Historical courses like Augusta National and Pebble Beach play a vital role in attracting new players, yet their current length and difficulty often deter participation.

The U.S. Open at Oakmont underscores the widening gap in golf, where elite players contend with conditions that are drastically different from those faced by average golfers.

Jason Day highlighted this disparity, noting that an average 18-handicap golfer would struggle to break 150 at Oakmont, illustrating the course's extreme difficulty for non-professionals.

Current playing conditions at Oakmont demand elite golfers to score around 280, a standard many find absurd, prompting discussions about the introduction of a specialized golf ball for professionals.

This proposed specialized ball would be designed to be 10 percent shorter, aiming to maintain par as a meaningful score, although it has encountered resistance from organizations like the PGA of America and the PGA Tour.

Fred Perpall, president of the USGA, asserts that the game is effectively bifurcated, with distinct sets of rules for professionals and amateurs.

Despite concerns about bifurcation, the article suggests that a specialized ball for majors could enhance the game's aesthetic and accessibility.

Perpall envisions a gradual rollout of the new golf ball, with ongoing assessments, although Bamberger expresses skepticism about its impact by the next U.S. Open in 2033.

Bamberger advocates for a shorter, faster-playing golf environment that requires less maintenance, making the game more relatable for amateur golfers.

He argues that the PGA Tour has evolved into a television spectacle, which has diluted the essence of traditional golf and increased the demand for more accessible playing conditions.