Patrick Reed has suggested what he believes to be a better option for the game instead of the proposed golf ball rollback that continues to divide opinion.

There appears to be an acceptance among most in the game that something needs to change as players hit the ball further than ever before. The top 13 players for driving distance on the PGA Tour in 2026 all averaged over 320 yards.

It is not sustainable. Golf courses are having to get longer to keep up, while the number of venues on the PGA Tour schedule with genuine character seems to be dwindling.

There had been plans to roll back the golf ball from 2028, with amateurs having another two years to adapt to the new rules. However, those plans have been shelved until at least 2030.

Patrick Reed suggests a better move than the golf ball rollback

The decision came after Cameron Young won the Cadillac Championship with a golf ball that would apparently conform with the new regulations. Young averaged 316 yards off the tee at Doral.

David Howell backed changes to the size of driver heads, with the modern day equipment so forgiving. And it seems that Patrick Reed would also be in favour of such action being taken.

“I think that’s a better solution. Obviously guys are hitting it farther and farther but driver heads these days are so large and guys are just swinging harder and harder. You can barely mishit a regular-size driver, and it still goes relatively straight,” he said in his press conference at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.

“I feel like, hey, if you want to swing it 125, 130, or however fast you can swing it, you need to make it a premium hitting the ball out of the centre of the face. I feel like the easiest way for me is instead of trying to roll back the golf ball to make the golf ball roll go shorter, make the head smaller.

“Roll the head back smaller on drivers and three-woods to where it puts a premium on making soft contact in the middle. For some of the best golfers in the world, there shouldn’t be a reason why they can’t hit the ball with the centre of the face.”

Why Patrick Reed would be better off if driver heads became much smaller

Reed would certainly benefit from the driver head becoming smaller. He is actually well down the list on the DP World Tour when it comes to driving distance this season.

Despite sitting in the top-three in the Race to Dubai, Reed is 97th in 2026 for distance off the tee. So you could imagine that he would become even more successful if the gap between himself and the longest hitters did close.

Having said that, Reed is also 135th for driving accuracy this year. He clearly separates himself from the rest of the field with his ball-striking and his stunning short game.

Of course, that may not be the reason that Reed is in favour of the regulations around the driver head changing. But he would certainly be better off if the driver became less important at the highest level.