Trump Celebrates PGA Tour Victory Over USGA Golf Ball Distance Rollback

President Trump congratulates PGA Tour Commissioner Brian Rolapp and U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton after the USGA was blocked from reducing golf ball distance standards.

NEW YORK — Donald J.Trump posted on Truth Social on June 17, 2026 at 8:28 PM EST, posted on Truth Social on June 17, 2026, by mentioning the source (see truthsocial), celebrating what he called a “BIG VICTORY” for the PGA Tour and its governing bodies after the United States Golf Association was reportedly precluded from rolling back the distance standards for golf balls. Trump specifically congratulated PGA Tour Commissioner Brian Rolapp and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton for their roles in blocking the proposed change. The USGA had sought to implement new regulations that would reduce how far golf balls travel, a move Trump characterized as “ridiculous” and one that “nobody wanted, especially PGA Tour Players.” The decision to block the rollback means current equipment standards will remain in place for the foreseeable future. The president argued that golfers would be alienated by being told “their drives will be going 20 yards shorter” and suggested the USGA should instead agree to cap future ball technology at current performance levels rather than reducing existing distance. “In other words, they will keep the ball the same!” Trump wrote, framing the compromise as a way to preserve the sport’s appeal while preventing further distance gains down the road. Trump described the state of professional and recreational golf as “hot as a pistol,” warning that any effort to artificially limit ball distance would undermine the sport’s momentum. The dispute over golf ball distance has been a long-running tension between equipment manufacturers, professional tours, and the USGA, which has argued that increasing ball distances have rendered some classic courses obsolete and driven up maintenance costs. The involvement of the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Southern District of New York suggests the matter may have involved legal proceedings or a consent decree blocking the proposed rule change, though the specific legal mechanism was not detailed in Trump’s post (see truthsocial).