Is technology favouring the big hitters?
...or are the latest golf balls and drivers providing more equal opportunities for the rest of us?
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Do big hitters gain an unfair advantage?
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So do today's big-hitters with their 120mph golf swings really get an advantage over us airy-fairy straight-hitters who struggle to reach the longer-par-4 in two shots?
Conventional wisdom would suggest yes, surely. That modern golf balls used on the professional Tours give an unfair distance advantage to players with high swing speeds and that single-figure crushers at club level would always hold the upper hand over the likes of you and me, the average hacker.
Furthermore, the traditional thinking is that golfers with swing speeds in excess of 115 mph have gained distance disproportionately because modern golf balls only get 'activated' when they’re compressed at very high swing speeds, especially when struck by the modern, titanium-faced drivers.
But no, the facts appear to tell a different story.
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Daly in his prime
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According to the latest stats from the USGA, and confirmed by leading ball-makers Titleist, there's no extra bonus distance for high swing speeds. Despite what some spike bar know-alls might argue, distance with the new balls used on Tour - and therefore available to us mere mortals, further down the line - actually starts to fall off slightly at higher swing speeds. While hitting the ball harder and faster means it goes longer, the ball is less effective at translating energy into distance at higher swing speeds.
To explain: At impact the club transfers some of its energy into the ball while aerodynamic forces then come into play with lift (keeping the ball airborne) and drag (slowing it down). This combination determines how far the ball goes.
Contrary to popular belief, the COR (coefficient of restitution) which measures energy transfer decreases as clubhead speed increases when it reaches around a 130mph optimum. And repeated tests have proved that the 'energy boost' at Tour-level speeds is a myth, because while lift is good for distance, drag (which increases at higher speeds) isn't.
And to prove the point, still further, the USGA has compared PGA Tour driving stats of 100 players in 2005 who had also been competing on Tour five years ago, when golf balls were mostly high-spinning (mostly wound) types and clubhead sizes were between 250-300cc. Today most players use two or three-piece solid balls and 400-460 cc club heads.
For the bigger hitters in 2000 like John Daly, the average distance increase has been around 11 yards, whereas for the shorter hitters, like Fred Funk, Corey Pavin and Brad Faxon, new, high-tech balls and drivers the benefits have been greater - as much as almost 14 yards.
Strangely, accuracy off the tee isn’t as important as it used to be on the PGA Tour. During the 1980s driving accuracy was almost as strong a prediction of money-winning as putting. Today it has fallen to its lowest level ever.
Consistent length and accuracy, not necessarily with a driver, a tidy short game and the ability to hole five to ten foot putts in your sleep are the vital ingredients.
Sound familiar?
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Discuss this story
C'mon 3P&ASH, don't be so sceptical - this guy has had a hole in one on a 296 yard hole. .... and is pretty special on Tiger Woods 2006 as well. : o )
I hit about 250 in the summer and probably 220 in winter - more or less.
This hasn't changed much over the years because like Jim modern equipment has helped - but I agree, not the clubs.
The modern ball, however, has been the main reason - yes I hit more fairways now because of the driver technology but modern balls allow greenside control AND tee off distance - a package that was not available 10 years ago.
Dig out an old balata 3-piece ball if you don't believe me. If you can keep the bl**dy thing straight (they really pick up side spin) I guarantee you will be more than a couple of yards down distance wise.
If you wanted distance the old hard two-piece wrist breakers would equal current balls (there has always been a maximum distance restriction) but had no control around the green.
I think I'm right in saying that there was a ball available years ago that would outdistance even todays best - called The Condor - it was however illegal.
Ah! - Still Available
Posted: 16/11/2006 09:34
Equipment improvements can never compete with good technique, o'course if you have good technique as well...
When you see the Callaway GBB 2006 irons and the like you think to yourself: "Wow, you can't miss!" - which is great for us, as are the 460cc drivers etc., however, I would like to see all pro's use blades and use woods of no more than 350ccs for drivers and 250ccs for fairway woods/hybrids. Seve may also have a point on a maximum loft of 52 degrees on a wedge.
Controversial maybe, but they're at the pinnacle of their games. If any old hacker can feel confident of getting a ball relatively close with a decent cavity back iron then it's a no brainer for a pro to stand up with even greater confidence. Making the kit they use, harder to use would put a little added pressure on that fairway bunker shot, uphill, downhill, sidehill lie shot, the 230 yard par 3, etc.
This would cause moaning no doubt because that "would play straight into Tiger's hands" - maybe it would. I'm no huge fan of Tiger Wood's - he ranks 3rd on my greats list - but Tiger went about it properly: he used tough equipment so that he couldn't hide away from any swing flaws (his own words) because he wants to get better every day. Sure he has flaws that show up but no one on this site would bet against him even if he was forced to use an old set of Walter Hagen's hickory shafted clubs while other pros evict a couple of squatters out their deep cavities before play.
Making the game easier for us scutters is great but top amateurs & pros shouldn't have it that easy.
Posted: 16/11/2006 23:24
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