Commish Monahan To Players: You Are Not Hitting The Ball Significantly Longer, But You Are Younger And Taller!

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan's email to all PGA Tour players assuring them that they just had a better than usual year. And hey, you're younger and taller too! 

Subject: USGA Distance Report

Dear TOUR Member,

Later this morning, the USGA and The R&A will be releasing an annual report on driving distance that reviews data from professional tours from the 2017 season.  Since 2003, we have been closely monitoring trends in driving distance, working with the USGA and The R&A; all involved wanted to ensure the broader PGA TOUR membership was made aware of the report and its findings in advance.

Among other things, the report shows the following:

- From 2003 to 2017, average driving distance on the PGA TOUR has increased by 2.3%, or a total of 6.6 yards.

- From 2016 to 2017, there was an increase of 2.5 yards in average driving distance.  While this may seem significant when taken in isolation, it has not been uncommon over the past 15 years to see significant gains or losses.  Since 2003, there have been three instances where a significant gain was recorded between years, and five instances where the average decreased.

- Since 2007, when we started monitoring launch conditions each week on TOUR, average club head speed has increased by 1.5 mph.  There is a strong correlation between club head speed and the total distance gains seen since 2003.  We believe this increase in club head speed is mostly attributable to a combination of factors, such as increased player athleticism and fitness, physical build of the player, enhancements in equipment fitting and the proliferation of launch-monitoring capabilities.  

Back to back redundancies. Impressive. 

It is interesting to note that since 2003, the average age of a TOUR member has gone down, and the average height has gone up.

No, that's not very interesting, Jay.

Having carefully reviewed the data, we do not believe the trends indicate a significant or abnormal increase in distance since 2003 or from 2016 to 2017. Rest assured, we will continue to collaborate and share data with the USGA and The R&A – along with other industry stakeholders – in monitoring these trends, as we have since 2003, and are hopeful our perspectives will align.  

So to recap: the leadership of the organization providing the data is taking a stance and hopes that "perspectives align" with the view that nothing has taken place to warrant action.

Kind of hard to trust the data when the boss makes it clear he wants it to skew one way, no? Almost makes you want to go back and look at the numbers since so many speak to major changes, just not the ones he refers to.

On this point, I have asked the USGA to attend our next PGA TOUR Player Advisory Council meeting during the week of the Wells Fargo Championship to share their perspective.

Sincerely,

Jay Monahan

What Weightings Do You Give Various Distance Influences?

As we wait on the governing bodies to tell us how distances have spiked on pro tours and therefore require even more extensive study, the common response on social media usually obsesses with cause, not effect.

So while we wait on the reports, I've taken Alan Shipnuck up on a fun exercise he suggested in this week's Golf.com mailbag: break down the forces you most attribute to the distance spikes that we've been told have not happened. 

Here's the question and answer from Alan:

Regarding bifurcation, what general weightings would you give the following factors for increased distance off the tee: agronomy, athleticism, technique, ball, club (head and shaft as one), other. -Ryan (@RW_Mountain)

This is an interesting thought exercise. My highly unscientific answer:
Agronomy: 5%
Technique/Trackman: 20%
Athleticism/Training: 20%
Club: 25%
Ball: 30%

My highly unscientific answer:

Agronomy: 0%
Technique/Trackman: 35%
Athleticism/Training: 10%
Clubs: 35%
Ball: 20%

As wonderful as modern agronomy is--really amazing these days and not appreciated enough--it has little impact on elite-playerdistance gains compared to what has made carry distances explode. Healthy, denser turf offsets modern lower mowing heights. Distance has spiked with tee shots and iron play equally. Iron shots to greens are not running long distances off the tee. 

Technique/Trackman: This gets 30% thanks to a combination of more informed instruction, common sense use of launch monitors, and the ball-striking confidence resulting from these forces. More players are learning speed first, fundamentals second and visual appeal a distant third as video is replaced by Trackman.

Athleticism/training: I can't go higher than 10% when I see guys on the PGA Tour Champions averaging longer distances in their 50s than their 30s.

