By Julian Linden
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 5 (Reuters) – The galleries whoop
and cheer when Tiger Woods drives the golf ball out of sight,
nodding their heads in amazement at the incredible distances he
and his fellow professionals now reach.
For some of the game’s elder statesmen, however, those nods
are being replaced by frowns and concern that technology is
ruining the sport.
Golf’s “Big Three”, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary
Player, all believe the time has come to try to limit the
distances players can hit the ball.
“Personally, I think what has put the game of golf into a
lot of trouble is that the golf ball is going so far, and you’re
finding golf pros going to play at different golf clubs,” Player
told a news conference at the Masters on Thursday.
“All they had to do was let the technology go with the
average golfer, that’s fantastic. But with professional golfers
we have not seen big men come into this game yet.
“We are going to see the Michael Jordans and the likes come
into golf, and they are already hitting drives 400 yards.
They’re going to be hitting it so far, it’s frightening,” added
the 76-year-old South African.
WIDENING GAP
Continued…
