Originally Posted by Mathew
|
You guys have to remember that Ben Hogan's average driving distance was taken at 253 yards. With the technology these days 300+ yards are far more routine. It even means I could hit 3 wood past one of the greats . It doesn't take a mathematician to work out that the accuracy required for the increase on drive length is far far higher. Woods would hit the fairway alot more if he was only hitting 250 yards too.
|
Unfortunately, you are wrong, Matthew. Math is necessary to verify your statement as follows:
- let's assume that an average fairway is 30 yard wide;
- let's assume that post-accident Hogan's FIR was 80% on the average and his average drive was 253 yard long;
- let's assume that Woods's FIR is 50% on the average and his average drive is 305 yard long;
- in order to be on the average fairway after the driver tee shot:
a. Hogan's misses should not exceed 15 yards left or right that makes nearly 6% of allowed deviation margin (15:253=0.059);
b. Woods's misses should also not exceed 15 yards left or right that makes nearly 5% of allowed deviation margin (15:305=0.049);
c. the difference is only 1% that is much much too small a value to justify Tiger's inferior ball striking quality comparing to Hogan's.
- if Woods is the same quality of ballstriker as Hogan was, his average FIR should oscillate between 70 and 75% which is an unreachable goal for him until now;
- Hogan was reported to start almost all par 4's and 5's with his woodenheaded driver, while Woods is often using his #3 wood or a long iron that surely "unfairly" improves his FIR statistics in this context;
- in defense of Woods, we may conclude that today's quasi-roughs on PGA Tour (except US Opens, of course) encourages PGA players to concentrate more on driving distance than driving accuracy. Having said that, IMHO, this fact would not bring Woods much closer to Hogan anyhow.
Please correct me if I am wrong in some of the above points and calculations.
Cheers