Clubs: The consistency of manufacturing quality, super-lightweight materials, driver head size, the relentless innovation on many fronts and a generation of players reared on better clubs has led to incredible clubhead speeds. 

Ball: Shifting from balatas to today's longer, lower-spin ball has made a profound difference. The improved quality of manufacturing also has further reduced inconsistencies and increased player confidence in the ball. But this number has also lost percentage to Technique/Trackman and club fitting/technology the last few years.

Your percentages?

295-And-Up Club: This Year's Distance Spike In The Wraparound Era

Many are pushing back on the notion of a 2017-18 driving distance bump on the PGA Tour. The pushback ranges from "it's too early" to "there has been too much roll due" to "who cares." 

A longtime reader "From Berckman's Road" saw today's post and the FiveThirtyEight.com coverage on distance and offered some numbers that would suggest we are seeing something different in the 2017-18 wraparound schedule.

Here are the numbers for players averaging over 295 yards on the measuring holes after the Honda Classic and at season's end.

2013-14
Honda:  45 players averaging 295 or higher
End of season:  49 averaging 295 or higher

2014-15
Honda:  50 players averaging 295 or higher
End of season:  53 averaging 295 or higher

2015-16
Honda:  65 players averaging 295 or higher
End of season:  55 averaging 295 or higher

2016-17
Honda:  63 players averaging 295 or higher
End of season:  77 averaging 295 or higher

2017-18
Honda:  111 players averaging 295 or higher
End of season:  __ averaging 295 or higher

So to review, 48 more players are averaging over 295 yards at this point compared to last year which was, admittedly, wetter than normal on the West Coast. However, the drought years prior to last year featured conditions more like this year give or take temperature swings and the 111 number still suggests a spike. 

History also tells us that as the temperatures rise during the season the final number is likely to finish higher than 111, not subside due to the West Coast Swing's running fairways.

I point this out because the governing bodies drew a line in the sand fifteen years ago and the numbers this year suggest the line has been crossed. 

**One last number:  the 295-and-up numbers for 2013 had 35 players averaging that or more through the Honda, and 36 by season's end. 

Head's Up For Par-3 Course Fans: The Cradle By The Numbers

Maybe your course, city or club is considering a par-3 course? Well, then say thanks the social media and golf professional team at Pinehurst for documenting early numbers on their new short course. 

Sounds like a lot of fun is taking place. If only golf had about 1000 more of these sprinkled across the land.

• More than 6,100 rounds were played on the new 9-hole, 789-yard short course.
• The busiest day had 174 golfers play, and the largest group was a 12-some.
• With a $50 greens fee that includes replay rounds that same day, the average time to play one round was just over an hour.
• In those first few weeks, more than 220 juniors under 17 played for free with a paid adult while Pinehurst Country Club members played 2,100 rounds and hosted 706 guests.
• Since opening, more than 30 holes-in-one have been recorded, with aces coming from players ages 8 to 84.
• In a unique event, Pinehurst teaching professional Kelly Mitchum played the short course from sunrise to sunset on the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year – and finished 26 complete rounds for a total of 234 holes. He shot 12 under par for the day.

The Golf Tournament Attendee’s Guide To Determining If You Have Loser Tendencies

I do take this issue seriously, as today's Alternate Shot discussion suggests. There will be moments when losers are wagering and decide to interfere with a golf tournament outcome and if not addressed with ejections, golf tournaments will only get more unruly and even unsafe. 

However, in the spirit of trying to help losers who need attention, I'm offering a simple guide to determining if you have the kind of loser tendencies that could lead you to act in unfortunate fashion while watching a golf tournament.

I’ve worked with players, caddies, officials and other observers to develop this list. Certainly I’ve missed other signs, but I think in the spirit of Justin Thomas walking back his frustration with hecklers in the face of new losers threatening to make his life miserable, this guide could be useful.

You may have serious loser tendencies if…

• You’ve had the urge to yell out Mashed Potatoes, Baba Booey, You Da Man or Fake News at a golf tournament during any point of your life. My Committee of experts says a mere urge is all you need to warrant certifiable, Grade A loser status.
   
