Opinion & Analysis
His 2-iron goes how far? Dustin Johnson’s distance chart is impressive
Dustin Johnson topped Jon Rahm in the final to take home the WGC-Dell Match Play Championship, his second WGC event victory of the year. And even more impressively, the match play triumph is his third W in a row.
TaylorMade filed an interesting look at DJ’s distances and recent preference for an Ultimate Driving Iron 2-iron, rather than a 5-wood, off the tee on tight holes.
Dustin Johnson’s TaylorMade UDI 2-iron.
And while TMag didn’t offer a full profile of lofts, here’s a look at his distance gapping on his average full-swing shots.
M1 Driver: 312 yards
M1 3-wood: 282 yards
M1 5-wood: 267 yards
2-iron UDI: 261 yards
4-iron: 236 yards
5-iron: 225 yards
6-iron: 212 yards
7-iron: 200 yards
8-iron: 186 yards
9-iron: 172 yards
PW: 158 yards
As TaylorMade points out, the distances represent averages, not full-bore, on-the-screws blasts. Johnson, of course, has no problem carrying his driver more than 320 yards when he wants to or smoking his 3-wood more than 300 yards off the tee.
And we’ve got his full bag specs as of the WGC-Dell Match Play.
Driver: TaylorMade 2017 M1 (10.5 degrees, set to 11)
Shaft: Fujikura Speeder Evolution 2.0 Tour Spec 661X
Specs: 45.75 inches, tipped 1 inch
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade 2017 M1 3HL (17 degrees, set to 16)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 6.5 (95 grams)
Length: 42.25 inches
Irons: TaylorMade UDi (2), TaylorMade Tour Preferred MB ’14 (3-PW)
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Black 6.5 (105 grams), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (3-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind (52-09 and 60-10)
Shaft: KBS Tour Wedge 120S Black Nickel
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Black
Grip: SuperStroke Pistol GT 1.0
Specs: 35 inches, 2.5 degrees, 69 degrees, E0
Johnson told Taylormade he has an “If it ain’t broke…” attitude toward his bag set-up ahead of the Masters. While he may not tinker with his weaponry to take on Augusta National, rest assured that we’ll let you know if he does.
RELATED: See DJ’s full WITB with pictures here.
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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After having four of the top twelve players on the leaderboard at The Masters, LIV Golf is set for their fifth event of the season: LIV Adelaide.
For both LIV fans and golf fans in Australia, LIV Adelaide is one of the most anticipated events of the year. With 35,000 people expected to attend each day of the tournament, the Grange Golf Club will be crawling with fans who are passionate about the sport of golf. The 12th hole, better known as “the watering hole”, is sure to have the rowdiest of the fans cheering after a long day of drinking some Leishman Lager.
The Grange Golf Club is a par-72 that measures 6,946 yards. The course features minimal resistance, as golfers went extremely low last season. In 2023, Talor Gooch shot consecutive rounds of 62 on Thursday and Friday, giving himself a gigantic cushion heading into championship Sunday. Things got tight for a while, but in the end, the Oklahoma State product was able to hold off The Crushers’ Anirban Lahiri for a three-shot victory.
The Four Aces won the team competition with the Range Goats finishing second.
*All Images Courtesy of LIV Golf*
Past Winners at LIV Adelaide
- 2023: Talor Gooch (-19)
Stat Leaders Through LIV Miami
Green in Regulation
- Richard Bland
- Jon Rahm
- Paul Casey
Fairways Hit
- Abraham Ancer
- Graeme McDowell
- Henrik Stenson
Driving Distance
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Joaquin Niemann
- Dean Burmester
Putting
- Cameron Smith
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Matt Jones
2024 LIV Adelaide Picks
Cameron Smith +1400 (DraftKings)
When I pulled up the odds for LIV Adelaide, I was more than a little surprised to see multiple golfers listed ahead of Cameron Smith on the betting board. A few starts ago, Cam finished runner-up at LIV Hong Kong, which is a golf course that absolutely suits his eye. Augusta National in another course that Smith could roll out of bed and finish in the top-ten at, and he did so two weeks ago at The Masters, finishing T6.
