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His 2-iron goes how far? Dustin Johnson’s distance chart is impressive

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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.

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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.

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RELATED: See DJ’s full WITB with pictures here.

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70 Comments

70 Comments

  1. 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/

  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.

  3. moses

    Mar 27, 2017 at 10:08 pm

    236 yard 4 iron. WOW!!!!!!

  4. 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.

  5. 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?

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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…

  9. 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!!

  10. 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.

  11. 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?

  12. 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.

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. Tom

    Mar 27, 2017 at 11:22 am

    Damn! there’s a lot of denial on here

  16. 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.

    • Michael

      Mar 28, 2017 at 4:07 pm

      You know this how? … Because you say so? Just as I thought.

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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…

  20. 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.

  21. 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?

  22. 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.

  23. 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.

  24. 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

  25. 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

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Instruction

The Wedge Guy: The easiest-to-learn golf basic

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My golf learning began with this simple fact – if you don’t have a fundamentally sound hold on the golf club, it is practically impossible for your body to execute a fundamentally sound golf swing. I’m still a big believer that the golf swing is much easier to execute if you begin with the proper hold on the club.

As you might imagine, I come into contact with hundreds of golfers of all skill levels. And it is very rare to see a good player with a bad hold on the golf club. There are some exceptions, for sure, but they are very few and very far between, and they typically have beat so many balls with their poor grip that they’ve found a way to work around it.

The reality of biophysics is that the body moves only in certain ways – and the particulars of the way you hold the golf club can totally prevent a sound swing motion that allows the club to release properly through the impact zone. The wonderful thing is that anyone can learn how to put a fundamentally sound hold on the golf club, and you can practice it anywhere your hands are not otherwise engaged, like watching TV or just sitting and relaxing.

Whether you prefer an overlap, interlock or full-finger (not baseball!) grip on the club, the same fundamentals apply.  Here are the major grip faults I see most often, in the order of the frequency:

Mis-aligned hands

By this I mean that the palms of the two hands are not parallel to each other. Too many golfers have a weak left hand and strong right, or vice versa. The easiest way to learn how to hold the club with your palms aligned properly is to grip a plain wooden ruler or yardstick. It forces the hands to align properly and shows you how that feels. If you grip and re-grip a yardstick several times, then grip a club, you’ll see that the learning curve is almost immediate.

The position of the grip in the upper/left hand

I also observe many golfers who have the butt of the grip too far into the heel pad of the upper hand (the left hand for right-handed players). It’s amazing how much easier it is to release the club through the ball if even 1/4-1/2″ of the butt is beyond the left heel pad. Try this yourself to see what I mean.  Swing the club freely with just your left hand and notice the difference in its release from when you hold it at the end of the grip, versus gripping down even a half inch.

To help you really understand how this works, go to the range and hit shots with your five-iron gripped down a full inch to make the club the same length as your seven-iron. You will probably see an amazing shot shape difference, and likely not see as much distance loss as you would expect.

Too much lower (right) hand on the club

It seems like almost all golfers of 8-10 handicap or higher have the club too far into the palm of the lower hand, because that feels “good” if you are trying to control the path of the clubhead to the ball. But the golf swing is not an effort to hit at the ball – it is a swing of the club. The proper hold on the club has the grip underneath the pad at the base of the fingers. This will likely feel “weak” to you — like you cannot control the club like that. EXACTLY. You should not be trying to control the club with your lower/master hand.

Gripping too tightly

Nearly all golfers hold the club too tightly, which tenses up the forearms and prevents a proper release of the club through impact. In order for the club to move back and through properly, you must feel that the club is controlled by the last three fingers of the upper hand, and the middle two fingers of the lower hand. If you engage your thumbs and forefingers in “holding” the club, the result will almost always be a grip that is too tight. Try this for yourself. Hold the club in your upper hand only, and squeeze firmly with just the last three fingers, with the forefinger and thumb off the club entirely. You have good control, but your forearms are not tense. Then begin to squeeze down with your thumb and forefinger and observe the tensing of the entire forearm. This is the way we are made, so the key to preventing tenseness in the arms is to hold the club very lightly with the “pinchers” — the thumbs and forefingers.

