Category: Commentary

Drive for Show?

Every golfer has heard the saying “drive for show, putt for dough,” but you’ll find that’s pretty far from the truth once you’ve logged a round or two.

Think about your best days on the course. No doubt you holed some putts—but it’s pretty much guaranteed the driver was operating at or near full capacity. Golf is a whole lot easier from the middle of the fairway—and exponentially so when you’re hitting wedge into the green as opposed to middle or long iron.

You also have to work pretty hard to make a double after a solid drive in the fairway, but a snap hook tee ball that disappears in the woods or a weak flare that settles down in heavy rough a couple hundred yards from the green generally spells bogey at best.

A good way to demonstrate the paramount importance of driving is to look at the top echelon players in professional golf—and they have almost universally been big hitters down through the years.

The Longest and Greatest

Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are without question the greatest players in golf history, and also among the longest off the tee. Many consider Nicklaus the longest of all-time (according to Bobby Jones, Jack was ‘playing an entirely different game, and one which I’m not familiar with”). Unfortunately, official driving stats weren’t tracked by the PGA Tour until 1980 when Jack had already hit 40, but he still came in at No. 10 in distance and No. 1 in total driving with accuracy factored in (he hit 71.5% of the fairways).

Before knee and back injuries slowed him down in 2008, Tiger was in the top 10 for distance every year with the exception of 2003 (11^th) and 2007 (12^th). In 1999 Tiger was 3^rd in distance and 4^th in Total Driving, while piling up 7 Tour wins plus a major and 7 additional Top 10’s.

In 2000 Tiger amped up the big stick even further, finishing 2^nd in distance and No.1 in total driving on his way to 3 major championships, 7 more regular tour titles and another 7 Top 10’s,

Driving and the World Number 1’s

Since the World Golf Rankings were established in 1986, twenty-five players have reached number 1 in the world and the vast majority have been long off the tee. Bernhard Langer was the first to hold the Number 1 moniker after his win at the ’85 Masters (yes, the same Bernhard who is still winning on the Champions Tour). Although Langer was not generally regarded as a long hitter, he ranked 17^th in distance on the PGA Tour in ’85.

**Greg Norman: 331 weeks at #1**
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/29/sports/golf/greg-norman-pga-saudi-arabia.html

Norman and Seve

Following Bernard’s brief tenure as No. 1, the top spot oscillated between Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros though the end of 1990. Norman held World Number 1 longer than any player other than Tiger (331 weeks), and he is also regarded by many as the greatest driver of all time.

From 1984 to 1994, Norman was among the top ten in driving distance every year but two (No. 15 in 1989 and No. 32 in 1992). Not only was he long, but he was straight as well—No. 1 in total driving in 1988, 1989 and 1993 plus 5 years in the top ten.

**Seve Ballesteros: Power and Grace**
https://www.liveabout.com/seve-ballesteros-pictures-4056191

Seve Ballesteros played predominantly on the European Tour (now the DP World Tour) and driving distance stats are sketchy, but he possessed a powerful (though somewhat erratic) tee shot. Seve drove the green on the Par 4 10^th hole at the Belfry a number of times, a 290 plus yard carry over water calling for a high cut, including at the 1989 Ryder Cup where he dropped an Eagle putt from inside twenty feet. Keep in mind he was using a persimmon driver with a soft ballata golf ball, and the average distance off the tee on the PGA Tour that year was just under 262 yards.

Tiger

Tiger held the top spot in the World Golf Rankings from 1999 through 2010 with the exception of 6 months in 2004/2005 when Vijay Singh (another fantastic driver of the ball) briefly moved into the No. 1 position. In all, Tiger was World Number 1 for an astounding 683 weeks—and an intimidating presence on the tee.

Between 1997 and 2007, Tiger was among the top five in distance six times, and the top ten every year but two (11^th in 2003 and 12^th in 2007).

**McIlroy: 2023 Tour Distance Leader**
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/22/golf/rory-mcilroy-remote-controlled-ball-fan-spt-intl/index.html

Rory, DJ and Brooks Koepka

Rory first reached number 1 in the world back in 2012 when he had just turned 23 years old, and has held the Number 1 position on and off for a total of 122 weeks (most recently from October ’22 through February ‘23).

