And that fairway costs them about three-tenths of a stroke. [size="5"]2-iron: 205-220 yards[/size] Search for fun things to do in your area led by PGA Professionals. Upload or insert images from URL. Jack Niklaus Driving Average By Year | StatMuse That year, Duval ranked ninth in distance and 26th in accuracy. Driving the distance up on Tour - Lake County Record-Bee With 18 holes to play, Tavatankit leads by five at 14 under par. Golf's distance dilemma has been debated for years. Driving distances changed little over decades. 238 yards On the 72nd hole of the 1967 U.S. Open at Baltusrol, Jack Nicklaus blasted perhaps his greatest single shota sky-scraping, pin . Wishon 929 HS 14.5*, 19* 0.5 Open He averaged 268.7 yards in driving distance, which was eighth on the PGA Tour. [size="5"]3-wood: 235 yards and up[/size] Jack would have been the best player in any era he played, regardless of the equipment he used. Mexico payout: Rahm sets record before May, Bhatia seeks first win after switching to AimPoint, How Rahm stopped negative momentum Friday, Tavatanakit emotional after making Scottish cut, Kupcho on brink of her first major victory. By signing up, you agree to the The PGA of America is one of the world's largest sports organizations, composed of PGA Professionals who work daily to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal. Theres good reason to believe that Nicklaus record will never be approached again. Youre sitting on your couch on a Sunday afternoon, scrolling through Twitter during a break in Golf Channels coverage of that weeks PGA Tour event. The ball carried 270 yards off his driver, which measured 45 and 230 off the relic, which measured 43. Jack Nicklaus weighs in on the USGA and R&A's distance findings - Golf In 2021, the average driving distance was 295.3 yards, second to only 2020 as the longest average driving distance in PGA Tour history. When Tour pros put the Titleist Pro VI in play in late 2000, they automatically hit the ball 10-15 yards farther with each iron. The long ball is a double-edged sword. Those yardages in his book are indeed modest. 260 - 270 yds was usually plenty to get him to scoring club distance.. R11S 8* square; Stock stiff. Max Homa won the PGA Championship long-drive contest in 2019 at Bethpage Black with a 318-yard shot, but that came on a cold and wet spring New York day. Feng was wide-eyed as she watched Tavatanakit not only send her tee shots sailing past Fengs, but also make the necessary chips and putts needed to score. If he was having the success he was having in this day and age, hes in that super-high echelon. Nicklaus carries fistfuls of golf accolades that may never be touched again. [quote name='titleistfan14' timestamp='1302833449' post='3154660'] Club: Average Distance: Driver: 250 yds: 3 Wood: 235 yds: 1 Iron: 215 - 235 yds: 2 Iron: 205 - 220 yds: 3 Iron: 295 - 210 yds: 4 Iron: 185 - 200 yds: . Snead remained flexible and powerful into his 60s due to a daily yoga routine. The leader in driving distance in 1980 (the first season the PGA Tour has driving distance stats available) was Dan Pohl at 274 yards. Both those players accomplished much before they turned professional, but their amateur rsums dont come close to being as stout as Nicklaus. And yet, indulge us in this look at hypothetical history. Those photos above shows how strong Jack was. Only two players since 2000 have replicated that feat: Tiger Woods in 2000 and Henrik Stenson in 2015. Ping G410 3, 5 and 7 wood, Ping G410 5 hybrid-not much use. Wishon 919 THI 11* 0.5* Open If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. In 2017, with drives travelling an average of 293 yards, precise placement isn't as vital thus, the 60 percent driving accuracy across the Tour. Twice before she competed as an amateur, which made her more comfortable, and therefore more aggressive off the tee. I can get to some of the pins a little easier with shorter clubs. If we translate that advantage to last season, hed have averaged 318.71 yards, which would have led the tour. Chad Campbell averaged 291 yards off the tee in 2009, ranking 70th on the PGA Tour. Those who can get it airborne do sometimes hit it spectacularly crooked in a way that probably wasn't possible in the old days. But Dent changed the protocol. This week marks her fourth appearance at the ANA Inspiration. PGA Statistics - Drive Distance | NBCSports The results, as uncovered by our Mike Johnson: Nicklaus averaged 276 yards, the longest on the PGA Tour. Jack rarely hit the ball as hard as he could. XXIO X Series 5 Wood! Rory McIlroy pounded a 383-yard tee shot on another hole. In fact, several notable players are not among the top 20 in average driving distance, yet have won major tournaments and/or contend on a regular basis. Instant access to the latest news, videos and photos from around the world of golf. (Actually, Nicklaus' average driving distance in '83 was three yards shorter than in 1980. Tiger Woods averaged 298 yards per drive in 2000, arguably the best season of his career. Those numbers tell a different story from the current perception of golf. Now they can bust it out 240-250 with relative ease. Jack held the record for quite a while with a drive of 340 some odd yards. That would have ranked 188th on Tour in 2019. