Professional golf might be approaching a dead-ball era of its own.

The U.S. Golf Association and the R&A announced Monday a proposed Model Local Rule (MLR) centered around manufacturing golf balls. The goal is to "reduce hitting distance by 14-15 yards on average for the longest hitters with the highest clubhead speeds."

USGA CEO Mike Whan explained the thinking behind the decision:

"Hitting distances at the elite level of the game have consistently increased over the past 20, 40, and 60 years. It's been two decades since we last revisited our testing standards for ball distances. Predictable, continued increases will become a significant issue for the next generation if not addressed soon. The MLR we are proposing is simple to implement, forward-looking and does so without any impact on the recreational game. We are taking the next steps in this process, guided first and foremost by doing what's right by the entire game."

The PGA Tour addressed the announcement and said it "will continue our own extensive independent analysis of the topic and will collaborate with the USGA and The R&A, along with our membership and industry partners, to evaluate and provide feedback on this proposal."

The MLR proposal wouldn't go into effect until Jan. 1, 2026, so golfers and manufacturers would have time to adapt to the new normal—time that the latter, in particular, would need.

The USGA and The R&A laid out in February 2021 potential equipment changes that were geared toward limiting the distances golfers could get off the tee. In response, Acushnet Company, which owns Footjoy and Titleist, said conforming to the new rules would require overhauling how both clubs and balls are constructed.

"If adopted, a significant number of golf balls would become non-conforming under the new protocol," the company said. "Most others would be too close to the limit to be produced to their current specifications."

Acushnet added that "manufacturers would be required to redesign most if not all driver products."

Still, fans and some golfers might contend the cost is worth it in order to neutralize some of the biggest hitters on the PGA Tour.

It was one thing when it was a bit of a novelty to see a golfer who could get 300 yards regularly off the tee. Over time, that has increasingly become the norm. For some, that has diminished the importance of the short game and thus removed some of the drama and entertainment from high-level golf.

Ryan Ballengee of Golf News Net noted how the development could open the door for a wider variety of staging grounds for major tournaments as well:

Acushnet is already pushing back on the bifurcation that would be created between elite and recreational-level golf. The rollback is still years away, too, even if everything goes according to plan.

The USGA and The R&A's announcement will certainly grab headlines, but this proposal remains a long way from becoming a reality.