Butch Harmon backs Olazabal nine-club golf idea

Legendary instructor Butch Harmon endorsed a proposal from two-time Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal to limit players to nine clubs during tournaments.

Harmon discussed the idea on the latest episode of The Smylie Show podcast hosted by Smylie Kaufman. He said Olazabal suggested reducing the club limit from 14 to nine to force players to hit a wider variety of shots instead of relying on distance.

The comments come after four golf governing bodies announced a single implementation date of January 2030 for a potential golf ball rollback. Harmon noted that manufacturers have invested heavily in current equipment and that reducing clubs could be a simpler alternative.

Harmon said the change would require better course management. He added that he would like to see one tournament experiment with the rule to observe the results.

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