Former world number one Rory McIlroy believes the R&A and USGA's distance insights report was a "huge waste of time and money", although he re-iterated his support for some form of bifurcation, where professionals and elite amateurs would play with different equipment to recreational players.
Earlier this week, the game's governing bodies laid out a number of ideas which are seen as an attempt to address the ever-growing distances that players can drive the ball.
One of the proposals would see the length of clubs limited to a maximum of 46 inches.
The R&A and USGA are also seeking feedback on the potential use of a local rule that could lead to a restricted ball or clubs being used for for certain tournaments – and could also result in a costly legal battle with equipment manufacturers.
"I think the authorities are looking at the game through such a tiny little lens, that what they’re trying to do is change something that pertains to 0.1% of the golfing community," McIlroy said in a pre-tournament press conference at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
"There’s 99.9% of the people that play this game play for enjoyment, for entertainment. They don’t need to be told what ball or clubs to use.
"We have to make the game as easy and approachable as possible for the majority of golfers. Honestly, I think this distance insight report has been a huge waste of time and money, because the money that it has cost to do this report could have been way better distributed to getting people into the game, introducing young kids to the game, introducing minorities to the game.
"I heard (USGA chief executive) Mike Davis say something about we’re trying to protect the game for the next 100 years.
"This isn’t how you do it. This is so small and inconsequential compared to the other things happening in the game. It’s the grassroots. It’s getting more people engaged in golf. That’s where they should be spending their money, not spending it on the distance insight report."
Asked whether he would be in favour of professionals playing by different, local rules, McIlroy added: "Yeah, I would be all for that.
"If they want to try to make the game more difficult for us or try to incorporate more skill to the game, yeah, I would be all for that, because I think it only benefits the better player, which I feel like I am."
