Being tall an advantage?

[colin007]

Not that outrageous, one of the people I spend rounds with is 6'10" (Although he says he's only 6'8",slouching of course).

Um, yeah, I would say that 6'10/6'11" is outrageous. [quote name="DrvFrShow" url="/t/75159/being-tall-an-advantage/150#post_1069141"]I'm tall. 6'. [/quote] Not really.

[Lihu]

Um, yeah, I would say that 6'10/6'11" is outrageous. Not really.

It's funny that I don't really notice until we go through a door. ;-)

[natureboy]

Length is an inherent advantage in golf. Synopsis of the link:

Quote

The reason taller golfers hit it farther is mostly because their size provides a frame for more muscle and larger lever arms at the joints. The rest of it -- larger arc, more massive body -- reduces clubhead speed, and the longer club doesn't get enough back to make up for it. But the bigger golfer is also stronger (or at least has the potential to be stronger, given proper conditioning and nutrition). If he/she realizes that potential, the result is higher clubhead speed.

Now don't go throwing Jamie Sadlowski at me... nor, for that matter, Nick Faldo. Technique matters, of course. But the question was asked in terms of trends. What does height do, all other things being equal? I'm answering in the same spirit.

 

Quote

1. Strength matters! If you assume the taller golfer is scaled up in all dimensions -- weight, muscles, size of joints, etc -- there is an implied strength advantage that accounts for all of the extra driving distance.
2. Length of arc is detrimental, if it comes from a bigger radius. That's because it increases the need for strength to get the same rotation rate. (I have done other studies that show length of arc helps if it comes from a bigger angle. But that's not a tall-vs-short thing. You can have the extra shoulder turn whether you are tall or short.)
3. "Taller implies farther" is not a statistical accident. Taller golfers are statistically likely to hit a golf ball farther. But the statistical correlation is far from the whole story; other factors are more important for driving distance.

http://www.tutelman.com/golf/swing/tallGolfer.php

Edited August 4, 2016 by natureboy

[No Mulligans]

I imagine there is an optimal body height and weight for golf but I'd bet it is not 7'6" (but probably taller than John Daly at 5'11")

 

[natureboy]

9 minutes ago, No Mulligans said:

I imagine there is an optimal body height and weight for golf but I'd bet it is not 7'6" (but probably taller than John Daly at 5'11")

 

If you have correctly proportioned clubs, and at least an average physique, I wouldn't see why it's a disadvantage. I would think he should at least be capable of average to better than average golf after a reasonable period of learning and practice.

Yao may have less than average dexterity / coordination, though, because he was essentially selected for his outlier height - not exceptional athleticism. What golf requires is not necessarily what basketball requires and I would expect all exceptionally tall guys get pushed into basketball early and therefore have less comparative time to put in at getting good at golf. That means there's a very small sample population of really tall golfers who spent the necessary time to get good at golf and that small population makes it less likely that several of them will also have what it takes to get exceptional at golf instead of just average.

I expect his height would be an advantage with the right clubs and extended technique training. I think when he was filmed on course that he was essentially a 'beginner'.

Edited August 4, 2016 by natureboy

[No Mulligans]

2 hours ago, natureboy said:

If you have correctly proportioned clubs, and at least an average physique, I wouldn't see why it's a disadvantage. I would think he should at least be capable of average to better than average golf after a reasonable period of learning and practice.

Yao may have less than average dexterity / coordination, though, because he was essentially selected for his outlier height - not exceptional athleticism. What golf requires is not necessarily what basketball requires and I would expect all exceptionally tall guys get pushed into basketball early and therefore have less comparative time to put in at getting good at golf. That means there's a very small sample population of really tall golfers who spent the necessary time to get good at golf and that small population makes it less likely that several of them will also have what it takes to get exceptional at golf instead of just average.

I expect his height would be an advantage with the right clubs and extended technique training. I think when he was filmed on course that he was essentially a 'beginner'.

He couldn't have proportional clubs as the USGA limits club length.  Maybe his wedge could be proportional with a driver length 48" shaft but then it would be an awfully long hitting and high flying wedge, "houston I think we have visual contact".

More importantly, the longer your arms plus clubs are the more precise in a % way you need to be to touch/hit an object.  He would have to be more coordinated than someone say 6' to have the same precision with his ball striking.

[Piz]

With a slow enough tempo, and a modicum of tension in the limbs; Yao Ming could influence a golf ball one week hence.  Distance traveled/time elapsed.  We are living in the distant past.  Years from now; we will be even older.  A 300 yard drive?...a modest effort.  200 yards?...I'd say a pigeon wedge.

[natureboy]

2 hours ago, No Mulligans said:

He couldn't have proportional clubs as the USGA limits club length.  Maybe his wedge could be proportional with a driver length 48" shaft but then it would be an awfully long hitting and high flying wedge, "houston I think we have visual contact".

More importantly, the longer your arms plus clubs are the more precise in a % way you need to be to touch/hit an object.  He would have to be more coordinated than someone say 6' to have the same precision with his ball striking.

