My observations from watching the Pros.

**slabm7** · July 26, 2011

A friend and I drove down from Calgary and watched the Saturday and Sunday rounds of the RBC Canadian Open tournament and there were a few things I was very surprised by.

Ball striking - these guys really hit down on the ball. I have been making a concious effort to hit down on the ball more this year but this was an eye opening experience. These guys fly 9 irons at the ball flight of my 6 iron. Thats my goal going forward is a more penetrating ball flight with more spin. It really let me know where my swing is and where I want it to be. I have never seen anyone at any course I have played hit a ball like that.

Driving Distance and Accuracy - The fairways were thin and these guys pound the ball 300 yards carry and hit the fairway 80% of the time (may not have been 80% but felt like it). Also how far there hands were forward with the driver was surprising. They definetly do not catch it on the upswing.

The size of the guys - I was surprised that the average size of the guys was probably only 5 ft 8 and maybe 160lbs. Maybe only half a dozen guys over 6 ft tall.

Swing tempo - they definetly do not try to kill the ball. I was surprised at how light they swing and all there power and distance comes from solid contact.

The money spent on the weekend was the best money I have spent on Golf. To see how the game is supposed to be played was great. You can watch it on TV and watch swing visions on YouTube until your eyes bleed but you will never get the full effect. If you ever have the chance to see a pro hit the ball you owe it to yourself to see it. It will change how you play golf.

**mck** · July 26, 2011

80% in the fairway? You sure it was the Canadian Open you went to?

**MSchumacher** · July 26, 2011

Originally Posted by slabm7

A friend and I drove down from Calgary and watched the Saturday and Sunday rounds of the RBC Canadian Open tournament and there were a few things I was very surprised by.

Ball striking- these guys really hit down on the ball. I have been making a concious effort to hit down on the ball more this year but this was an eye opening experience. These guys fly 9 irons at the ball flight of my 6 iron. Thats my goal going forward is a more penetrating ball flight with more spin. It really let me know where my swing is and where I want it to be. I have never seen anyone at any course I have played hit a ball like that.

Driving Distance and Accuracy- The fairways were thin and these guys pound the ball 300 yards carry and hit the fairway 80% of the time. Also how far there hands were forward with the driver was surprising. They definetly do not catch it on the upswing.

The size of the guys- I was surprised that the average size of the guys was probably only 5 ft 8 and maybe 160lbs. Maybe only half a dozen guys over 6 ft tall.

Swing tempo- they definetly do not try to kill the ball. I was surprised at how light they swing and all there power and distance comes from solid contact.

The money spent on the weekend was the best money I have spent on Golf. To see how the game is supposed to be played was great. You can watch it on TV and watch swing visions on YouTube until your eyes bleed but you will never get the full effect. If you ever have the chance to see a pro hit the ball you owe it to yourself to see it. It will change how you play golf.

Hey,

I also went to this event and it was my first time too. Best money spent on golf to date.

Regards to

1)I thought the opposite. On some players, I found that their contact didn't sound really solid. But the ball still flew! Geoff Ogilvy especially. There were a couple players on the driving range (no names) and the sound they made gave me nerd chills. Just sooooo good.

2)Agreed. The course was so narrow and these guys were hitting it down the middle.

3)I'm 5'5 so I was surprised how big these guys were

4)Agreed. Its all about tempo tempo tempo

**shades9323** · July 26, 2011

Your accuracy figure is off. The best was Joe Durant with 78.57%. The average for the field was 55.93%.

Originally Posted by slabm7

Driving Distance and Accuracy- The fairways were thin and these guys pound the ball 300 yards carry and hit the fairway 80% of the time. Also how far there hands were forward with the driver was surprising. They definetly do not catch it on the upswing.

**slabm7** · July 26, 2011

Originally Posted by shades9323

Your accuracy figure is off. The best was Joe Durant with 78.57%. The average for the field was 55.93%.

I didn't look at the numbers but standing on the side of the 18th fairway it sure felt like 3/4 of the guys were hitting it and it was a very thin fairway. I was very surprised at how many hit it.

**B-Con** · July 26, 2011

In person the pros can appear more accurate off the tee because the fairways can be tighter than we expect and a lot of their misses are only by a few feet. It looks way more accurate than the drives we're used to hitting.

**CuppedTin** · July 26, 2011

I get everything you are saying man... I'm able to attend 6 or so PGA events a year and it really is an eye opener. Kinda makes it easy to see why these guys are called pro's. I guess at 6'3 and 220lbs I'm gonna have an uphill battle...

