“When you think about the purest test of golf, I don’t personally think that hitting the ball in the middle of the fairway should get you punished. On a golf course in as good condition as this one is, this is probably a situation in which it would be the least likely difference in playing it up because most of the lies you get out here are all really good”. These are words from Scottie Scheffler after the end of day 1 at the 2025 PGA Championship. But what is he talking about, though? How do you get punished at Quail Hollow if you hit the ball in the middle of the fairway? The answer is fairly simple. Mudballs. But what are mudballs exactly?

Mudballs create havoc at the PGA Championship

So, when there is heavy rain, the surface of the course gets wet, and then when a ball, especially after a powerful stroke like a drive, gets hit, it lands with a lot of force. On normal surfaces, the ball bounces ahead a few times and settles well. But on muddy surfaces, the bounces are minimal. Rather, it lands abruptly after one bounce and digs into the surface as well. A further disadvantage happens when clumps of mud stick to the ball as well.

Now, the issue with the PGA Championship is that they have removed preferred lies. Preferred Lies is a rule in golf, where you can lift a ball that is in the fairway, clean it, and place it back within 6 inches of its initial spot(not closer to the hole) in any direction. This is an effective rule that can counteract weather conditions like rain and even works against tough surfaces in cold regions. But major championships generally tend to prevent the use of preferred lies, as it tends to go against the spirit of the game. “Play as it lies” is something golf savants would prefer.

These mud balls have posed a strong challenge to the golfers at Quail Hollow, causing numerous question marks to be asked about the venue choice by the organizing committee. “I understand how a golf purist would be, oh, play it as it lies. But I don’t think they understand what it’s like literally working your entire life to learn how to hit a golf ball and control it and hit shots and control distance, and all of a sudden, due to a rules decision, that is completely taken away from us by chance,” Scheffler further added.

This mudball issue is not a problem that is bothering the PGA Championship alone. Jordan Spieth was very vocal about this issue taking place at the 2025 Masters as well. “My iron play killed me the last two days, and to be brutally honest with you, it was primarily mud balls. It’s just so frustrating because you can’t talk about them here. You’re not supposed to talk about them. Mud balls can affect this tournament significantly, especially when you get them a lot on 11 and 13. They’re just daggers on those two holes,” the three-time Major winner had stated.

The problem does not just come with the lie. It also comes with what happens after, i.e., when mud attaches itself to the ball.

How does the mud attached to a ball affect shot-making?

The mud creates a significant weight imbalance on the ball, making it harder to control. The even more concerning thing is that as more mud gets attached or falls off while playing a hole, the weight distribution changes by a lot. So, if you hit the ball from the fairway and it lands near the green, the feel of the ball changes yet again depending on how much mud gets attached or detached from the ball.

In a study conducted by Dr. Paul Wood, who had joined Ping in 2005, the side effects of mud getting attached to the ball were observed well. A mud-less ball hit with a 4-iron at 95 mph goes nearly 220 yards when mud is applied. With mud on the left or right side, the distance reduces by more than 20 yards. The loss is a shocking 70 yards if the mud is in the back of the ball. 70 yards is quite a significant number.

How do you think the PGA Championship should address the issue of mud balls? Should they enact the Preferred Lies rule?