At Augusta, he gained strokes on the field on approach, off the tee (slightly), and of course, around the green and putting. Smith able to get in the mix at a major championship despite coming into the week feeling under the weather tells me that his game is once again rounding into form.
The Grange Golf Club is another course that undoubtedly suits the Australian. Smith is obviously incredibly comfortable playing in front of the Aussie faithful and has won three Australian PGA Championship’s. The course is very short and will allow Smith to play conservative off the tee, mitigating his most glaring weakness. With birdies available all over the golf course, there’s a chance the event turns into a putting contest, and there’s no one on the planet I’d rather have in one of those than Cam Smith.
Louis Oosthuizen +2200 (DraftKings)
Louis Oosthuizen has simply been one of the best players on LIV in the 2024 seas0n. The South African has finished in the top-10 on the LIV leaderboard in three of his five starts, with his best coming in Jeddah, where he finished T2. Perhaps more impressively, Oosthuizen finished T7 at LIV Miami, which took place at Doral’s “Blue Monster”, an absolutely massive golf course. Given that Louis is on the shorter side in terms of distance off the tee, his ability to play well in Miami shows how dialed he is with the irons this season.
In addition to the LIV finishes, Oosthuizen won back-to-back starts on the DP World Tour in December at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mauritus Open. He also finished runner-up at the end of February in the International Series Oman. The 41-year-old has been one of the most consistent performers of 2024, regardless of tour.
For the season, Louis ranks 4th on LIV in birdies made, T9 in fairways hit and first in putting. He ranks 32nd in driving distance, but that won’t be an issue at this short course. Last season, he finished T11 at the event, but was in decent position going into the final round but fell back after shooting 70 while the rest of the field went low. This season, Oosthuizen comes into the event in peak form, and the course should be a perfect fit for his smooth swing and hot putter this week.
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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.
Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.
But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.
To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.
Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.
If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.
In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.
Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.
While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.
So, what about grooves and face texture?
Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.
Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.
But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?
The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.
So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.
And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.
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Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)...
Rory McIlroy WITB 2024 (April)
Rory McIlroy what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus...
Sam Burns WITB 2024 (April)
Sam Burns’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (9 degrees...
Will Zalatoris WITB 2024 (April)
Will Zalatoris’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)...
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19th Hole2 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole2 days agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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19th Hole2 days ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole3 weeks agoReport: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole1 week agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
c.spackler
Jan 3, 2023 at 4:36 pm
hmmm those numbers sure do look alot like the 130mph numbers found here:
https://swingmangolf.com/average-golf-swing-speed-chart-2/
Dave R
Mar 27, 2017 at 10:48 pm
Pactricknorm, glad your son played in the NHL but what’s your point ? I hope I didn’t miss it. Thanks.
moses
Mar 27, 2017 at 10:08 pm
236 yard 4 iron. WOW!!!!!!
Pete
Mar 27, 2017 at 8:52 pm
He can easily hit these distances. Just go watch some D1 golfers hit the ball today because they can absolutely pound it. They all work out with trainers and can really move the ball out there. They are much better athletes than in past years because of how specialized their training has become.
Sean
Mar 27, 2017 at 5:55 pm
Remember, these numbers are provided by a company trying to sell golf clubs.
Michael
Mar 28, 2017 at 3:59 pm
So you doubt the veracity of them after watching them him the last few years?
JE
Mar 27, 2017 at 5:21 pm
Replayed the final round yesterday. He hit an 8 iron on a 155 par 3. Downhill.
It did wind up about 10 yards past the pin.
Steve
Mar 27, 2017 at 7:14 pm
And you really think that represents his “normal” 8 iron?
Jack
Mar 27, 2017 at 10:15 pm
Who knows how he hit that, perhaps flighted it somewhat to avoid the wind? I don’t doubt his distances, but yeah in tournaments many of his iron shots like 9 iron etc are pretty regular like 160 yard shot or a 140 yard PW. Clearly he varies his shot/swing to hit a specific distance, but those averages are probably all his full swing averages that TM asked him to hit for marketing purposes.
