the tee regardless where it ends up. As they say driver for show, putt for dough. I'm out of here on this subject. Cheers.

Thanks Peter, interesting perspective and I know there are many differing opinions of the transformation of how pros play golf. My hope is that it won't create such a dichotomy in the sport like men's tennis that it looses appeal to the masses. Men's professional tennis is now a power serve game yet every amateur and casual player rely on the volley and that's were the neat shots are observed. As for how to balance professional golf to bring back shot-making, I think going the opposite would be best. Making courses longer just keeps the top 10% of longer players in the tournaments. Shorten the courses where everyone in the field can use their own individual skills to score. Make more short Par 4's like #10 at Riviera CC where you don't even need deep rough. Bad angles and lack of spin from short rough and the guys too close can't keep it on the green. There have been other short Par 4's with water around them that reek havoc on the guys. I think that will force more risk/reward play and be much more fun for spectators and TV. My thoughts anyway. And yes, I agree with the limiting length on clubs just like limiting the size of driver heads. Now if they would only limit putter length to 38 inches. :)

I'll back that initiative all day. As a Div 4 Highschool Coach, with son Graduating this year, we're focusing on Targeted Yardage off tee to that spot you "Throw Darts Blindfolded!" Problem is, and many agree..Kids have watched guys training to just be long with confidence they can survive any end result. Son has been in #2-3 Spot All State since Freshman. This last year, he was mature and said "I'm leaving Driver in Bag playing Runnying Y Ranch, Arnold Palmer Short and Tight Course. Avg par 4 321 To Center..He Avgs 370 in the morning, 330 evenings. In Championships, even after 3. #4 317 to pin, slight Dog Leg Left into Downhill Green. He pulls driver, rips it 40 yds Over green, into the Marsh. Finishes Match +5, 3rd Low Individual.

It's this mentality of "Being The Longest, Is The Best!" For what I ask? Don't see any checks going out for longest Uncontrolled Driver! But how much of this do we owe to club designs launching youth numbers to the moon? He was hitting tour numbers at 13 with PXG custom fit.

I don't know just how many players this would affect on the PGA Tour. But it could affect many players on the LPGA Tour where there appears to be many players using 48 inch long drivers. I guess the short hitters on the LPGA, that are trying to catch the long hitting Korda Sisters on the Titleist staff, will need to find another way to gain distance.

Will the rule change affect my sons (who play in tournaments and in high school), yes and no. I am sure that next year, drivers will be limited to 46 inches long in high school tournaments and most likely the AJGA, Hurricane
and other junior tours. But the boys are "long enough" off the tee and their drivers play between 44 and 45 inches in order to maintain some control off the tee.

Extracted from the Rules of Golf, 2004: c. Length
The overall length of the club must be at least 18 inches (457.2mm) and, except for putters, must not exceed 48 inches (1219.2 mm). For woods and irons, the measurement of length is taken when the club is lying on a horizontal plane and the sole is set against a 60 degree plane as shown in Fig. I. The length is defined as the distance from the point of the intersection between the two planes to the top of the grip. For putters, the measurement of length is taken from the top of the grip along the axis of the shaft or a straight line extension of it to the sole of the club.
Note: Clubs in breach of the maximum length limit as specified in Appendix II, 1c, which were in use or marketed prior to 1st January 2004 and which otherwise conform to the Rules, may be used until 31st December 2004.

So, 17 years have elapsed since the establishment of the 48 inch rule. Now we are limiting the PGA and certain amateur tournaments to 46 inches. Why now after 17 years? Is it because of emerging or existing power hitters were considering testing 48 inch drivers? So we change the PGA events, et. al. to 46". If 48 inch drivers gave golfers such an advantage why are 48 inch drivers not the norm? Who complained? The same PGA descendants who bullied Moe out of the Masters? What happens when we have a new power hitter consistently driving the ball 400 yards and in the fairway or on the green in one for most par 4s? How next will we penalize those who excel beyond expectations?