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2023 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Why Jack Nicklaus would dominate modern-day golf, In his prime, the Golden Bear was the one everyone chased. Copyright 1996 - No one can tell me that those guys wouldn't completely dominate with todays clubs and particularly - the ball. Truth is a lot of us played pretty well with that old stuff, and I think the memory of that versus the lack of results with modern equipment especially compared to all of the hype is why there's a revival of interest in classic equipment. The PGA of America is made up of nearly 29,000 PGA Professionals who are ready to help you further your love for the game of golf. That's Columbia Business School ProfessorMark N. Broadie, sometimes known as thegodfather of golf analytics. Who will win the US Open in 2021? Odds, betting favorites, expert picks [quote name='YipMaster' timestamp='1302706286' post='3149778'] That way, the ball will stop closer to the point of impact. [size=5]Sand wedge: Up to 100 yards[/size]. These conditions were not achievable by Jack . and he was one of the longest hitters of his dayimagine what your average joe hit the ball then? [/size] This chart shows you the average distances per skill level for female golfers. More important than how far you hit the ball is to know your own distances. You'll discover it's more than just a golf lesson. The Official PGA TOUR Profile of Jack Nicklaus. The 21-year-old from Thailand has led the way since Day 1 at the ANA Inspiration, using her distance to overwhelm the golf course. Now add in a longer liteweight graphite shaft, hugmongous titanium head, the 20+ yards - longer balls andlet's just say he'd be tough to beat today. This driving distance from professional golfers is far greater than the average driving distance for amateur golfers of all levels, who average about 215 yards. Hes everywhere. How Many Top 10 Finishes Does Jack Nicklaus Have Career | StatMuse 1 in the world. Logically, the faster your swing speed, the greater your distance. Lob wedges on the other hand are designed to propel the ball into the air and present a steep angle of descent. [size=5] I did everything I can to keep it a little bit calmer, because I know I'm getting excited. He was very, very long early in his career but decided that scaling back the distance and being more precise was a better way to play. His number was 56, and only four other players were lower than 100. Hitting a ball into the wind might balloon it into the air, taking away length. Patty Tavatanakit is the whole package. In the end, nobody cares if you placed the ball 3 feet from the hole with a 6 iron or a 9 iron. [/size] I used to follow the two of them at Doral and Inverrary every year. No one can tell me that those guys wouldn't completely dominate with todays clubs and particularly - the ball. A bigger part of that, however, is because Nicklaus was one of the best amateurs of all time. Six Masters titles won across a span of 23 years. Needless to say, Snedeker and his cohorts are glad they dont have to play for a living with equipment from a previous era. Dottie Pepper set the 72-hole record of 269 at 19 under par in 1999. He was great then and he would be great now. Players are bigger, stronger, more athletic, pay close attention to nutrition and hone their bodies in the gym. First, lets hear from a six-time major champion who starred in the 1970s. There's no question in my mind that the touring pro has benefitted far more from the advances in clubs and particularly in balls than average joe has. Ben Hogan hit his driver 265 yards, according to an article in the June 10, 1949 issue of Time Magazine. Jack Nicklaus "never 3 putted or missed a putt inside 5 feet on the last hole of a tournament" and we never drive less than 300 yards. So there you have it: Had Jack Nicklaus played today, he would have been an amateur phenom, he would have been one of the longest hitters on tour, and he would have made boatloads of money. Even 15 years later he still hit drives that distance in a Shells Wonderful World of Golf match against the equally long-hitting Sam Snead. How far did Jack Nicklaus hit a 1 iron? Jack was someone who could've been considered a true athlete that took up the game of golf. He hit many documented drives well over 300 in favourable conditions, but, yes, in terms of average driving distance throughout the season, somewhere around 265 would be about right [/size] Seemingly everyone involved in golf is somewhat of a stakeholder, so opinions on the findings have been flying for the better part of the last 24 hours. "I think a lot of people get it wrong," he said. 1 in the Rolex/AJGA rankings, and rumor is Ohio State has the best chance of landing the Columbus native. [size="5"]Driver: 250 yards and