Jmizzle
Mar 27, 2017 at 5:03 pm
TV needs to just say swing speed/loft at impact. Those are the 2 things amateurs can’t put together. I’m a low handicapper that struggles with
distance. I spent time on a launch monitor to see what ‘moves’ would create more speed. None did. No matter what i did, I could not go from 103 mph to 110. I play in a lot of scratch leagues, no one is sniffing 120mph, except some young 6’3″ college kids. For the high speed players i know, none can de-loft the way these guys do. They flip, scoop or slap that ball.
Patricknorm
Mar 27, 2017 at 3:58 pm
Here’s a little perspective for the doubters here. My son played in the NHL and watch a 3 handicap when he was 14 because he could hit the ball so far. Using a Taylor Made Burner driver with a steel shaft he won a junior long drive contest with a drive of 282. He could hit a 7 iron 200 yards and he never carried a 3 wood because his 3 iron was about 270. In hockey numbers his slap shot was measured at 97 mph and he was measured on a (golf) launch monitor with a 127 mph swing speed.
He chose hockey because it was a virtual guarantee career wise. I’m not near as long and I can tell you seeing a drive go 350 yards is a thing of beauty.
Ironically I’ve seen Dustin Johnson a few times live and he’s impressive. He’s a perfect NHL defenceman, 6’4″ maybe 210 and probably mean as a pit bull. Clearly Johnson made the right choice. He’ll play longer and make far more money in golf. He’d probably be good in many pro sports. Doesn’t hurt Wayne is his father in law either.
Barry
Mar 27, 2017 at 7:14 pm
No, but he is likely from Canada or the northern US where it is still winter and the people have basically gone insane by this point
LOL
Mar 28, 2017 at 12:10 am
To someone who got woken up in the middle of the night this comment was great.
bachvo
Mar 29, 2017 at 4:40 am
best comment by far
DeShamBeau
Mar 29, 2017 at 5:22 pm
This comment in bonkers and the replies are amazing. Well done, everyone.
Steve
Mar 27, 2017 at 7:15 pm
What has Dustin Johnson ever done or said that makes you think he’s “probably mean as a pit bull”? Everything I’ve ever seen/heard from him would argue the exact opposite.
Jack
Mar 27, 2017 at 10:20 pm
Clearly he wants us to know his son played in the NHL and could achieve clubhead speeds up to 127 mph. Proud dad this one.
Similar comparison would be Sadlowski (though of course Jamie is more talented having won the long drive championship). He can also hit his 7 iron 225. But he can’t make it as a pro golfer on the tours. Distance isn’t everything, but of course it helps. DJ can be long and accurate which is what’s impressive.
Michael
Mar 28, 2017 at 4:03 pm
First, besides you, who do yo think cares what your kid does? Answer: No one except his mother.
Second, find somewhere else to hang out. No one here cares for your how to win friends and not make enemies strategy.
Michael
Mar 28, 2017 at 4:04 pm
There is none other than letting us know his head is inflated beyond the size of the Goodyear blimp.
Daniel
Jun 22, 2018 at 8:50 am
14yrs old and hitting a 7 iron as far as dy and a 3 iron the same length as djs 5 wood.. dont let the truth get in the way of a good story I’m thinking…
Mark
Mar 27, 2017 at 3:08 pm
85 degrees. No wind. Hard fairways. Downhill on a tour spec course. Come to my home course. Soaking wet, cold, damp air. Remember these guys do this for a living and don’t do a days work before playing. Usain Bolt runs very fast and people don’t expect to run as fast as he does so don’t expect to hit it as far as a Pro. And I will have a bet on DJ for the Masters!!
Bob
Mar 27, 2017 at 2:17 pm
Lots of folks in denial saying these can’t be accurate but go watch him hit balls on the range and report back. I’m talking in person too. Only egotistical morons would watch him and think these couldn’t possibly be accurate.
Christopher Feltham
Mar 27, 2017 at 12:40 pm
I played St Anne’s links, Dublin last monday in a gale….a proper course. They’re off to shelter at the least sign of adverse conditions in the states….Michelson’s shown he can handle British/Irish conditions….come and show us DJ…if your soft enough.
Steve
Mar 27, 2017 at 1:29 pm
You do realize that sending them “off to shelter” in adverse conditions has more to do with the idiot spectators than the players, right?
