Do Yanks hit it Further than Brits ?

[trickietree]

Do any of you guys read any of the American sites ?
I look at some of their forums out of interest to see what equipment they are using.
Their driving distances seem massive compared to us Brits.
For example there is a guy on 'Golf Discussions' asking for comments on different drivers/shafts.
He is quoting ball speeds off a launch monitor at 157-167mph and ball carry at 278-296 yds. These type of stats seems fairly common in the good old USA.
Most of the blokes I play with are between 3-7 handicap and we all drive pretty much similar distances on average.
None of us can create club speed like that or carry the ball that sort of distance in the air.
Any one got any comments on this - may be its the atmosphere over the pond or just ego ?

 

[John_Findlay]

Hi Trickietree,

It's the heat and the air which makes them hit it further! I had a shot on the launch monitor last year and even I was getting ball speed of 155mph with the big stick and I'm not a big hitter.

Played in South Africa for a week and was hitting the ball 10% further. Meters instead of yards. It was the air and the altitude.

 

[brendy]

This is identical to cars making higher brake horsepower over there but when ran on neutral rolling roads only come out as average. Those that genuinly hit the ball far are usually at above sea level courses. Plain and simple, watch the yanks come over to the british open, they are not hitting the ball any further than our players.

 

[rgs]

It sounds like their egos talking-However golf balls do fly further in the USA due to the higher temperatures. It is suggested that balls go about 10% further.

 

[Basher]

Why am I not surprised by the claims that they can hit it further. Everything about America is larger, faster, oh and of course LOUDER (especially their voices!!!)

Agree with John Findlay about the heat and air, it does make a difference. Also, as Brendy suggests, they drive around the same distance as the Brits over here.......well, maybe Tiger may make a few more yards!

 

[shanker]

Don't know about the Americans but Forest had a striker years ago called Duncan something who could THROW a golf ball more than the length of the pitch at the City Ground. I saw him do it on the telly. Where do you play, trickietree? Not Bulwell by any chance?

 

[madandra]

I see John_Findlay had the words Americans and hot air in the same sentence .....

there's a surprise. They probably TALK the ball 290yds

 

[shanker]

IMHO the answer is YES. I played quite a bit of golf with Americans and was shocked by how far some of them hit it. In fact, one of them was about 5'10'' normal build but was the longest hitter I've ever seen. I was told that even by pro standards he'd be considered long. Unfortunately, he was also the most bad-tempered golfer on the planet and ended up not getting a game as everybody was so pissed off with him.

 

[USER1999]

I play a lot in the states, mainly in florida where it is hot and humid, and pretty much sea level. I only really remember playing with one guy who hit monster drives, and he was awesome. That said, he played off plus one, and I think he would hit it miles anywhere.

For all the guys on the internet chat rooms, some may be at altitude, some may be bullshifters, but also, because there are a lot of americans playing golf, there will be more big hitters out there. There are monsters in the UK too, but less of them.

 

[Craigy_Mac]

If anyone watched the golf at the weekend you would have seen interesting stats come up. I aint no stat man but this prooves golf courses in the states are easier. All the top money earners for 07 on pga tour had some of the worst averages for driver accuracy including tiger but because there hazards and rough aint punishing enough they can still make birdie on most holes.
From day 1 yank kids are tought to bomb the ball as hard as they can and then years later someone will straighten them up.
They can brag all they want about length but whos been dominating the ryder cup?

 

[Parmo]

Maybe the ease of the US courses encourages distance rather than accuracy? I mean you dont get rough other there like in Europe, sometimes I have seen rough that looks a lot better lay than my local fairway recently.

 

[Teetotal]

I have played a few times in the US and their fairways are as wide as they are long so accuracy doen't really come into it off the tee. Anyone can smack the ball a mile if it doesn't really matter where it lands. I was hitting the ball at right angles and was still on the fairway!! They then overcompensate for the easiness by dotting course with shallow 'imitation' bunkers with super fine sand and the occasional bit of water which sometimes doesn't even come into play. Whole thing is just for show and to boost the ego. That's why when the yanks come over here and play some proper courses they get into trouble. Remember some of the tour pro's throwing one at Carnoustie time before last "the grass is too long, it's not fair and the fairways are like ribbons bo-hoo". And as for wind - that's not even an issue for them. That's not say they have some really hard courses but the average septic plays on a noddy course of which anyone would be off scratch.

 

[viscount17]

Here are two to compare, the European Tour and PGA, have fun.

http://www.europeantour.com/ select stats/Genworth financial statistics

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/ select Skill Stats then choose a report

 

[trickietree]

Don't know about the Americans but Forest had a striker years ago called Duncan something who could THROW a golf ball more than the length of the pitch at the City Ground. I saw him do it on the telly. Where do you play, trickietree? Not Bulwell by any chance?

Hello Shanker!
The striker was Duncan Mckenzie. He could also jump over a mini car !
I play at Wollaton Park but have played the Bulwell courses in the past.

Thanks to all you other guys for the interesting comments regarding the 'Yank big hitters'.

 

[shanker]

Hello trickietree. I remember Wollaton as being too exclusive for a poor student so I played a bit at Bulwell. I seem to remember it was Bulwell Forest. There was a pub nearby called the ''Golden Ball''. It's 28 years since I've been in Nottingham but can still taste the Nottingham beer! I'd give anything for a pint of Home or Shipstone's. Do they still exist?

 

[daveyboy17]

Yeh its the heat make sit fly further, played in spain and hit a whopping 310 yard drive dont know what happened probably the best swing of my live usually get it about 230 when its not slicing, it was a bloody scorching day and and slightly downhill, but i nailed that thing!!! Warm up your balls lol all play well

 

[trickietree]

Bulwell Forest

Hello trickietree. I remember Wollaton as being too exclusive for a poor student so I played a bit at Bulwell. I seem to remember it was Bulwell Forest. There was a pub nearby called the ''Golden Ball''. It's 28 years since I've been in Nottingham but can still taste the Nottingham beer! I'd give anything for a pint of Home or Shipstone's. Do they still exist?

Hello Shanker
Shipstones & Home ales dont exist anymore both Breweries were bought out by bigger companies and closed down.
I believe that Bulwell Forest is now run by the members and not the council.Pity its in such a rough area, I wouldnt fancy leaving my car there for long !
I was talking to a pro who worked there for many years and is now at another club - he told me some cracking stories.
One saturday medal, some lads were on the course messing about. Some members told them to get off, the argument escalated and there was some physical contact.
The lads eventually cleared off but some time later a van load of yobs turned up and started on the members.
This was a trigger for other members to get involved and it end up in a mass punch up in the middle of the medal competition !
Another one, this burley member tried to return a driver that he didnt like anymore.
The pro politely informed him that he couldnt oblige.
The member promptly grabbed hold of his shirt and dragged him across the counter! The pro decided it was best to reimburse him !