There is nothing to this thread. Two great ball strikers go up against one another, and the other seemingly strikes it better on the range as the clubs get longer. Yet, the better player, for some unknown reason, snap hooks the snot out of the driver when the pressure is on and snap hooks his way down the back 9 of the 2011 Masters en route to shooting a miserable final round number. Meanwhile, the other, "obviously" less mechanically perfect striker, just happens to not suck with his putter enough to eke out a T11. This golf, it's a stupid game.
I see what you're saying... so when the better "longer club" player hits it to an average of 44'4" on Tour when approaching from > 200 yds, he is clearly superior to the tune of 6'6" to the other great player (who averages 50'10" form that distance). Everyone knows that the advantage that 6-1/2 feet provides is invaluable to the next shot played - the putt. The make percentage from 39' - 44' is 4%, and the make percentage from 45' - 53' is 3%. Huge advantage, right?
So the take away here is when an assistant club pro observes two great players during one range session, he sees a dramatic or noticeable difference in dispersion when the clubs get longer. But that corresponds to nothing as it relates to how the two players play on the course. 6' is the real life difference, the under the gun difference, the only difference that counts. But even that difference makes no difference. A putt from 44' is the same as a putt from 50'. So again we're blessed with a half-baked theory from those who know golf only from the flat 2D world of the driving range. Those who play the game for a living or for a score can easily understand and put into perspective this 6' gap at that distance, but for those who only "play" golf through theories and forums, 6' must sound like an obvious and significant swing issue.
Oddly enough, the player who hits it 6' farther from the hole is 17 under par on those approaches... 1 stroke better than the guy hitting it closer.
From 200-225 yards, the player with noticeable swing flaws is only 1'5" farther away from the better "longer club" player.
From 225-250 yards, the player with noticeable swing flaws is only 8" farther away from the better "longer club" player.
But where it counts, on the range, one player probably is noticeably worse as the clubs get longer.