So, those are what I believe are the four fundamentals of a good grip. Anyone can learn them in their home or office very quickly. There is no easier way to improve your ball striking consistency and add distance than giving more attention to the way you hold the golf club.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open betting preview

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As the Florida swing comes to an end, the PGA Tour makes its way to Houston to play the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course.

This will be the fourth year that Memorial Park Golf Course will serve as the tournament host. The event did not take place in 2023, but the course hosted the event in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Memorial Park is a par-70 layout measuring 7,432 yards and features Bermudagrass greens. Historically, the main defense for the course has been thick rough along the fairways and tightly mown runoff areas around the greens. Memorial Park has a unique setup that features three Par 5’s and five Par 3’s.

The field will consist of 132 players, with the top 65 and ties making the cut. There are some big names making the trip to Houston, including Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala.

Past Winners at Memorial Park

  • 2022: Tony Finau (-16)
  • 2021: Jason Kokrak (-10)
  • 2020: Carlos Ortiz (-13)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value). 

Key Stats For Memorial Park

Let’s take a look at several metrics for Memorial Park to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds:

Strokes Gained: Approach

Memorial Park is a pretty tough golf course. Golfers are penalized for missing greens and face some difficult up and downs to save par. Approach will be key.

Total Strokes Gained: Approach per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Tom Hoge (+1.30)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.26)
  3. Keith Mitchell (+0.97) 
  4. Tony Finau (+0.92)
  5. Jake Knapp (+0.84)

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

Memorial Park is a long golf course with rough that can be penal. Therefore, a combination of distance and accuracy is the best metric.

Total Strokes Gained: Off the Tee per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+0.94)
  2. Kevin Dougherty (+0.93)
  3. Cameron Champ (+0.86)
  4. Rafael Campos (+0.84)
  5. Si Woo Kim (+0.70)

Strokes Gained Putting: Bermudagrass + Fast

The Bermudagrass greens played fairly fast the past few years in Houston. Jason Kokrak gained 8.7 strokes putting on his way to victory in 2021 and Tony Finau gained in 7.8 in 2022.

Total Strokes Gained Putting (Bermudagrass) per round past 24 rounds (min. 8 rounds):

  1. Adam Svensson (+1.27)
  2. Harry Hall (+1.01)
  3. Martin Trainer (+0.94)
  4. Taylor Montgomery (+0.88)
  5. S.H. Kim (+0.86)

Strokes Gained: Around the Green

With firm and undulating putting surfaces, holding the green on approach shots may prove to be a challenge. Memorial Park has many tightly mowed runoff areas, so golfers will have challenging up-and-down’s around the greens. Carlos Ortiz gained 5.7 strokes around the green on the way to victory in 2020.

Total Strokes Gained: Around the Green per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Mackenzie Hughes (+0.76)
  2. S.H. Kim (+0.68)
  3. Scottie Scheffler (+0.64)
  4. Jorge Campillo (+0.62)
  5. Jason Day (+0.60)

Strokes Gained: Long and Difficult

Memorial Park is a long and difficult golf course. This statistic will incorporate players who’ve had success on these types of tracks in the past. 

Total Strokes Gained: Long and Difficult in past 24 rounds:

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+2.45)
  2. Ben Griffin (+1.75)
  3. Will Zalatoris (+1.73)
  4. Ben Taylor (+1.53)
  5. Tony Finau (+1.42)

Course History

Here are the players who have performed the most consistently at Memorial Park. 

Strokes Gained Total at Memorial Park past 12 rounds:

  1. Tyson Alexander (+3.65)
  2. Ben Taylor (+3.40)
  3. Tony Finau (+2.37)
  4. Joel Dahmen (+2.25)
  5. Patton Kizzire (+2.16)

Statistical Model

Below, I’ve reported overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed.

