Is Golf Overly Challenging?

 News that the governing bodies of golf are interested in banning anchored putting from the game started a media firestorm last week. CBS Sports ripped the proposal. So did Golf Week. So did our we.

Today's USGA and R&A proposed ruling is just another example of how the USGA has lost touch with the majority of golfers and the golf industry itself.

The primary rubbing point is many believe that golf is already challenging enough, if not too much. Lee Trevino thinks so, as does the Wall Street Journal. So do the hundreds of thousands of people who have purchased our anti-slice golf balls.

The way USGA imposes pro rules at all levels of the game is akin to playing softball with MLB rules. Or driveway basketball with NBA ones. Or turkey bowls with NFL rules. You get the idea.

The reason this analogy works is that only 14% of golfers are actually required to play by official USGA rules, whether as professionals, in amateur tournaments, or in club championships. The vast majority of us, over 85% in fact, play golf for recreational reasons.  And the vast majority of that 85% play “for fun,” according to a recent Google Survey commissioned by Polara.

So yeah, golf is overly challenging.  Not for professionals - they should be held to the strictest rules. But for everyone else? Traditional golf is too rigid, inconvenient, long, and costly for its own good. Which is why millions are abandoning the sport and hundreds of courses are shutting down.

The good news is that golf is changing for the better. With the help of companies like Polara, the game is getting faster, more exciting, less costly, and more inclusive. In addition to our patented balls, we’re working on even more equipment to help you get the most out of the sport.

The reason: Golf is a game. Go have fun.®