PGA Tour Driving Distance Watch, Two Weeks To Go Edition

Last time we checked during week 20, the boys were clearly working out less because the PGA Tour driving distance average dropped to a pathetic 284.7 average, nearly 5 yards off last year's final average.

It had nothing to do with the wet and cold encountered early in the year. Nope. No way. 

But I'm glad to report that the cardio work and the flax cream massages helped bump the PGA Tour driving distance average to exactly 290 with two weeks to go. 

Though I must say the boys have lost their strength when it comes to 400-yard+ drives. Only 26 this year, compared to 30 400-yarders or more in 2006. Still time to act though!

As for players averaging over 300 yards, 2006 saw 21 do that while in 2007, a measly 23 are over the 300 average barrier, with four others just on the verge of breaking the 300 barrier.

In a few weeks we'll have the final word on drives over 350 yards, but right now it looks like they are on track to beat last year's total of 2,183. 

See, the numbers are once again down like USGA President Walter Driver says!

What does all of this mean?

Why, the USGA/R&A inaction has worked. By continuing to study the ball for another year while having machines test grooves using wet newspaper clippings to determine that grooves are in fact the real problem, our governing bodies have fixed the problem that they said did not exist.

With driving distances not leveling off and an 11-yard pick up since 2002 when they said there must not be any "further significant increases", golf courses can keep bearing the brunt of the costs associated with increases that are not happening while the gov bods can keep giving the impression they are acting on behalf of the game.

Meanwhile, the PGA Tour gets to spend a lot of money and annoying time testing for performance enhancing drug use instead. Oh the rest of us will have to go shopping for conforming v-grooved irons and wedges.

Comments

[dan]

I'm young (29), but one major problem i have with the distance explosion is that when hit an approach shot from 170-220+, I can almost never see exactly where the ball lands/finishes. It's just too far.

From an enjoyment perspective, i think the game would be more fun if the ball went about 70% as far as it does now.

Anyone else?

[Chuck]

Geoff - I'm thinking that taking Castle Pines out of the equation might have had something to do with this year's stats...

[vwgolfer]

John daly and Jb holmes on the sidelines could change these stats.

[ScottS]

dan- I was just thinking about that this morning. I almost get the feeling it has little to do with eyesight anymore, and everything to do with yardage books.

Or the flap-and-zap laser eye surgery Tiger gets every now and again. *shivers*

[ScottS]

Note: 70% reduction? Or do you mean 70% of current distance (which is still 210 for a currently 300-yard drive)?

[Geoff]

Chuck,
The Tour has never included Castle Pines in the driving stats for fear of skewing the number.

[Lynn S.]

Geoff, are these numbers on the up and up? One drive in one direction and another drive in another direction? Both holes where players hit driver?
It seemed to me on TV this summer, Tiger was hitting 3 wood 300 yards, especially at Southern Hills. Then they are all hitting 8 iron 170. Is this just TV hype?

[Chuck]

Thanks, Geoff, for the word on Castle Pines.

I'm nonplussed, as I suppose you are. As I ranted to Bomb and Gouge not too long ago, if you told me that ball design and manufacturing would remain mostly static, then I'd have predicted that driving distance will also remain mostly static.

That fact does not hurt the ball-rollback argument. It actually works AGAINST all those folks like Mr. Uihlein who might say that distance is due to fitness, or fairway mowers or anythnig else.

It's the ball. It was always the ball. Driver distance has remained flat in years where there were no real changes to the Pro V1. Driver distance jumped when they made changes to the ball.

And the rest of the golf world has to jump through hoops so as to avoid a Titleist versus USGA lawsuit.

[86general]

The numbers MUST be wrong. Didn't Tony Finau or Phillips Findlay or Dow Finsterwald hit a 450 yard drive recently?

Look at Remax long drive stats if you want to have a reasonable idea about driving distance. You can't go too far with tour data. Tiger with a 300 yard 3 wood? I have no trouble believing that, under certain conditions.

My home course, first hole, the longer hitters in the club have trouble driving it more than about 265-270. I am lucky to get 230 here. Mesquite, NV, last week, I hit a 3-iron hybrid club 230 yards (Sky Caddie verified, witnessed, and no cart path or sprinker heads, I promise) on a short par 4. All in the nature of the respective landing areas.

Golf Digest did something on iron distances a month or 2 ago. ALthough you see the leaders hitting 170-yard 8-irons occasionally, the average is much less. I can't quote exactly, but it was something like this: the tour average for a five iron shot is about 190, from a tee it's about 200. Here is the link...they quote shot link data in the 3rd paragraph, I think: http://www.golfdigest.com/equipment/2007/10/newlooks_bombgouge

[DLH]

The numbers don't lie, but Walter Driver and the USGA do!