"How to solve the problem of the 'ball going to far' is not easy. Liability is not an issue. Doing it correctly is."
/Ran Morrissett talks to former USGA President Grant Spaeth for a GolfClubAtlas.com feature interview. It's all very enjoyable, but as always I can't resist clipping a few highlights:
9. What are your thoughts on classic golf courses, like Stanford, that are subject to continuous renovations?
Regrettable. We are in the midst of an “updating” which means pushing tees back. Some modernization is inevitable, given how far we hit the ball. And one is forced to wonder whether there should be two sets of equipment rules, because distance is not a factor for non-tournament players, or older ones. But the foregoing suggestion of two sets of rules is sacrilege in many quarters.
This surprised me as an answer, but speaks to how much the game has changed:
10. The State of California was blessed with numerous outstanding designs during the Golden Age of golf course architecture. Time has not been too kind to many of the courses. Is there one course in particular that you lament, either its passing, or wish its original playing character could be restored?
Cypress Point, clearly. I am told the Stanford Golf Team went down and to capture the way the course originally played, each player had to take his drive and go back 40 yards and play. Awful shame that it is pitch and putt for the good players although the greens still hold up for today’s play.
And...
20. You have mentioned the ball numerous times. It was an issue when you were President and still and issue today. Is it inevitable that a tournament ball must be implemented sometime soon? Is the liability issue to the USGA the reason it has not been implemented?
The process must be thorough and fair. How to solve the problem of the “ball going to far” is not easy. Liability is not an issue. Doing it correctly is.