• You’ve watched every SB2k16 and 17 on Snapchat and determined from having bonded with the boys that Justin Thomas is the frat brother you always wanted and would completely endorse you sending drunken slurs his way during the final round of a multi-million dollar tour event.
   
• You’d rather go to the Waste Management Open than The Masters and you share this pearl with anyone who will listen.
   
• You take to Twitter to tell golf pros how soft they are because they can’t take your heckling or taunts of their girlfriends or any other sound as they are preparing to play a shot. You're really a loser when you get mad that they do not reply to your taunts.
   
• You applaud when a streaker or any other heckler interrupts the tournament proceedings. You get extra points for admiring this year's Waste Management Open streaker
   
• You leave your cell phone’s ringer on and ignore requests to put the device on silent even after your “Livin On A Prayer” ring tone is heard by all.
   
• You believe in your heart that paying for a ticket entitles you to swear audibly around children, say terrible things to players, get drunk by noon and in general, act out all of your issues at a golf tournament.
   
• You are over 40 years old with a 40 inch waist wearing a white belt and flat-brim cap inspired by your love of Rickie Fowler, who'd you also like to annoy with a taunt at some point for being rich and popular.
   
• You go back home after the tournament and rewind the telecast to hear yourself taunt a player. Actually, that’s when you have bigger issues than mere loser status.

William McGirt To USGA: "Let foul balls be foul balls"

As the distance discussion ramps up, many professionals are beginning to suggest they don't like seeing mediocre ball striking corrected by equipment. The de-skilling of the pro game is not a new topic to most of us, but I do think it's fascinating to see players slowly coming to that conclusion.

The Forecaddie quotes William McGirt on the constructive criticism he offered to the USGA and that he sees all of this as a health-of-the-game matter. 

“I told them, ‘Look, if you honestly believe that the ball doesn’t go any farther than it did 20 years ago, you’re in denial,’” McGirt told TMOF. “If that’s the case, why am I hitting my 7-iron 10 yards farther in the air today than when I was 23 years old? They finally admitted the ball goes farther. The big thing is, I just wish they’d make it curve again. Let foul balls be foul balls.”

McGirt is in the minority on many fronts, from being articulate on the matter to wanting to see skill preserved. Average golfers will no doubt hear this and assume that their game improvements clubs will be taken away from them--they won't. So calm down!

However, his point is worth considering and an articulate contrast with comments earlier this week.

Justin Thomas Has Fan Ejected For Good Reason

It amazes me that more and more people attend a golf tournament to get in a few taunts, lame comments or mashed potato screams, but as we've seen the last few weeks the stupidity has taken on an edge that even tolerant players are sick of.

There is a key distinction here: the offending comment came on the way to the tee, not post tee shot as some outlets reported in suggesting Thomas was soft.

Ryan Lavner has Thomas's explanation for GolfChannel.com, and anyone who knows golf will appreciate why he was annoyed. It's a problem that if not stopped, will spiral out of control into golfers becoming subject to regular heckling.

While walking up to the 16th tee, tied for the lead, Thomas heard a fan yell in his direction: “I hope you hit it in the water!”

Thomas looked back at the spectator but didn’t say anything.

After Thomas ripped a long iron into the fairway, the same fan began shouting for the shot to get into the bunker.

“I was like, OK, I’ve had enough,” Thomas said afterward. “I just turned around and asked who it was, and he didn’t want to say anything, now that I had actually acknowledged him. So he got to leave a couple holes early.

The offending moment, but again, without the pre-tee shot comment:

A fan yelled “Get in the bunker!” after Justin Thomas’s shot so Thomas quickly had him kicked out and told him to “Enjoy your day buddy” 👀 pic.twitter.com/0NxACneAzT

— High & Outside Sports (@HighandOutside_) February 26, 2018

Thomas went on to win his 7th title in 31 starts, and as Brian Wacker writes for GolfDigest.com, concerns about a post-Player of the Year slump seem unnecessary.

