In fact – sadly – almost all the important issues facing the game have been on the backburner in recent times because of happenings at the top end of the men’s game.

Be that as it may, though, the distance issue may be about to come to the fore again with submissions recently closing on the USGA and R&A’s latest Distance Insights Report update from March this year.

Manufacturers and other stakeholders had until September 2 to comment on two proposals, one related to ball testing parameters and a second relating to Model Local Rules.

It is the second which will be of most interest to recreational players as the proposal, put simply, is to restrict the equipment pros and elite amateurs can use while eliminating some of those same restrictions for the everyday player.

It is bifurcation by another name and, for many, a welcome recognition of one of the most serious problems facing the game.

"The distance issue may be about to come to the fore again with submissions recently closing on the USGA and R&A’s latest Distance Insights Report update from March this year." - Rod Morri.

There are any number of reasons ever increasing distance is bad for golf, not the least being the game’s growing footprint.

On a planet of finite resources, it is more than just a bad look for golf to constantly require more space; it tempts regulation from outside, the worst of all possible outcomes.

Meanwhile, the LIV distraction has been a welcome one for the debate itself as it has taken much of the heat out of what was, and still is, a divisive issue.

It has allowed things to proceed without the intense scrutiny normally devoted to anything distance related and has created space for cooler heads to prevail.

For confirmation, look no further than how carefully the governing bodies have handled the process.

Even a cursory examination reveals a comprehensive and consultative process designed to, as much as possible, avoid confrontation. This fact is confirmed by the most recent update.

In return for restricting spring like effect and moment of inertia paramaters for top level players, authorities suggest: “There is also interest in considering whether the adoption of these potential Model Local Rules could also allow the elimination of the MOI limit for recreational golfers, which could facilitate greater innovation and provide modest distance increases at this level of the game.”

Reading between the lines it equals a bit of ‘take’ from the top level but with a bit of ‘give’ at the other end to sweeten the deal.

Given the top level doesn’t pay for equipment and the rest of us do, it seems a sensible enough strategy.

Having said all that, it’s unlikely golf’s great distance conundrum will be suddenly solved without friction and there remains, clearly, a long way to go before anything concrete happens.

But it now seems almost inevitable there will be movement to restrict – and even roll back – distance and that will ultimately be to the good of the game.

It is to be hoped it can be achieved with as little drama as possible.