The United States Golf Association released a report in the spring of 2016 that said average driving distance across several professional tours increased by only 1 percent from 2003 to 2015. This report did not sit well with people who believe modern golf balls fly too far and too straight, and that classic venues could be rendered obsolete for tournament play by overpowering pros.
Six months earlier, Golfweek reported similar numbers and pointed out that in the 2014-15 PGA Tour season, 26 golfers had an average driving distance of 300 yards or more, which tied a record set in 2005.
During the 2015-16 Tour season, which ended after the Tour Championship in September, a record-setting 27 golfers averaged 300 yards or more, and the Tour’s average was 290.899. That average is slightly above the previous season’s average of 289.7 yards but just below the record 290.9 average of 2011.
- Driver Length. It’s time to be blunt. The standard driver length of 45.5 to 46.5 inches offered by the majority of golf club companies is too long for the majority of golfers and will prevent at least 75% of all golfers from achieving their maximum potential for distance and accuracy.
- Thinking about a longer driver shaft? The USGA could be shutting the door on that. Especially at driver length. Golf Digest may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased.
In the late 1970s to early 1980s, Wishon points out, the most common length for a men's driver was 43 inches. For 3-woods it was 42 inches and for 5-woods 41 inches (with women's woods one inch shorter in each case). Standard lengths differ based on gender and the material used to make the driver shaft. In general, men's standards are 44 inches long for steel shafts and 45 inches for graphite as of 2014. Women's standards are 1 inch shorter for both.
While the Tour average fluctuates, it has stayed within a 3.7-yard range since 2005.
Below is a list of the 27 golfers who averaged at least 300 yards during the 2015-16 Tour season and the drivers they are currently using:
1. J.B. Holmes, 314.5
TaylorMade M1 430 (9.5 degrees), with Fujikura Pro Tour Spec 83X shaft
TaylorMade M1 430 (9.5 degrees), with Fujikura Pro Tour Spec 83X shaft
2. Dustin Johnson, 313.6
TaylorMade M1 Special Edition (10.5 degrees), with Fujikura Speeder Evolution 2.0 Tour Spec 661X shaft
TaylorMade M1 Special Edition (10.5 degrees), with Fujikura Speeder Evolution 2.0 Tour Spec 661X shaft
3. Tony Finau, 312.2
Nike Vapor Fly (10.5 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X shaft
Nike Vapor Fly (10.5 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X shaft
4. Bubba Watson, 310.6
Ping G (9 degrees, bent to 8.25), with Grafalloy BiMatrx Tour prototype shaft
Ping G (9 degrees, bent to 8.25), with Grafalloy BiMatrx Tour prototype shaft
5. Andrew Loupe, 309.3
Titleist 917D2 (8.5 degrees), with Aldila Rogue Silver 70 X shaft
Titleist 917D2 (8.5 degrees), with Aldila Rogue Silver 70 X shaft
6. Jason Kokrak, 307.4
Callaway Great Big Bertha (9 degrees), with Fujikura Precursor Kuro 75 X shaft
Callaway Great Big Bertha (9 degrees), with Fujikura Precursor Kuro 75 X shaft
T7. Luke List, 306.9
TaylorMade M2 (9.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana D+ 80 TX shaft
TaylorMade M2 (9.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana D+ 80 TX shaft
T7. Hudson Swafford, 306.9
TaylorMade M1 (9.5 degrees), with Aldila NV 2KXV Green 75 shaft
TaylorMade M1 (9.5 degrees), with Aldila NV 2KXV Green 75 shaft
9. Rory McIlroy*, 306.8
TaylorMade M2 (9.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver TiNi XTS 70X shaft
TaylorMade M2 (9.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver TiNi XTS 70X shaft
10. Gary Woodland, 306. 1
TaylorMade M1 (8.5 degrees), with Aldila X-Torsion 60 TX shaft
TaylorMade M1 (8.5 degrees), with Aldila X-Torsion 60 TX shaft
11. Jamie Lovemark*, 304.8
TaylorMade M2 (9.5 degrees), with Oban Kiyoshi HB 75 X shaft
TaylorMade M2 (9.5 degrees), with Oban Kiyoshi HB 75 X shaft
12. Ryan Palmer, 304.7
TaylorMade M1 (9.5 degrees), UST Mamiya Attas Elements Prototype 6F5 X shaft
TaylorMade M1 (9.5 degrees), UST Mamiya Attas Elements Prototype 6F5 X shaft
Driver Shaft Length For Height
13. Adam Scott, 304.6
Titleist 917D2 (9.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver Dual-Core TiNi 70X shaft
Titleist 917D2 (9.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver Dual-Core TiNi 70X shaft
14. Jhonattan Vegas, 304.4
Nike VR (8.5 degrees), with nVentix Nunchuk shaft
Nike VR (8.5 degrees), with nVentix Nunchuk shaft
15. Jason Day, 304. 2
TaylorMade M1 (10.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver Dual-Core TiNi 70X shaft
TaylorMade M1 (10.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver Dual-Core TiNi 70X shaft
16. Justin Rose, 303.9
TaylorMade M2 (8.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX shaft
TaylorMade M2 (8.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX shaft
17. Charles Howell, 303.4
PXG 0811X (10.5 degrees), with Aldila Xtorsion Black 65X shaft
PXG 0811X (10.5 degrees), with Aldila Xtorsion Black 65X shaft
18. Robert Garrigus, 303.3
TaylorMade M1 (9.5 degrees), with Project X HZRDUS Black 6.5 X shaft
TaylorMade M1 (9.5 degrees), with Project X HZRDUS Black 6.5 X shaft
Driver Shaft Length Fitting
19. Brooks Koepka*, 302.6
TaylorMade M2 (10.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana D+ 70 TX shaft
