Why Lucas Glover Thinks Golf is Better on the Shorter Side

FLOURTOWN, Pa. — So, picture this: Lucas Glover rolls up to the Truist Championship at the historic Wissahickon Course of the Philadelphia Cricket Club. It’s a par-70 layout that stretches a mere 7,100 yards. From the get-go, Glover’s instincts tell him that this course has something special up its sleeve. Want long holes? Check. Short holes? Check. Par-3s serving up all sorts of challenges? You bet. And after strutting his stuff on the course, he realized he was right.

Next up for him? The prestigious PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, a beast of a par-71 that’s a daunting 7,600 yards long. Glover won here way back in 2011 when it was a slightly shorter 7,500 yards, and he knows from experience that the length makes a difference. Even the upcoming Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black is set to be a hefty 7,400 yards. So, when Glover gets asked the million-dollar question—“Is golf better on a 7,100-yard course or a 7,600-yarder?”—his answer is swift and certain: “7,100, no contest.”

Delving into that, Glover highlights the Rice Cricket Club course as proof. It boasts a wild mix of par-3s: one’s a 100-yarder suitable for a pitch shot, while another puts you at the mercy of a 250-yard uphill challenge. He recalls playing the second hole as a short, right-bending par-4—one where successful golfers can pull off a 5-wood followed by a sand wedge. It’s like a buffet of options, offering different clubs and strategies, unlike the more predictable setups typical of longer courses.

Imagine this: Glover and fellow U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark glided through their Saturday round together, finishing in just three hours. That’s some solid pace! When the course measures 7,100 yards, a smooth, fast game is totally possible. Glover passionately asserts, “Golf’s a walking sport.” He’s a fan of how A.W. Tillinghast designed the course back in the day when greens and tees were a hop away from each other.

As the players wrapped up on the eighth hole, they made a short jaunt to the ninth tee. Back then, land wasn’t a premium, and Glover relished the proximity of the course. Now, it’s a different scene with new developments popping up, but it still holds that old-school charm.

Glover carved out a fair amount of time on the course leading up to the tournament, even though his play wasn’t exemplary that week—shooting a lackluster 72, 70, 70, and 72 flagging him near the bottom of the leaderboard. However, he was absolutely enamored by the course itself. “Two of the greens are practically at the door of the men’s locker room,” he chuckled, pointing out how the third and tenth greens are right next to the clubhouse, which is essentially the heart of club life.

With all this love for a shorter course, one might assume Glover backs the USGA’s decision to slightly roll back the golf ball for the long-hitters in the game starting in 2028. After all, he grew up immersed in USGA culture, from playing in local championships to multiple U.S. Opens. But when it comes to the ball rollback? He’s not on board. “I’ve been against it,” Glover relayed. “Our job is to entertain fans,” he added, noting that massive drives are part of that excitement.

On his own driving stats, Glover admits that while he’s averaging around 290 yards this year—decent but ranking him 170th on the PGA Tour—it’s the techniques and tools of today’s players that lead to those 350-yard bombs from stars like Wyndham Clark and Rory McIlroy. Glover points specifically to advancements with the modern golf driver heads and believes that simply pushing the length of the courses further doesn’t necessarily equate to a better game.

Through all this, Glover is adamantly in favor of shorter courses for elite play, but he’s got a twist to this preference. “If they rollback the ball, let’s also shorten the courses,” he declared. Glover is all about fairness, suggesting that a long par-4 could operate at 470 yards instead of a bulky 505. It’s a reflection of his appreciation for the strategic and physical aspects that shorter courses can bring without sacrificing the spirit of the game.

In the end, Glover knows what he likes: shorter courses where challenges arise and creativity with your clubs has room to flourish, all while providing a faster pace for the players. So, whether he’s ranting about a 7,100-yard beauty or critiquing the merits of a rollback in ball distance, Lucas Glover is all about making golf more enjoyable for both the players and the fans.

Want to join in on the conversation? You can reach out to Michael Bamberger, the writer of this piece, at his email. You’ll see there’s more to talk about in this ever-evolving game, and Glover’s perspective is one worth listening to!