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Sunday, 23 July 2006, 10:15 GMT 11:15 UK

Player and Harmon call for change

Gary Player Three-time Open winner Gary Player and Tiger Woods' former coach Butch Harmon have advocated changes to address advances in club and ball technology.

Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek, Player said that golfers are able to hit the ball too far, and golf's authorities should intervene.

"The top players are hitting off with three, four and two irons," he said.

"The R&A should set the Open up with 30-yard wide fairways and very heavy rough so you've got to use a driver."

Harmon, meanwhile, believes that attention should be paid to the latest generation of golf balls, and that the governing bodies should consider rule changes.

"I think the ball goes so much further than it ever did," he said.

"If you take these players back to the equipment that Gary won his three Open championships with, they wouldn't be hitting irons off these tees, they'd have to hit woods onto the greens.

"So I think the ball is the big thing and the R&A and the USGA have got to step up to the plate and make a decision on what they're going to do with it."



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Related to this story:

The great distance debate (17 Jul 06 |  Golf )
Row over Augusta changes goes on (05 Apr 06 |  Golf )

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