On the Range Protracer @ PGA - Juiced Numbers for TV...

Anyone else frustrated with the "On the Range Protracer" on display at the PGA Championship right now?

Look, don't get me wrong, I think it's a really cool addition to watching the players practice. But someone must have juiced up the numbers on there because they are totally inaccurate. Twitter went crazy over Rory Mcilroy carrying 3-woods over 300y and carrying his driver 360y. I know he hits it long, but he does not hit it that long. It's not like I'm in denial here, it's just a fact that Rory doesn't routinely carry his driver over 360y.

It's clearly juiced up when watching Matt Kuchar too. Matt was hitting driver, and was sort of spraying a few right. He was not hitting it well. Yet Protracer said Kuchar was carrying his driver on average of 312y LOL. Guys, c'mon, Matt Kuchar doesn't carry his driver 312y.

Obviously it's juiced up, because it would have a very negative effect if people watched and go, "Oh, Matt Kuchar is only carrying his driver 275y? That's boring." Even though that's relatively accurate. People want to believe these guys are hitting it 300y+ every time.

These guys are long, but they aren't that long. Hence why the Long Drive Contest on the Par 5 10th was won with like 321y. Where was Rory with his "360y drive" then?

I think it's bad for the game for TV to keep making these guys superhuman. They're very, very good players. But exaggerating their skillset is being a little unauthentic if you ask me.

Sorry that your life is so terrible from watching the pros on the range...

Sorry that your life is so terrible from watching the pros on the range...

No need to be passive aggressive. That's not my point. My point is why is it necessary to exaggerate their distances?

I think the range is a little downhill so that may be causing some of it, but I watched Rory in person last week at Firestone, he's in the zone with that thing, he was hitting it past everyone.

Yeah, don't get me wrong, I know he hits it a long way. He posted Trackman numbers on Twitter when he was battling Chamblee that was like 330y carry. Maybe the range is downhill and their capitalizing on it. I still think it makes for good TV for the majority of golf fans, but I also think it's a deceptive attempt of the whole "These Guys are Good" campaign.

"It's clearly juiced up when watching Matt Kuchar too. Matt was hitting driver, and was sort of spraying a few right. He was not hitting it well. Yet Protracer said Kuchar was carrying his driver on average of 312y LOL. Guys, c'mon, Matt Kuchar doesn't carry his driver 312y."......

he doesn't ? :dntknw:

They did say several times on the broadcast that the quail hollow range plays 10 yards down hill.

Sorry that your life is so terrible from watching the pros on the range...

 

No need to be passive aggressive. That's not my point. My point is why is it necessary to exaggerate their distances?

my apologies. Hard to read sarcasm online, I forget that all the time. I guess I don't see it being a huge deal if it was exaggerated.. but the more I think about it, I don't really think they probably are. Rory has been hitting his driver like I have never seen anyone hit that club before. Also take into account, the range could be slightly downhill, the wind could be at their back.. Those guys hit the ball far

I was thinking the same thing watching Kuchar routinely carry it +300. His total average driving distance on the year is 285.7...

Based on some threads around here, I'm still trying to figure out when hitting driver a long ways went from cool/awesome to ruining the game?

Also, I noticed Kuch's numbers on the protracer and had to think they were a bit juiced as well. Nothing against Kuch, but I never knew him to be on to consistently carry it 310+ in the air, especially with a lowish fade.

Yeah, don't get me wrong, I know he hits it a long way. He posted Trackman numbers on Twitter when he was battling Chamblee that was like 330y carry. Maybe the range is downhill and their capitalizing on it. I still think it makes for good TV for the majority of golf fans, but I also think it's a deceptive attempt of the whole "These Guys are Good" campaign.

Just measured the length of Quail Hollow's range and it appears to be right around 350 yards so I guess those that Rory hit into the woods behind the range are pretty accurate. OP, I agree, seems crazy to think that Rory was carrying it *that* far.

For measuring I used arcgis.com

Yeah, don't get me wrong, I know he hits it a long way. He posted Trackman numbers on Twitter when he was battling Chamblee that was like 330y carry. Maybe the range is downhill and their capitalizing on it. I still think it makes for good TV for the majority of golf fans, but I also think it's a deceptive attempt of the whole "These Guys are Good" campaign.

 

Just measured the length of Quail Hollow's range and it appears to be right around 350 yards so I guess those that Rory hit into the woods behind the range are pretty accurate. OP, I agree, seems crazy to think that Rory was carrying it *that* far.

 

For measuring I used arcgis.com

I just used google earth to measure the range at Quail Hollow as well. I took the deepest point of the range tees and the deepest point where the tree line started and was around 340. Considering Rory's ball sailed the trees and not just roll in, I would guess it is probably pretty accurate..

UPDATE: Just checked the elevation from the back of the tee to the beginning of the trees and sure enough, the range does happen to run downhill. Just over 8 yards decline..

OP; funny you posted that. I was thinking the same thing about Kooch while watching here in my office during a late lunch. Cool to watch, absolutely, but something was definitely off about it.

Based on some threads around here, I'm still trying to figure out when hitting driver a long ways went from cool/awesome to ruining the game?

It's not ruining the game. I love that people are hitting the ball farther. I think it's changing the game dynamics, and it's fun to watch. My point is accurately portraying their skill level to people at home. Maybe I'm being picky here, but to me, that's like watching baseball and they start measuring pitches 10mph faster all of the sudden just to make it look like, "Wow, these Pros are so good and can throw the ball so fast." If someone could actually throw it that fast, that's awesome, but don't lie and say that everyone is throwing that fast now.