Full round highlights from the 2018 Honda Classic where Thomas had to apologize after the round for an F-bomb.

SUBSCRIBE to PGA TOUR now: http://pgat.us/vBxcZSh In the final of The Honda Classic 2018, Justin Thomas shoots 68 to get to 8-under and force a playoff with Luke List. Thomas would go on to claim his eighth PGA TOUR victory with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

Uihlein Tries To Challenge Nicklaus, Governing Bodies

I remember the days when now-retired Acushnet CEO Wally Uihlein's arguments were a little stronger and resonated with more folks. Perhaps there are simply more people who've seen professional golf bog down, become less interesting and less relatable thanks to the modern ball.

Anyway, Rick Young caught up with Uihlein to get his take on Jack Nicklaus' recent remarks about Titleist and the "golf ball goes too far nonsense." And of course, it's all about the Vancouver Protocol.

“Mike Davis has not told us (Acushnet) that he is close (there is the Vancouver Protocol of 2011 that we had assumed was in force) and he has not asked us for help if and when he gets there,” said Uihlein.

*Note: The Vancouver Protocol was a document that came out of a closed-door USGA and R&A forum with equipment manufacturers in Vancouver back in November, 2011. It was meant to assist with transparency to any proposed equipment rules changes or testing procedures while allowing participation of the OEM’s to the process.

Slow down there Wally, we haven't even gotten the distance report yet! This is fun:

“It appears from the press conference that Mr. Nicklaus was blaming slow play on technology and the golf ball in particular,” he said. “I don’t think anyone in the world believes that the golf ball has contributed to the game’s pace of play issues.”

Actually, anyone who has watched great players stand around in a fairway on a par-5 or back up on a drivable par-4 tee that was once not drivable, they blame distance gains.

This really isn't a very sharp point, either.

“There are no golf courses being closed due to the advent of evolving technology,” Uihlein said. “There is no talk from the PGA Tour and its players about technology making their commercial product less attractive. Quite the opposite, the PGA Tour revenues are at record levels. The PGA of America is not asking for a roll back of technology. The game’s every day player is not advocating a roll back of technology.”

Record revenue! Maybe Titleist can sponsor one of the available tour events? There are three!

Also, Bubba Watson recently opened eyes as he is prone to do when showing people how much fun the game is when a great player manipulates the ball. In his case, a Titleist again! But he's now an anomaly. Wouldn't it be fun to see more like him?

Ultimately though, this is all the fault of you know how? Da medja!

“Perhaps the media,” he said, “should be asking, ‘If there is a problem, what is the problem?’”

I wonder why the media has spent so little time asking, discussing and analyzing the issue? It's a mystery!

Will Jack's Concern About The Scale Of Golf Be Heard?

Lost in Jack Nicklaus highlighting the likelihood of pending USGA/R&A changes in their distance stance and his views on Titleist's chilling effect on discussion, were the Golden Bear's views on golf's scale.

We've heard many bring up sustainability, including Tiger Woods most recently. But based on the social media reaction I saw to Nicklaus' comments earlier this, week, it remains remarkable how many golfers do not believe that a 7,500 yard course takes longer to play than a 6,500 yard course. And there are golfers surprised to hear that the length of a round is a deterrent and that a reduced scale would be more attractive long term.

The transcript of his comments is worth reading if you're unclear on his stance, which is going beyond just where and how great players hit the ball. 

The game is a great game today the way it is. The game when I played was a great game. The game they played 20 years before me is a great game. However, as time changes, I think you need to change with the times. The times today, people don't have the time to spend playing five hours to play golf. They don't have -- a lot of people don't have the money to be able to do that, and they find the game very frustrating and very difficult.

So if the golf ball came back, it would solve I think a lot of those issues, and it would make -- it would -- I think we only have one golf course in this country, my opinion, that's not obsolete to the golf ball and that's Augusta National. They are the only people that have enough money that have been able to keep the golf course and do the things you had to. They are even buying up parts of country clubs and roads and everything else to get that done.

