Reasons Why Average Driving Distance Is Now Over 290 Yards

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jared Willerson

Super Moderator
Thought this might be a fun thread to discuss. Of course there will be the usual suspects like improved golf balls and clubs but could there be other reasons?

I am inclined to agree with Byron Nelson when he stated a couple of years before he died that the biggest technological advancement in golf over the last 50 year was simply the lawnmower.
 
jimmyt

jimmyt

New
I believe that driving distance would have increased even without club & ball improvement. This is the age of technology and the ability to
dissect the information frame by frame and apply that information specifically to that golfers body type and swing.

Its all about information. Its also about surrounding yourself with people who can help you apply that information.

That is what is so impressive about golfers of the past........they found their swings in the dirt.
 
Dariusz J.

Dariusz J.

New member
Two main reasons, IMO (not including technological advantages):
- people generally becoming better athletes year by year, decade by decade in every possible activity;
- setting both physical as well as mental main goal in golf at bombing at the expense of accuracy.

Cheers
 
B

bgoodyear

New
What were the average driving distances in the 80's, 50's, 30's? If you assume that it was shorter and shorter then it makes the scores posted in the Jones' era all the more impressive. I believe East Lake was 7100+ back in the 30's. How did they ever get around it under par? Driver + wood all day.
 
ZAP

ZAP

New
My Dad told me that back in the day all holes were uphill AND into the wind. Then he added that the kids today are soft.
 
B

birly-shirly

New
To what extent has average clubhead speed increased for tour pros?

My guess would be 5% or less over the last 40 or 50 years - and that fairly modest increase has to account for all of the incremental increases attributable to the usual suspects - lighter, longer shafts; lighter clubheads; more forgiving clubheads; bigger, stronger athletes; better mechanics; and of course competition.
 
Matt Bryda

Matt Bryda

New
Technology for sure!


Optimum dimple patterns and materials inside of the ball for less spin @ certain clubhead speeds

COR at maximum allowable

Better maintenance practices
 
S

sharkey35

New
Dariusz J. said:
Two main reasons, IMO (not including technological advantages):
- people generally becoming better athletes year by year, decade by decade in every possible activity;
- setting both physical as well as mental main goal in golf at bombing at the expense of accuracy.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Is there proof that hitting it longer decreases accuracy or are you assuming that to be the case?
 
duckjr78

duckjr78

New
sharkey35 said:
Is there proof that hitting it longer decreases accuracy or are you assuming that to be the case?
Click to expand...

Simple math tells us that a ball that travels 300 yards with 1° of face error will end up farther from the centerline (target) of a fairway than one that only travels 265 yards with the same 1° of face error.

Some guy named Pythagorus. I dunno, never met him.
 
J

Jim Kobylinski

Super Moderator
Longer / Lighter graphite shafts versus short / heavier steel shafts is a major contributor. Then i'd say some combination of solid core ball + launch monitors. Last, tightly mown fairways.
 
K

Kevin Shields

Super Moderator
Low spin balls allow you to hit up on the driver like we used to when you found a pinnacle and hit it instead of the Titleist Spinner 384
 
huestisc

huestisc

New
It's the BALL! (Ok followed muuuuuuuuuch further back by optimization/launch monitors, then shaft technology, then fairways stimping at 10, then bigger and lighter clubheads and materials, and even further back better athleticism and technique).

C'mon how is Lee Janzen hitting it 25 yards further than when he was young? Ask Jack Nicklaus...it's the BALL. Go back pre-Pro V1 and thetour guys lose 20 yards easily....
 
G

gep

New
I believe the average driving distance on the PGA Tour went up about 25 to 28 yards on the average in 10 years. According to Frank Hannigan, he feels the USGA wishes the clock would revert to 1994 so it could at least consider behaving correctly. But it can’t even say so because that would be an admission it has bungled its most important duty.

In his opinion, Two distinct happenings accounted for the new yardage. The first was the advent of excessive spring like effect in drivers in the mid 90s. Everybody on the tour got 10 to 15 yards longer.

Then followed modifications to the ball that enabled the best players to pick up another 15 yards even though the new balls still conformed to the USGA’s critical overall distance standard test.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top