USGA/R&A study on driving distance

[DrvFrShow]

I think the forgiveness on the new drivers is better, but I still can't hit a TaylorMade driver. Callaway for me.

[Lihu]

48 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

I think the forgiveness on the new drivers is better, but I still can't hit a TaylorMade driver. Callaway for me.

Off topic, but I can hit both M1 and BB farther than my i25. They're just too expensive, and it's not worth $500 for me to gain 10-20 yards!

 

[newtogolf]

10 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Off topic, but I can hit both M1 and BB farther than my i25. They're just too expensive, and it's not worth $500 for me to gain 10-20 yards!

 

Just wait til next year and you can buy them for $150

Though based on these statistics it's questionable that you'd gain 10 yards.  

[Lihu]

6 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

Just wait til next year and you can buy them for $150

Though based on these statistics it's questionable that you'd gain 10 yards.  

Probably not.

It was on a sim which we all know doesn't embellish your distances?

[Aflighter]

7 hours ago, newtogolf said:

Just wait til next year and you can buy them for $150

Though based on these statistics it's questionable that you'd gain 10 yards.  

I am a believer.As a short hitter I have picked up quite a bit of yardage from the M2.I needed a low spin driver and thsts what worked for me.

[Lihu]

10 hours ago, newtogolf said:

Just wait til next year and you can buy them for $150

Though based on these statistics it's questionable that you'd gain 10 yards.  

 

2 hours ago, Aflighter said:

I am a believer.As a short hitter I have picked up quite a bit of yardage from the M2.I needed a low spin driver and thsts what worked for me.

Actually, thinking a bit, it's quite possible to average 10-20 yards more if you happen to make use the entire club face like most of us. Who knows? Maybe I could see 15 yards average gain as the sim showed?

[DaveP043]

If I had bought every driver that advertised 10 or 20 more yards, and it was always true, I'd be hitting it 400 all the time now.  

[Lihu]

2 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

If I had bought every driver that advertised 10 or 20 more yards, and it was always true, I'd be hitting it 400 all the time now.  

Not necessarily, most people are not fit properly for their drivers, or any club for that matter. So, TM and other companies depend upon that in their marketing. Also, some clubs are designed to be longer on perfect hits giving up some forgiveness. Most people, like me, shouldn't be using clubs designed this way. I get the occasional 280 or even 300+ yard drives followed by many 220 yard slices or duck hooks.

For instance, my ping i25 is particularly unforgiving on mishits. Good hits go farther than good hits on the M1, but on average the M1 will likely go farther by quite a bit. My guess is 15 yards or more. The sim shows this as well. Never tried one on the course, though.

Being fit properly can significantly improve your average distances, and I think TM et al are all working towards fitting their customers better.

Of course, better golfers already know that they've maxed out. 15 yards gain would be unrealistic.

[colin007]

So what's the difference between hitting an old persimmon driver on the screws vs hitting a new one dead center? I know the old guys busted them out pretty far occasionally. Isn't there record of Arnie hitting one like 340 once?

[NJpatbee]

1 hour ago, colin007 said:

So what's the difference between hitting an old persimmon driver on the screws vs hitting a new one dead center? I know the old guys busted them out pretty far occasionally. Isn't there record of Arnie hitting one like 340 once?

I know that Jack hit a 340 plus drive at a long drive contest with a persimmon driver.  Changes to the clubs and balls have made a difference for the pros who hit the sweet spot 99% of the time, but it has made a greater difference to average golfers who take advantage of the larger sweet spot.  I am 64 and can drive the ball as far today using a 460cc Ping as I did 10 years ago using a 320cc Taylor Made.   

[Buckeyebowman]

On 6/3/2016 at 9:40 PM, iacas said:

No. I've been fighting the "roll back the ball" types for years.  The numbers weren't surprising.

Well, wouldn't long drivers kind of put a dent in that theory? If anyone's reaching the limits of what's possible, it'd be them, right?

(But of course they have to get only one ball on a 40-yard-wide grid. But as far as just distance, they'd be the model.)

It would be interesting to see what kinds of club head speeds those guys are generating. Of course, they're not trying to hit a drive into a 25 yard wide fairway either.

On 6/3/2016 at 10:20 PM, newtogolf said:

I'd almost buy that, but the manufacturers use Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and others to tout how much longer their new driver is over their previous version.  With every new model of TM club they practically claim an additional 10 yards when the reality is in 12 years they haven't gained more than 3.6 on average.  

Well, of course they are! Day and Johnson are two of the longest hitters out there, and are part of the lower right side of the "distance distribution" bell curve. Distance sells!

[Lihu]

6 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

It would be interesting to see what kinds of club head speeds those guys are generating. Of course, they're not trying to hit a drive into a 25 yard wide fairway either.

They're listed between 140 to 157 club head speeds. Jamie Sadlowski got the highest at one point.

 

 

[newtogolf]

6 hours ago, Lihu said:

They're listed between 140 to 157 club head speeds. Jamie Sadlowski got the highest at one point.

 

 

Are those speeds with USGA approved drivers or with their specially designed long drive drivers?  

[Jeremie Boop]

9 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

Are those speeds with USGA approved drivers or with their specially designed long drive drivers?  

Both, @iacas already mentioned that long drive competition drivers have to be conforming, but they are also specially designed in that they are extremely low loft and longer shaft length than your everyday driver pros and amateurs use. If I'm not mistaken, they actually have thicker faces to better withstand the tremendous force exerted on them from these extremely high swing speeds. This makes them even more difficult for the average person to get any distance out of. BUT, they still conform.

[newtogolf]

4 minutes ago, Jeremie Boop said:

Both, @iacas already mentioned that long drive competition drivers have to be conforming, but they are also specially designed in that they are extremely low loft and longer shaft length than your everyday driver pros and amateurs use. If I'm not mistaken, they actually have thicker faces to better withstand the tremendous force exerted on them from these extremely high swing speeds. This makes them even more difficult for the average person to get any distance out of. BUT, they still conform.

Thanks, that's a lot of swing speed.  

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, newtogolf said:

Are those speeds with USGA approved drivers or with their specially designed long drive drivers?  

USGA approved competition drivers. Long drive guys are usually huge. I'm about 5'10.5" 204 barefoot and look like a dwarf standing next to Mike Dobbyn.

Most are built like MLB players like Bonds. Only without the PEDs and bigger.

Jamie Sadlowski is an exception.

[Groucho Valentine]

I guess all of this confirms the analogy of the indian and the arrow. 

[Patch]

This study seems shoot down the honesty, and integrity associated with golf by the golf equipment manufacturers . 

Of course as golfers, as long we are showing honesty, and integrity on the course, that's all that really matters.