Can someone short off the tee become #1 again?

[nevets88]

Drive for a lot more dough now is it? I was thinking well Spieth but he's average/above average length. Wondering what other #1s were short. 

Quote

The magic formula is you have to gain two strokes on the field per round,” Donald explained. “I’m losing 1 1/2 [strokes] off the tee if I’m not hitting it 300 [yards] all the time or hitting it straight, so I have to find 3 1/2 [strokes] in the rest of my game, which is almost impossible. That’s what it was when I was No. 1.”

http://www.golfchannel.com/article/rex-hoggard/game-trending-longer-donald-could-be-last-his-kind/

[HJJ003]

Yes I think it can and will happen. Though I don’t think anyone who achieves it will hold it for extended periods of time. Whoever achieves it must be a great mid to long iron player, and I would think they would need to be gaining an abnormal amount of shots in the field with approach shots. Not something I think someone could do for a long period of time if they have longer shots consistently into greens. 

[bjfox10]

I voted yes. Length is not a new advantage. The only thing that has changed is that more and more people understand that it is. 

[klineka]

I cant accurately vote until you define what short off the tee/short hitter means. 

Does that mean someone that averages less than a certain yardage off the tee? 

Does that mean someone that is below a certain rank in driving distance compared to his peers?

Does that mean someone that has a certain rank in strokes gained off the tee?

What you might consider to be short off the tee is probably different than what myself and the next guy consider to be short off the tee.

[Wally Fairway]

Someone with the time and energy should show a correlation (maybe scatter graph) of driving distance (or shots gained off the tee) to OWGR (since the thread is about World #1) or FedEx standings or moneylist
Thanks I'll hang up and wait for your reply

[Lihu]

 Voted no. Everyone hits longer now. 

Edited February 8, 2018 by Lihu
Spellcheck

[klineka]

1 hour ago, Wally Fairway said:

Someone with the time and energy should show a correlation (maybe scatter graph) of driving distance (or shots gained off the tee) to OWGR (since the thread is about World #1) or FedEx standings or moneylist
Thanks I'll hang up and wait for your reply

Here ya go for the current top 50 in the world. I used 2017 driving distance since some of the players dont have very many rounds in 2018 yet.

[Groucho Valentine]

Short in professional terms is relative. If you're asking that if a player has to be Dustin Johnson or Bubba Watson long to be #1? Absolutley not. But you're going to have to get it out there at least 280-290 to compete at a top 5 level. But thats probably where most touring pros are, anyway. Theres regular touring pro length, and then there is stupid long players like Raam, DJ and Day. 

 

Edited February 8, 2018 by Groucho Valentine

[billchao]

I voted no, but don't like the poll question TBH.

Can a shorter hitter (I'm defining as bottom third in driving distance on Tour) become #1? Yes. Will a shorter hitter become #1? Not likely.

2 hours ago, nevets88 said:

Drive for a lot more dough now is it? I was thinking well Spieth but he's average/above average length. Wondering what other #1s were short. 

http://www.golfchannel.com/article/rex-hoggard/game-trending-longer-donald-could-be-last-his-kind/

I'll admit ignorance on my part on some of the older players, but isn't Luke Donald basically the only short hitter (not talking about height ) to spend a significant amount of time as world #1?

[Wanzo]

1 hour ago, klineka said:

I cant accurately vote until you define what short off the tee/short hitter means. 

This ^

[iacas]

32 minutes ago, billchao said:

Can a shorter hitter (I'm defining as bottom third in driving distance on Tour) become #1? Yes. Will a shorter hitter become #1? Not likely.

I used your definition and applied it: bottom 1/3 of the driving distance stat.

I voted no. Like Luke says, gaining that many strokes in other areas of your game is nearly impossible.

[saevel25]

Luke Donald comes to mind in 2011. He was the World #1, and was T147 in driving distance. #1 in strokes gained approach to the green, T18 in strokes gained around the green, #1 in strokes gained putting.

The primary reason he isn't near #1 ranking anymore is because his strokes gained from tee to green has dropped off considerably.

[dbuck]

I voted no, based on the parameter of the lowest 1/3. If I knew the lowest third, I might or might not have voted differently.

Jordan is around 295ish I think; the DJ's are much longer.

I would think anyone with an average below 290 would have a difficult time these days; don't know which tier that would be.

[JxQx]

I voted yes, I think that it is possible but it's fairly unlikely.

[klineka]

8 minutes ago, dbuck said:

I would think anyone with an average below 290 would have a difficult time these days; don't know which tier that would be.

That is correct. In looking at the scatter plot I posted earlier, No golfers under 295 are in the top 10, and only 2 golfers that average 290 or below are in the top 20, and only 7 are in the top 50.

[billchao]

13 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

The primary reason he isn't near #1 ranking anymore is because his strokes gained from tee to green has dropped off considerably.

He didn't exactly get longer while his competitors have, so he's losing strokes to the field.

5 minutes ago, dbuck said:

I voted no, based on the parameter of the lowest 1/3. If I knew the lowest third, I might or might not have voted differently.

Jordan is around 295ish I think; the DJ's are much longer.

I would think anyone with an average below 290 would have a difficult time these days; don't know which tier that would be.

PGA Tour Driving Distance Stats

I like to use lists from previous years because the sample size is bigger. Spieth finished 2017 T75, putting him near the top of the middle third.

The median average driving distance of that year was about 293.

[Patch]

I voted "yes". The old "never say never" theory.  It would be tough however.

 I also think that if a golfer is even on a tour, their short, long game is long enough. 

No one knows what future players might be capable of, with the various parts of their games. There could be some 5 year old phenom out there sinking pitches, chips, and putts at never seen before rate of success. 

[MuniGrit]

I never actually thought Luke was number 1 in the world even when he was according to the rankings. I think him being number 1 and even Westwood shows flaws in the ranking.