Dave
Mar 27, 2017 at 12:31 pm
And I have to agree with bandrz, I’ve seen DJ up close and personal at a tournament, both on the range and on the fairway. This dude is tall, and his hands must be 7 ft. in the air when he’s winding one up. There is no one in this comment section that could clean his clubs, much less hit any of their clubs similar distances. DJ is an animal 🙂
bandrz
Mar 27, 2017 at 1:38 pm
It’s uncanny. And he isn’t missing many fairways right now either. Almost all of these guys bomb it, but DJ stands out and that is hard to do. Rory does too. Thomas Pieters? dude is huge!
Bob
Mar 27, 2017 at 2:27 pm
Saw him in Austin on Thursday and he was punishing balls into 20 mph winds on the range. Was also completely floored by his size in person. We all know he’s tall and lanky but he appears to be pure lean muscle now. Then you incorporate his flexibility too and he’s just completely different from anyone else. It’s a broken record at this point talking about how he’s such a freak athlete but it really can’t be said enough.
Dave
Mar 27, 2017 at 12:28 pm
Well, downhill as Johnny Miller said, he smoked a drive 426 yds. Sunday against John, and got beat since Rahm sent his 438. I don’t care if it’s downhill or not, that’s some impressive distances, and straight down the middle for both of them. I’ll bet they didn’t have 30 yds. wide landing area, and they both hit it. Dang
bandrz
Mar 27, 2017 at 12:16 pm
Having seen DJ up close on several occasions, these look about right. If you haven’t seen these guys play in person, I don’t know what to say. Yes, they are that much longer than you.
Robin
Mar 27, 2017 at 8:01 pm
Years ago, maybe 20, a friend dragged me to an event where John Daly was teamed with another player and they played against two other players . back then Daly was 50 to 75 yards past the other 3 every single hole… Daly hit 330 or better on at least 3 holes with the other 3 out about 270 max. What we see in Johnson is nothing new just better equipment (for sure the ball) better conditioned players…
Tom
Mar 28, 2017 at 11:32 am
there ya go first hand report…witnessed
Tom
Mar 27, 2017 at 11:22 am
Damn! there’s a lot of denial on here
chip
Mar 27, 2017 at 10:16 am
those numbers are inflated. he does not hit his 7 iron 200 yards, nor his pw 160.
DJ
Mar 27, 2017 at 12:39 pm
u do know that his club head at impact is de-lofted which is why he can hit those numbers with those clubs.
Tom
Mar 28, 2017 at 11:30 am
^ +1 DJ
Michael
Mar 28, 2017 at 4:07 pm
You know this how? … Because you say so? Just as I thought.
Jim
Mar 27, 2017 at 9:56 am
He’s way longer than these numbers if he wants… from 95-2000 playing mini-tours & section events I averaged 296 off Tee w/ Callaway GBB 9 degree and 45.5 AJ Tech shaft… Callaway BB 1iron 270-275 with AJ Tech also…didn’t carry 3wd for 7 years….
My PowerBuilt TPI or Titleist DCI irons were close, but 46 PW was full swing 150…
BALLS….Spalding Tour Edition or Precept EV Extra Spin.
Bottom line, it’s mostly about speed
Jim
Mar 27, 2017 at 6:22 pm
Jack, Arnold, Julius could all hit 7irons 200+ They just would’ve had 2 ir trajectory and never stopped on a green….The equipment has changed so much that the swing (at impact) did too. 45 years ago the hackers were fighting the ‘flip’ just as they are now.
the goal of a low hcp player was to ‘turn an 8 into a 7’ at impact….
the club head designs, grooves and balls make it so a skilled player can turn an 8 into a 5&3/4 at impact and the gear will produce a ‘tour trajectory’ ball flight that will drop and sit on a green
the flippers picked up a few yards as the lofts on their 8’s are about what a 7 iron used to be, and the ‘better ones’ can at least keep ‘an 8 an 8’ and not add too much loft at impacr, often getting into the low single hcps with regular play
Johnny
Mar 27, 2017 at 9:49 am
Would love to see DJ on Trackman hitting Tour Balata 100’s and Professional 90’s like was done here.
http://www.andrewricegolf.com/andrew-rice-golf/2011/08/evolution-of-a-golf-ball
Dat
Mar 27, 2017 at 9:25 am
If these yardages are true, we are going to continue to see the trend of longer courses, and the longer hitter will always win. Time to change the BALL for tour pros only.
