Is Distance Really That Important for Amateurs?

[Jakester23]

All I was saying is that distance is only important in those types of golf settings. For recreational golf it's not important to a point as you can always tee it forward. As long as you can hit it 180 from the whites your fine

I completely disagree with this.  Most of the courses I play would be real hard only being able to hit it 180 no matter what tees you play.  Distance is important if you want to score period.  You can only tee it so far forward.  Less club makes your approach shots easier.  Id take a wedge over a 7i everyday and twice on the weekend.

[Dave2512]

Uh yeah moving up a set of tees pretty much defines why distance is important. The distance we are talking about here is proximity to the hole. Closer is better.

[nick1998bunker]

I completely disagree with this.  Most of the courses I play would be real hard only being able to hit it 180 no matter what tees you play.  Distance is important if you want to score period.  You can only tee it so far forward.  Less club makes your approach shots easier.  Id take a wedge over a 7i everyday and twice on the weekend.

Yeah but then you should move back a set. But for rec its acceptable to play forward. And if you move back it makes the courses harder and you are less accurate so for recreation you could possibly say it's a detriment. I used to play with juniors who played a big slice but they would hit it so short it stayed in the fairway. I would hit it 20 percent farther with a fade and miss the fairway. My brother its it 180-200 and has mid irons in from the whites often. I've been frustrated before playing tournaments of both genders from split tees where the women have 80 yards in and take a slow pw and are super straight because they are swinging so slow. If you almost double that distance what the pros do then your miss is twice as bad plus extra for having to swing harder than 40 percent. I'm rambling sorry [quote name="Dave2512" url="/t/78188/is-distance-really-that-important-for-amateurs/600_100#post_1090911"]Uh yeah moving up a set of tees pretty much defines why distance is important. The distance we are talking about here is proximity to the hole. Closer is better.[/quote] I thought we were talking driving distance, my bad

[turtleback]

What's the difference? The goal is to card the lowest score.

The only difference is a matter of snobbery.  Only scratch tournament golf is "real golf" doncha know.

[nick1998bunker]

The only difference is a matter of snobbery.  Only scratch tournament golf is "real golf" doncha know.

If he was talking about handicap tournaments then it's not the lowest score that wins. (Gross that is) why should a guy who shot 90 beat a guy that shot 70, it promotes getting worse

[mvmac]

@nick1998bunker , distance is important, the strongest correlation to the distance your ball finishes from the hole is how far away it was before you hit it.

[DrvFrShow]

I've been thinking about this. I think we remember the 150 yd shots we stuck 6 ft from the hole, but forget the others that were either 40 ft away or off the green that we had to chip or pitch on. I think we take for granted the 30 - 50 yd shots that land nearer than 30 ft to the hole.

30 - 50 yds I'm going to be on the green somewhere unless I duff the shot. 150 yds I usually end up pin high somewhere. 100 yds I'm on the green but not as close as from 30 - 50.

[nick1998bunker]

@nick1998bunker , distance is important, the [COLOR=181818]strongest correlation to the distance your ball finishes from the hole is how far away it was before you hit it.[/COLOR]

I guess I was confused I thought we were talking about driving distance not distance from the hole

[Jakester23]

I guess I was confused I thought we were talking about driving distance not distance from the hole

It's not about distance from the hole. The thread is about what is more important distance or accuracy. Meaning with all clubs not just your driver.

[nick1998bunker]

It's not about distance from the hole. The thread is about what is more important distance or accuracy. Meaning with all clubs not just your driver.

Ok then I was right, distance to a point is not important to the recreational player. You also can't really look at a score to distance graph because better players hit the ball farther due to better technique. But with the same technique and less distance from proportionate tees then i would guess the would shoot about the same. Better on tight or easy courses and worse on long, or difficult courses (tough green complex and tucked pins)

[iacas]

Ok then I was right, distance to a point is not important to the recreational player.

I disagree. :P

[billchao]

Ok then I was right, distance to a point is not important to the recreational player.

I don't understand what you mean by this. Doesn't matter what set of tees you are playing from, being able to hit it longer is always going to be an advantage.

[nick1998bunker]

I don't understand what you mean by this. Doesn't matter what set of tees you are playing from, being able to hit it longer is always going to be an advantage.

People keep saying that without explaining why. Only benefits I see are more spin. If your saying you will have less distance in then I am saying that, yes that is an advantage, but if you can, you should be moving back tees to where you still have mid irons in not wedges. Tournaments you don't have that option

[billchao]

People keep saying that without explaining why.

Because it's harder to miss with higher lofted irons. Hitting a 9 iron into a green vs a 7 iron has a lot more difference to it than just spin. Descent angle, for instance, is a pretty big deal, too.

[Jakester23]

Because it's harder to miss with higher lofted irons. Hitting a 9 iron into a green vs a 7 iron has a lot more difference to it than just spin. Descent angle, for instance, is a pretty big deal, too.

Quit addressing opinions with facts. :banana:

[nick1998bunker]

Because it's harder to miss with higher lofted irons. Hitting a 9 iron into a green vs a 7 iron has a lot more difference to it than just spin. Descent angle, for instance, is a pretty big deal, too.

i understand that higher lofted clubs are more accurate, but if you are playing the correct tees you will both have the same club. Am I missing something? I don't see how this is that hard

[saevel25]

People keep saying that without explaining why. Only benefits I see are more spin. If your saying you will have less distance in then I am saying that, yes that is an advantage, but if you can, you should be moving back tees to where you still have mid irons in not wedges. Tournaments you don't have that option

Yet not everyone hits the ball the same length. Bubba has wedges into greens and Luke Donald does not.

Ok then I was right, distance to a point is not important to the recreational player. You also can't really look at a score to distance graph because better players hit the ball farther due to better technique. But with the same technique and less distance from proportionate tees then i would guess the would shoot about the same. Better on tight or easy courses and worse on long, or difficult courses (tough green complex and tucked pins)

Of course, better technique will more then likely give longer distance. If you give a guy a smash factor of 1.37 versus a guy of 1.45, yet they swing the club the same club head speed, the guy with the better mechanics will win out in both accuracy and distance.

You are trying to make a comparison of distance on your overall score. Distance is an advantage and in the long run it will lead to lower scores because proximity to the hole will give you a better chance of having as shorter putt and more GIR. Some rounds you might be off, or some courses your hands might be tied in taking a shorter club. Still, unless my shot zone is encompassing a big portion of a hazard or OB then I am taking driver and going to swing to get as much distance as I can with I am comfortable with.

[billchao]

i understand that higher lofted clubs are more accurate, but if you are playing the correct tees you will both have the same club. Am I missing something? I don't see how this is that hard

That's not exactly how having different sets of tees works. They have different distances, but playing further back has more to do with skill level than raw distance potential.