Well I think he should have a set made just to see how he'd play with them while adopting a more normal posture. The difference in his and Daly's head heights does seem larger than their wrist to floor lengths. So Yao ends up playing with proportionally shorter clubs which should make them both lighter and easier to control if he has normal coordination.

I haven't seen any evidence that larger size necessarily equals less precision in movement. Even if so, the proportionally shorter shafts for Yao could offset that.

The great Seve didn't seem to think short arms were an advantage: "You know, David, you are not a bad player for a tall man with short arms."

[chilepepper]

All things being equal the taller player should generate more club head speed. That said of the guys I play with the longest two hitters are 5'6" and 5'8" , stocky, bit of a gut and they flat out hammer the ball. Go figure. 

[natureboy]

7 minutes ago, chilepepper said:

All things being equal the taller player should generate more club head speed. That said of the guys I play with the longest two hitters are 5'6" and 5'8" , stocky, bit of a gut and they flat out hammer the ball. Go figure. 

That's a fair summary, I think. Technique matters tremendously in golf.

[paininthenuts]

On 6/11/2014 at 5:24 PM, Hardballs said:

Does being tall in height give an advantage? Amongst the group of friends I play with, I'd say 4/5 are approx. 5'8" ish, with 4/5 being 6' or slightly over! Now it could be coincidence? Or it could be height advantage? But the taller ones are the big hitters, up to 40 yards longer on drives, and hitting 8irons over 150yrds, and although were all capable of beating each other, the taller guys tend to win more? And I don't think this is coincidence! Just wondering what others views are of this? And if anyone can name a really good short arse golfer?

It must make a difference, because I am 5' 7" and rubbish

[saevel25]

I would say yes height is an advantage. 

The top 15 in driving distance this year

DJ: 6'4"
JB Holmes: 5'11"
Tony Finau: 6'4"
Bubba: 6'3"
Andrew Loupe: 6'1"
Jason Kokrak: 6'4"
Gary Woodland: 6'1"
Luke List: 6'2"
Hudson Swafford: 6'3"
Jamie Lovemark: 6'4"
Rory: 5'10"
Ryan Moore: 5'11"
Jhonattan Vegas: 6'3"
Adam Scott: 6'0"
Jason Day: 6'0"
Brooks Koepka: 6'0"
 

3 out of the top 15 are under 6' tall
6 out of the top 10 are 6'3" and taller

 

[iacas]

5 hours ago, saevel25 said:

3 out of the top 15 are under 6' tall
6 out of the top 10 are 6'3" and taller

To be fair, you can probably subtract two inches from all of those. They must have been wearing some big cleats the day they were "measured." But that adjustment probably exists right down the line, so they're still the taller players.

[Vinny Cap]

paininthenuts I am 6'5 1/2" and I stink at golf! 

I don't think I have any advantage over anybody else. 

I'm curious about the list saevel25 supplied.  I was at last years Deutsche Bank Championship and we were right on the 17th Tee box and a lot of those pro's are pretty small.  TV certainly make them look taller.  They also looked a lot thinner in person.

I guess the saying of "TV adds 15 lbs" is correct.

[CyboNinja]

On 10/25/2014 at 1:10 PM, DrvFrShow said:

My height gives me an advantage as far as distance, but the disadvantage is that the little errors multiply. The takeaway and downswing has to be more precise, and it takes more practice to get consistent center contact. I struggle with this.

 

 

 

 

Same for me. I'm 6'5". From what I've read elsewhere and my own experience it is harder for the tall people to make consistent contact. Sure we may have an easier time with SS but the cost is more mis-hits. 

 

Its also worth noting that the tallest PGA tour winner was Phil Blackmar at 6'7". Tallest to win a major was George Archer at 6'5". 

[MrDC]

i agree, being tall may offer a distance advantage, but I would think shorter people have an easier time staying centered and hence keeping a steady spine, with a more stable base.

[Kalnoky]

 

22 minutes ago, MrDC said:

i agree, being tall may offer a distance advantage, but I would think shorter people have an easier time staying centered and hence keeping a steady spine, with a more stable base.

It might help with the short game because you are closer to the ground. I'm not very tall (5'9") but my short game is very good. 

Pretty much everyone who is taller than I am is also longer off the tee. I've never out-driven a taller man. This is my second year playing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[natureboy]

1 hour ago, MrDC said:

i agree, being tall may offer a distance advantage, but I would think shorter people have an easier time staying centered and hence keeping a steady spine, with a more stable base.

How so, if they are using the same neurology and muscle groups?

No one has a precisely centered pivot - even the pros. By that thinking (less physical precision due to height), tall men should be incapable of hitting a nail on the head consistently with a hammer. I don't see many warnings about this out there in home improvement media.

Also don't take it personally if you're tall and not very good. It's an inherent advantage - on average & all else being equal. But there are many other abilities that go into golf that don't make height a strong determinant of success like in basketball.

Edited August 5, 2016 by natureboy