BOMB: Although we see differently on the issue of distance and technologies role in it, I found Geoff Shackelford’s “The List”—a compilation of “Those expressing concern about recent distance increases and what they would do about it”—interesting reading. I confess, I had never read through the entire list before, but seeing all the comments in one place allows one to see whom at least has a rational thought and those who might want to take a mulligan.

My vote for the person in need of a breakfast ball the most is none other than Arnold Palmer.

Now I know anyone who takes on Mr. Palmer is asking for a public flogging--or worse--but at least hear me out. In 2005 Palmer said, “To get right to the point—we need to just cut the golf ball back. How much? Probably at least 20 percent.” OK, lets take a look where that leaves us. Current PGA Tour driving distance stats show the distance average on tour at 283.4 yards. Lop 20 percent off that and the best players in the world are averaging a whopping 226.72 yards off the tee. At the top of the distance food chain, Bubba Watson is currently at 313 yards. Skim 20 percent off the top and the tour’s leading bomber is hauling the mail at a less-than-eye-popping 250.4 yards. Not exactly the kind of numbers that will have potential sponsors beating down the doors in Ponte Vedra looking to sign up for a long-term commitment. At the bottom, Corey Pavin’s 253.6 average would still be above the Interstate, but just barely at 202.88 yards. Don’t even get me started on what the LPGA numbers would look like.

The point being not to take Mr. Palmer to task, but to ask that we use our heads and engage in thoughtful dialogue. There are two sides to every debate and each is worth hearing out (I particularly like Paul Azinger’s take). Shackelford, for his part, is planning on adding some comments from those who are pro-technology to his List page. Excellent. Regardless of what side you’re on, however, let's just shoot from the hip a little bit less. It will make for a better discussion.

GOUGE: Sometimes we mis-speak. I think Mr. Palmer meant to say 15-20 yards, but even if he didn't, the question remains whether we need to turn off the distance faucet, or at least reduce the flow. I know what it's like to overstate the case. Using PGA Tour data, I recently made the case that the number of 350-yard drives has exploded in the last half-dozen years. Unfortunately, that statement is flawed. The Tour does not explain that it determined a player's longest drives one way from 1992-2002 (they used only drives on the two measured holes) and a different way from 2003 to the present (they use every hole on the course). That means that my chart from last week is a little heavily overemphasized. In truth, there aren't 40 times as many 350-yard drives today as there were 10 years ago. Still, it's well more than double what it was 10 years ago.

So that's our first two mea culpas. And it's barely Monday afternoon.

But to the issue at hand. Has driving distance gotten out of control? In the only meaningful, consistent measuring stick, the data suggests that driving distance has flattened to a rate of increase more in line with what we saw in the 1980s. You can suggest that players are hitting 3-wood on holes the tour is measuring for driving distance, but I don't think so. And the tour doesn't compile such information. Still, it is interesting/frightening that both Sean O'Hair and Tiger Woods hit their tee balls on 18 yesterday in the vicinity of the plate marking Robert Gamez's shot that won the 1990 Bay Hill tournament. Of course, they hit 5-woods, while Gamez hit a driver 19 years ago. Both players hit 7-irons into the 18th green, just like Gamez, only his Ping Eye2 7-iron from 1990 had a titanium shaft. On the 16th hole, O'Hair and Woods hit tee shots with driver, each going about 300 yards (297 for O'Hair, 300 through the rough for Woods). Let's remember the fairways were soft, too.

To top it all off, Mr. Palmer is about to rework Bay Hill yet again. He even suggested a return to a par of 72. That won't happen. Not unless they play the aforementioned 20-percent shorter ball. A 20-YARD shorter ball, however, raises possibilities. What better place to start the argument for bifurcation than with a test case on the PGA Tour. Less theory, fewer statistics and more real world evidence. Palmer's long been a spokesman for the USGA, it was his discussion with USGA Senior Technical Director Dick Rugge years ago that got the effect of grooves reexamined, so why not have a once-and-for-all test on tour with a shorter ball to see what we think? The shorter golf balls apparently exist. Maybe the USGA can let him borrow a few gross and play next year's tournament as a scientific experiment.