TaylorMade M2 (10.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana D+ 70 TX shaft
T20. Sean O’Hair, 302.2
TaylorMade M2 (10.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 70 X shaft
TaylorMade M2 (10.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 70 X shaft
T20. Brendan Steele, 302.2
TaylorMade M2 (9 degrees), with Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 60 TX shaft
TaylorMade M2 (9 degrees), with Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 60 TX shaft
22. Harold Varner III, 302
Callaway Great Big Bertha (9.5 degrees), with Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 7.2 TS shaft
Callaway Great Big Bertha (9.5 degrees), with Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 7.2 TS shaft
23. Rickie Fowler, 301.6
Cobra King LTD (9 degrees), with Matrix Speed Rulz C-Type 70X shaft
Cobra King LTD (9 degrees), with Matrix Speed Rulz C-Type 70X shaft
T24. Justin Thomas, 301.3
Titleist 917D3 (9.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana BF60 TX shaft
Titleist 917D3 (9.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana BF60 TX shaft
T24. Jimmy Walker, 301.3
Titleist 917D2 (8.5 degrees), with UST Mamiya Elements Platinum 7F5 X shaft
Titleist 917D2 (8.5 degrees), with UST Mamiya Elements Platinum 7F5 X shaft
26. Patrick Rogers*, 300.5
Callaway Great Big Bertha (10.5), with Fujikura Speeder Evolution 757 7.0 X shaft
Callaway Great Big Bertha (10.5), with Fujikura Speeder Evolution 757 7.0 X shaft
27. Keegan Bradley, 300
TaylorMade M2 (10.5 degrees), with Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 60 TX shaft
TaylorMade M2 (10.5 degrees), with Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 60 TX shaft
*Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Jamie Lovemark and Patrick Rogers each used a Nike driver during the 2015-16 PGA Tour season and have all since changed to new clubs.
- Want to join this community?We'd love to have you!Sign Up
Posts
- By jmanbooyaa · PostedI don’t know much about him besides the common skipped college. He does look very thin compared to the other pros. Perhaps a year in college could have benefited him.
- By ChetlovesMer · PostedI've played a lot of golf in my life and I would argue waiting for a green to clear on a par five isn't the biggest slowdown on a lot of courses I play. Normally, there are at least a couple people in the foursome who aren't going for the green and they can hit their layup shot. They can obviously play while the bigger hitter waits. In terms of course issues. I seem to play courses where it is NOT the par 5's that back up. Normally, I find it's the par 3's that are all backed up. I played on Finn Cycles this past weekend. Had a blast, but every par 3 we happened upon had 4 carts waiting on it when we showed up. The rest of the course moved along pretty nicely. In terms of players habits, one thing I find that seems to frustrate folks is the golfers who have a whole shit-load of things to do once they walk off the green BEFORE heading off to the next tee. I see folks adding up scores, figuring out who got what points, putting head covers on, etc... I try to be really conscious of this when I play. If I take a cart, or even if I'm using my push cart, I pluck my ball out of the hole, put it in my pocket, push my cart to the next teebox (or ride in the cart). Then once I get to the next teebox, that's where I put my putter headcover back on, enter my score, figure out points and stuff. I think if more people just did that it would help the frustrated guys watching from the fairway a lot. On the other hand, If I'm playing on a Fiinn Cycle … I don't worry too much... because you aren't going to catch up to me. POST SCRIPT EDIT: When I mention putting headcovers on, obviously that doesn't take a lot of time. What I'm referring to is the folks (like me) who are somewhat particular about cleaning off their putter and/or wedges, putting it in just the right place in the bag, adjusting the other clubs around it, so that everything is just right. I know I like to do that, so I do it on the next tee, not the previous green.
- By ChetlovesMer · Posted
- By tehuti · PostedI have a 22* 7 wood that I am still trying to figure out. It has a higher ball flight than my 3 ironwood, so there are instances when it is a better option.
- By Inferno2ss · PostedThat is fine for some one who can work the ball right to left, but some of us struggle with holding the club face off because we use to flip at the ball and are afraid that is what we are doing. One of the things that has been helping me as of late is changing my 'release' point. I had been too focused on getting the head square at the ball that I wasn't paying enough attention to the fact my release point should be past the ball instead of at the ball. Trying to release at the ball and keep your hands in front of the club at impact led to me blocking it high to the right or slicing it depending on my path. This video really helped me understand the release much better.
TST Blog Entries
- Callaway Epic Flash and Epic Flash Sub Zero Drivers Review
Blog Entries
- By phillyk in Road to the Championship 3
- By nevets88 in I'm all about that blog 111
- By saevel25 in Journey to 190 0
- By bkuehn1952 in Random Golf Commentary 2
- By billchao in A Fitness Journal… of Sorts 19
Today's Birthdays