Excellent article. I wonder how much thought has been given by the NGF and other groups concerned about golf's stagnant growth to the impact of unrestrained
advancements in technology on the game.
As the writer aptly noted, longer golf courses to accomodate the greater distances that the ball travels cost much more to build and to maintain. This means that dues or green fees have to go up, mandatory riding as a revenue generator becomes a greater temptation to the operators, and the speed of play suffers. Throw in the astronomical cost of the technologically advanced equipment, and one has to wonder why golf has not followed tennis's sharp downturn.
Curiously, with all the equipment improvements, it is my understanding that that the handicap of the average golfer has not changed appreciably in 30 years. And with a driver now priced at $400+, and balls at $3 to $5 each, one would think that the manufacturers are getting rich. In fact, with the exception of Callaway and Acushnet/Titleist, most are having a hard time turnig a profit.
Dealing with GCA, I read an article or interview some time ago where Tiger was asked about how he liked a certain classic course, its features, and the different shots that it required. His surprising response was that he didn't really focus on any of that. Instead, he looked to certain distances to carry the ball and played directly to those points. As in the present game of tennis, for the most part, Tiger plays the power game where strategy and shot variety are not frequently displayed (though Tiger does exhibit great versatility when he blows his wedges 20+ yards over some greens).
While progress cannot be stopped, I do hope that golf's governing bodies resolve their differences soon and come up with some solutions. A uniform tour ball is but one answer. Limitations on equipment should also be pursued aggresively. Also, addressing the other barriers to entry, namely high costs (dues, green fees,and manadatory riding),will require a creative, herculean effort by the industry. I am not holding my breath, but I do hope that something meaningful is done for the long term betterment of the game.