Golf Monthly UK – August 2019

Theupperechelonsofthemodernprofessionalgameare
largelypopulatedbyplayerswhohitthegolfballprodigious
distances.ThelikesofBrooksKoepka,RoryMcIlroyand
DustinJohnsonarecapableofdrivesthatcarry over 300
yardsandtoweringironshotsthatland
softlyondistantgreens.Consider
FrancescoMolinari.Hewasoneofthemost
accurateplayersinworldgolfforanumber
ofyears,butitwasn’tuntilhefoundextra
distancethathebecamearealcontender.
Andtheimportanceofdistancerunsright
throughthegame.Ifanyplayercangenerate
gooddistance,thentheirtimingandthe
basicmechanicsoftheirswingmustbe
efficient–theyhavethepotentialtoimprove.
Aplayerwhohitstheball 250 yardsoffthe
teewithouthavingtoforceit,evenifalittle
inaccurate,canbeinstructedtoachievea
moreconsistentlystraightflight.Theyhave
thepotentialtoreachalmosteverypar 4 and
theoccasionalpar5,meaningtheycan
makeparsandbirdieswithrelativeease.
Aplayerwhohitsitunerringlystraightbut
canonlyshiftit 150 yards,nomatterhow
hardtheyswing,willnotmakemanyeasy
parsandveryfewbirdies.Iftheycan’treach
greensinregulation,bogeyisthemore
reasonabletarget.Theymayneverlosea
ball,buttheywillneverplayoffsinglefigures.
Thosewhogenerategooddistancecan
alsolearntoplaywithinthemselves–they
canplayashorterclubfromtheteefor
safetyandposition.But,whenthehole
demandsit,theycanopenthetapsandsend
oneoutthere.Distancegivesoptions,
presentspossibilitiesandthepotential for
improvement and success.

Golfisultimatelyaboutgettingasmallballintoamarginally

biggerholeanythingupto 600 yardsawayinasfewstrokes

aspossible–notthateasyifyou’re300+yardsoffthetee,

but 50 yards wideinthejungle.Withoneortwoexceptions,

relativelyfewofthetour’sbombersarealso

straightenoughtotakefulladvantage.There

willbesimilartypesatyourclub,usually

talkingveryloudlyabouthowlittleclubthey

hadin,butalittlemore quietly about the

scoretheyposted.

Theseason-longstatsontourpainta

slightlydifferentpicturetothe‘poweris

everything’refrainwehearsooften.Onthe

EuropeanTourlastyear,fouroftheten

longesthitterslosttheircards,asdidfourof

themostaccuratedrivers.Butwhenyouadd

ingreensinregulation–golf’sothertelling

accuracystat–thingslookalittledifferent.

Ofthetoptenhere,thelowestfinisheron

theRacetoDubaiwasNicolasColsaertsin

80thplace,withtheaverageposition44th.

Accuracyissoimportantfromteeto

greenthatitsroleshouldneverbe

downplayed.Ifyouareonthefairway,you

havemorechanceoffindingthegreenand

exercisingsomecontroloveryourball;

you’rethenputtingwhichmakespareasier

toachieveand,ifyoudothe‘fairwaysand

greens’thingoftenenough,youwill

inevitablyconvertsomeof the birdie

chancesyougenerate.

Thegolferwhoregularlyfindstheshort,

thenevenshortergrasswillfrequently

prevailovertheerraticbomber,especiallyat

clublevelwherepowersofrecoveryfrom

theroughandgreenside are less advanced

than on tour.

Is accuracy

more important

than distance?

No

SaysFergusBisset

What’syourview?Email

[email protected]

ANDOUR

SURVEYS SAID...

Yes89%

No11%

Isaccuracymore

importantthan

power to you?

Haveyouever

hit a par 5 in two?

Ye s

SaysJeremyEllwood

Yes81%

No19%

Illustrations:

Peter Strain

THE GAME DEBATE