Driving Distances - 1953

[TEPaul]

"Grip it and eat it."

Bobbsee:

That just might be the most marvelous slogan I've heard in 29 years.

[TEPaul]

"Please check this link and explain how technology is ruining this sport.
Because I sure don't feel like running anymore.  

Sully:

I don't want to read it. Why don't you just tell me what the gist of it is? Has NIKE been making "non-conforming" running shoes in the last five years or something?

[T_MacWood]

David Moriarty asked;

"Does anyone really doubt whether the top pros today hit their driver 20% further than they did in 1953?"

No.

[TEPaul]

David Moriarty said to JVB:

"First, your assumption that the increase between 1953 and 1980 was not related to technology is specious at best.  Balls changed, shafts changed, clubhead technology changed.  It just gets lost in the blur of what happened recently."

David:

And exactly how did balls and shafts and clubhead technology change between 1953 and 1980? If you're going to make some claim that technological change contributed some yardage distance increase then back it up with something other than a guess.  

"Second, you take this very questionable number and you extend it over the next 25 years (1980-present) as if it were some sort of constant.  There is no basis for assuming that there is some magic constant out there.  It is just a convenient guess."

You're right there probably was no numerical constant or a constant technological reason for distance increases between 1953 and 2005.  

"Please someone explain to me where this distance came from if not the equipment?"

Why don't you just look at some of the distance threads on the back pages and you should see the specific reasons attributed to distance increase from app the early 1990s until today? The specific factors contributing to distance increase in that basic timeframe have been discussed on here endlessly. The Tech Center today assigns about 26 yards in increase (to the average tour increase not the top longest whatever you mean by that) and Frank Thomas who was the Director of the Tech Center for 26 years assigned app 28 yards of increase from app the early 1990s until today broken down in basically three equal co-equal contributing factors---!. COR, 2. The new age ball, 3. Optimization.

[Patrick_Mucci]

The Golf Channel televised the 82nd U.S. Open at Pebble Beach this morning.

If you get a chance to see it, notice where the best golfers in the world were hitting their drives, and what clubs, from what distances they were using for their approaches.

Watson's famous chip on # 17 was preceded by a 2-iron from 209 yards.

[A.G._Crockett]

Tom / David,


Since 1990 Kenny Perry's drives got over 34 yards longer.  What were the non-technological changes that produced this distance increase?

How about Rocco Mediate, who hits it over 28 yards longer in the same time period?

How about Mickelson, who gained over 35 yards between 1990 and 2003, and has since lost 6 yards.  (Gee, what has Phil changed since 2003?)

In fact, at least 16 current players hit it at least 20 yards further than they did in 1990, when they were presumably younger and stronger.  

Please someone explain to me where this distance came from if not the equipment?

David,
I don't think anybody would contend that these gains aren't at least somewhat equipment generated.  The issues are:

a. WHICH equipment changes?
b. what to do about them?

For instance, suppose that the gains by Perry, Mickelson, and Mediate are primarily from optimization, with new materials in the golf ball playing a role, but a much lesser one.  If the only correction made is to the ball, then I can see scenarios developing where we do more harm than good.

I really like the idea of spin rates and MOI being the point of attack, rather than just the knee jerk of "roll back the ball!"  It may take longer to figure out exactly what to do and to implement, but I think it may be a wiser solution in the long run.

[TEPaul]

"Surely these guys did not foresee this.  Surely if they had it all to do again, they wouldnt have let it happen, would they?"

If you are asking these questions seriously would you like to know what the answers are or wouldn't you? Perhaps you don't care about answers to your questions. Perhaps all you really want to do is rant!!

Fine go ahead and just rant. But I don't see why you bother to ask questions on here if you're not at all interested in some pretty provable answers to those questions.