Today, Mark Crossfield and MyGolfSpy owner talk about the USGA/R&A Driver distance study.
Distance.
Is it a problem? Is it not? What does the report show? Let’s find out.
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| Driver Ping G30 | Hybrids PXG 0317 |
| 3/4 IRON PXG 0311XF | 5-GW Srixon Z 565 |
| SW PXG 0317 | LW PXG 0311 |
| Putter EVNROLL |
6 years ago
Who cares that pros hit under par… this argument is so dumb. Average mens drive 208 yards?? Change the whole game because you have a select few who are incredible…. so dumb
6 years ago
The USGA is a bunch of guys that have do nothing jobs that pays really good. The goal of the USGA is to stay in business by controlling the club and ball manufactures with what they think modern golf should be played. This allows them to get kick backs ( more money ), free trips and diners from the equipment makers which lets them keep there jobs ..This is the circle of golf life
6 years ago
I can understand golf’s governing bodies need to see whether the game is getting too long for the courses we have. But I don’t think their tests or results go far enough to even come up with a conclusive question let alone solution. If indeed we need one. I love seeing the pros hitting their drives a mile. I want to do the same. And although I never will I still seek to improve. Which is one of the things I love about the game. Also the pros don’t use distance irons but irons they can control, with just a little forgiveness. My next set of irons will be like these. Less forgiving and less distance. I can’t give any answers as I don’t know the exact question! If ball and club technology stayed exactly as it is today, would the great players in three year hit the ball longer? I think they would.
6 years ago
They don’t have to do anything with the balls. They just have to change the courses. Quit mowing the fairways so tight, that the ball won’t bounce and roll another 40 yards. Keep the fairways like public courses. Keep them more damp. Keep the rough up, so it’s better to hit the fairways. Make the fairways tighter. Bring accuracy the shotmaking back into the picture.
6 years ago
The USGA is wasting everyones time. There is zero chance they will do anything. A few years ago they told everyone they didn’t hit the ball far enough…..Remember “tee it forward”? Now we hit it too far! The tour will not be going to “old courses” not because they are too short but because they can’t get 40,000 fans on the grounds. The USGA is joke. They didn’t get the grooves right or the anchoring ban. If they try this the USGA will be finished. The PGA tour or PGA of America will come up with their own rules and amateurs will just say I like those rules better.
6 years ago
I don’t happen to see an influx of 300+ yd drivers moving into my area in such numbers as to necessitate building an 8,000 yd course or multiple 8,000 yd courses.
Short courses are about tee shot location, location, location. Strategy is still the game’s mantra. Might some courses become obsolete? Maybe, but then again are those old courses “ready for prime-time” in terms of being able to accommodate grandstands, etc?
What happens to the numbers when Phil, Tiger, Furyk, et al, migrate to the Champions Tour and are replaced by younger guys who hit it a mile? What then?
6 years ago
What’s the correlation between distance gains and dropping average USGA handicap indexes? I would guess that the average golfers handicap has not dropped as much as their distance gain.
6 years ago
A Golfspy / scientific approach to this would be to hit “old” balls with old and new equipment and new balls with old and new equipment in a controlled environment to determine the biggest factor/ contribution from changes in ball and equipment.
6 years ago
there you go, excellent idea. Let the trusted MGS data tell the tale.
6 years ago
Let’s say you knock it back 15-20 yards with the ball. Dustin Johnson now goes from 315 avg to 295……Matt Kuchar goes from 285 to 270…who does it hurt and who does it help? On a 490 par 4, not uncommon on tour, DJ still has a full wedge or at most a 9 in….Kuch has an 8 iron……Mexico was a shorter course , yardage and altitude, but there were plenty of obstacles (trees and traps) in the way, it favored neither bombers or bunters, it favored accuracy. Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb were both great hitters. One hit homers, one hit singles. both in Hall of Fame. Athletes are bigger stronger and more fit. Maybe the ball and equipment should stop where it is, now. But to cut it back is nuts. Leave it alone. The ones affected most by a ball change would be the shorter pros, and more importantly 99.9 % of the other golfers who are you all and myself.
6 years ago
One of the reasons that nobody is talking about is that current courses for pro events are getting short for pros. Mexico WGC course is 7,300 yards, plays like 6,200 yards. I don’t play 6,200 yard courses. I play at least 6,500 yard courses from mens tees. So if these guys are playing mid irons on par 5’s, driving par 4’s… Why do we have to play 200 yard par 3’s, hit two perfect shots to get a GIR on a long par 4. They are making it easy for pros (except for some honorable exceptions). Courses need to have trouble.
6 years ago
I completely forgot about the Nike drivers leaving the tour. That was a fantastic point. Great job delivering the facts!
6 years ago
I think Mark has picked up on something that may be going on in the background of this whole issue. What that is remains to be seen.
What I do know is that I hit RANGE balls a lot further now than I did 20 years ago. What can the quality of those be after being hit thousands of times? Part of it is equipment, part is a better swing, part is consistency of strike.
6 years ago
Ahhh s***! My fav’s all in one place!
6 years ago
Feels like Davis/Nicklaus have a problem with this, and no one else.
6 years ago
[What is wrong with the USGA? They are not helping the game. First it was square grooves,then long putter now its the ball. Pro golfers are bigger,stronger and therefore they generate more clubhead speed. Quit trying to make people quit the game and help to grow the game.
