One And Done! PGA Announces Long Drive Competition at last major at Valhalla

[nevets88]

Quote:

During a practice round on Tuesday, Aug. 5, all players will be offered the opportunity to hit one tee shot from the No. 10 Tee.  The ball will have to come to rest in the fairway to be eligible to win the Long Drive Competition.

Awards will be given to the top three finishers with winners receiving a money clip inspired by the one that Jack Nicklaus received in the first of his two consecutive PGA Championship Driving Contest titles in 1963. That year, Nicklaus, using a persimmon driver and wound golf ball, hit a winning drive of 341 yards, 17 inches.

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2014/7/23/one-and-done-pga-announces-long-drive-plans.html

[billchao]

That's pretty cool. I'd love to see how some of today's players stack up to Jack.

[nevets88]

That's pretty cool. I'd love to see how some of today's players stack up to Jack.

If they were using wood woods and balata balls, than Bubba Watson & co better tag one 375+, I'm guessing?

[billchao]

If they were using wood woods and balata balls, than Bubba Watson & co better tag one 375+, I'm guessing?

Depends on conditions, I'd wager, but that won't stop the media from jumping all over it if today's pros with modern equipment don't hit it farther.

[9iron]

Depends on conditions, I'd wager, but that won't stop the media from jumping all over it if today's pros with modern equipment don't hit it farther.

And why wouldn't that be a story?

[billchao]

And why wouldn't that be a story?

Like I said, it depends on conditions. I have no idea what the weather was when Jack hit his drive, how firm the fairways were, or if he hit the backside of a hill and bounced it forward, etc. Obviously speculative, but if today's pros play in different conditions that would cause them to hit shorter than they could potentially, then it's not a true apples to apple's comparison.

[saevel25]

Quote:

The win at Dallas Athletic Club was, of course, special. But along with the victory, Nicklaus picked up a memento that he's carried with him throughout his career from a long-drive competition he won at the PGA Championship that same week.

"I have a money clip that's in my pocket right now and it's been in my pocket for 50 years," Nicklaus explained. "It says, 'Driving Distance Winner' -- that's what it says across the PGA Championship [money clip]. That drive was 341 yards, 17 inches. I do remember that, too. That was an 11-degree wood driver, 42¾-inch shaft, Dynamic S shaft, and nobody had a preference on what golf ball was hit."

and

Quote:

In 1963 at blistering-hot Dallas Athletic Club, Jack Nicklaus won the first of his five PGA Championship titles. Now, as the season's final major heads back to Oak Hill Country Club this week for a third time, the Golden Bear reflects on the 50th anniversary of winning his record-tying victory fifth Wanamaker Trophy.

11 degree, wood driver, I would bet that ball was hit way lower than the PGA tour average today. As the article says, it was a "blistering-hot" weather conditions. So you have Texas + Hot weather conditions. I would bet that Jack got a TON of roll that day.

[nevets88]

Like I said, it depends on conditions. I have no idea what the weather was when Jack hit his drive, how firm the fairways were, or if he hit the backside of a hill and bounced it forward, etc.

Obviously speculative, but if today's pros play in different conditions that would cause them to hit shorter than they could potentially, then it's not a true apples to apple's comparison.

If that happened, sounds like something Dan Hicks would repeat over and over and over again.

[billchao]

11 degree, wood driver, I would bet that ball was hit way lower than the PGA tour average today. As the article says, it was a "blistering-hot" weather conditions. So you have Texas + Hot weather conditions. I would bet that Jack got a TON of roll that day.

Nice find, Matt. This is exactly what I'm talking about.

[nevets88]

ver, 42¾-inch shaft, Dynamic S shaft, and nobody had a preference on what golf ball was hit."

Wait.... what? Did they have distance rocks back then?

[phan52]

Quote:

The ball will have to come to rest in the fairway to be eligible to win the Long Drive Competition.

I'll speculate that ends up eliminating more than half of them.

[saevel25]

I'll speculate that ends up eliminating more than half of them.

Close enough, Driving Accuracy on the PGA Tour is 61%. Given this is a long drive, the accuracy would probably take a hit.

[davechen]

They should make them use persimmon head drivers and balata balls in the contest.

[Jeremie Boop]

They should make them use persimmon head drivers and balata balls in the contest.

I actually thought the same thing.

[Ernest Jones]

That is really cool. I find it far more interesting to watch a tour pro hit it as far as he can while still landing in a relatively tight fairway than watching a bunch of outliers spray 6* drivers into a wide open football field. I think it would even cooler if they staked out an even tighter channel that they had to land in. Risk-Reward style.

[David in FL]

Very cool.  I hope it's televised!

[9iron]

That is really cool. I find it far more interesting to watch a tour pro hit it as far as he can while still landing in a relatively tight fairway than watching a bunch of outliers spray 6* drivers into a wide open football field. I think it would even cooler if they staked out an even tighter channel that they had to land in. Risk-Reward style.

I have always contended that the pros would out drive those long hitter guys if they all had to land several balls into a 30 or 35 yard wide fairway and all used the same 45 inch drivers. I have witnessed many of the shots in those contests land 50 yards wide of a 60 yard fairway that I deemed it a joke. Plus, the golf channel had a few of those guys on that Playing With the Pros show and they shot about 10 over for 9 holes. Who would take advice from them as opposed to a real instructor?

[03SMURF]

There really isn't much in common between long drive and real golf other than a ball and a club. I bet the longest driver on tour wouldn't finish inside the top 10 in the Remax World finals. Also, have you guys noticed how much roll the pro's have been getting? That bomb Rory hit the other week appeared to be downhill, downwind, and rolled 100yds. Give a pro a 5* driver and tell him to swing out of his shoes and I bet he has trouble hitting the grid. Pro long drive guys are in the 150mph clubhead speed range with one guy being recorded at 161mph. JB Holmes has the fastest avg swing speed on tour at 125 mph. Two questions now: How much of a threat is JB Holmes considered on tour? and does anyone think these tour pros are capable of 35mph more club head speed than their 115 mph avg?