Augusta and Distance

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burners

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Augusta, 1997--a young, skinny (155 lbs) kid hits wedge into the par 5 15th hole in the first two rounds of the tournament (that’s his second shot--sorry Chip). He averages 323 yards off the tee for the tournament, playing a King Cobra 9 deg with a 43.5 inch steel shaft and a Titleist Pro 90 ball.

In 2011, the driving distance leader at the Masters averaged 303 yards for the tournament with a little different ball/club combo.

What’s going on here? Seriously!

Maybe this is the release we should be trying to understand.

I watched him warm up for over an hour that year at the Nissan. Ever see people standing and applauding on the range based on the quality/distance of the shots?

I have. “I am not Tiger Woods.”
 
ZAP

ZAP

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I think they changed where the ball is landing by moving the tees back to it is landing into an upslope on some of those holes. They also mow the grass back towards the tees to limit roll. I am sure there are other reasons as well. It certainly is not because 1997 Tiger hit it that much farther than guys do now.
 
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burners

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Brian/Kevin,

You guys have been to the tournament; what’s your take Tiger’s 1997 stats with that equipment. He was obviously on top of his game (and pumped), as he was 25 yards clear of the next longest hitter. I also think he was hitting it pretty straight with not much curve either way.

With that driver he was hitting low bullets and would get tons of roll on those hard, fast fairways. Maybe it was drier that year?

He averaged 305 yards (not sure of ranking) in 2001, which is still longer than the 2011 driving distance leader. He was probably hitting it higher than in 1997 and may have been moving it around more off the tee.

Does a dead straight, low bullet go farther at Augusta than the higher, less straight flight?

I know Woods is not as straight as he once was, so maybe he’s keeping less of them in the grid to be counted. Maybe the same with the field?

3Jack are you out there? Any ideas?

Thanks.
 
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birly-shirly

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I'm sure that Tiger says in that Golf Channel clip with Butch that's been posted here a few times that he gave up at least 15 yards between '97 and 2000 with swing changes.
 
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Kevin Shields

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burners said:
Brian/Kevin,

You guys have been to the tournament; what’s your take Tiger’s 1997 stats with that equipment. He was obviously on top of his game (and pumped), as he was 25 yards clear of the next longest hitter. I also think he was hitting it pretty straight with not much curve either way.

With that driver he was hitting low bullets and would get tons of roll on those hard, fast fairways. Maybe it was drier that year?

He averaged 305 yards (not sure of ranking) in 2001, which is still longer than the 2011 driving distance leader. He was probably hitting it higher than in 1997 and may have been moving it around more off the tee.

Does a dead straight, low bullet go farther at Augusta than the higher, less straight flight?

I know Woods is not as straight as he once was, so maybe he’s keeping less of them in the grid to be counted. Maybe the same with the field?

3Jack are you out there? Any ideas?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

3Jack is out there, although unlikely to post.

I remember that year as being very firm and fast. They do mow the fairways backward, I believe, now. I don't think the players can fly certain mounds anymore either. Rough plays a factor as well. Tiger absolutely bombed it back then, unreal.
 
EdStraker

EdStraker

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birly-shirly said:
I'm sure that Tiger says in that Golf Channel clip with Butch that's been posted here a few times that he gave up at least 15 yards between '97 and 2000 with swing changes.
Click to expand...

Also Tiger played with a golf ball that spun more. He was probably looking for greenside control vs maximum driver distance
 
magicmarker

magicmarker

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Eyeoffish said:
They also mow the grass back towards the tees to limit roll. I am sure there are other reasons as well.
Click to expand...


This is a big deal, players will admit it. I can't put a number on it, but I know a lot of players think it's bullshit that they do that on top of all the other changes made.
 
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DCgolf

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Not sure they mow it teeward every year. I think it's an annual call and weather and other factors related. I have been at the event probably 15/16 times, and the big thing at Augusta is flying the mounds to max out roll. #8, #10, even 1. And remember it's still a second shot course, as Jones liked, and the "second cut" and a few trees have changed some of the angles, like #11. They used to bomb it down the right side (Tiger 1997) and have max angle to that green. No more. #2 and #4 are two of the hardest par 3s in golfdom, and #7 and # 18 are the hardest tee shots now with the added length. Thats said, they still have to PUTT those scary greens. And I mean scary!
 
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burners

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EdStraker said:
Also Tiger played with a golf ball that spun more. He was probably looking for greenside control vs maximum driver distance
Click to expand...

A ball that spun more than the Pro 90 he played in '97? Is there such a thing? He already had THE maximum distance.

That was the point of the thread--in 1997 he played that ball with that driver and hit it that far. How?

Nobody is close to those numbers today hitting Pinnacles and 460cc drivers with graphite shafts.
 
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