The golf ball rollback has become the defining governance battle of 2025, splintering stakeholders across professional golf, except, notably, the LPGA. Kessler made his position unmistakably clear when asked about the contentious USGA and R&A proposal that has fractured the PGA Tour and governing bodies for nearly two years.

“This is not necessarily an issue we want to get in the middle of,” LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler said during a Dec 5 appearance on the 5 Clubs podcast. “While I do understand it’s important for a variety of folks, we actually have the benefit of being able to move our tees forward or backwards, given our course setup. Our primary job is to protect our athletes and to grow the sport in every way we can.”

It was a calculated deflection from a commissioner laser-focused on commercial growth rather than ideological warfare. Kessler framed his neutrality around strategic priorities rather than equipment politics, understanding both sides but seeing no reason for the women’s tour to expend capital on a fight that doesn’t materially affect LPGA operations. The stance contrasts sharply with the turmoil engulfing men’s professional golf. The USGA and R&A announced the universal rollback in December 2023, with professional implementation set for January 2028.

“Not warranted and not in the best interest of the game,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan declared in a July 2023 memo, flatly rejecting the approach. PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague described his organization as “vehemently against” the change.

Players have been equally fractured.

Brian Harman said, arguing the rollback could lead to “even less skill in the game.” Lucas Glover called the plan “stupid and reactive,” while Jon Rahm questioned why changes were being made during a “golden era of golf.” Only Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods have publicly supported rollback measures, with McIlroy arguing it “puts golf back on a path of sustainability.”

The LPGA’s position has evolved since the initial proposal.

When the governing bodies first suggested a bifurcated approach in March 2023, targeting only elite men’s competition, the LPGA stated it didn’t see distance as a hindrance and wouldn’t implement the rule. But after the December 2023 shift to a universal rollback, the league supported eliminating bifurcation while maintaining that distance isn’t an LPGA issue.

Players like Brittany Lincicome called the change “silly,” while Lilia Vu expressed surprise, noting LPGA courses don’t play particularly short. Nelly Korda took a pragmatic view, saying the best players would adapt.

Kessler’s opt-out isn’t just strategic positioning; it’s grounded in physics. The rollback debate consuming the men’s game simply doesn’t apply to the LPGA in the same way.

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Why Kessler’s LPGA can ignore the rollback dividing men’s golf

The USGA and R&A designed their proposal to address elite male players with swing speeds exceeding 125 mph, routinely overpowering classic courses. The PGA Tour’s longest hitters now carry drives beyond 320 yards, forcing venues to stretch holes beyond sustainable limits.

The LPGA operates in fundamentally different territory. Average driving distance on the women’s tour sits around 258 yards, with swing speeds near 94 mph, well below the thresholds driving the rollback conversation. Kessler’s comment about moving tee boxes isn’t deflection; it’s a legitimate mechanical solution unavailable to his male counterparts who’ve already pushed courses to their architectural limits.

This technical reality gives Kessler the freedom the PGA Tour doesn’t have. “Everything we announced two weeks ago at CME around what’ll happen in ’26 with the quality of our broadcast… has the fan in mind,” Kessler said during the podcast.

The commissioner told Golf Channel ahead of the CME Group Tour Championship that the LPGA competes in an “attention economy” where women’s golf battles for eyeballs against every other entertainment option. The partnership with FM, Golf Channel, and Trackman will deliver 50 percent more cameras, 30 percent more microphones, and enhanced shot-tracing technology for every 2026 tournament.

While the PGA Tour burns political capital on governance battles, the LPGA is consolidating partnerships. The women’s tour announced a record $131 million purse for 2026 and secured live broadcast coverage for every round—milestones achieved without the internal warfare plaguing the men’s game.

“I know that there’s as much harmony among the organization tours and governing bodies as we’ve had,” Kessler said, acknowledging potential fractures ahead. “The harmony could be fractured by what is on the horizon.” His solution: stay out of it entirely.

For Kessler, the rollback represents a problem he doesn’t need to solve. His athletes aren’t overpowering venues, and his commercial partners want investment in fan engagement, not regulatory battles. “At the end of the day, the fans effectively pay our bills,” Kessler said.

While others debate ball specifications and testing protocols, Kessler is adding cameras and shot-tracing technology. That’s not avoidance. It’s a strategy.