Changing Course

The usga’s mike davis talks about a mission to make golf more fun to play, the distance debate, and the anchoring ban

- Jaime Diaz

Whether playing the game or working it, fulfillment has never been a problem for Mike Davis. He joined the USGA in 1990, and in 2006 he took over the course setup for the US Open, a job he still oversees. In 2011, Davis succeeded David Fay as executive director, and in 2016, the title of CEO was added. But Davis’ tenure has come at a time when the game is being buffeted by multiple forces in a shifting culture.

Adding to the challenge have been two recent US Opens in which the USGA was criticised for course conditioning (the greens at Chambers Bay) and administering the rules (Oakmont). It has all thrust the 52-year-old Davis into a more proactive public mode. He shared his candid thoughts on the state of his organisation and the game, riffing on subjects ranging from distance to pace of play to anchoring.

NEW MISSION

The USGA has changed. I’m going on my 28th year, and in-house there was always the principle that, whether there are five million golfers, 25 million golfers or 5 000 golfers, what we do is for the game. Just this abstract thing that we are all about the game. Well, about six years ago, we changed the mission.

What we’re focused on now is that it’s still the game, but it’s also about those who enjoy playing the game. So it’s about golfers. So when people say, ‘Is the USGA trying to grow the game?’ then yes, we’re now at that point where we’re engaged in those things. We want to collaborate and use some of our monies to be a part of the focus on participation.