Is it the equipment or the athletes?

[Shindig]

You figure the average golf course is 7,000 yards on a direct line through the hole from the tee box to the center of the green. These tour players are walking AT LEAST 4 miles/day. They are doing that 2-4 times/week. A guy like Tiger who doesn't miss many cuts usually walks 16 miles minimum in a 4 day span. He is then given 3 days off and has to go do it all over again. Match play can be even more brutal as the semis in the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship consisted of 36 hole days. Do that for 33 weeks straight and let me know how you feel.

Not 3 days off because it isn't a 4-day span for a tournament.

Tuesday: practice round. I don't think they use carts. Maybe I'm mistaken. Wednesday: pro-am. I'm certain they don't use carts! Also, aren't there Saturday pro-am options for those who miss the cut and want some unofficial money and/or brownie points with the higher ups? Seems to me I once played with someone who said he'd played in one of those. So, make the cut, you're looking at 6 walks. Miss it, and 2-3, depending on if you were popular enough for the pro-am.

[iacas]

Athleticism in golf is way overrated its not even funny. Thats why no one under 30 wins on the PGA Tour. Its just about solid contact. I played on a tour where the best kid was the fattest kid out of everyone and i can tell you athleticism doesnt make you hit the ball any solider. Bubba Watson and JB Holmes dont lift or do anything like that. They just know how to square the face. The equipment is everything especially the ball. I mean the balls today go soo far and especially with titanium clubfaces

That's a horrible analogy. I've seen plenty of super-buff, really "in-shape" guys hit two feet behind the ball.

Golf "athleticism" is measured in tenths of degrees, hundredths of inches, etc. You don't have to be buff to make the "athletic" moves golf requires. It's a whole different kind of "athleticism." A defensive lineman can be athletic, but he's probably built differently than the quarterback or the wide receivers. I think that, if anything, athleticism is under-stated. Too many people want to give all the credit to technology. The gap between the pros and the scratch golfer is larger today than it was 20 years ago, but we've all got the same equipment. They train more.

[wigolffan]

the comparison between the TP Mb and the r7 is flawed his five iron is actuly a 4 iron if you look at the lofts and your 5 iron plays like a 6 iron in his set. The game improvment clubs have been getting stronger lofts so people can say they hit the same club as the pros into that green. The fact is they cant, the pros clubs are way higher loft, that being said I worked at the GMO for a few years and I can tell you the irons they tell you on TV are often not the irons they are hitting.

[The Rambler]

It's the indian and not the arrow(most of the time).

I play better when I'm in shape. I think that you need flexible muslce to hit the ball. I'm not saying that you need to be Hulk Hogan but there needs to be somthing there.

Obviously the equipment helps. Different swing flexes help a lot and so do softer or harder golf balls.

[lordnazgul]

To be honest, i think athleticism has more to do with the modern style of the game than equipment, and majorly so. I remember reading that at st andrews greg norman hit a 310yd drive straight into a bunker, that is a long long way and over 15 years ago! The major difference between now and 50 years ago is the loft of the clubs. A PW now is more like an 8 iron 50 years ago, that is a big difference.

Regarding big drivers, they DO NOT add distance, merely increase MOI, since the COR and Smash ratings of the drivers must be in strict compliance, a 300cc clubhead could hit the ball as far as a 460cc head, it would be much less forgiving though.

When you look at all of the best players in the world, Tiger woods, adam scott, phil mickelson (esp recently), jim furyk, vijay singh, paul casey, luke donald, aaron baddeley etc etc, notice something? They are ALL without exception fit and athletic. Being fitter and more athletic = more body turn, more torque and therefore more power! It is unquestionable. And it has always been the case, gary player, arnold palmer etc were physically fit and athletic.

The main change is the ability to analyse the swing and make minute changes, hundreds of minute changes = big rewards!

[Shindig]

I think that, if anything, athleticism is under-stated. Too many people want to give all the credit to technology. The gap between the pros and the scratch golfer is larger today than it was 20 years ago, but we've all got the same equipment. They train more.

I want to second this. I used to put the ball out there, maybe 190 with my driver. Now my average is 210, 215. I hit a 250 yard drive today with the same equipment and swing that was giving me 190 a few months ago. The key difference is the tons of gym time - properly spent, not buffing up. I still look small.

Athleticism is under-stated, but since I understand that, I hope it works to my advantage in the coming months.