And of course, McIlroy can bomb it with anybody (picture that majestic high draw that seems to carry forever). Since 2017 Rory has been either first or second in driving distance every year but one (4^th in 2020) and led the Tour in distance last year averaging 326.3 yards.

**Brooks and DJ: Big hitters Rising to #1**

Dustin Johnson ascended to World No. 1 in 2017, and is behind only Tiger and Greg Norman for the longest time at the top (135 weeks). From 2009 through 2021, Johnson ranked among the top 5 in distance every year but 3 (6^th in 2018, 10^th in 2020 and 7^th in 2021).

After winning the CJ Cub on the heels of two major championships (US Open and PGA), Brooks Koepka first assumed World Number 1 in October of 2018, and through February of 2020 he spent 47 weeks at the top. Between 2014 and 2019 Brooks finished outside the top 10 in driving distance only once (19^th in 2016).

Knee and hip injuries at the end of 2019 through 2020 severely impacted Koepka’s driving distance and his ability to compete, but after rehab he was injury free in 2023 and recorded a runner up at the Masters, a win at the PGA and a top 20 at the US Open (where he was also second in driving distance averaging 320.6 yards).

Scheffler and Rahm

Jon Rahm or Scottie Scheffler have occupied the top spot in the World Golf Rankings since June of 2021 with the exception of DJ for a week in July of ’21 and Rory from October ’22 through February ’23.

Not surprisingly, both are fantastic drivers of the ball. Since 2017, Rahm finished outside the top 20 in distance only once (22^nd in 2020) and was #1 in Total Driving twice—2021 and 2022. Scheffler has plenty of distance (16^th in ‘20 and 19^th in ‘22) while finishing among the top 10 in total driving 3 of the last 4 years (his lowest ranking was 13^th in 2022).

The Putting Factor

There is no question that both Jack and Tiger were amazing putters, particularly on critical putts under maximum pressure, but while putting prowess separated them further from the field, the incredible record they each achieved would not have been possible without the power game.

Luke Donald possesses one of the finest putting strokes ever seen on the PGA Tour, finishing first in putting from 2009 through 2011. Luke was also a fantastic iron player, but struggled from the tee throughout his career.

In 2010 Donald ranked 186^th on tour in total driving, but made a dramatic jump in both distance and accuracy in 2011, allowing him to ride that great putter all the way to #1 in the world. Unfortunately, Luke’s difficulties from the tee returned in 2013 and as his driving numbers dropped each year, so too did his world ranking—even as his putting stroke remained as silky as ever.

This is not to minimize the importance of putting, only to illuminate the fact that driving is far and away the biggest factor in determining success on the golf course. Power players have reached #1 in the world without being particularly good putters (Freddie Couples and Vijay Singh come immediately to mind), but some of the greatest putters in modern history who were not great drivers of the ball are conspicuously missing from the list of #1’s (Ben Crenshaw, Corey Pavin and Brad Faxon for example).

Bottom line is you drive for the dough, and putt for—well, some additional dough perhaps…

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Let’s Stamp out slow play!!

As every golfer has experienced now and again, standing around on the tee box while waiting to hit is absolutely no fun. It’s particularly galling when you have a good round going and suddenly hit a wall, losing your rhythm and gradually stiffening up like a board (especially if you’re a little older like me).

And I can’t count the number of course reviews I’ve read saying “great track, but the round took forever so it turned out to be a lousy day,” and suddenly a 4-star review turns into 2 or 3.

Often the review will bemoan the lack of a marshal on the course, but should we really need course police to keep things moving?

18 holes of golf shouldn’t take more than 4 ½ hours—here are a few suggestions that will help everybody get a whole lot more enjoyment from a day at the course:

What Courses can do:

Strive for 10 minutes between tee times.
Keep pin positions more centrally located on greens, and not close to steep fall-offs.
Maintain rough at a reasonable depth.
Provide proper number of rakes for bunker size.
Provide adequate signage.
Keep course clear of debris (particularly in the Fall)
Employ marshals.

