Luke Donald Driving Stats ?

[richart]

Can anyone explain how Luke Donald is number one in driving accuracy on the European tour, and only 57th on the USPGA tour ? There are also more players in Europe 200 odd compared to about 150 in the US.

His stats in Euope are 75.6% of fairways hit for 19 rounds, and in the US 64.6% for 65 rounds. Other strange differences include :

Justin Rose who is 25th in Europe and 74th in the US.
Sergio Garcia who is 36th in Europe and 139th in the US.


Are the fairways much wider in Europe, and other European golfers wilder than their US counterparts, or are the stats a load of old rubbish. The wildest player with the driver could hit an iron off every tee, and come out as the most accurate 'driver' on tour.

I think the US stats are more accurate, as from what I saw this year Donald is not the most accurate of drivers. Great mid and short iron player, fantastic short game, and probably the best putter at the moment, but surely his driving, accuracy and length, is a comparative weakness.

Just in case this thread proves too boring, can anyone recommend a good gps or electric trolley please.

 

[wull]

there could be many different reasons for it.

it's like saying why did you hit all the fairways at your home club but missed all the fairways when you played away in a gents open......

just because you are 1st for something over here doesn't mean you'll be the same over there.......same applies to winnig every week,it just doesn't happen.you can play well one week then play terrible the next.

he played less rounds over here so maybe thats why he managed to have a higher percentage.if he had played more rounds or the same amount as over in the states then his percentage might have came down.

 

[Imurg]

Possible reason - are most of the events in the US played over firm, running, dry fairways? I know it didn't rain every week but maybe when he played in "Europe" he was playing on softer fairways so the ball didn't run off into the rough so often..?
There's also "missed fairways" and " MISSED FAIRWAYS"..........

 

[richart]

Possible reason - are most of the events in the US played over firm, running, dry fairways? I know it didn't rain every week but maybe when he played in "Europe" he was playing on softer fairways so the ball didn't run off into the rough so often..?
There's also "missed fairways" and " MISSED FAIRWAYS"..........

I was thinking that the courses might be longer in the States, and the fairways watered more to keep them softer. Donald might be forced into hitting more drivers compared to in Europe ? Some of his misses in Dubai were certainly big ones, but as long as he can get a club on the ball you always feel he will rescue a par.

Wull I think there a big difference between an amateur driving at his home club and in opens, and Luke Donalds driving. My swing changes round by round, and I can go from hitting a reasonable percentage of fairways one day, to hitting none the next.:fore:

 

[Tiger]

From a geeky statistical point of view the problem is that the comparison is akin to apples with oranges. There are so many variables you cannot make a true like for like. Number of rounds played, average fairway width, conditions of course, wind speed, club taken from the tee, yardage struck.

Anecdotally you also have to consider the 'mindset' of the two tours. They do like a big hit in the States so do their courses play longer therefore requiring players like Luke to sacrifice a bit of control for extra yards? I don't know but until we understand all of the variables it's impossible to understand why his accuracy dipped. But I'm intrigued so I'm off to ask the question on Twitter.

 

[Lump]

Surely having played more rounds in america the stats from the PGA tour would be a more acurate reflection of his driving. When you break it down into numbers rather than % its easier to see just how consistant he is.

Europe- 75.6%- 342 Holes/ 259 fairways hit, equates to 4 fairways missed a round
America- 64.6%- 1170 Holes/ 756 fairyways hit, equates to 6 fairways missed a round

(These are very rough and ready numbers)