One of the hot topics at the annual PGA Merchandise show this year had nothing to do with the latest golf fashions or the newest driver.  It was a question of a fundamental shift in the world of golf called Bifurcation.  In the golf realm, this simply means a separation of rules between the highest professional levels from all other golfers.   This may seem like nothing big to those in other sports.  Your local softball league plays rules and equipment that differ plenty from Major League Baseball, but golf has always been different.   The PGA Tour recently played at Torrey Pines in San Diego and any Joe Golfer can go play there this year and play the same course, under the same rules, and using the same equipment and directly measure themselves against the best in the world.  There’s nothing like it in any other sport, it’s part of what makes our game unique.  That being said, there are many calling for bifurcation, especially as it applies to equipment rules.  Making the touring pros play balls and clubs that would diminish distance has been a conversation for some time, but it might be closer to reality now than ever before.  Limiting the distance on tour would help courses being obsoleted by increasing driving prowess and change the approach to the game by many pros, but it wouldn’t come without problems.  First of all, at what level of play would the changes take effect, college, mini-tours, WEB.com tour (Minor Leagues of PGA Tour)?  One of the best stories of 2012 was 17 year old Beau Hossler’s contention at the US Open.  Bifurcation of equipment rules would likely squash future Hosslers from competing on golf’s biggest stage.  It would be like learning a different game.

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Furthermore, on the topic of distance, how many average PGA Tour fans are calling for shorter tee shots?  None that I’ve heard.  We watch the best in the world play to see them hit unthinkable shots.  Fast forward to a bifurcated world: “Bubba Watson is on the tee, He really takes a rip at that one, it’s rolling down the fairway and wow that had to be at least 260… maybe 265.”  To make a comparison to Indiana sports, how much more exciting was the track in May when you never knew when the fastest lap ever might be turned.  It’s lost some luster ever since they began slowing the cars down.  How popular would the PGA Tour be once a restrictor plate is placed on everyone’s game?  Lastly, what could the long term effects of bifurcation be?  One argument has been made that the NFL has slightly different rules than college (for example: one vs two feet in bounds for catch) but both games are still football and people enjoy playing and watching both.  However, once the bifurcation bridge is crossed what other rule changes and differences could come in the future?  Is it possible that the Pro Game and the Amateur Game could become so different in the future that the popularity and success of both could suffer?  The one sure thing in this topic is that there are strong feelings on both sides and still plenty of unknowns.