Ridley: Masters firmly supports ball rollback
By Scott Michaux • April 8, 2026
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA | The annual audience with the Masters Tournament chairman always begins with a carefully scripted preamble that covers all the bases. Fred Ridley deftly went from acknowledging the transition to a new competition committee chairman, honoring the passing of Fuzzy Zoeller and Jim Dent, recognizing significant anniversaries, promoting community outreach projects from The Patch to the new TGR Learning Center and congratulating the newly crowned champions of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals that have become honored appetizers for Masters week.
“Finally …,” Ridley said.
The chairman saved his biggest point for last, and he was prepared to get something off his chest. While the leaders of Augusta National Golf Club would never speak in the harsh tones of the iconic Frank Costanza from “Seinfield,” it felt a little like a kinder, gentler version of the first Festivus list of grievances – “I got a lot of problems with you people, and now you’re gonna hear about it!”
Ridley – a past U.S. Amateur champion, past USGA president and former competition committee chairman at the Masters – made it very clear where Augusta National and the Masters stands when it comes to the announced rollback of the golf ball led by golf’s governing bodies – the USGA and R&A.
His thoughts are presented here in full before comment.
“Finally, I’ve commented for the past several years on the subject of distance,” Ridley said. “We have been consistent in our support of the governing bodies in their effort to regulate the distance elite players are hitting the golf ball. Recognizing that the implementation of the overall distance standard test for golf balls may be delayed to 2030, I want to reemphasize that support and affirm our position as the USGA and R&A represent their collective obligation as custodians of the game.
“I also want to be clear that our position is grounded on much more than protecting the Augusta National golf course. We will continue to make modifications as are necessary to react to driving distances that in some cases exceed 350 yards. Unfortunately, many courses, including some iconic venues, do not have that option.”