Maybe your New Year’s resolution was to lose weight during the lockdowns or to stop drinking or to spend more time learning a new language.
However, one of the most consistent New Year resolutions for us golfers is still…Can I increase my driving distance?
OK, we all want to reduce the average shots taken per round over the year. Who doesn’t? But playing closer to par and not losing your rag every time you slice a shot is extremely difficult.
Every year the manufacturers try to tempt us with the latest driver on the market, and the pros start to gain yardage because they have changed their drivers head or their shaft or even the weight.
The pros are now hitting longer drives off the tee than ever before, with a quarter of the field averaging over 300 yards last season.
You just need to see what distances they were getting in Maui at the Sentry Championship and it was not just Bryson who was bombing it even some of the smaller guys too.
Huge Strides in Club Technology
We know there have been huge strides in club technology and ball development since the early 2000s with some impressive new golf club releases last year. And new championship courses are getting longer with old courses adding yardage to some of our most loved holes.
And with massive drives being made week in, week out on the Tour, it is only natural to want to follow form and unleash the beast-like Bubba. Although you do not have to be a big hitter to win big.
Only two players out of the top ten biggest hitters at The Masters placed in the top ten for the final round. So, consistency is just as vital if not more so for professional players.
Still, for us hackers, it is still a buzz to hit the ball off into the distance and hear those words “Wow that was a belter” from your mates!
The question is does distance provide that much of an advantage to make it worth countless training hours, stress and of course all those lost balls?
