What was the rationale behind Brian Rolapp reining in the PGA Tour? His fresh, outside perspective to help innovate a Tour that is subdued by traditionality and decade-old rules. And yeah, to compete in a rapidly changing sports landscape. That’s why the moment he stepped in, lists after lists of to-do tasks were presented to him, citing the shortcomings of a sport otherwise revered by many. And by the looks of it, the list keeps increasing. Another fresh challenge for 2026 has now ensued for CEO Rolapp. This time, it has to do with the foundation of the sport: the course.

Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath, in a new The Shotgun Start podcast, dissected what they called golf’s “double standard” in the course design and difficulty. A flaw that has been ignored for a long time. The triggering point for them was the recently concluded DP World India Championship at the Delhi Golf Club. The event, which saw Tommy Fleetwood clinch his eighth DPWT title, had drawn applause for its course lined with trees. Johnson and Porath were quick to call out the hypocrisy when critics compared it to the par-5 from the Canadian Open. “Every player and every media pundit who’s praising the trees now, complained about this is the stupidest hole in the world. These guys, they talk out of both sides of their mouths. It’s ridiculous.“ Johnson said.

“You can’t be mad about that hole which does the same thing,” he further adds, “and then be like India’s awesome because it takes driver out of their hand.”

Porath agreed, adding, “Exact same thing. It’s just presented in a different way. One’s a creek, one’s trees everywhere.” Their point was that both setups remove the same strategic option, which is the driver, but still are perceived differently. In a way, the Shotgun guys did not just criticize the fans and media, but also the Tour’s struggle to define what kind of golf it wants to present.

There’s data to back up their observations. In Delhi, the average driving distance was just 269 yards. Now, that is nearly 30 yards shorter than the DPWT average. Players simply could not pull driver on most holes. Rory McIlroy even admitted he left his driver out of his bag, whereas Fleetwood compared the course to Augusta. “I think the two courses are worlds apart, but I feel like Augusta is very similar in that you can only hit the shot that the course gives you, and I feel like this is very similar.”

And while the DP World India Championship is a part of the European Tour, one can’t deny the interconnectedness it holds with the PGA. Both tours are related in the broader landscape of professional golf, and Rolapp will have to address this issue sooner or later.

That is why Johnson argues that there is a need for balance and variety. “There’s a balance between giving enough space and not too much space.” As per him, modern golf has become dominated by wide, forgiving layouts where players can “just pull out driver” without much thought.

That, in essence, is the new challenge now sitting on Brian Rolapp’s desk. Analysts say the Tour’s current rotation of mostly modern venues, 7,500-yard courses designed for the era of 190-mph drivers, has produced what many call “architectural homogeneity.” Every week, fans and players see the same formula: long holes, thick rough, and birdie-fests that blur together.

The same complaint has been raised about other courses, too.

Other courses with the same issue

Earlier this year, PGA National’s Champions Course, which was once one of the Tour’s toughest tests, drew sharp criticism after changes made it far easier during the Cognizant Classic. Billy Horschel called it “disappointing” that the course was softened.

“It’s just a little disappointing because it’s such a great test of golf,” Horschel said, noting that the overseeded fairways and shorter rough made the famed Bear Trap far less intimidating. And even Jordan Spieth called it “significantly easier than the dormant Bermuda.”

This same pattern has also been repeated across various other venues. Quail Hollow, host of the 2025 PGA Championship, was branded as “bomber paradise.” At the same time, Caves Valley, which is the site of the BMW Championship, was slammed as “brutish” and one-dimensional. Even elite setups like Valhalla and Bay Hill have been called out for rewarding only one skill — distance.

“The thing that Rolapp should look at is that variety. It’s like there should be an intentional-ness…and this you can’t do this when there’s 50 events,” Johnson remarks, hinting at the condensed schedule of the Tour.

For now, this is a mounting challenge for Rolapp. Golf doesn’t need to be the NFL, as Rory McIlroy put it. But if Rolapp’s tenure is to succeed, it might need to rediscover what makes golf…golf.