Shortest avg drive to still win

[PowderedToastMan]

Brian Harman won the Open Championship last year with an average of 136.8 yards off the tee. 

[ac6]

2 hours ago, PowderedToastMan said:

Brian Harman won the Open Championship last year with an average of 136.8 yards off the tee. 

 

Ah yes 4'8 86 lb Brian harman with the 137 yard driving average 

[Zach.buckler23]

Kevin Kisner and Zach Johnson can still move it to be fair 

[st1800e]

59 minutes ago, Zach.buckler23 said:

Kevin Kisner and Zach Johnson can still move it to be fair 

So I guess they’re not candidates to be the shortest hitter in a tourney and win.  

[Shankieboink]

On 3/20/2024 at 6:19 PM, st1800e said:

Close….Corey Pavin 1995 US open. 257, 43 yards behind the leader, Vijay.   Only 6 players shorter.  
 

https://www.pgatour.com/stats/detail/101

6 players shorter than Pavin?! Has anyone ever been shorter than Pavin? 😅

[jonsnow]

57 minutes ago, Shankieboink said:

6 players shorter than Pavin?! Has anyone ever been shorter than Pavin? 😅

  I give you 5' 1" Tadd Fujikawa...

[st1800e]

2 hours ago, Shankieboink said:

6 players shorter than Pavin?! Has anyone ever been shorter than Pavin? 😅

The ‘95 USOpen field avg. was 265.5 yds. 
 

[jonsnow]

41 minutes ago, st1800e said:

The ‘95 USOpen field avg. was 265.5 yds. 
 

The Joey Gullion era never really got off the ground...

[st1800e]

4 minutes ago, jonsnow said:

The Joey Gullion era never really got off the ground...

I was there , I’d never heard of him before, and in fact never heard of him since. 
 

Just checked, he played 41 times(made 18 cuts) on the PGAT. Made ~$100k.  

[phizzy30]

On 3/19/2024 at 5:45 AM, Denny100 said:

 

My memory of that Masters was a bit different.......i thought it was bone dry and running, but freezing cold?

 

Zach was laying up at all the par 5s, so there was no point hitting a big tee shot. Zach could hit a 300 yard drive if he wanted to.

Zach can barely touch 160 ball speed these days.  300 yards would be a stretch for him unless his ball runs out 30+ yards.  However, what he did at the Masters that week was incredible.  Great course management with pinpoint irons and a hot putter. 

Edited March 24 by phizzy30

[fowlerscousin]

peter malnati

[tomjas]

Fun facts

 

Seve Ballesteros was the longest driver on the European Tour in ‘83 at 269 yards 

 

That would rank him dead last in 2023

 

Norman averaged 275 yards off the tee in his 331 weeks as  world #1

and was 6th in driving distance 

 

6th in driving distance this year is 308 yards 

Edited March 25 by tomjas

[Pastit]

18 minutes ago, tomjas said:

Fun facts

 

Seve Ballesteros was the longest driver on the European Tour in ‘83 at 269 yards 

 

That would rank him dead last in 2023

 

Norman averaged 275 yards off the tee in his 331 weeks as  world #1

Like all stats it’s how one reads them and the set up of testing. Around 1981, I watched the two above compete against each other, with drivers, on the limited range, at an event at Moortown, Leeds, U.K. 

 

Seve’s ball was still rising when Greg’s was falling. On distance, I believe testing is an average of distance on two holes with opposing wind directions. Just saying. I went on that day to caddy in Greg’s pro-am match, I’ll say nowt. 

Edited March 25 by Pastit
spelling

[Yuck]

Calvin Peete won quite a few including the Players and was quite short, but it was still in the Balata / Persimmon era.   (246 ave drive in 1983)

Edited March 25 by Yuck

[miami1023]

On 3/19/2024 at 9:57 PM, Titleist99 said:

You don't need to hit the ball 325 yards off the tee to win on todays PGAT.

You sure as hell have a way better chance of winning if you do though

[Titleist99]

1 hour ago, miami1023 said:

You sure as hell have a way better chance of winning if you do though

Right and Cam Champ proves that every week.

 

With all due respect to Cam because he's one of my favorites and a champion on the PGAT.

Edited March 26 by Titleist99

[miami1023]

2 minutes ago, Titleist99 said:

Right and Cam Champ proves that every week.

That’s got a lot more to do with his approach game than it does his driving. The only reason he’s on tour is because he hits it 320

[Titleist99]

4 hours ago, Yuck said:

Calvin Peete won quite a few including the Players and was quite short, but it was still in the Balata / Persimmon era.   (246 ave drive in 1983)

Plus, Norman averaged 275 yards off the tee in his 331 weeks as  world #1 and today's touring pros can't win one event averaging 300 yards off the tee?

[Titleist99]

22 minutes ago, miami1023 said:

That’s got a lot more to do with his approach game than it does his driving. The only reason he’s on tour is because he hits it 320

The KFT is littered with guys that hit it 325.

[Chopper1986]

Bit of an odd one, but Todd Hamilton must've been quite low down when he won the Open. Especially with his Fade (Slice) ball flight, and the fact he mainly used the Hybrid off the tee. Watching the playoff between him and Els showed a big difference between them off the Tee (which obviously was not the be all and end all as Els lost). 

[st1800e]

3 hours ago, Chopper1986 said:

Bit of an odd one, but Todd Hamilton must've been quite low down when he won the Open. Especially with his Fade (Slice) ball flight, and the fact he mainly used the Hybrid off the tee. Watching the playoff between him and Els showed a big difference between them off the Tee (which obviously was not the be all and end all as Els lost). 

Todd not short in the ‘04 open , at least on the 2 measured holes per round.  I’d imagine a lot of players didn’t use driver on an every hole. 
 

 

[miami1023]

11 hours ago, Titleist99 said:

The KFT is littered with guys that hit it 325.

And the only reason they're on the KFT is because they hit it long. Read Mark Broadie, Scott Fawcett, and any of the strokes gained research. I can guarantee you the reason they're not winning has nothing to do with them bombing drives

[Titleist99]

28 minutes ago, miami1023 said:

And the only reason they're on the KFT is because they hit it long. Read Mark Broadie, Scott Fawcett, and any of the strokes gained research. I can guarantee you the reason they're not winning has nothing to do with them bombing drives

Nor did I ever say that.