**bkoguy07** · July 27, 2011

Originally Posted by shades9323

Your accuracy figure is off. The best was Joe Durant with 78.57%. The average for the field was 55.93%.

He could have been observing from one hole in which the accuracy was 80%. Even so, he said it might not be. Regardless, pro's are extremely accurate and that is what he is conveying here I don't see why you had to be so particular about a minor detail

**shades9323** · July 27, 2011

He very well could have been observing on one hole, but how many people really only observe one hole? He said it might not be after I provided the actual stats from the tournament, i.e. he edited his op. The pros were not extremely accurate off the tee for this tournament as seen by the 56% average. They usually do better. I am so particular because I am an accountant and that is how I am wired. I like statistics to be factual. It was a main point in his post, so I don't see how it is a minor detail.

Originally Posted by bkoguy07

He could have been observing from one hole in which the accuracy was 80%. Even so, he said it might not be. Regardless, pro's are extremely accurate and that is what he is conveying here I don't see why you had to be so particular about a minor detail

Callawaykid · July 27, 2011

Originally Posted by shades9323

He very well could have been observing on one hole, but how many people really only observe one hole? He said it might not be after I provided the actual stats from the tournament, i.e. he edited his op. The pros were not extremely accurate off the tee for this tournament as seen by the 56% average. They usually do better. I am so particular because I am an accountant and that is how I am wired. I like statistics to be factual. It was a main point in his post, so I don't see how it is a minor detail.

You missed the whole point of his post. He was thrilled to see pro's playing the game, and he noticed how good they are. What a real shot looks like when it it hit correctly. He doesn't care what the exact percentage of fairways hit was. What he ment was the pro's were able to hit a narrow fairway. You are like this on just about every thread you post on. Very annoying.

**shades9323** · July 27, 2011

If he didn't care about the exact percentages, he wouldn't have tried to quantify it. Sorry I care about things being factual.

Feel free to block me then. If you are not sure how, click the blue arrow near my SN and then click block member.

Originally Posted by Callawaykid

You missed the whole point of his post. He was thrilled to see pro's playing the game, and he noticed how good they are. What a real shot looks like when it it hit correctly. He doesn't care what the exact percentage of fairways hit was. What he ment was the pro's were able to hit a narrow fairway. You are like this on just about every thread you post on. Very annoying.

**bkoguy07** · July 27, 2011

Originally Posted by shades9323

He very well could have been observing on one hole, but how many people really only observe one hole? He said it might not be after I provided the actual stats from the tournament, i.e. he edited his op. The pros were not extremely accurate off the tee for this tournament as seen by the 56% average. They usually do better. I am so particular because I am an accountant and that is how I am wired. I like statistics to be factual. It was a main point in his post, so I don't see how it is a minor detail.

Then you should call him out on the 300 yards of carry because I don't believe that to be "factual" either. It's not a big detail, he was/is obviously exaggerating. I also observe one hole usually if I go to a tournament, I'll just pull up a chair and watch one area. Once again, that is just me so people are all different. He also could have just followed one specific pro around and that pro hit 8/10 fairways that he saw(obviously not since it was plural when he stated it but what ever). Either way not a big deal, point being, they hit the ball far and in the fairway a lot.

**Zwick** · July 27, 2011

It's really cool to see them play.

I couldn't believe how high some of them were hitting their long irons and woods/drivers.

And an other observation I made is how focused the pros are, you can really feel the concentration.

**sean_miller** · July 27, 2011

Originally Posted by shades9323

I am so particular because I am an accountant and that is how I am wired. I like statistics to be factual. It was a main point in his post, so I don't see how it is a minor detail.

Oh, I thought you were just being a stickler, as usual.

**Spyder** · July 27, 2011

Now I remember why I cannot stand accountants.

**LeftCoast** · July 27, 2011

Originally Posted by Spyder

Now I remember why I cannot stand accountants.

Believe it or not, some of us accountants are actually pretty laid back. Don't let one ruin it for the whole bunch!

**gwlee7** · July 27, 2011

Originally Posted by Spyder

Now I remember why I cannot stand accountants.

I am married to one and she doesn't bother me at all. She must not be wired liked that.

**CuppedTin** · July 27, 2011

I get where the OP was coming from and I also get when the factual guys were coming from... I have some friends who happen to run sports books and I have learned that I can't tell a story quoting numbers unless google and Mike and Mike can back up my data...

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My observations from watching the Pros.

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