Heavier balls and greater guilt. Two Major changes, one golfing one racial, are underway in American golf.

The controllers of the once-racially-segregated Augusta fairways are leaning over backwards to portray a new image. Once a bastion of racial bigotry, the club that hosts the US Masters is about to give an elderly black golfer a very special honour.

And the golfing rule-makers are about to address another ill: they’re upset that most of the players are hitting the ball too far.

Both matters matter.

MORE FOLLOWS