Why the obsession with distance?

[Thechosen1]

I understand the average joe will want the feeling of "hitting it like the pros" but with the game in its current state(rounds over 4:30 hours well into 5 hours for example) and every ad we see on TV is "+5 yards" or "+27 yards" just from a driver or irons. Why the obsession; when did it happen? How come the average joes are so worried about distance rather then accuracy? I just have the mindset of wanting to be in the fairway rather then in the rough. Personally over the last year I have lost 5-10 yards on my driver by reducing my swing and in turn I have a ton more accuracy and have lowered my scores.

I just am curious as to why everyone likes the long ball, but if you can't control it, then you'll be looking in the woods more times then not. Is anyone with me though? Would you take accuracy over distance? Or am I just overreacting

Discuss

 

[pjcedog]

I don't like it especially, I just can't hit anything else. I have tried and failed to hit the ball shorter many times. Usually I just pull hook the carp out of the ball that way. Most of my biggest tee shots are in the middle of the fairway so I gave up trying to hit shorter a long time ago.

 

[hcopenhagenh]

Because it is a way to measure man-hood without whipping it out. You are going to get a million answers, but mine is the only one that counts.

 

[JB]

The same reason that shoes make you jump higher and run faster. Things that the normal man are not capable of doing, are always the most sought after.

 

[Damaikis]

Hitting it further leaves you closer to the hole, thereby having a shorter club in your hand for the approach. Same thing for distance irons. Even if you're further away, you can hit a shorter club.

 

[Hawk]

Spend a month or two as a short hitter and you'll see why haha. It sucks to hit hybrids when other people hit irons. At least for me it does.

 

[Esox]

I understand the average joe will want the feeling of "hitting it like the pros" but with the game in its current state(rounds over 4:30 hours well into 5 hours for example) and every ad we see on TV is "+5 yards" or "+27 yards" just from a driver or irons. Why the obsession; when did it happen? How come the average joes are so worried about distance rather then accuracy? I just have the mindset of wanting to be in the fairway rather then in the rough. Personally over the last year I have lost 5-10 yards on my driver by reducing my swing and in turn I have a ton more accuracy and have lowered my scores.

I just am curious as to why everyone likes the long ball, but if you can't control it, then you'll be looking in the woods more times then not. Is anyone with me though? Would you take accuracy over distance? Or am I just overreacting

Discuss

So that 5-10 yard loss takes you to what distance? 6 or 7 years ago I could hit the ball 280. Now I'm 51, have put on a few pounds, and rarely see more than 250. My short iron game, chipping, and putting are as good, maybe better, than ever. If I could hit it 280 again I'd be scratch.

Length is important. I struggle beyond 6,500 yards and that makes me feel like an incomplete golfer.

Kevin

 

[CharlieMoy]

Long hitters don't appreciate a short-hitters need for hitting it longer.

 

[Thechosen1]

Hitting it further leaves you closer to the hole, thereby having a shorter club in your hand for the approach. Same thing for distance irons. Even if you're further away, you can hit a shorter club.

Well that's common sense though in golf. But my point is when did this whole thing of "I want to hit it further" come about? I personally would rather spend my time in the fairway getting a yardage then looking for a ball in the rough/trees

 

[TrapShot]

Because it is a way to measure man-hood without whipping it out. You are going to get a million answers, but mine is the only one that counts.

Is this why no one wants to shorten the shaft on their driver?

 

[Jank]

I've always been a short-knocker for when compared to others of my skill. When I learned that I couldn't outdrive everyone, I focused on short game and hitting fairways. Worked out okay for me, but I still don't hit the ball far

 

[JB]

Well that's common sense though in golf. But my point is when did this whole thing of "I want to hit it further" come about? I personally would rather spend my time in the fairway getting a yardage then looking for a ball in the rough/trees

Because you are assuming they are not mutually exclusive. Long hitters can hit it straight and short hitters can hit it in the rough/trees.

 

[TrueFX]

Distance off the tee can be a huge advantage. I would much rather be trying to hit my 52* into a green vs my 7 iron.

In most cases, the shorter the club you hit, the more accurate you are. A lot of my playing partners hit darn near every fairway with their drives, but are left with hybrids and long irons into the greens.

I also have no problem playing from the first or second cut from 150 and in. The only time I bag the driver for my fairway finder is when I'm going to drive into a fairway hazard (creek, pond, etc...) or the fairway is extremely narrow and has a lot of OB.

Look at the pros, they are lucky to hit 60% of their fairways. I'm sure they are usually fine with the added distance vs teeing off with a 4 iron and still being 200+ out on every PAR 4.

In short, my game is best when I am hitting a wedge or pitching into a green. Even if it is slightly off the fairway.

 

[Thechosen1]

Because you are assuming they are not mutually exclusive. Long hitters can hit it straight and short hitters can hit it in the rough/trees.

While true why don't we see more of a "it's your swing" not the equipment push? If that makes sense. Amateurs believe that a driver will make their ball fly straighter compared to their swing making it go more straight.