These rankings are comprised of SG: App (24%) SG: OTT (24%); SG: Putting Bermudagrass/Fast (13%); SG: Long and Difficult (13%); SG: ARG (13%) and Course History (13%)

  1. Scottie Scheffler
  2. Wyndham Clark
  3. Tony Finau
  4. Joel Dahmen
  5. Stephan Jaeger 
  6. Aaron Rai
  7. Sahith Theegala
  8. Keith Mitchell 
  9. Jhonnatan Vegas
  10. Jason Day
  11. Kurt Kitayama
  12. Alex Noren
  13. Will Zalatoris
  14. Si Woo Kim
  15. Adam Long

2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open Picks

Will Zalatoris +2000 (Caesars)

Scottie Scheffler will undoubtedly be difficult to beat this week, so I’m starting my card with someone who I believe has the talent to beat him if he doesn’t have his best stuff.

Will Zalatoris missed the cut at the PLAYERS, but still managed to gain strokes on approach while doing so. In an unpredictable event with extreme variance, I don’t believe it would be wise to discount Zalatoris based on that performance. Prior to The PLAYERS, the 27-year-old finished T13, T2 and T4 in his previous three starts.

Zalatoris plays his best golf on long and difficult golf courses. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the category, but the eye test also tells a similar story. He’s contended at major championships and elevated events in the best of fields with tough scoring conditions.  The Texas resident should be a perfect fit at Memorial Park Golf Club.

Alex Noren +4500 (FanDuel)

Alex Noren has been quietly playing some of his best golf of the last half decade this season. The 41-year-old is coming off back-to-back top-20 finishes in Florida including a T9 at The PLAYERS in his most recent start.

In his past 24 rounds, Noren ranks 21st in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 30th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green, 25th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses and 21st in Strokes Gained: Putting on fast Bermudagrass greens.

In addition to his strong recent play, the Swede also has played well at Memorial Park. In 2022, Noren finished T4 at the event, gaining 2.2 strokes off the tee and 7.0 strokes on approach for the week. In his two starts at the course, he’s gained an average of .6 strokes per round on the field, indicating he is comfortable on these greens.

Noren has been due for a win for what feels like an eternity, but Memorial Park may be the course that suits him well enough for him to finally get his elusive first PGA Tour victory.

Mackenzie Hughes +8000 (FanDuel)

Mackenzie Hughes found himself deep into contention at last week’s Valspar Championship before faltering late and finishing in a tie for 3rd place. While he would have loved to win the event, it’s hard to see the performance as anything other than an overwhelming positive sign for the Canadian.

Hughes has played great golf at Memorial Park in the past. He finished T7 in 2020, T29 in 2021 and T16 in 2022. The course fit seems to be quite strong for Hughes. He’s added distance off the tee in the past year or and ranks 8th in the field for apex height, which will be a key factor when hitting into Memorial Park’s elevated greens with steep run-off areas.

In his past 24 rounds, Hughes is the best player in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Greens. The ability to scramble at this course will be extremely important. I believe Hughes can build off of his strong finish last week and contend once again to cement himself as a President’s Cup consideration.

Akshay Bhatia +8000 (FanDuel)

Akshay Bhatia played well last week at the Valspar and seemed to be in total control of his golf ball. He finished in a tie for 17th and shot an impressive -3 on a difficult Sunday. After struggling Thursday, Akshay shot 68-70-68 in his next three rounds.

Thus far, Bhatia has played better at easier courses, but his success at Copperhead may be due to his game maturing. The 22-year-old has enormous potential and the raw talent to be one of the best players in the world when he figures it all out.

Bhatia is a high upside play with superstar qualities and may just take the leap forward to the next stage of his career in the coming months.

Cameron Champ +12000 (FanDuel)

Cameron Champ is a player I often target in the outright betting market due to his “boom-or-bust” nature. It’s hard to think of a player in recent history with three PGA Tour wins who’s been as inconsistent as Champ has over the course of his career.

Despite the erratic play, Cam Champ simply knows how to win. He’s won in 2018, 2019 and 2021, so I feel he’s due for a win at some point this season. The former Texas A&M product should be comfortable in Texas and last week he showed us that his game is in a pretty decent spot.

Over his past 24 rounds, Champ ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 30th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses. Given his ability to spike at any given time, Memorial Park is a good golf course to target Champ on at triple digit odds.

