News

Jason Day says any move to curtail distance would hurt the game

Published

8 years ago

Oct 12, 2018

Recently, there has been plenty of debate regarding whether or not action ought to be taken with regards to the distance that the golf ball is traveling in the modern game. Earlier this year, Dustin Johnson hit a 489-yard drive at the WGC-Dell Match Play, and with the constant innovations in technology in the golfing world, there is a belief among some groups that the distance in the modern game is out of control and in danger of making some old courses obsolete.

One of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour, Jason Day, weighed in on the discussion in an interview with Golf Digest. He has made it clear that he doesn’t want any restrictions when it comes to distance in the game. The Australian was adamant that fans of the game want to see the ball hit as far as possible, and any attempt to curtail this would see a drop-off in viewership.

“Do I want the ball to go shorter? No. Why? Isn’t it fun watching Dustin Johnson crush a drive over a lake 300 yards away? No one wants to see someone plod it down the right and not take it on. That’s boring. If you push trying to rein it in too far, then people will stop watching golf. People want to see risk.”

Day ranked 17th in driving distance for the 2017-18 season, averaging 309.7 yards off the tee. The former world number one also believes that the focus should be on modern course designers, and not equipment manufacturers, who he criticizes for creating longer courses.

“The problem is the architects—some of them, anyway—decided that because the ball is going forever, they need to make courses longer to make them harder,” he said. “No, you don’t. Just be a better architect.”

The distance debate is not likely to go away any time soon. Do you agree with Day’s stance, or should measures be taken to rein in the distance that professionals are currently hitting the ball?

Let us know your thoughts.

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Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected]

11 Comments

Justin

Oct 16, 2018 at 7:16 pm

You could also start to make the fairways VERY narrow around the 300 yard mark. This would make the players decide whether to hit it 280 yards into a 40 yard fairway or 320 yards into a 20 yard fairway. This would a create a larger risk/reward scenario instead of letting them smash it 350 with no serious penalty for being in the rough or trees. This is only 1 solution out of many.

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Nathan

Oct 15, 2018 at 1:50 pm

I’d love to see tighter fairways, longer rough, more dangerously sloped (if not faster) greens. Long can be good, but I want to see the pros drive it dead straight (or shaped) every time. I want to watch purity not power.

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McFadden

Oct 13, 2018 at 8:41 pm

I agree with Day and the other comments on here. Start putting fairway bunkers 300 yards out from the tee too.Also nothing more boring than a flat and straight 200 yard par 3. Id rather see more par 3s like the Postage Stamp and #12 (Golden Bell) at Augusta. Like Day said we like to see risk/reward situations and put a premium on accuracy. It wont totally eliminate the guys from bombing it and would make it more exciting when the do decide to go NLU style!

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Kevin

Oct 13, 2018 at 7:49 pm

Day is absolutely right that architects making longer courses is making the problem worse. On a shorter more imaginatively designed course that goads you into hitting shots that are actually riskier than they look (Tobacco Road, Sanford, NC a Mike Strantz masterpiece is a wonderful example of this) you actually level the playing field more. Tobacco Road maxes out at 6800 yards, but big hitters, short hitters can all play to their strengths in highly entertaining ways. A shorter golf course also lets you see the real gap between the best players and the posers….

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- thánh
  
  Oct 14, 2018 at 11:11 am
  
  Great article for the beginners like us . I am a new in this game and enjoying the adventure.
  
  Reply Report comment
BL

Oct 13, 2018 at 8:11 am

Anyone else notice Jason Day has a new Accra shaft in that driver?

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BD57

Oct 12, 2018 at 10:00 pm

Harbor Town holds up well, year after year, and it is not “monster long.”

Grow the rough, narrow the fairways, make accuracy mean something.

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Scheiss

Oct 12, 2018 at 5:24 pm

Jason, it’s not the architects’ fault.
It’s your PGA Tour, its set ups that are at fault.
There is not a course out there that couldn’t grow the grass taller. Including the fairway, that could be softened up – a lot.
The fairways need to be softer and narrower.
The rough needs two more inches – at every course.
That’ll solve everything.

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Brian McGranahan

Oct 12, 2018 at 5:23 pm

Look what they did to the guys in France. Just make more courses like that. Every PGA event needs knee high rough pinched in at 300yds. That will solve everything.

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Justin

Oct 12, 2018 at 3:06 pm

The winning score at the 2013 US Open at Merion was +1 and the course played a mere 6900 yards each round. The cut after the second round was +8 and a there were only a handful of rounds under par in the entire tournament. This is definitive evidence that course design and setup has a much larger effect on scores than does course length. It is obvious that championship golf can easily be played on these historic golf courses and that great designs will always challenge the best players in the game regardless of driving distance. Trying to put limits on the golf ball seems to misunderstand the problem entirely.

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Travis

Oct 12, 2018 at 1:58 pm

I agree, a course doesn’t have to be longer to be more challenging or to accommodate longer hitters.

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News

Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

20 mins ago

Jun 11, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user is asking for thoughts on the best stock shafts offered in 2026. Stock shafts are the shafts included with a club when it’s purchased from retailers or OEMs.

@DTorres asked:

The last couple years has seen a lot of updates and additions to no upcharge stock shafts, which do you think is the best offering in 2026?

Im a bit of a shaft nerd and recently during my Members Testing with the Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond I found the updated Project X Denali Frost Black to be a fantastic stock shaft. I absolutely did not mesh well with the original Denali. Just curious what other people think are the current best Stock shaft offerings out with new models and stock Ventus options and LinQ options popping up here and there.

We were given the option for any stock shafts for our members review. I went with the 70g Black Frost 6.5 because it’s a shaft I don’t have, it’s an updated version of the original Denali and hear little about. I typically use a Diamana WB, GD VF or a HOF Raptor. I’m not saying it was neck and neck with any of those but it was a pleasant surprise I’m not accustomed to in stock shaft offerings.

Our members in the forum have been offering up their own thoughts on the best stock shafts available in 2026. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

rsballer10: “IMO – MCA Ka’ili White Darkwave, Tensei 1k Black/white, UST Lin-Q White. People are free to spend their money however they see fit, but for me personally the shaft catalogs these days have enough options that I don’t see the value of a $400 upcharge. I have never had a problem finding a no upcharge shaft that fits the bend profile and weight that I need. Whether the paint job is good enough or not is above my pay scale.”
bcflyguy1: “Project X Titan Black. I’ve had one in 60TX in my Quantum TD Max for several weeks now. Have to give Titlieist their flowers for finding a way to make it available as a featured option; very shrewd bit of business and one that I suspect will be duplicated by the other companies. TT/PX have a certified banger on their hands with Titan.”
CTG77: “Undoubtedly, it’s the Tensei 1K RIP shafts from Titleist. The Tensei line gives about 98% of the performance of a Ventus VeloCore+ shaft at a tiny fraction of the cost if you’re looking for a blue or red profile. The white is not an exact match for Ventus Black, but it’s closer to it than the non-VeloCore+ Ventus shafts that come from Callaway or formerly came from TaylorMade.”

Entire Thread: “Best current stock shaft 2026.”

News

GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down.

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.

GolfWRX may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 OccuNet Classic

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

With the PGA Tour across the border in Canada this week, GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore stayed stateside and headed to the OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National Bank in Amarillo, Texas.

It’s always interesting to see what the guys are playing on the KFT, and this week certainly hasn’t disappointed so far, with some incredible wedge stamping on display.

Check out links to all our albums below.