The great drive for dough putt for show debate thread.

[Backache]

The mean average would be lower than the median though wouldn't it? You're much more likely to be 50 shorts on a bad drive than 50 yards long on a good drive, so in a mean average that short one would lower the overall total.

Yup.

 

[Deleted member 31467]

It's called an 'average'.

Great, so your 200 shot now goes 210.

 

[Orikoru]

Great, so your 200 shot now goes 210.

You really struggle with basic mathematical concepts don't you?

 

[Deleted member 31467]

You really struggle with basic mathematical concepts don't you?

You really struggle with how to shoot lower scores

 

[Orikoru]

You really struggle with how to shoot lower scores

Not true at all, I'm absolutely fine with the 'how' part. It's the doing I can't do.

 

[Deleted member 31467]

Not true at all, I'm absolutely fine with the 'how' part. It's the doing I can't do.

Trust me, if you want to lower your handicap by 1 shot you are much better spending your time working on 150 yards and in than trying to add 10 yards.
I lowered my handicap from 14 to 1 without gaining any yardage.

 

[Backsticks]

Trust me, if you want to lower your handicap by 1 shot you are much better spending your time working on 150 yards and in than trying to add 10 yards.
I lowered my handicap from 14 to 1 without gaining any yardage.

In general, people know better than to trust extrapolations made from a sample size of one.

 

[Deleted member 31467]

In general, people know better than to trust extrapolations made from a sample size of one.

And we go full circle. Get down the gym, it will lower your handicap. Guaranteed

 

[Backsticks]

And we go full circle. Get down the gym, it will lower your handicap. Guaranteed

Thats a misconception. Gains for the majority do not come from gym work, but through technique and specifically speed oriented practice.

 

[Deleted member 31467]

Gains for the majority do not come from gym work, but through technique

Exactly the point I'm making. Better technique means more FIR, more GIR and fewer shots around the green. All can be done without gaining distance off the tee.

 

[RichA]

Trust me, if you want to lower your handicap by 1 shot you are much better spending your time working on 150 yards and in than trying to add 10 yards.
I lowered my handicap from 14 to 1 without gaining any yardage.

Unless you're already pretty good inside 150 yards but your average drive on your course's 9 x 400ish yard par 4 holes always leaves you about 160-170 yards out.
One size doesn't fit all in golf. We're all different.

 

[Springveldt]

Yeah I'm bumping this, but don't worry, I come bearing stats (courtesy of Crossfield).

It seems I was right then!


(If you can't be bothered watching the video, it basically says players who added 10 yards to their drive were 1.8 shots lower on average for their round. That's pretty significant in my book.)

And this is from someone who said for years that it was better to hit fairways than be long (probably because he played so much with Lockey).

 

[Backsticks]

Exactly the point I'm making. Better technique means more FIR, more GIR and fewer shots around the green. All can be done without gaining distance off the tee.

Distance is a much bigger factor in good scoring, than FIR. FIR in itself does not lead to significant score improvement. Distance does.

 

[Backsticks]

I

And this is from someone who said for years that it was better to hit fairways than be long (probably because he played so much with Lockey).

I think I heard him say that this is a big regret in golf. That had he known then, what he knows now due to advances in data collection, analysis, and speed and distance measurement, he would have known to strive for distance many years ago.

 

[Orikoru]

And this is from someone who said for years that it was better to hit fairways than be long (probably because he played so much with Lockey).

I think I heard him say that this is a big regret in golf. That had he known then, what he knows now due to advances in data collection, analysis, and speed and distance measurement, he would have known to strive for distance many years ago.

I'm not his biggest fan or anything, but I do admire someone who's open to changing their mind based on new information.

 

[evemccc]

Distance is a much bigger factor in good scoring, than FIR. FIR in itself does not lead to significant score improvement. Distance does.

Is his / your reasoning because the closer you are to the hole, the easier the iron shot you have (Eg. 9i > 7i) for your approach?

Surely the corollary of that reasoning is that GIR is King….so irrespective of distance off the tee, if the average golfer spent time honing their second shot / approach play, and became proficient in iron play, they would hit more GIR and therefore score better..

So, improved ‘distance off the tee’ is essentially shorthand for GIR — as long as GIR is reached, it doesn’t matter how the player gets there


*I appreciate it may be easier for a player to improve 10 yards than be better at hitting 6i / 7i second shots consistently

 

[Deleted member 31467]

Unless you're already pretty good inside 150 yards but your average drive on your course's 9 x 400ish yard par 4 holes always leaves you about 160-170 yards out.
One size doesn't fit all in golf. We're all different.

Indeed. So improve your technique and you'll hit fewer wayward shots.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Re going to the gym to hit it further.
That ruined Jonny Miller.

The longest hitter I ever played with [pro rata] was Bobby Cole.
We were both 18 years old and the same build.
28'' waist, under 10 stone and 5'10.
I was not a short hitter [240 yard drives in 1960's] but he could outhit me by 30 yards.
No golfers ever went to the gym in those days.

Re OP
Remember the old golfing Gorilla joke.

 

[Pants]

One size doesn't fit all in golf. We're all different.

Indeed it doesn't and we all are. Even if I could wave a magic wand and gain 10/20 yds extra off the tee and approach shots, most decent par 4's and par 5's are out of reach for me in "regulation". Improvements to pitching, chipping and putting would reduce my h/cap. Think I'll give the gym a miss

 

[RichA]

Indeed. So improve your technique and you'll hit fewer wayward shots.

Get better at golf? Good advice. I'll take that on board.