Acushnet, owners of the Titleist golf ball company, has issued a statement in response to The R&A and the USGA’s proposal to introduce new restrictions on the distance that golf balls used for professional tournaments and elite level amateur events can travel.

Under the new proposals and testing set up it is expected that hitting distance off the tee among players with the highest clubhead speeds will be reduced by 14-15 yards on average.

Titleist manufacturers the Pro V1 and Pro V1x, which are the most played golf balls on the global professionals tours.

In a prepared statement, David Maher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Acushnet, said: “The sport of golf has advanced and evolved over the years thanks to a thoughtful balance between innovation and tradition. One of golf’s unifying appeals is that everyone in the game plays by the same set of rules, can play the same courses and with the same equipment. Golfers can watch professionals and compare themselves to the world’s best, aspiring to hit the same shots. This unification links the professional and recreational games, enriches the connection and viewing experience of the professional game, and contributes to golf’s momentum, unprecedented growth and promising future.

“The USGA and R&A have announced a Notice and Comment to manufacturers proposing a potential rule change to golf ball testing that results in a Model Local Rule (MLR) that provides for reduced distance golf balls intended for professional and elite amateur competitions and a different set of rules for all other play. This bifurcation would divide golf between elite and recreational play, add confusion, and break the linkage that is part of the game’s enduring fabric.

The R&A and the USGA has said that a dialogue would be entered into over the next five months with interested parties, with comments closing on August 13. If the proposals are ratified they would be applied from January 1, 2026.