Do you ever watch the best players in the world and shake your head in utter disbelief at the distances these guys hit the ball?
I mean, it is just crazy. How can any human being hit a five iron way in excess of 200 yards, a three wood around 300 yards and a driver out there in the region of 320-330 yards.
There used to be a time when tour pros hit a seven iron 140-150 yards. Now? You can add AT LEAST 20 yards to that, and often more.
Top golfers are generally fitter today
(Image Credit: LIV Golf)
Now I acknowledge that many of today’s top golfers are far fitter than those who dominated the game in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. It all changed with Tiger Woods, who spent as much time in the gym as he did on the golf course. And, of course, it was taken to a whole new level by Bryson DeChambeau, who bulked up with the express purpose of hitting a defenceless golf ball as hard and as far as he possibly could.
By and large, gone are the days when tour pros ate (and drank) almost anything that was put in front of them. There are exceptions. Kiradech Aphibarnrat has never been near a gym in his life and enjoys the odd burger (or three). And, thankfully, there are several others who still look as they though they enjoy life, including Shane Lowry.
Driver & golf ball technology has transformed distance
It goes without saying that technology has played a huge part in the extra distance the golf ball is now being hit at the highest levels.
Today’s drivers have huge heads with massive sweet spots and are fitted with lightweight shafts. That comes at a cost – they are more difficult to control than the persimmon drivers I grew up with. It is also interesting to note that all statistical evidence suggests that club golfers do not hit the ball much further these days – but they definitely miss more fairways.
Golfers have different clubs in their bag these days
The make-up of the average set of clubs has changed. I used to carry a driver, three wood, five wood, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and nine iron, wedge, sand wedge and a putter. And the choice of decent golf ball essentially came down to a Dunlop 65.
How things have changed.
I do not know a single fellow club member who carries a two or three iron, and only a tiny minority still have a four iron in their bags.
The wonders of hybrids and rescue clubs
These long irons have now been replaced by a wondrous assortment of hybrids and rescue clubs and even easy-to-hit driving irons.
I carry a 46-degree wedge, a 52-degree wedge and a 58-degree wedge that also doubles up as a sand iron. There are lob wedges, gap wedges, wedges for all shots and all occasions. Some top pros carry as many as four wedges because they recognise that these are our sport’s scoring clubs.
And we are now seeing proper golfers putting seven- and nine-woods in their bags. Why? That’s easy. They are incredibly simple to use, flight the ball miles in the air, meaning that the ball lands softly.
Thanks to DeChambeau, you can even go out now and buy a set of irons with shafts that are all the same length. I have to admit that I really don’t get that.
Iron lofts have been changed dramatically
Going back to my original point about how far the likes of Rory McIlroy strikes a five iron, did you know that today’s five irons have a loft that is almost exactly the same as the old three iron? In fact, all irons have less loft. When you couple that with modern-day head and shaft technology then it stands to reason that the ball is going to fly further.
It also means that for the average golfer a great deal more thought needs to go into purchasing a new set of clubs. I now carry a driver, three wood, seven wood, three and four utility, five, six, seven, eight, nine irons, wedge, 52-degree wedge and 58-degree wedge and a putter.
What about your wedges?
Wedges have something called bounce, which refers to the angle between the leading edge of the club and the lowest point of the sole. It plays a crucial role in how the club interacts with the turf and impacts your shots. This will be impacted by the way each individual swings the clubs – it is incredibly important to get yourself fitted for wedges rather than buying them off the shelf if you are serious about improving your short game.
Utility clubs are incredible
Utility clubs have changed the face of the game. They can be used from the rough, from the fairway and from the tee as a means of keeping the ball in play. I used to struggle to hit my two iron but when I reach for my three hybrid I have complete confidence that I am going to strike the ball properly regardless of the lie. For play from the rough, these clubs have transformed the game.
So yes, of course, most of today’s leading golfers are fitter than their predecessors but don’t get carried away with the idea that this is the reason they hit the ball further.
