TRIED & TESTED

We take a tour of the R&A testing facility in Kingsbarns to discover how equipment standards are set and what the future may hold

- ANDY WRIGHT

Nothing draws the ire of golf fans quite like the ongoing distance debate. No matter what side of the fence you sit on, it’s a hot topic, and has been for what feels like an eternity. But it’s a very complex issue. On one hand, the governing bodies have a responsibility to encourage newcomers and ensure those already playing remain interested, while on the other, it’s vital that the world’s best are properly tested across every facet of the game.

Solving this puzzle is at the heart of ensuring our sport continues to capture the imagination of people at every level. So, with that in mind, we took a trip to The R&A’s impressive equipment testing facility in Kingsbarns to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how equipment rules are set and enforced by the people who know best.

A new era

The building itself is named after Allan Robertson, a famous club and ball maker who died in 1859 and who was the first person to break 80 on the Old Course. Robertson was around at the transition between the featheries and the modern ball and, quite ironically, ended up sacking Old Tom Morris for switching out of the old ball and into the new, viewing it as an abomination.

“That discussion we’re still having today and that was over 150 years ago,” says professor Steve Otto, the chief technology officer for The R&A and my host for the day. “I thought that was a really nice name for the building.”

The ball

Not many topics divide golfers quite like hitting distances, so that seems an apt place to start. And that’s exactly why this facility was built in 2017. Before this, The R&A relied on their American counterparts at the USGA to do the heavy lifting on ball testing, and had done since 1974. But that’s all changed now.