Interesting Tiger Statistic

[Calamity Todd]

from Peter Kessler's XM Show

Yesterday morning on Peter Kessler's XM Radio morning show, he and a guest were discussing Tiger's amazing statistical run this year. The guy (didn't catch the name) was a PGA Tour stats person and they were discussing some of the interesting results they have from their radar system.

Apparently, Tiger has the highest average swing speed on Tour this year......in the 126 range. The interesting thing was that he is around 70th in Tour driving distance. The guy was saying that his driver swing according to these two stats, was the most inefficient on Tour. I guess the stat is similar to "smash factor" which divides ball speed by swing speed.

The statistician also said that based on the radar measurements, Tiger's driver swing, hits down on the ball more than any other player they measure. This was his explanation for the poor driver efficiency.

Before anyone comments that Tiger might have been using a 3 wood or 2 iron on the measurement holes.....the statistician ruled that out, saying that they try to only use driver swings for these stats. They also try to do the analysis on obvious driver holes.

Obviously it isn't affecting Tiger. He leads on the most important stat.....wins. I just thought it was an interesting anomaly. I'm sure Tiger is aware of this and has a brilliant reason. :man_in_love:

[sergizmo]

Tiger plays a ball made just for him that spins more than other Tour level balls. This could partially explain the loss in distance. Sacrifice length off the tee for more contol into greens.

 

But yeah, 70th? That is pretty suprising, even considering the ball. Shows that "bomb and gouge" is a lot of hot air.

[dlygrisse]

It seems that when tiger hits a driver he has been teeing it low and has been playing a lot of cut shots, a "squeeze fade" I call them. If Tiger tee'd it high and let it fly with a high draw more often I bet that number would change. Seems to me he is playing more for control than distance, which for him means he is still going to hit it farther than average. Hmmmm.....seems like this is what everyone has been saying has been the worst part of his game, control of his tee shots, being that he hasnt lost in 7 events I think he is on the right track. Simply put Tiger is trying to maximize control with his driver not max out distance.

[Calamity Todd]

He is currently 154th in Tour driving accuracy. As I understand, his misses are now much closer to the fairway....first cut, etc......than in the past.

[wwhitehead]

But yeah, 70th? That is pretty suprising, even considering the ball. Shows that "bomb and gouge" is a lot of hot air.

 

I think the Bomb & Gouge idea applies more week-to-week on Tour. Tiger's playing a very limited schedule, on the most difficult courses, where hitting it a mile into the rough isn't going to work. However, in the other weeks, the Tour is playing courses where it works.

 

Bomb & Gouge has definitely changed competitive amateur golf. At the highest levels, and even at the state and local levels, it's nearly impossible to compete without hitting it forever.

 

WW

[mat562]

From what I've seen, Woods' ballflight with the driver is entirely different from 10 or 12 yearsago when he was much longer relative to the field.

 

He used to hit a much lower, flatter flight with the driver that tumbled upon landing and ran appreciably further than it now does. He also hit the ball with more of a right-to-left bias from the tee. I remember reading that he achieved a relatively high launch angle whilst managing to attain a low spin rate on his drives (back when that sort of analysis was pretty specialised, rather than available in any golf shop) which gave him that tumbling flight. I'd agree that his angle of attack seems to be much changed since then, and more of a downward, squeezing blow would explain the extra height and relative loss of distance.

 

If I remember rightly, he was hitting 127mph clubhead speeds back around the time of his first Masters victory with a 43 3/4" steel-shafted driver. He was much longer from the tee in relation to the field, and was a pretty accurate driver too back then. I watched him early on at a few Opens and his misses were generally left - with the big waft out high right being a rarity. His ballflight was a lot lower and flatter back then, and his usual shot shape with a driver was a flat draw.

 

I think the modern equipment has hurt Tiger more than helped him, since other players seem to have benefitted enormously from the modern balls and drivers and allowed them to emulate the ideal launch conditions Woods used to generate with the old equipment. Woods' driving has actually gone backwards as opposed to many players who have gained massive advantages with their driving.

 

That he manages to dominate despite this is testament to his skill through the bag though.

[Tim Schoch]

All fascinating responses. "New equipment has hurt Tiger." That's a thought to explore through the ages, although I doubt if you'd find many advocates on the Champions tour. Still, I wonder if there is some formula of swing speed, angle of descent at impact, spin rate, etc., that can calculate (and wildly speculate) whether Jack's game in his prime, or anyone's, would have been, in effect, hurt.

 

(OMG look at my member number!)

[soberguy16]

its nice to see some real stats to backup things ive believed fo awhile...hitting down on his driver is inefficient especially playing with such a soft ball...as well as the fact that he still swings at it about as hard as anyone. while everything hes doing seems to be the right thing, id like to see what happened if he teed the ball up a little higher on the less risk holes and tried to hit up on it and let it fly for a change...i wonder if his driving accuracy would go down at all?...maybe up?

[Andariego]

I'm no swing expert thats for sure, but Tigers' swing with a four iron from the fairway doesn't look much different than his tee shots with a fairway wood. Very rotational and kinda held off. No hands draw. His driver swing looks like he's just slinges it.

[dlygrisse]

A great example is Tiger at Doral yesterday. He almost drove the green on the par 4 but ended up in the greenside bunker to set up a birdie opportunity. Fairway missed but a very effective shot. The next hole he hits it 367 and has a little pitch out of the rough just short of the green, birdie. Two fairways missed two effective shots. Tiger hits it in the fairway when he "needs" to. Controled driver, stinger 3Wood or 5wood/2 iron. Tiger gets into trouble when he hits the "slinging hook"

 

If I had 130 mph club speed, I would play the same way as well. :man_in_love:

[Calamity Todd]

One of the other stats they discussed was his left and right rough tendencies. Currently.....and I vaguely remember these numbers......he was like 24% right rough tendency......7% left rough tendency. The guys point was that he has virtually eliminated his hook misses to the left.

 

RwF