Jim
Mar 27, 2017 at 9:46 am
GAME BALL! Long past due…Just like every other sport. Won’t affect anyone’s endorsement deal for “their favorite ball / gear”…
Only ball on practice tee / green, fill up your bag before 1st tee.
2 year exclusive contract….same ball all year, every event.
Steve
Mar 27, 2017 at 7:18 pm
Maybe I’m confused, but it sounds like you want everybody to play the exact same ball on the golf course. IF that is indeed what you’re saying, how would that not affect anyone’s endorsement deals? Also, who decides which company makes the ball they play? There is WAY too much money in ball sales for this to ever happen.
Jim
Mar 28, 2017 at 10:33 am
Just like tennis…Player’s endorse – Wilson, but the tournament ball is Penn…
golf is SO much more touchy feely it would be a constant source of aggravation AND WHINING if the ball changed every week. I’d be pissed too…
SO there’s a big contest between the mfrs… trials with various balls for feel etc and – whoever – picks the one for the next season or 2…
game ball….no problem
Gorden
Mar 28, 2017 at 12:08 am
And who ever made that game ball would sell millions of them to every foursome in front of me and behind me every Tuesday because they all think/act like their on tour…I keep leaving messages in the club house..”Come on people tour players do take more time to read and make their one putt, lets hurry up the read on that forth putt please”…
Jim
Mar 28, 2017 at 11:01 am
And that would affect what? They’re already playing some overpriced ball ’cause some tour player does – I’ll bet 70% would drop the ‘tour ball’ in three or four rounds if if cost them 15yds off the tee (make the ball ‘need to be hit reeeally square’ to ‘work best’) or even 5 yds with an 8 iron
Robin
Mar 27, 2017 at 8:11 pm
NEVER HAPPEN PGA Golf is a business and a business is there to make money…equipment companies are not going to pay the PGA or the players to hit a TOUR ONLY BALL. Do you ever wonder why the pros play 90% of their tournaments on courses even an amateur (not the same length of course) could score better then on most local public courses….and do not bother telling me I am wrong because I have played on 3 pro tournament courses a week after the big boys and 3 out 3 times I beat my handicap. (15). why, because the lies were perfect and on the greens the ball just rolls perfect.
Jim
Mar 28, 2017 at 10:52 am
No one has to pay them to play it. It’s the official league ball.. If they want to piss and moan and quit the tour because there’s a standard (no doubt excellent) ball they have to play at that level, let em. Not a single one will.
ya don’t let the loonies run the asylum – even if their money’s paying the rent. What are they going to do? NOT play?….
Either end this perennial whining about whether or not the ‘ball is legal’ or too hot and have a game ball, or STFU…
They can’t keep lengthening the courses to a point where extremely talented but not monster long guys have no chance….Increase premium on accuracy (make the rough thicker/deeper from 275-320) throttle down the club a bit, have a game ball – OR like any other physical sport, deal with the fact that someone’s always gonna be stronger and longer, but the field stays same length…
Looper
Mar 28, 2017 at 1:56 pm
No way… What, make football fields longer, baseball pitchers mounds further back? Nonsense, only a few hit it like a tour pro…
DB
Mar 27, 2017 at 9:24 am
I still don’t believe that his driver is 45.75 inches. It sure doesn’t look that long.
Teaj
Mar 27, 2017 at 10:31 am
I thought the same thing but it could be it looks short just in comparison to his arm length which from what I understand is large. Could be wrong but the only reason I can think of because it does look short.
Jack Wullkotte
Mar 27, 2017 at 8:44 am
How can they say the golf ball is legal? Drives in the 350 yards to 400 yards are ludicrous. In the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s, I was considered a “long hitter.” My drives averaged about 280. In those days, the longest average on tour was about 290. Pitching wedge distance was about 115. Sure, lofts were about 4 degrees weaker on irons, but that would only pick up about an additional 12 to 15 yards. Johnson’s pitching wedge average is 158 yards. It’s not the club, believe me.