Not that other people couldn't do that, but it just unpractical. Why every time we have an event, do we have to keep buying more land and then making things longer? It just doesn't make any sense to me.

Jack Nicklaus Singles Out Titleist In Distance Debate

I was flipping through some books last night reading quotes about the distance debate and one in particular actually made me laugh at its ridiculousness. (More on that below).

Not coincidentally, the quote came from the subject of Jack Nicklaus' frustration.

From Randall Mell at GolfChannel.com, offering even more from Nicklaus's distance comments and suggestion of pending USGA/R&A action.

“Titleist controls the game,” Nicklaus said. “And I don't understand why Titleist would be against it. I know they are, but I don't understand why you would be against it. They make probably the best product. If they make the best product, whether it's 20 percent shorter ... What difference would it make? Their market share isn't going to change a bit. They are still going to dominate the game."

Titleist representatives could not be immediately reached by Golf Channel.

Huh, they're hovering around media center all the time even though they're not media and in general, despise the media!

“It's not about [Titleist]. It's about the people watching the game and the people that are paying the tab. The people paying the tab are the people that are buying that television time and buying all the things that happen out there. Those are the people that you've got to start to look out for.

“And the growth of the game of golf, it's not going to grow with the young kids. Young kids don't have five hours to play golf. Young kids want instant gratification.”

Forget the kids, the rest of us don't want five hours either!

As for the laughs, here was the quote mentioned above, reprinted in The Future of Golf, from now-retired Acushnet CEO Wally Uihlein in full conspiracy mode, way back in July 2003, Sports Illustrated:

"The print and electronic media have promoted a technophobic agenda since the start of the season, featuring such tabloid-ready headlines as 'The Weapons Race,' 'Ban this Ball or Els,' Going the Distance With Souped Up Golf Balls, and 'Cooling Hot Drivers.' The 24-hour Golf Channel contributes to the hysteria by allowing selected talent to spew one-sided antitechnology commentary and conduct 'leading the witness' interviews."

Here is the video from GolfChannel.com with Alex Miceli asking questions:

And Then Mike Davis Told Jack: "We're Going To Get There" On Ball Rollback

With the Honda Classic in town and a role in the tournament, Jack Nicklaus talked to media about a variety of topics, including distance.  Over dinner Sunday night, USGA CEO Mike Davis suggested a solution along the lines of what Nicklaus has long proposed is now on the table.

Golfweek's Dan Kilbridge reports:

“Mike said, ‘We’re getting there. We’re going to get there. I need your help when we get there.'” Nicklaus said. “I said, ‘That’s fine. I’m happy to help you. I’ve only been yelling at you for 40 years.’ 1977 is the first time I went to the USGA.”

Nicklaus said sarcastically he assumed that meant the USGA would be studying the issue for ‘another 10 years or so.’

“(Davis) says, ‘Oh, no, no, no. We’re not going to do that. I think we’re getting closer to agreements with the R&A and be able to do some things and be able to help.’ Because the R&A has been – sort of doesn’t want to do anything. I’m hoping that’s going to happen. I’ve talked to Mike a lot. Mike’s been very optimistic about wanting to get something done but hasn’t been able to get there yet.”

Sounds like this is going to get very interesting, very fast.

An Overview Of How The Distance Debate Got To This Point

For those who haven't read my 2005 thriller The Future of Golf, or perhaps who have friends needing to understand why the governing bodies are warming up on the distance issue, Golfweek's Alistair Tait sets up the reason for the shift in position as we anticipate a report in the coming days.

Tait gets to the key question many were asking here at Riviera: What’s happened in the last year to change Slumbers’ mind?

“There has been a significant move up across all tours,” he said. “We’re looking at the longest on-record average driving distance. It’s caused us as well as our colleagues at the USGA serious concern. We had talked for a number of years about slow creep. This is a little bit more than slow creep. It’s actually quite a big jump.”

“Our 2002 joint statement of principles put a line in the sand, or purported to put a line in the sand. Our view is when you start to look at this data now, that we have probably crossed that line in the sand and that a serious discussion is now needed.”

Now what?

