The Loop

'Tiger disguises a lot of the problems'

October 30, 2009

Tony Jacklin, like so many others of his generation, is not enamored with the direction that golf is going, placing the blame on the governing bodies and their lack of leadership on equipment issues.

"No one wants to believe the game today is not as good as it was," he told the United Kingdom's Golf World magazine (unrelated to the U.S. magazine of the same name). "Tiger disguises a lot of the problems.

"I'm not sure the R&A and the USGA are properly shouldering the responsibility they have. They seem happy to let things go the way they are going and the manufacturers have a responsibility, too.

"I don't accept that nothing can be done about the ball and how far it goes. The tours could make a decision on what players can use and do it that way.

"They (officials) seem happy to keep on playing 7,600-yard courses that cost more to maintain and take forever to play. The length of time it takes to play now is the biggest problem. Who the hell wants to take five hours plus to play 18 holes? Not me."

-- John Strege