286m Driving Distance Average

[Neil_Crafter]

I was talking yesterday with Bob Tuohy, tournament organiser for the two Australian and New Zealand tournaments recently held as part of the Nationwide Tour. Bob tells me that he has just received the average driving distance for all players in all rounds of both events and it was a staggering 286 metres, or 313 yards. This absolutely floored me that the field could AVERAGE over 300 yards in both events. World gone wrong!

[Andrew Summerell]

Neil,

Could it have been a little to do with fairway run. The 4 days at Kooyonga were a heat wave & every course in Australia is running a bit further. I can't speak for the NZ courses.

[Jeff_Mingay]

313 yards AVERAGE?!

Thank goodness the USGA has focused its attention on grooves  

[James Bennett]

Andrew

Terry and I attended the Saturday afternoon.  It was damn hot.  Temperature at the event was invariably in the thirties, and got up to 40 (thats 85-105 F) with low humidity.  So, the carry on the shots was up.  I recall the awe at seeing the fairway bunker on the left of #16 at Kooyonga being carried - every player was doing it at this event, even the smaller, tidy golfers.  Not just the athletic powerhouses.

The carry has destoryed the character of some classic holes at Kooyonga.  #13 plays from one sand hill to the top of another sandhill to a green elevated on a smaller sand hill.  Originally, it may have been a 'bogey 5'.  I recall when I could play reasonably well that it was a great drive to the top, then a 3-iron.  Longer hitters might get over the hill and play an 8-iron.  Today, the hill is carried by everyone, and the challenging long-iron has become a wedge.  And you can't push tees back when you are using natural sand hills for your key shot points.

James B

[Andrew Summerell]

I recall the awe at seeing the fairway bunker on the left of #16 at Kooyonga being carried - every player was doing it at this event, even the smaller, tidy golfers.  Not just the athletic powerhouses.

That's a good example of how too much distance compromises the strategy of the hole. That bunker is there because the best side to go for the green in two is from the left. I think it’s about 230m, maybe 240m (255 – 265yards approx.) from the plates, to carry that bunker. If everybody is carrying it, then there is not much risk involved to gain the reward.

[TEPaul]

"Thank goodness the USGA has focused its attention on grooves   "

Jeff:

Maybe the USGA should just do what the R&A does and act like they're not even there on I&B.  

[JESII]

Why would we like the pros to use equipment that makes low scoring more difficult while we rail against setting up a course intended to make low scoring more difficult?

Professional golf is a show, long drives and tons of birdies are the show.

[Jim Nugent]

Sully, the answer to your question: we (the collective we?) want the course strategies and features to come into play for the pro's.  

[Neil_Crafter]

Kooyonga's fairways are well irrigated and despite the heat I don't think ball run was anything out of the ordinary. And it has been wet in New Zealand so I can't think you can put this result down to run. The majority of the players in the fields in both events tended to be a bit on the younger side and obviously on the stronger side.

Maybe we need square grooves on drivers to give tee shots more spin?

Of course we know that professional golf is a spectator sport, but surely there must be limits to the driving lengths. Are there any limits USGA and R&A? Seems like a 240m turnpoint is way too short. Can the USGA and R&A fund all golf clubs 10% extra land to deal with this? I thought not........

[Andrew Summerell]

Professional golf is a show, long drives and tons of birdies are the show.

I know everybody is in to something different, but I'm not into watching long drives & tons of birdies.

I agree with Jim. I like to see the strategies & features come into play for the pro's.

[Mark_F]

I agree with Jim. I like to see the strategies & features come into play for the pro's.

So you like to see them play at Moonah links then?

[Andrew Summerell]

So you like to see them play at Moonah links then?

Yes. It keeps them off the good courses.  

[Kalen Braley]

I would agree with the consensus.  I don't think watching them bomb and chip on par 4 after par 4 is "compelling"

But at least we get to see what they can do with thier long 2nd shots into the par 5s and long par 3s.  Its those 245 yard shots over a bunker to a tucked pin that makes for interesting golf.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

It is my hunch that average drives on the Nationwide are longer every year than the regular tours.  I think for two reasons.

1.  When one improves and resides on the top tours, they have a better understanding that their scores and the ball in play are more important than pure length.  Plus the better putters reside on the top tours.
2.  Today's youth, which makes up most of the Nationwide Tour, has been raised on different equipment.  It allows them to swing out of their shoes with less chance of hitting it off line.  The older players, Craig Parry, Brad Faxon grew up with different balls and equipment, and thus different swings.

[RSLivingston_III]

Thought this thread might be good for these pages I found the other day. Harris was a top Scottish Am and an R&A committee man.