The Allan Robertson testing facility seems ideally suited to get on top of hitting distance. A tour of this facility is like entering a new, high-tech world. Clubs and balls can be tested to the limit under the watchful eye of professor Steve Otto, the R&A’s director of equipment standards and chief technology officer. There doesn’t seem to be anything about golf equipment the former NASA employee doesn’t know.

The problem is trying to please all facets of the game. No avid amateur golfer wants to hit the ball shorter. The manufacturers have worked within the governing bodies’ guidelines and will feel miffed if the two bodies take drastic action. Many tour pros obviously won’t welcome a rollback.

It’s a big job, but long overdue. It’ll be interesting to see what the two bodies propose next.

Coming Soon To A Theater Near You: Governing Bodies Engaging With The Golf World On The Distance Issue

The distance chatter around Riviera has included a great deal of shock over R&A Chief Martin Slumbers conceding that the line has been crossed, with nearly everyone I talked to then saying something to the effect of: "but a year ago they said everything was fine."

And I would note, that stance was taken with no shortage of hubris in some parts of the world.

I suspect the position reversal will be the first stumbling block faced by golf's governing bodies when they begin to discuss what to do about the distance explosion. And those discussions will be a big part of 2018, at least according to a Slumbers comment from Alistair Tait's Golfweek story:

Slumbers wouldn’t say what the governing bodies are planning, but they’re intent on reducing distance.

“There are a lot of options. There’s a lot of work still to be done with a lot of people, and engaging with not just the game but the equipment manufacturers and all sorts of things, but that work we now feel needs to be done."

I sensed after hearing different views at the PGA Tour level today that the R&A and USGA may not realize how few friends they've made over the years. Former R&A Chief Inspector Peter Dawson and his condescending, inconsistent positions were referenced more than once.

Those with opinions on both sides of the aisle will expect an explanation of the status quo position. Otherwise I don't expect the conversations to last very long.

Perhaps the upcoming distance report will address why there is a change in position when it was apparent long ago that there were issues on multiple fronts. If not, the discussions Slumbers referenced above will not go smoothly.  Or very far.

R&A Chief Slumbers On Distance: "We have probably crossed that line in the sand"

John Huggan of Golf World talks to R&A Chief Martin Slumbers about The Open going to St. Andrews in 2021 as well as Turnberry's prospects (2023 now at the earliest), but the real eye-opening comments came on the topic of distance.

As with the USGA last week, Slumbers is hinting that the governing bodies saw huge distance spikes last year and will be revealing so soon.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that the technology has made this difficult game just a little bit easier,” Slumbers said. “At a time when we want more people to play the game, I think that’s a good thing. But we do also think that golf is a game of skill and should be reflective of skill. If you look at the data, there has been a significant move up across all tours. We’re looking at the longest on-record average driving distance. Both of those have caused us and our colleagues at the USGA serious concern."

That sure sounds like a bifurcation case, but as we know the B word is forbidden in the rulemaking world!

Here are the strongest words out of R&A headquarters in a long, long time:

“For a number of years there has been a slow creep upwards, but this is a little bit more than slow creep. It’s actually quite a big jump. Our 2002 joint statement of principles put a line in the sand. But when you look at this data we have probably crossed that line in the sand. A serious discussion is now needed on where we go.”

Strap in, this is about to get interesting!

Youthquake? Statistical Evidence Showing The PGA Tour Plays A Young(er) Man's Game

Strokes gained creator and stat guru Mark Brodie has crunched numbers as far back as possible and concluded that, at least based on Strokes Gained, the elite player of 1996 to 2004 was a lot older than today's top players.

Writing for Golf.com:

From 1987 until 1996, the average age of the top 100 players in total strokes gained steadily rose from 32.3 years to 36.5 years. In that decade-long stretch, Watson and contemporaries like Greg Norman, Tom Kite and Hale Irwin were playing competitively into their late forties. The average age of the top 100 players remained steady between '96 and '04.

Since '04, Broadie finds that the average age of the top 100 strokes gained players "plummeted from 36.5 to 33.0 years."