 

[Hawk]

I think you're assuming the two things (distance/accuracy) can't come together at the same time. I watch Jrod pound the ball off the tee. He hits twice the number of fairways I do and outdrives me by 50-70 yards almost every time. Then, whatever distance he's at is still at least two clubs less than I'd take from that same distance. Not to say that I ever expect to hit it that far, but his abilities in that area are something I'd love to have.

Edit: a little late to the party with this comment.

 

[Tadashi70]

If companies marketed greater accuracy the way they did distance it would be a different story. I firmly believe that if more pros talked pin point accuracy and club companies focused on GIR this would be a different game. Distance sells clubs and people follow the masses.

 

[Esox]

I think you're assuming the two things (distance/accuracy) can't come together at the same time. I watch Jrod pound the ball off the tee. He hits twice the number of fairways I do and outdrives me by 50-70 yards almost every time. Then, whatever distance he's at is still at least two clubs less than I'd take from that same distance. Not to say that I ever expect to hit it that far, but his abilities in that area are something I'd love to have.

Edit: a little late to the party with this comment.

But aren't you better at downing beers?

I've always been of the mind that driver is the way to go. I've watched so many players through the years hit a "shorter and more accurate" club because they're afraid of driver, only to hit the other club in the crap and have a long iron or hybrid left. Never made sense to me.

Kevin

 

[JB]

While true why don't we see more of a "it's your swing" not the equipment push? If that makes sense. Amateurs believe that a driver will make their ball fly straighter compared to their swing making it go more straight.

Who is going to push it? THe USGA? They do that already? Golf courses? They do too. There is no money in it for the companies to push that. Golfers of the amateur variety dont like to take lessons. That is fact. Whether it be embarrassment, misinformation about what a teacher is going to do, bad prior experience, or just dont want to. People dont want to change their swing no matter how bad it is. Then you add that the equipment companies have put in a huge amount of research that CAN in fact make the game more enjoyable for people without fixing their swing.

 

[Hawk]

But aren't you better at downing beers?

I've always been of the mind that driver is the way to go. I've watched so many players through the years hit a "shorter and more accurate" club because they're afraid of driver, only to hit the other club in the crap and have a long iron or hybrid left. Never made sense to me.

Kevin

That's why I rarely take less than driver. If I miss, which I will a good number of times, I'm even farther back than I would have been.

It's coming along, but it's still a tough one to swallow some days. Hitting hybrids all day sucks, plain and simple.

 

[TrapShot]

It is true that playing from closer in can lead to more accurate shots. However, there is a huge advantage hitting from the short stuff. I remember reading an article that said these pros have ~30% more error from the rough than from the fairway. So a shot of 150 yds from the rough would have the same dispersion as a fairway shot @ 200. At that point it's more about course management and numbers to determine whether or not it is worth the risk of a bad lie for that extra distance.

 

[Thechosen1]

Who is going to push it? THe USGA? They do that already? Golf courses? They do too. There is no money in it for the companies to push that. Golfers of the amateur variety dont like to take lessons. That is fact. Whether it be embarrassment, misinformation about what a teacher is going to do, bad prior experience, or just dont want to. People dont want to change their swing no matter how bad it is. Then you add that the equipment companies have put in a huge amount of research that CAN in fact make the game more enjoyable for people without fixing their swing.

What's sad is that money talks. I'm just curious though JB and others. Do you believe the game could be more enjoyable for more amateurs if they took lessons instead of buying a $400 driver(that might not even help)

 

[JB]

What's sad is that money talks. I'm just curious though JB and others. Do you believe the game could be more enjoyable for more amateurs if they took lessons instead of buying a $400 driver(that might not even help)

I have no idea. It would depend on the person. Some people like new things. Its like asking if the game would be more enjoyable if you never wore orange. There is no way to answer that for someone else.

 

[Esox]

That's why I rarely take less than driver. If I miss, which I will a good number of times, I'm even farther back than I would have been.

It's coming along, but it's still a tough one to swallow some days. Hitting hybrids all day sucks, plain and simple.

Keep at it. Up until I was about 22 I was a banana ball hitting short knocker. Then I forced myself to hit driver as hard as I could. About the time I went a Summer where I bet I hit 10,000 drivers on the range. I simply had enough of it. I played close to scratch after that for a number of years.

Kevin

 

[IceyShanks]

The same reason that shoes make you jump higher and run faster. Things that the normal man are not capable of doing, are always the most sought after.

Agreed, when I was playing hockey it was always the stick that could make you hit the puck harder. The harder the slapshot the better we thought we'd be, so false!

 

[Mr. Satchmo]

Hitting it further leaves you closer to the hole, thereby having a shorter club in your hand for the approach. Same thing for distance irons. Even if you're further away, you can hit a shorter club.

This is one of the reasons I like the distance BUT, I'd rather have control and have my ball in the fairway to set me up for a perfect lie, I do agree though that distance is sometimes an obsession!