History of Driving Distance

[Tim Liddy]

Looking for any historical data on driving distance, etc. over past 20 years.

Any information would be helpful for presentation next week.

Thanks in advance.

[John Moore II]

You can sort stats on PGAtour.com and get the driving distances for all the guys on tour for a give year. I think the database they have online goes back into the 80's. And they have all the other stats as well.

[Jason Topp]

Tim:

I put some statistics from 1980-2004 in this thread in an effort to provide data to illuminate both sides of the argument on this issue.

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,16574.msg288155/

A couple of possible slides from the thread:

Slide 1 -

Until    1848                  Feathery       140 yards
Until    1902                  Gutty           190 yards
Until     1945                 Wound         230 yards
Until present (1996)       Modern         270 yards

Golf Course Architecture, Design, Construction and Restoration at 30-31 (Sleeping Bear Press, 1996). 



There probably should be an additional category setting distances in this decade at 295 yards or so.  The current distance increase is along the same lines of increases associated with other significant equipment advances since




Slide 2 - Driving Distance for 5th Ranked and 100th Ranked PGA Tour Players

2004 (Difference 16.9)     5.   Chris Smith        304.0      100   Steve Elkington    287.1
1999 (Difference 19.1)     5.   Harrison Frazar    290.5      100   Rocco Mediate     271.4
1995 (Difference 17.     5.   Kelly Gibson       280.2      100.  Chris Demarco      262.4
1989 (Difference 16.0)     5.   Bill Sander         276.9      100.   Jim Benepe         260.9
1980 (Difference 14.9)     5.   Joe Hager         270.4      100.   Tom Jones          255.5
     
(I chose the 5th ranked player rather than the first based on a belief that you can eliminate special circumstances by throwing out the longest distances.) 


I would add the 2009 data to this list which will probably be relatively flat compared to 2004 or possibly down a bit

[Tom_Doak]

Tim:

The R & A's presentation in March was that average driving distance has been flat-lined across all five major tours since 2002.  They were not clear if the standards of measurement were all the same, or whether the ShotLink data used today results in a lower average than the method used for official Tour stats in 2002.

More importantly, he did not say a word about the years prior to 2002, and strongly implied that according to the USGA/R&A Joint Statement of Principles, 2002 is as far back as they will ever think.

[Carl Rogers]

Tom et al,

Why do all the equipment manufacturers claim that every year there is an increase in ball speed off the club.  Are they fibbing?  

Clearly, to get everyone to buy a new driver every year.

[Tim Liddy]

Perfect. Thanks to all who responded by email and GCA.

[Jeff Goldman]

I think the biggest jump may have been between 2002 and 2003.  At Bethpage, the players were squawking about 260 yard carries, while at OFCC they were driving it past many of the cross-walks, and that kind of carry is nothing now.

[John Moore II]

I think the biggest jump may have been between 2002 and 2003.  At Bethpage, the players were squawking about 260 yard carries, while at OFCC they were driving it past many of the cross-walks, and that kind of carry is nothing now.

That has a lot to do with the weather at Bethpage as well, and the players in question that were complaining.

[RSLivingston_III]

Tim:

The R & A's presentation in March was that average driving distance has been flat-lined across all five major tours since 2002.  They were not clear if the standards of measurement were all the same, or whether the ShotLink data used today results in a lower average than the method used for official Tour stats in 2002.

More importantly, he did not say a word about the years prior to 2002, and strongly implied that according to the USGA/R&A Joint Statement of Principles, 2002 is as far back as they will ever think.

Was 2002 the year they pushed for the legalization of the spring-face drivers?

[Jim Sweeney]

Tim, just call the USGA teat center. I'm sure they will give you any information you need. In fact, it is probably available on the USGA web site, though I haven't checked..