Shallowface
Mar 27, 2017 at 8:19 pm
Finally someone here who knows what he’s talking about. Welcome, sir!
Shallowface
Mar 27, 2017 at 8:22 pm
If you haven’t already, please visit the “Classic Golf and Golfers” section of the forums. You would be most welcome there.
Jack
Mar 27, 2017 at 10:30 pm
Currently the longer average drive is 316, not 350-400. Helps to compare apples to apples. There’s been massive changes in ball and equipment as well as athlete fitness (especially golf where they refused to call golfers athletes in the past) over the years. People are also taller and stronger than in the past. Did you see any 6’3 golfers in the 60’s?
Travis
Mar 27, 2017 at 8:35 am
I highly doubt these distances are accurate. To win the US Open he took a 6-iron from 190. That was a full swing under-pressure with adrenaline. By this chart above he should have take an 8-iron…
I’m sure Dustin can hit these numbers if he swing full out, but I highly doubt DJ’s everyday smooth 7-iron is his go to 200y club…
Steve
Mar 27, 2017 at 1:31 pm
“To win the US Open he took a 6-iron from 190. That was a full swing under-pressure with adrenaline.”
I’m willing to bet that wasn’t a “full swing… with adrenaline.” Just because it looks like he may be going after it with a full swing on TV doesn’t mean he actually is. I 100% guarantee you that he hits his normal 6 iron over 190 yards, and that’s without the extra adrenaline.
Adam S.
Mar 27, 2017 at 8:20 am
The length of the 3-wood at 42.25″ is surprising to me given DJ’s height.
CCTxGolf
Mar 27, 2017 at 9:09 am
It’s really a 4 wood (3hl) but the length still seems short for how tall he is.
Smitty
Mar 27, 2017 at 12:16 am
Might want to watch this video, he carries one of his drives 324 yards at the range:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3YpSSL2R57Y
The dude
Mar 26, 2017 at 8:52 pm
No way they are carry yardages………
Jack
Mar 26, 2017 at 10:36 pm
Yeah I think I’ve seen his trackman numbers where he was hitting some driver and also some irons in the past and the carry distances weren’t that far. TM gave his total distances, and WRX just did a little word play indirectly making people think it’s carry by saying he would have no problem carrying it 320. Actually, I think he would. He would normally hit it carry 300, and 20 yards extra would probably be his max considering he already swings it 120 mph clubhead speed. And max is definitely not a no problem proposition.
But 158 PW? We normal amateurs have a better chance of achieving pro distances on the shorter clubs because they are easier to hit, but it’s still pretty hard to hit it 158. He hits muscle back clubs too. Try hitting a 47 degree muscleback PW 158 lol. He averages that.
Halteclere
Mar 26, 2017 at 11:59 pm
I mean he did hit his two iron 300 yards carry in Mexico, granted it was altitude, but it was extremely impressive nonetheless.
Jack
Mar 27, 2017 at 8:49 am
LOL yeah those distances were crazy in Mexico. Fun for us to watch. Pretty difficult for them to figure out initially. No doubt, DJ is both long and pretty accurate. His total driving is up there. What’s more impressed has been his strokes gained from tee to green, almost 2.5 strokes on the field. Another half stroke with his putting validates his wins this season and number 1 status. He’s dominating.
James
Mar 27, 2017 at 10:37 am
That might be where these come from, to be fair. The elevation in Mexico would suit these ´averages´
Jim
Mar 27, 2017 at 9:29 pm
22yrs ago my PW was my 150yd club. I’m not quite as tall – nor lanky and long armed as DJ – and not as delofted at impact. No doubt he’s avg 158 carry – easy.
flat straight hole on a course I was on staff at in ’96 had a creek running across fairway. 290 from tips & you were in, 312 you were over. As long as i wasn’t hitting into any real wind, ~IF~ I put a good ‘102%’ swing on it, I could clear it most of the time. There’s no doubt this cat is longer than I was, and I had a record 369 yd drive (although I do believe it got a good ‘assist’ from a sprinkler head) 😉
On the ancient tech from 97, I was swinging 45.5 – 46″ drivers 126 – 130. I have no problem believing those numbers from him