up[/size] That led the money list by 52.9 percent over Trevino, who was second with $207,255. Depending on the layout of the hole, some players don't always hit the ball as far as they're able. We charted the progress of each stat for every year that the PGA Tour has recorded, going all the way back to 1980. [/size] I think the modern clubs would hurt more than help, just like it has tiger. As Nicklaus states, the ball has played a large role. ROUNDS MONEY; Jack Nicklaus: 331: 49: 5: 797: $2,325,208: Explore. In the last 20 years, it exploded. A 118-mph clubhead speed would have ranked around 38th on the PGA Tour in 2019, and Nicklaus was nearing Social Security retirement age when he swung it that fast. But we recently came across an article from the January 1968 issue of Golf Digest that suggests Jack's distance advantage with the driver wasn't all that great. Jack Actually: The distance advantange | This is the Loop | Golf Digest [size=5] Those yardages in his book are indeed modest. The longest average driving distance to date by a golfer who led the tour is 323.7 yards, set by Bryson DeChambeau in 2020 and breaking his own record of 322.1 yards he set one year earlier. Forty years ago, the TOUR started compiling reliable data to calculate this metric. crazy to think how good he would have been with new equipment and balls Keep scrolling. [size="5"]8-iron:130-145 yards[/size] If you played during the days of persimmon woods, blades and especially balata balls, then you know that you absolutely [b][i]had[/i][/b] to deliver that clubhead square or else! When Nicklaus played, golf clubs and balls weren't as technologically advanced as in today's game. His hands were so high he seemed taller than he was. We went to the expert to find out exactly what that means. Get the PGA Tour schedule, results, rumors and more on NBCSports.com. The leader in distance, Bubba Watson at 315.5 yards, was 9.1 percent longer. [size=5]6- iron: 155-170 yards[/size] He played one round with his clubs and the next with steel-shafted persimmon woods and irons and a balata ball from the mid-80s. He recorded a top measured speed of 130.9 mph. He averaged 297.5 yards in driving distance, which was 24th on the PGA Tour. "He plays a game with which I am not familiar,'' Jones famously said about Nicklaus. Add in a third-ranked .859 strokes gained off the tee and above-average putting, and he should have a good chance to win. Nicklaus was 2.15 percent longer than the rest of the top 10, meaning there was a bit of a gap between he and the next-longest players. Francesco is the owner of My Golf Heaven and manages the team of experts writers on the site. A Mammoth drive for persimmon! Here are some other notable golfers and their average driving distance in 2023. [size=5]Pitching wedge: 80-130 yards[/size] Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus shared a friendship and rivalry that lasted more than . Hes 16 years old, and he just used a third-round 64 to beat a field of professionals and win the Ohio Open. Average PGA Tour Players Driving Distance. Extrapolate that 4.5 percent advantage to the 2018-19 season, when the average was roughly 293.8 yards, and a player with Nicklaus advantage would have averaged 307 yards. The potent combination of Instagram, wall-to-wall TV coverage and the Internet has turned junior and amateur golfers into niche celebrities. With the length that I have, some of the lines you had to take it a little different, and seeing it enough, I've hit it the furthest I've ever hit here, Tavatanakit said about her return to Mission Hills. He would often hold back on power to achieve this, but had a power advantage over most rivals through the set, so that he could hit a 3-wood or 1-iron from the tee with increased accuracy to avoid trouble, with sufficient length to keep up with the drivers hit by most rivals. Power became the focus, and with it, average accuracy fell by the wayside. But it isnt the first time Tavatankit has opened up a large lead on a field. Now, we're talking persimmon, he played 42/3/4" long steel shaft driver (a 1/4 inch short). I have set to change that and will also cover what influences distance and how to improve it. Typically, higher lofts will translate into higher ball-flights. In 1980, at age 40, Nicklaus led the PGA TOUR in total driving, a statistic that combines a players' ranking in average driving distance and fairways hit. [size=5]4-iron:185-200 yards[/size] [size=5]5-iron: 170-185 yards[/size] Maltby KE4 14* 3w , Axe Excaliber R flex tipped 1". Jack Nicklaus had 49 top ten finishes with 5 wins and won $2,325,208 in his career. Ping G400 Testing G410. That, no doubt, came at the instruction of her mental coaches, Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott of Vision54, who have been on-site with her this week. Since 2010, the average driving accuracy rank for players to be in the top 10 on TOUR in driving distance is 152.9. But in addition, the quality of strike plays a huge role to determine how far you hit the ball. Taylormade M3 3w 17* Fujikura