The big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau has been warned by R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers that he will have to adhere to manufacturing restrictions on certain golf courses.
DeChambeau, who won the Rocket Mortgage Classic two weeks ago, has been in devastating form from the tee since the PGA Tour’s resumption with some monster drives and him breaking records for average drives on a Tour event.
But, in an interview with the Daily Mail, Slumbers admitted that he has been ‘fascinated’ by DeChambeau’s aggressive approach to bulk up heavily during the lockdown.
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‘I’m not sure I can remember another sportsman, in any sport, so fundamentally changing their physical shape,’ said Slumbers.
‘I can’t think of anyone. I’m thinking of some boxers because I love boxing. But what is extraordinary is that Bryson isn’t the first one to put on muscle in golf.
‘How he’s able to control the ball, with that extra power, is extraordinary. All credit to him, he’s a true athlete.
‘But I still come back to the belief that golf is a game of skill. And we believe we need to get this balance of skill and technology right.’
The R&A has been hard at work to develop events that forces players to approach courses with more skill and control instead of just trying to hit as long and far as possible.
‘Once we feel that the industry is stable again, which isn’t going to be tomorrow, because we don’t know what’s going to happen over autumn and winter, we will be coming back to that issue in great seriousness,’ he added.
‘It is too simple just to say change the ball. Way too simple. You can do things with the ball. But it’s the relationship between ball and club which is most important to me.’
DeChambeau will be in action at this week’s much-anticipated Memorial Tournament in Ohio where a number of big-name players, such as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, are set to feature.