What golfers can do:

Select the correct set of tees for your experience level.
Begin preparing for your shot as you approach your ball, and commit to the shot you decide to play (and limit your practice swings).
Watch your shot until it lands, making a mental note of line and distance with reference points.
Pay attention to the other members of your group when they are hitting so you can help locate their ball.
Limit your search for lost balls to a minute or two—and have a spare ball in your pocket.
If you are in a bunker, grab the rake while you are waiting to hit.
Once you’re on the green, begin lining up your putt as other players are making their putts.
Mark your score when you arrive at the next set of tees, not while you’re standing on the green.
Play Ready Golf (meaning, in the order of who is ready– not who is away.)
Never allow a hole ahead to open up.
Be mindful of the players behind, and allow faster groups to play through.
Swing tips are great, but save lessons for the Driving Range.

Tips to Speed Up Play

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Understanding Course Rating and Slope

If you’ve ever been on a golf trip, at some point while sitting down to a nice dinner and drinks with the group, the conversation below has no doubt taken place.

Somebody asks; “Where are we playing tomorrow?”

The trip organizer, sporting a big grin says; “Shiny Bauble—has a Slope of 147.”

Which is immediately met by a universal chorus of approval and excitement, with comments like:

“Wow, 147 Slope–must be a great course,” and “Oh boy, this is going be fun”.

These sentiments may certainly be justified for the low handicap players in the group, but for the 18-handicap golfer—not necessarily so. If Handicap Index alone is used when playing their matches, and not Course Handicap adjusting for the high slope, chances are pretty good that the high handicapper will end up losing a few bucks (and absorb some battle scars as well).

The Slope Myth

Slope Rating is one of the most misunderstood concepts in golf, and figuring out how it’s derived is an even bigger mystery. Most assume the higher the slope, the harder the course—and also that there’s a relationship between slope and quality. There is some truth in both of these assumptions, but a high slope does not mean tougher for everybody, only that average and higher handicap players will have more difficulty shooting the score they are used to than low handicap players.

As for quality, course characteristics that increase slope, such as an abundance of trees and steep faced bunkers, certainly tend to make a course more visually appealing—but also require heavy maintenance, adding a financial strain that may make it difficult for a facility to sustain over-all course conditioning (particularly during tough economic times).

Defining The Slope Rating

One of the things that makes golf so much fun is that regardless of skill level, everyone can compete on an even footing by using their Handicap Index. Handicap Index is derived by comparing the scores you have posted to a course of “Standard” difficulty. The critical element, however, is your Course Handicap. Course Handicap is based on the difficulty of the course you are playing at any given time—so each course is rated by state golf associations to provide that piece of the equation.

Because the characteristics that make a course harder for an “every-day” golfer are not necessarily the same as those that make it difficult for a highly skilled player, the World Rating System provides both a “Course Rating” and a “Bogey Rating.” The Course Rating reflects the projected score that a “scratch” player (0 Handicap) would be expected to shoot, while the Bogey Rating refers to the projected score that an “every-day” golfer (18 handicap) would be expected to shoot—and “Slope Rating” is the difference between the two.

If the Course Rating System determines that on a course of standard difficulty the scratch player should expect to shoot 72 and 18-handicap golfers should expect to shoot 90, the Course Rating is set at 72.0, the Bogey Rating is set at 90—with a Slope Rating of 113. The Slope rating moves up or down based on the difference between Course Rating and Bogey Rating. If a course includes characteristics that would cause the “every-day” golfer to shoot higher scores, but have less effect on a scratch player, then the Bogey Rating goes up while the Course Rating stays roughly the same—which results in a higher Slope Rating.

For example, a course may have a 340-yard Par 4 where the tee shot needs to fly at least 240 yards to clear a water hazard before reaching the fairway (“forced carry”). The scratch player’s tee shot will generally clear the water with ease and leave a short approach, so it’s a pretty easy hole. On the other hand, a high handicap golfer might hit a bucket of balls and never get his tee shot over the water—so for him it’s a nightmare. A hole like this may cause the Course Rating to actually decrease, while pushing the Bogey Rating way up—increasing the spread between them, and making the Slope Rating go higher.

