Scottie Scheffler Is Against Golf’s Strategy to Combat Excessive Distance

Scottie Scheffler is not all for the solutions that various golf entities have come up with to combat excessive distance.

Major golf promotions have supported a rollback that would essentially nerf distance as the game’s longest hitters continue to gain distance and make courses easier to navigate.

However, courses have fought back, too. For example, Augusta National extended the tee box on its 13th hole to make the green less accessible to long-hitters.

Other courses have used this strategy as well, but instead of Par 5s like Augusta did, courses are doing it to Par 3s.

Augusta National Lengthens Hole No. 13, Removes Traditional Eagle Chance at Masters

Royal Troon's Par 3 eighth, known as "The Postage Stamp," is one hole that has not been impacted by this lengthening process. Scheffler, who addressed Troon's strategy for it, simply stated that the hole, while only 120 yards in length, is just as challenging as the long Par 5s that courses are using to combat excessive distance.

Scheffler said the focus should be on becoming a more accurate player and controling your ball:

"I get frustrated sometimes when the solution to distance is just making holes further and further...Number 8 is a good little way to almost step back in time and control your ball a bit more. You don't have to make a par-three 230 yards to make it a great hole. It can be 120 yards...I think holes like 12 at Augusta and 17 at Sawgrass, the best par-threes in the world are short par-threes. They're not overly long par-threes."

Instead of being penalized with tech, courses should penalize players by making greens harder to hit, adding hazards, making them less accessible, and rewarding players for accuracy:

"If I don't hit the green on No. 8, it's mostly likely going to be a bogey unless you're in the front of the green. If you miss it in the right bunker or the left bunker, if you hit it in the left bunker, you're going to be glad to be making a bogey because it's probably going to plug, and you'll be hitting up-and-down for your bogey. If you miss it in the right bunker or the left bunker, if you hit it in the left bunker, you're going to be glad to be making a bogey because it's probably going to plug, and you'll be hitting up-and-down for your bogey...You can make a short hole with a small green, and it's pretty dang tough."

Scheffler is paired with Jordan Spieth and Cameron Young for his first two rounds of The Open Championship at Royal Troon.

Cover Image via Yahoo Sports