Atmos S shaft Courses were shorter and he would hit his tee shots to a target. In 2023, Rory McIlroy leads all golfers on the PGA Tour, hitting the average golf ball 326.60 yards per drive on the golf course. See What Members Are Saying! Jack Nicklaus had 49 top ten finishes in his career. Heres what he earned for each of those victories: Bing Crosby National Pro-Am: $28,000 Doral-Eastern Open: $30,000 The Masters: $25,000 U.S. Open: $30,000 Westchester Classic: $50,000 U.S. Professional Match Play Championship: $45,000 Walt Disney World Open Invitational: $30,000. He nearly managed it again, only yards shy. Golf Digest named him the worlds top amateur golfer for three straight years. [/quote] There's no question in my mind that the touring pro has benefitted far more from the advances in clubs and particularly in balls than average joe has. While the distance a golf ball carries is important, Wishon also makes another key point. We choose that season because it was maybe the best of Nicklaus careerhe won seven times, including the Masters and the U.S. Open. Was there a Jack Nicklaus Whats in the bag article back in the 70s or 80s??? In 2020, in her first stint as a rookie on the LPGA Tour (2020 rookies are also rookies this year), she finished T-64. Weiskopf's driver seemed to be higher and flatter, more like current trajectory. Copyright 2023 PGA TOUR, Inc. All rights reserved. I think I did that really well today.. [size="5"]5-iron: 170-185 yards[/size] He had an average driving distance of 321.4 yards, just ahead of Rory Mcllroy in second place with an average driving distance of 320.4 yards. Nicklaus cranked a 341-yard blast to win the PGA Championships long drive competition in 1963 with the old ball. When he was 18 years old, he and Arnold Palmer drove the green on a 330-yard par 4 at Athens (Ohio) CC, a story Nicklaus shared at Palmers memorial service. His ball was the shortest in the group. PGA tour - players with longest average driving distance 2022 - Statista Yes, but always somewhat behind Weiskopf & Pohl Of course, on-course earnings account for a fraction of what todays most popular players earn off the course. Playing a short, safer shot to avoid the ball getting caught in the wind is a safer move in a situation like this. Why Jack Nicklaus would dominate modern-day golf What year was it? Anachronistic comparisons like that one dont tell us much beyond what we already know: inflation and a purse explosion make the life of todays middling PGA Tour player much, much more comfortable than the life of a middling PGA Tour player in 1972. The World Amateur Golf Rankings didnt exist in the late 1950s/early 1960s, but you can bet this and next months rent that Nicklaus would have been a strong No. Golf Club Distance Chart: By Skill Level, Age & Gender RELATED: The 15 longest drives on the PGA Tour since 2010. Not short chips ins; 60-80 yards twice for eagle. Golf Digest estimates that the average driving distance has increased by 15.5 yards over the past 10 years, a period of time where metal drivers have been used. 2023 HomeTown Lenders Championship (Korn Ferry Tour) - Discussion and Links to photos, 2023 Zurich Classic - Discussion and Links to Photos, 2023 RBC Heritage - Discussion and links to Photos, 2023 Valero Texas Open - Discussion and links to photos, 2023 WGC Dell Technologies Match Play - Discussion and links to photos, 2023 Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown, May 4-7, Diamana PD 50TX; Diamana TB 80TX; Cleveland RTX6 Zipcore 52/10; Best Grip Microperf Midsize Augusta grips. I applaud the USGA and R&A for their comprehensive research, as well as their continued hard work and efforts. . [quote name='HCEG1' timestamp='1304285685' post='3200345'] The average tour pro has gained roughly 30 yards off the tee since 1980 (a 12% increase). It's all relative. Back in his heyday, Jack Nicklaus had an enormous distance advantage that made him dominant. So, what caused the simultaneous changes? Look at the first line of my post - he wrote a book (I think it came out in 1980 - if not, pretty close to then), called "Golf My Way", in which he listed his average distances with all his clubs. Jack Nicklaus had 49 top ten finishes in his career. 7 Interesting Facts About Jack Nicklaus - Books Tell You Why, Inc. Since the late 90s, scoring has fallen about 0.4 strokes per round, a number that is too small to make any definite claims about. a player who ranks 10th in driving distance and 50th in driving accuracy would have a total driving number of 60). I cannot disagree. Before DeChambeau, the record-holder was Hank Kuehne, who averaged 321.4 yards way back in 2003. Nicklaus ranked 10th in driving distance and won two majors during that 1980 campaign, but his 269 yards off the tee would have been dead last on Tour . Throughout Saturdays round, Golf Channels Judy Rankin marveled at the places Tavatanakit placed the golf ball. Broadie says that in his research, driving distance contributes approximately two-thirds, and accuracy one-third to strokes gained driving.