6 years ago
And that, Ed, is the bottom line. It’s not the ball, folks… it’s the people hitting the ball. The whole argument and concern over balls going further than they used to is rediculous. When Babe Ruth kept hitting all those HRs, did they decide to shorten the fences so others could hit more, too? Maybe the real concern of the USGA is the cost factor involved in building longer courses. In the end, let’s not punish those who can average 300+ yeards on their drives in favor of those who can’t because they’re not strong enough.
6 years ago
Your Babe Ruth analogy is off base. A proper analogy would be the steroid era in baseball. They could have increased the size of the ballparks to compensate like they did in golf. Goodbye Fenway. Instead, they tried to reign in the juicing and all the parks stayed put.
6 years ago
I have no idea what the problem is, other sports and athletes have improved their times and distance, like sprinters, swimmers etc.
Rather look at setting up golf courses with tighter fairways, and long rough 4′ at least. Premium in hitting fairways..how many times do we see a top player mis the fairway but still have an easy shot out of the rough.
Green size, why not make greens smaller. Top players now need to be way more accurate with their approach shots and will play the penalty when missing the green with taller grass around the greens as well 2′
I grew up on golf course as my dad was a golf course superintendent..I will setup most course that top players will struggle breaking par, even with the new balls and equipment.
6 years ago
The other day I heard this topic being discussed on the hank Haney radio show.the guest who represented Callaway Golf Peterson was his name said they compared the ballada ball and persimmon woods vs today’s tech knowledge, and the difference between them was 25 yards for the PGA pros. The other difference was today’s fairways are much faster therefore roll a lot more
6 years ago
If it’s only the pros their worried about , then build bigger courses . The industry has the money. They be ripping us off with their prices
On equipment and items related to golf for a long time. The course owners know who their customer base is , there are only so many elite
Courses anyway and I don’t play them.
There is land and money out there.
Bring back the groves on wedges and anchoring.
Stupid shit they complain about
The bar is being raised again.
6 years ago
About time someone starts talking about distance increases due to knowledge and optimization rather than rolling back the ball or equipment advances…
Commonplace use of technology like trackman and other launch monitors, widespread ability to get properly fitted by more retailers and knowledgeable pros as part of equipment purchase, physical fitness and focus on flexibility are larger contributors to more people hitting it further than the advances in golf balls.
6 years ago
good job
6 years ago
First point – This is just for the Pro’s not the amateurs
Second point -So many factors are involved with the increased distances but the only way to have the courses play as they were originally designed is to roll back the ball
Third point – there will always be players that bomb the ball effectively but skilled iron players like Faldo or Seve still need to exist as currently driver wedge by DJ is not as the game was intended and he is not to blame for this but technology and fitness has evolved to a finite point and we cant increase the land anymore so golf ball technology is the only other viable option
6 years ago
There are way too many complications to say “this is just for the pros”. So, what do you do with top flight amateur events. Guys who have pro aspirations. Do they use the limited flight ball? And what about young kids growing up who have those dreams. Do they play limited flight. And what about the guy who plays his regular 4some but wants to qualify for the Open or another event. How do you regulate…. it isn’t as simple as saying this is for the pros…
6 years ago
Hi Chal,
I’m talking about the debate not actually what the governing bodies are saying.
Who is to know if the tour Pro’s are using the same golf balls as us mortals and non- hot drivers that the amateurs are using ?
Hitting Driver wedge isn’t what the skill of golf is supposed to be about especially in tour events worldwide, technology has changed that and the governing bodies have the unenviable task of trying to put the skill and magic back into the game.
I would love to see Phil and Bubba with less technology as they are real craftsmen and would thrive regardless. Like Trevino and Seve before them against Nicklaus and Norman.
6 years ago
everything u said is funny..driver wedge is definately a skill..u think its easy to hit long and accurate? plenty of hard hitters on the tour and why are they not hitting 2nd shot with a wedge? simple..coz they couldnt find the fairway..u said u love to see Phil & Bubba use less tech…well..u certainly need to read / learn more.. definately tech has brought up their “A” game into play.. have some sense mate..
6 years ago
Err I’m not your mate thank you as you intimated in your condescending tone.
Phil and Bubba are great exponents of working the golf ball and without doubt they have used technology as have all pro’s.
Not sure of your golfing prowess but I can tell you that I can hit driver wedge 350 metres now and I’m late 40’s – in my 20’s I couldn’t get near these distances. The golf ball and technology makes me do this.
I’m not against technology I’m against the great golf courses being made pitch & putt courses to the top players and not sure of your age but watching Seve hit irons live or Greg Norman Rip a persimmon driver was a thing of beauty as was him hitting a titanium one. The shot making skill has gone out of golf and I’m sorry but hitting driver wedge is a lot easier than hitting driver 2 iron.
My debate is all about pro golfers and not amateurs as they are all good enough to cope with a ball roll back to stop us having to watch bomb and gauge contests.
This isn’t going to affect your average weekend golfer.
6 years ago
What the hell are they talking about it’s about as clear as mud. Let’s face it pros are in better shape clubs are better shafts are better and yes the ball is better. It’s the equipment guys I hit it farther today than 20 years ago and I’m 68 years old. Let’s face it more people are being fitted properly . I’ll bet the drivers that pros use are far superior to what we use. Just a bunch of old farts sitting around the table sipping Scotch and chocking on cigars bitchin about nothin. They can’t play anymore so they need something to bitch about. STOP ALREADY?
6 years ago
Excellent response, Dave. I’ll still have my Scotch, though.
6 years ago
Oh thank you voices of reason
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JimmyTim
6 years ago
I may be missing something but doesn’t the new technology in club design and manufacturing contribute as much or more to the increase in distance than the ball?