Leveling The Field

The purpose of Slope Rating is to adjust the handicap of any golfer who is not a “scratch” (0 Handicap) player, and thus level the field–not as a measure of over-all course difficulty. If Handicap Index is used alone, without adjusting for Course Handicap, the lower handicap golfer will almost always gain an advantage—and the higher the Slope, the bigger that advantage will be. To adjust your Handicap Index for Course Handicap, you can use the formula below–or visit the USGA website and go to the “Handicap Calculator” (in addition, the Course Rating and Slope Database now includes the ability to enter your Handicap Index and see your Course Handicap for the particular course you are playing).

Course Handicap = Handicap Index × (Slope Rating ÷113) + (Course Rating-Par)

If you have a Handicap Index of 18, playing against a scratch player on a track with a Course Rating of 72 and a Slope Rating of 147, your Course handicap will adjust to 23, while the scratch player’s handicap remains at 0. If you use only Handicap Index, and not Course Handicap, your opponent will gain a 5 shot advantage—and it’s likely you’ll be forking over some cash.

The World Handicap System was implemented to even up the playing field for golfers of all skill levels, so be sure to use your Course Handicap when playing a match. And don’t count on the wily low handicap golfer to volunteer the adjustment—he’s looking forward to settling up at the 19^th hole.

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Choosing a Private Club

Did you know that there were more than 4,000 private golf clubs in the U.S. at the end of 2019?

If you are considering membership at a private golf club, choosing the right one for you is a decision that should definitely not be taken lightly. We’ve outlined a few important things to consider when weighing your options—keep reading and save yourself a lot of time and money.

Advantages of a Private Golf Club

Since there are more than 12,000 public golf courses to play in the United States, why would anybody want to spend money on a private club? Here’s a few of the best reasons:

Access: Public courses need to book as may rounds as possible to turn a profit, and weekends are obviously the most popular with a premium on the morning. That means it’s likely to be tough finding a tee time at a good golf course if you work during the week and want to get a round in on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Not a problem at a private club, where membership is limited and a good tee time is always available.
Finding a game: Unless you have an extensive network of golf buddies to call on whenever you’re looking for a round, it’s likely you will often be playing with strangers at your local public course. Not the case at a private club, where in very little time you will get to know everybody and finding a game will never be a problem.
Course condition: As mentioned earlier, public courses need a lot of play to maintain profitability, and that means a lot of rounds, seven days a week. All that play takes a toll on the course, and even top-notch public facilities with a high maintenance budget have a tough time keeping up. Not so for the private club, where limited membership translates to far fewer rounds, much less damage to the course, and generally much better conditioning.

When it’s time to choose, ask yourself a few questions:

1. What else can a club membership offer

Family: If you have a young family, look for a club with amenities that include a pool and tennis courts, so while you are out golfing, your spouse and kids can have some fun as well.
Business: The golf course is a great place to interact with clients, so if you’re looking to enhance your business profile, find a club with a quality course and top-notch dining facilities.
Social: If you like to entertain family and friends, ask what kind of special events are held throughout the year such as holiday galas, music, or outdoor festivities like barbaque and fireworks.

2. What is most important to me

Prestige: The year a club was founded and the stature of the architect who originally designed the golf course are directly related to the “prestige” associated with a club. Clubs that were founded a hundred and more years ago with a course designed by one of the master architects (Donald Ross or A. W. Tillinghast for example) will also be among the most prestigious in your area—but likely come with a hefty price tag as well (along with a level of exclusivity whereby acceptance is not necessarily a foregone conclusion).
The track: A course doesn’t have to be a hundred years old to be great, and there are a number of modern-day architects that will be considered among the masters as time marches on (Jack Nicklaus and Tom Fazio come to mind). If you are a serious golfer and want to be challenged, look to see who designed the course and check the current USGA course and slope rating (a rating of 73 or better along with a slope of 130 or more will likely suit your needs).
Variety: Some clubs offer 27 holes as three 9-hole courses, or two 18-hole courses. In addition to not having to play the same course all the time, it will also help with the pace of play.
Practice facilities: The scope and quality of practice facilities can vary a great deal, even at private clubs. If you like to work on your game, be sure to take a good look at the driving range and short-game facilities—particularly the amount of grass area that is available so you are not hitting from the mats too often.