Robert MacIntyre +12000 (FanDuel)

The challenge this week is finding players who can possibly beat Scottie Scheffler while also not dumping an enormous amount of money into an event that has a player at the top that looks extremely dangerous. Enter McIntyre, who’s another boom-or-bust type player who has the ceiling to compete with anyone when his game is clicking on all cylinders.

In his past 24 rounds, MacIntyre ranks 16th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 17th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 10th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses.

MacIntyre’s PGA Tour season has gotten off to a slow start, but he finished T6 in Mexico, which is a course where players will hit driver on the majority of their tee shots, which is what we will see at Memorial Park. Texas can also get quite windy, which should suit MacIntyre. Last July, the Scot went toe to toe with Rory McIlroy at the Scottish Open before a narrow defeat. It would take a similar heroic effort to compete with Scheffler this year in Houston.

Ryan Moore +15000 (FanDuel)

Ryan Moore’s iron play has been absolutely unconscious over his past few starts. At The PLAYERS Championship in a loaded field, he gained 6.1 strokes on approach and last week at Copperhead, he gained 9.0 strokes on approach.

It’s been a rough handful of years on Tour for the 41-year-old, but he is still a five-time winner on the PGA Tour who’s young enough for a career resurgence. Moore has chronic deterioration in a costovertebral joint that connects the rib to the spine, but has been getting more consistent of late, which is hopefully a sign that he is getting healthy.

Veterans have been contending in 2024 and I believe taking a flier on a proven Tour play who’s shown signs of life is a wise move at Memorial Park.

 

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Opinion & Analysis

Ryan: Why the race to get better at golf might be doing more harm than good

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B.F. Skinner was one of the most important psychologists of the 20th century, developing the foundation of the development of reinforcement, and in doing so, creating the concept of behaviorism. In simple terms, this means that we are conditioned by our habits. In practical terms, it explains the divide between the few and far between elite instructors and college coaches.

To understand the application, let’s quickly review one of B.F. Skinner’s most important experiments; superstitions in the formation of behavior by pigeons. In this experiment, food was dispensed to pigeons at random intervals. Soon, according to Skinner, the pigeons began to associate whatever action they were doing at the time of the food being dispensed. According to Skinner, this conditioned that response and soon, they simply haphazardly repeated the action, failing to distinguish between cause and correlation (and in the meantime, looking really funny!).

Now, this is simply the best way to describe the actions of most every women’s college golf coach and too many instructors in America. They see something work, get positive feedback and then become conditioned to give the feedback, more and more, regardless of if it works (this is also why tips from your buddies never work!).

Go to a college event, particularly a women’s one, and you will see coaches running all over the place. Like the pigeons in the experiment, they have been conditioned into a codependent relationship with their players in which they believe their words and actions, can transform a round of golf. It is simply hilarious while being equally perturbing

In junior golf, it’s everywhere. Junior golf academies make a living selling parents that a hysterical coach and over-coaching are essential ingredients in your child’s success.

Let’s be clear, no one of any intellect has any real interest in golf — because it’s not that interesting. The people left, including most coaches and instructors, carve out a small fiefdom, usually on the corner of the range, where they use the illusion of competency to pray on people. In simple terms, they baffle people with the bullshit of pseudo-science that they can make you better, after just one more lesson.

The reality is that life is an impromptu game. The world of golf, business, and school have a message that the goal is being right. This, of course, is bad advice, being right in your own mind is easy, trying to push your ideas on others is hard. As a result, it is not surprising that the divorce rate among golf professionals and their instructors is 100 percent. The transfer rate among college players continues to soar, and too many courses have a guy peddling nefarious science to good people. In fact, we do at my course!

The question is, what impact does all this have on college-age and younger kids? At this point, we honestly don’t know. However, I am going to go out on a limb and say it isn’t good.

Soren Kierkegaard once quipped “I saw it for what it is, and I laughed.” The actions of most coaches and instructors in America are laughable. The problem is that I am not laughing because they are doing damage to kids, as well as driving good people away from this game.

The fact is that golfers don’t need more tips, secrets, or lessons. They need to be presented with a better understanding of the key elements of golf. With this understanding, they can then start to frame which information makes sense and what doesn’t. This will emancipate them and allow them to take charge of their own development.

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