The USGA released a new local rule limiting the maximum length of a golf club to 46 inches. (WHICH IS STILL PRETTY LONG FOR US HACKS.) The official maximum length per the big ol’ rule book will stay 48 inches for now, but moving forward tournaments and clubs can choose to institute the stricter limit if they so choose. Kind of like encouraging golfers to “grip and rip it, but don’t rip too far.”
Phil Mickelson took to Twitter to publicly criticize the USGA’s decision using a quote from beloved movie Forest Gump, “‘Stupid is as stupid does.’ Mrs Gump.” Mickelson wrote, continuing, “Really though, are the amateurs trying their best to govern the professional game the stupid ones? Or the professionals for letting them?”
We say let the pros rip with whatever length driver they want. But we also recommend slowing down the fairways and making the rough more penal. All is fair in love and stray balls.