News
USGA, R&A 2018 Driving Distance Report finds 1.7-yard average increase in distance across all tours
Released today, the USGA/R&A’s 2018 Annual Driving Distance Report analyzes driving-distance data from the seven men’s and women’s pro golf tours worldwide (PGA Tour, European Tour, LPGA Tour, Web.com Tour, PGA Tour Champions, Japan Golf Tour, and Ladies’ European Tour).
The fourth edition of the report found “driving distances on these seven tours increased by an average of 1.7 yards, beyond the previous year’s gain of more than 3 yards.”
Traditionally, driving distance is measured on two holes at each event. Across the seven tours, this equals more than 200,000 shots.
On the PGA Tour, the report found an increase of 3.6 yards on the holes where official driving distance was measured and a 1.8-yard uptick when all tee shots were factored in.
In accordance with the 2002 Joint Statement of Principles, the USGA and R&A stated their “commitment to ensure that skill is the dominant element of success throughout the game,” and pledged to keep close tabs on driving distance figures in professional golf.
According to the organizations, the 2018 report will be evaluated alongside data gathered in the Distance Insights project, which was launched in May of 2018.
Those involved with the project are expected to deliver an update during the first quarter of 2019.
You can read the full report here.
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News
Morning 9: 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour | Rory on possible return to policy board
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.
As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.
Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.
General Albums
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Alex Fitzpatrick – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Austin Cook – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Alejandro Tosti – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- MJ Daffue – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Nate Lashley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- James Nicholas – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Kevin Streelman – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rasmus Hojgaard – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Tom Whitney – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- SangMoon Bae – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Daniel Berger – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rory McIlroy – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Russ Cochrane – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Aldrich Potgieter – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Steve Stricker WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Drew Brees WITB (Legendary New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Thriston Lawrence WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
Pullout Albums
- MJ Daffue’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Cameron putters – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Swag covers ( a few custom for Nick Hardy) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Custom Bettinardi covers for Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Doug Ghim’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Patrick Cantlay spotted testing a Scotty Cameron blade putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
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News
Morning 9: Tiger’s TGL teammates | Woosnam’s criticism of Cantlay | Rory’s return to tour policy board
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Greg V
Jan 30, 2019 at 1:38 pm
From the data, the LPGA has not gotten longer, while the Web.com Tour and PGA tour have.
My conclusion, the very longest players can benefit from higher COR and lower spin driver heads; the ladies do not. Most of the rest of us do not, as well.
I say bring back the COR for elite players – the same group that has to abide by the groove rule.
Jack Nash
Jan 30, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Good points for sure. I would like more if they got results from the Top 100 PGA pros. Many there bombthe ball. That could skew the number a lot higher I think.
~j~
Jan 30, 2019 at 11:50 am
I have a solution. Unlevel tee boxes for the pros. Not like the crap we pedestrians play on, but let’s see Brooks hit a drive off a 10* sloped tee box.
Travis Goodspeed
Jan 30, 2019 at 11:31 am
Why don’t they just say the longest club in your back can be no more than 43” with no less than 12* loft and regulate face hotness CT/COR and be done with it? The long hitters would still be long, the short hitters still short, but you can shave off 40y across the board of everyone’s distance.
Jack Nash
Jan 30, 2019 at 1:50 pm
Dammed if you do Dammed if you don’t. The ball makers come after you or the club makers. So what the ruling bodies do is sit on the fence. I would like to see the shaft length shortened. That’s a good idea like you said. As for loft they can bend that lower, and they do it now.
appletree
Jan 30, 2019 at 11:13 am
IMO. It seems that much time and expense has gone into gathering all this data. Curiously, how does this data help a mid-handicap senior golfer like me? Scheiss’ comment as noted above hits the nail on the head for a very high percentage of the every day golfers. We can move forward a tee block or two. Work on our flexibility and fitness and our golf skills in general. These stats are not going to help us shoot lower scores or have more fun with our sport. So why go to this effort.
Shallowface
Jan 30, 2019 at 9:42 am
Mark Twain may not have said it, but he certainly popularized it.
“There are three kinds of lies. Lies, damned lies and statistics.”
The dude
Jan 29, 2019 at 8:24 pm
Its because of Trump!…
Brian
Jan 29, 2019 at 6:22 pm
Good thing no forum members are on any of the tours it would have been a 50yd increase.
Tartan Golf Travel
Jan 29, 2019 at 5:46 pm
This is mostly because of the natural aging out of older shorter hitters and the rise of younger bigger stronger players.
Greg V
Jan 29, 2019 at 7:23 pm
That is an astute remark. But the fact remains, the young guns are too powerful for most of the courses that they play.
Tartan Golf Travel
Jan 29, 2019 at 7:33 pm
I don’t disagree but that just means what we need bifurcation. I belong to several clubs both in the states and in Scotland and I’m sure they all have one thing in common with the place you play…… every single member got a year older. The tour is getting younger. 99.9999% of the golfing population does not play the game they play. The ball and the clubs don’t need to be dialed back, the courses don’t need to be changed. The tours need their own set of rules if they are worried about distance. I’m a scratch player and I’ll turn 50 this year but I don’t hit it as far as I did when I was 20 or even 40 despite the gains that TaylorMade and the like have promised (lol).
Greg V
Jan 30, 2019 at 2:09 pm
I agree with bifurcation. There are so many older courses – a real treasure for the game – which are outmoded by modern equipment. Since the older courses are on the best properties, play to around 6500 yards or a bit more, doesn’t it make sense to shrink the modern game to fit the older courses. Not the other way around.
Love to see a US Open at Merion with COR reduced for drivers, and a ball that goes shorter. Same with Pebble Beach.
Tartan Golf Travel
Jan 30, 2019 at 7:02 pm
Agreed. The game absolutely needs bifurcation.
Tom
Jan 29, 2019 at 5:20 pm
Uncle Rico added 40 yards per drive in 2018! Now he can hit it over that there mountain.
Scheiss
Jan 30, 2019 at 10:15 am
No need for bifurcation.
The older members at our club, and I mean the older guys into their 60s and 70s and 80s have moved forward tees, sometimes a couple of tees, and some of them even play the same tees as their wives.
So just move forward a tee.