3. Can I swing it financially

Membership at a private club can be a significant expense, so you need to weigh the benefits outlined above against the costs that will be incurred—the most common of which are listed below:

Initiation fee: An initiation fee is pretty common, generally non-refundable, and can be a pretty big number, so it’s the first question to ask when you are considering a club. It’s also the biggest reason you want to be sure of your decision.
Bond: With private equity clubs, each member owns a portion of the club so you will be required to purchase a bond. Again, the bond can be expensive—but the good news is that the value of the bond is refunded when you leave the club.
Dues: Annual dues are generally paid in advance at the end of each year, although payment may be spread over a period of months or throughout the year.
Minimums: Often a club will require a minimum spend on food and beverage, and if you are a golf-only person it may be tough to meet your monthly nut—but generally a few lunches or dinners will get it done (or even ordering take-away every so often).
Assessments: When a club undertakes extraordinary improvement projects, like updating or remodeling the golf course, expanding the clubhouse, or building a new practice facility, the expenses are shared equally by the membership. Large expenses generally require a majority vote of the members and, if approved, the costs are passed along to all of the members—even if you voted no. The good news is that improvements to the club will increase the value of your bond, while you also enjoy the benefit of an enhanced facility.
Ancillaries: Additional expenses to keep in mind when joining a club include golf bag storage, cart/caddie charges, and guest fees.

What’s my travel time

To get the most from a membership you need to use it often, so you don’t want a haul getting over to the club (and as they say, time is money). Optimal distance is within a 20 minute drive, but you may want to extend that for business accessibility.

Making Your Decision

Choosing a private club is a long-term decision, so you need to give it a lot of thought. Hopefully the considerations we’ve outlined will help bring your choices into focus, and assure that you pick the right club for you.

Check out the GolfDay Rating to see the best private clubs in your area.

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Coronavirus Golf Ban

Thinking about playing a few holes?

If you are thinking about getting out of the house to play a few holes, you may have to think again. According to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, a number of states have instituted a total golf ban in the wake of the Coronavirus epidemic. My home state of New Jersey, along with Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have decided that prohibiting golf completely is imperative in the battle to slow the spreading virus. Since golf does not involve close proximity to others, and is one of the few outdoor activities that can be enjoyed in complete solitude, one may think this counterintuitive—even patently absurd. Perhaps the Governors of these states view golfers as mentally challenged, unable to comprehend social gathering guidelines or incapable of refraining from physical contact following the holes-in-one that occur with such great frequency. Maybe they believe that golfers will suddenly begin to travel great distances, spreading the virus hither and yon, rather than play their local course.

Some things are understandable, but …..

While it is certainly prudent to close golf course dining and pro shop retail facilities, place a moratorium on golf tournaments and outings and restrict the use of electric carts, banning golf entirely is simply ridiculous.

It’s common sense.

If golf courses prefer to close rather than comply with state directives and guidelines, that should be up to them individually. As we attempt to cope with this difficult situation, let’s hope that our political leaders exercise good judgement and common sense.

The status of golf.

The GCSAA link bellow will provide an overview for the status of golf in your state.

Click here.

If you are lucky enough to still have golf as an available outdoor activity, visit GolfDay to find the best course nearby.

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Remembering Lorena Ochoa

My club, Upper Montclair C. C. in Clifton, NJ hosted the Cadillac NFL Senior Tour event back in the 90’s as well as a number of LPGA tournaments—most recently the Sybase Classic from 2007-2009. One Friday evening I stopped by the driving range at about 7pm and there was one person still hitting balls, working hard at her game—with a beautiful golf swing. It brought me back to a Thursday morning years ago when a business associate and I were at the first round of the Sybase and decided to follow Lorena Ochoa (I believe she was ranked number one in the world at that time). Lorena had a very early tee time that day and we had to walk out to one of the farthest holes on the course to catch up with her. When we reached her group, Lorena was in the center of the fairway with her back to us, chatting with her caddie in preparation for her second shot to the Par 5 fifth, one that would require a carry of about 200 yards over water. Suddenly, as if sensing our presence, she turned and waved with a smile that nearly caused me to drop my coffee. I looked around behind me to see who she was waving at, but there was no one else anywhere near us. It was such a personal gesture of sincere appreciation that we would come out to watch her play—and I’ll always remember it.

If you haven’t been to an LPGA event, you are really missing out on a special day—and I can guarantee the ladies will appreciate seeing you.

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