Yeah, don't get me wrong, I know he hits it a long way. He posted Trackman numbers on Twitter when he was battling Chamblee that was like 330y carry. Maybe the range is downhill and their capitalizing on it. I still think it makes for good TV for the majority of golf fans, but I also think it's a deceptive attempt of the whole "These Guys are Good" campaign.

 

Just measured the length of Quail Hollow's range and it appears to be right around 350 yards so I guess those that Rory hit into the woods behind the range are pretty accurate. OP, I agree, seems crazy to think that Rory was carrying it *that* far.

 

For measuring I used arcgis.com

 

I just used google earth to measure the range at Quail Hollow as well. I took the deepest point of the range tees and the deepest point where the tree line started and was around 340. Considering Rory's ball sailed the trees and not just roll in, I would guess it is probably pretty accurate..

 

UPDATE: Just checked the elevation from the back of the tee to the beginning of the trees and sure enough, the range does happen to run downhill. Just over 8 yards decline..

Crazy right?? Rory must have had a smash-factor of 1.95 on that one!!!!!

(Just kidding guys, we've been down the maximum-smash-factor road before)

I was thinking the same thing watching Kuchar routinely carry it +300. His total average driving distance on the year is 285.7...

That's my point. Kuchar doesn't routinely carry it the ~312y number it was showing. Also, it was showing 300y+ carries when he mishit one way right. I mean Kuchar's arm was off the club and you could tell it was a horrible strike, oh, wait, 305y+ carry, lol.

8 yards down hill, 340 to the trees, for myself most around these parts that’s a cut 5 iron.

The numbers are just show considering nothing about wind and the settings on the equipment are announced. It’s probably within 5% of reality. At 300 yards that’s a 15 yard variance not counting wind aid

So it's either:

1) Range is downhill

2) Someone is tweaking numbers by a few percent, in real time on actual ballflight, but still close to the actual measured distance of the plot of land

I'm telling you Rory is that much on fire with that driver right now, wouldn't say that unless I saw it myself. Rory averaged 343 at Firestone, Jhonny Vegas 337, Bubba was 335, Koepka 331, Jordan 322, Dustin 318, Pieters 310, Kuchar was 301. Doesn't really matter what the numbers are but he's beating the field.

Runaway Rory this week a la Congressional.

You're right OP, it's a Golf Channel psyop designed to make you feel insecure about how far you hit the ball

QH Range

Guys keep mentioning the Rory numbers, those didn't seem that weird to me. The Kooch numbers were flat out not accurate. He can't wipe cut one that carries 312, let alone a handful of them in a row.

he can hit it 400 ... won't matter if he doesn't dial in the wedge game ...

I think I saw on twitter where someone entered his launch conditions into some trackman thing and the carry distance definitely wasn't correct on the online feed. I think his carry was just under 320, which makes more sense.

I don't think its really necessary to show yardages anyway. As long as they show the protracer and the flight is accurate, I really like it. It makes watching golf more fun for me. I know not all agree, but I really enjoy seeing where the ball is going when the camera angle is directly behind. As far as the numbers go, I really don't care. Just tell me what stick they are swinging (unless you don't actually know) and show me where its going!

Sorry that your life is so terrible from watching the pros on the range...

 

No need to be passive aggressive. That's not my point. My point is why is it necessary to exaggerate their distances?

you answer your own question.. at least the answer you're clearly looking for....

Obviously it's juiced up, because it would have a very negative effect if people watched and go, "Oh, Matt Kuchar is only carrying his driver 275y? That's boring." Even though that's relatively accurate. People want to believe these guys are hitting it 300y+ every time.

I don't think its really necessary to show yardages anyway. As long as they show the protracer and the flight is accurate, I really like it. It makes watching golf more fun for me. I know not all agree, but I really enjoy seeing where the ball is going when the camera angle is directly behind. As far as the numbers go, I really don't care. Just tell me what stick they are swinging (unless you don't actually know) and show me where its going!

This is true as well. I like seeing some of the data myself, like apex height and distance. But overall, I think protracer is one of the best additions to televised golf, even if it's inaccurate sometimes!

And I believe someone above mentioned 5%, that's what I'm estimating as well. And again, this could be simply because it was downhill and slightly downwind, but I estimated yardages to be off around 15-20y. It's not extreme, and in Rory's case I know he still bombs it. But it was more in Kuchar's case when he's wipe cutting one with a 312y carry. That's saying Kuchar is as long as Koepka or Bubba or something. Sorry, that's just not the case. :cheesy:

Sorry that your life is so terrible from watching the pros on the range...

 

No need to be passive aggressive. That's not my point. My point is why is it necessary to exaggerate their distances?

I agree. Many venues also cut and roll the fairways so that a drive that carries 280 ends up going 320...supposedly good for TV.

QH Range

I would be thrilled just to clear the bunkers with my drive.

QH Range

 

I would be thrilled just to clear the bunkers with my drive.

Don't shortchanged yourself!!

I was thinking the same thing watching Kuchar routinely carry it +300. His total average driving distance on the year is 285.7...

First of all they don't always hit driver on a measured hole. Second, responding to another comment about Firestone. If that place is not wet their are speed slots in a bunch of the fairways. If you can get to them, you are getting 50 yds or more on a tee shot. How else do any of you think they justify a bunch of 500 yard par 4 holes? I have been there and played there...greens and fw's are beyond perfect and if you can stay in and on them scoring well is possible.

On the long drive hole yesterday Kokrak hit one 321...so why didn't RM beat 'em all on that hole?