Jack Nicklaus Calls Out Titleist In Golf Ball Distance Debate
- Updated: February 21, 2018
When the GOAT speaks, people listen. In a meeting on Tuesday at the Honda Classic, Jack Nicklaus shared some news with the media that should warm golf purists’ hearts. The Golden Bear said that he had dinner with USGA executive director Mike Davis where they discussed rolling back the golf ball, while blatantly calling out Titleist in the process.
“Mike said, ‘We’re getting there. We’re going to get there. I need your help when we get there.’” Nicklaus said. “I said, ‘That’s fine. I’m happy to help you. I’ve only been yelling at you for 40 years.’ 1977 is the first time I went to the USGA.”
Nicklaus would like to see a ball that flies about 20% shorter which he claims would shorten driving distances to what they were back in the mid-’90s.
According to him, the manufacturer of the “#1 ball in golf” is the most opposed to rolling it back.
“The golf ball is the biggest culprit of that,” Nicklaus said according to Golf Channel. “You can start with Titleist.”
After 40 years of asking for distance to be addressed, @jacknicklaus may have finally heard the news he was waiting for: https://t.co/wAIAUmlNUR pic.twitter.com/uEfFnvyrGX
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) February 21, 2018
“Titleist controls the game and I don’t understand why Titleist would be against it,” he continued. “I know they are, but I don’t understand why … they make probably the best product. If they make the best product, whether it’s 20 percent shorter … What difference would it make? Their market share isn’t going to change a bit. They are still going to dominate the game.”
“It’s not about [Titleist]. It’s about the people watching the game and the people that are paying the tab. The people paying the tab are the people that are buying that television time and buying all the things that happen out there. Those are the people that you’ve got to start to look out for.”
Apparently, Titleist declined to comment …
Golden Bear: 1
Titleist: 0
