PGA CEO Sprague Off To Rough Start
Claims his member organization has not had a seat at the Five Families table is refuted by a "disappointed" USGA CEO, Mike Whan.
Since the announcement of Derek Sprague’s hiring as new PGA Of America CEO, the former GM of TPC Sawgrass and Liberty National has given several interviews light on substance. Understandably, since he had not officially taken the job. Sprague took one stand and accidentally revealed he had not studied the actions of his predecessor, nor does he have command of some basic facts about the PGA of America’s recent involvement in studying distance.
“The USGA and R&A have said they want to protect the game for the next 20, 30, 50 years,” he told Golfweek. “The PGA of America wants to do the same thing, but we're not part of that process.”
Speaking to Golf Digest, Sprague came out against new golf ball testing rules that take effect in 2028 as a model local rule for competitions (and then in 2030 for all golfers). Those dates were pushed back from a 2026 proposal after much griping and watering down due to excessive PGA of America and PGA Tour whining.
“I can tell you from what I've heard is that there hasn't been a lot of discussion,” Sprague said of the PGA of America’s role. “To my knowledge, we haven't had a lot of dialogue on it. We really want to have a seat at the table because we're a key component in the golf ecosystem.”
“We appreciate that the USGA and R&A ran a collaborative and patient process over the past several years. We are particularly gratified that they heard our concerns regarding the significant operational challenges bifurcation would have presented and are no longer considering a local rule regarding the ball for elite players. We are also pleased that the proposed change to the ball has been delayed until 2028 for elite players and 2030 for recreational golfers. Given the important role our nearly 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals play in the recreational game, having more time to adjust to the new rule is helpful.”
The statement went on to praise the governing bodies.
“We value our relationship with the USGA and R&A and respect their role as administrators of the Rules of Golf and the equipment standards of the game. We will continue to share our feedback on this, and any topic that affects our PGA of America Golf Professionals and the countless number of golfers they coach and welcome into the game each year.
Besides countless meetings and firing off letters after the comment period had ended—presumably at the behest of the people who send PGA professionals free equipment—the PGA of America has been involved in with the most influential component of the equipment rulemaking process: the PGA of America’s longtime Chief Championship’s Officer, Kerry Haigh, has sat on the USGA’s Equipment Standards Committee for several years.
The USGA would not disclose for how long, though CEO Mike Whan suggested on the No Laying Up podcast that the PGA has enjoyed a seat at the table since 2018. The Equipment Standards Committee shaped the regulations that ultimately came out of the multi-year Distance Insights Study.
Haigh and even Sprague’s predecessor, Seth Waugh, sat in on untold numbers of meetings that finalized a watered-down distance verdict. A decision to table a proposal to change driver testing from a form of bifurcation still did not stop a last minute PGA letter campaigning against the decision they had been part of. Sprague appears to have not consulted his predecessor or Haigh.
The latest comments are part of a continuing campaign against a decision born out of years of study, feedback and the USGA and R&A following the “Vancouver Protocols” agreed to by the golf industry (including the PGA of America and PGA Tour). Those protocols solidified a process that would ensure all parties were heard. The two PGA organizations have since disregarded the spirit of those protocols. And both PGA’s would seem to have bigger issues to deal with than this. Yet before he even moving into his new Frisco office, Sprague used the PGA Show to declare complete opposition to the forthcoming rule change.
“We have our statement that said we were against the rollback, and then I guess I just happened to be the first one that verbalized it,” Sprague said to Golf Digest. “So that's our position, and it’s getting stronger now as we get closer.”
His predecessor sent a letter in August, 2023 suggesting “conflicting data.”
Let’s pause for a moment a brief reminder of how this equipment rulemaking stuff works.
The Rules of Golf are entirely optional.
There are rules currently in place to restrict equipment, yet Sprague is not protesting those.
The PGA of America is free to craft its own set of rules and equipment standards.
Manufacturers are free to make anything they’d like outside the Rules of Golf and sell as much as they’d like.
On the No Laying Up podcast, USGA CEO Mike Whan was asked about Sprague’s stance. He called the claims made by Sprague “disappointing,” “frustrating” and “too bad,” before taking listeners through the extent of PGA of America involvement in the process.
“I remember Seth said something that I’ll never forget,” Whan said. “Which is, ‘Hey Mike, you know we know you’re walking into this situation if you allow us to be part of this process and have a seat at the table and listen to us, we realize that you’re never going to be able to come up with a solution that we’re all going to like.’”