Justin Rose has shared his thoughts on the upcoming golf ball rollback, which is expected to be implemented across the professional game by 2028.
With power now playing such a significant role in modern golf, the R&A decided that changes were needed.
Although shorter hitters like Brian Campbell, who won twice on the PGA Tour in 2025, can still succeed, distance is increasingly vital for those hoping to compete regularly.
Under the new rules, golf balls will not travel as far, and while professionals will make the switch in 2028, recreational players have until 2030 before they need to change over.
Not everyone is on board with the changes. Rory McIlroy spoke in favour of it back in 2023 when talking to BBC Sport, but Sir Nick Faldo said recently he would rather see certain clubs banned instead.
But even now, some are still undecided about where they stand on it.
Justin Rose shares thoughts on the 2028 golf ball rollback
Justin Rose has shared his thoughts on the upcoming changes, saying he is not paying much attention to them and does not believe they will have a big impact on the sport.
“This might shock you, but I’ve got no idea. I actually paid no attention to it. I really, really haven’t. And given I’m diligent about a lot of things, I concern myself with things I can really control in the short-term I suppose. But the way I understand is the metrics around it are the ball cannot go past a certain distance at 126 mph club head speed. I don’t play at 126 mph club head speed and I don’t really know if they’re hurting the guy at 126 mph or if they’re hurting more the guy at 115 mph. So it’s going to be very, very interesting to see how that plays out. But you’re right, it is imminent.
“I play at about 116 to 118. I’m pretty efficient at that, so I get about 175 ball speed, fly it 300 is what the Trackman would say. I kind of feel on the golf course, it never actually flies 300.
“The other reason I haven’t paid attention to it is I’ve never seen a rule change that’s made any difference. There was the changing from square grooves to V grooves, and the whole ethos there was meant to be you can’t control the ball out of the rough with V grooves, so you’re going to have to put the emphasis back on hitting the fairway. I think the game’s gone even more in the direction of bombing it. So that hasn’t made a difference. I don’t think greens books have made the slightest bit of difference,” he said on The NCG Golf Podcast.
The PGA Tour needs to take more responsibility as Justin Rose expresses doubt over the success of the golf ball rollback
While some players might initially find it difficult to adjust, especially those who have fine-tuned their yardages, it should not take long for most to adapt and recalibrate.
Rose’s view that the changes will not have much impact is likely to strike a chord with many. If the governing bodies were truly concerned about distance getting out of hand, there is an argument that they could take much stronger action.
In recent years, there are simply too many courses where accuracy has become secondary. Long hitters can often afford to be off target without paying much of a price.
No one is suggesting every course should be set up as punishingly as Le Golf National was for the 2018 Ryder Cup under Thomas Bjorn. But there is room for a balance that ensures tournaments do not turn into birdie-fests.