Tiger on non-conforming clubs

[Andru]

I'm not sure if you've read this article but Tiger believes illegal drivers are being used on tour. I get the feeling more people will take notice now that he's spoken out.

Here's the article.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/...-drivers_x.htm

What's funny is tiger is 34th on the distance list. Makes you think! Most of the guys ahead of him hit longer irons into greens from the same distance. So we know it's not swing speed.

[Curious George]

Didn't he re-tailor his swing, making it more compact with less distance? Isn't that why he doesn't go at it as hard? I thought he admitted to getting less distance for more accuracy, through Butch Harmon's instruction...

[Happy Gilmore]

The distance difference between 34th and 9th is a whopping 8 yards. Between 34th and 28th is 1 yard. To say that Tiger is back in the field for distance off the tee and that swingspeed has little to do with the distance players hit balls is IMHO nuts.

Some players hit a lower ball and some hit a higher ball. Higher balls don't land a roll as much as lower hit balls therefore they stop quicker.

I also think that because the accuracy of the drives, i.e. in the fairway as opposed to the rough also has a bearing on the distance the ball finally travels. Tiger is 116th on the accuracy list hitting only 64.3% of the fairways he aims for. That would definitely impact the overall distance he gets on his drives.

[fireice]

Very interesting article Andru, definitely makes you wonder if anything (testing etc.) will be done in the near future. When Tiger speaks people listen. All this craziness over distance, I'm just happy hitting my 3wood off the tee praying it lands somewhere in the fairway. I love the last quote from Tiger:

"These clubs are good for the public. They make the game easier for them, But they have a major impact on us."

[golfdoc]

Maybe Tiger's equipment is inferior.

If all the other drivers are legal, then maybe Phil Mickelson had a point.

If Tiger doesn't use a driver at the maximum COR, he can't expect to hit it ias far.

[el tigre]

Kelly says he has proof other companies are producing non-conforming drivers and distributing them to Tour pros.

I think Tiger is right, and his comments were meant as a "shot across the bow" to the PGA and other tour players.

There's a lot of $$$ at stake, and it is soooo easy to cheat with the COR because you cannot get caught AT THE EVENT (yet). Out of 150 players, you gotta think somebody has tried it.

[Andru]

Happy Gilmore

Sure it's YHO but it's wrong. Tiger Generates more body and swing speed than anyone on tour except maybe Hank Kuene.

I didn't say club head speed ultimately this is what propels the ball. The question is how does a guy with less body speed generate more club head speed. And why can't this same player do it with irons as well?

No one hits 260 yard 2 irons low or high ball flight run or no run, but the same guys are hitting drivers 20 yards past him. It's equipment. These same guys were 20 yards shorter than tiger 3 yrs ago.

[Happy Gilmore]

Sorry if I made a confusing statement, that was not my intent.

I didn't say that Tiger has a slow swing speed, far from that. All I was trying to point out is that if Tiger hit more fairways he would get more roll and therefore his average driving distance would increase.

Tiger also uses a smaller driver head CC-wise and other players use larger clubs. If Tiger is off centre on his driver, the "Sweet Area" will me missed therefore a loss in accuracy and distance. Players with larger drivers have a larger margin for error within that "Sweet Area".

Why can't this same player do it with irons as well?

Why do some players use a 3 wood over a 2 iron? It's where there game lies. I can't hit a 2 iron, but I can hit my 3 wood about 255, what club do you think is in my bag?

[Kilroy]

I didn't say that Tiger has a slow swing speed, far from that. All I was trying to point out is that if Tiger hit more fairways he would get more roll and therefore his average driving distance would increase.

Drives not in the fairway do not count in driving distance measurements.

[Happy Gilmore]

I knew that was the case for long drive comps, but wasn't 100% sure for the PGA.

Maybe Tiger's longest drives go through the corner of the fairway and end up in the rough on the dog legs, therefore they don't count. I don't know. A shorter driver they say is easier to control, but a driver head with a larger hitting surface provides a better "insurance policy" for hitting a the "Sweet Area" more consistantly.

From golfdoc:
If Tiger doesn't use a driver at the maximum COR, he can't expect to hit it as far.

If this is a known fact, maybe there is something else he can do about it to increase the length off the teeing area.

[powerlefty]

I think on tour they measure the distance of the drive no matter where it lands. They have 2 holes set up for this on each course - both relatively level and running in opposite directions to negate the wind and both where players are likely to hit driver, i.e. not on lay-up doglegs. They then average these 2 numbers. They measure accuracy (i.e. fairways hit) on every non-par 3 hole.

[spidey]

Originally posted by Dan Kilbank
Drives not in the fairway do not count in driving distance measurements.

If that's true, then the accuracy measurements are badly skewed. Every player at the US Open counted both of their drives for distance on every round..... hmmm. Coincidence?

http://www.usopen.com/scoring/drive.htm

[Kilroy]

I could be wrong :o