Going Too Far?

When was the last time you heard golfers comment that their tee shots were going too far? In professional golf the ball does go too far and courses are always made longer. The US Open continually has par fours over 500 yards. At the Open Championship the toughest par four in the world, the Road Hole #17th at St. Andrews, was moved back 40 yards to a new tee. The reason: the pros are hitting the ball farther than they did five years ago when the Open was last played at the Old Course. At the USPGA Championship the final hole played over 500 yards and was a par four. What’s next? 300 yard par threes? Sorry, already done at the 2007 US Open.

The best players in the world do not require any more length off the tee. Golf courses are stretched to their limit. A classic example of this point is the Pines Course at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts, that measures an incredible 8,325 yards. As a result of improved golf ball technology, the PGA Tour will soon be playing courses at this yardage. A simple solution to the ever growing distance phenomenon would be to have the pros use a different golf ball with length limiting properties.

However, golf ball companies have continued to invest millions of dollars in research and design to facilitate the distance craze. Amateur golfers also want to play the same golf balls as their favourite pros on television.
Golf companies employ scientists who could work for NASA developing golf balls that fly farther and curve less than ever before. “Space ball” technology combined with titanium clubs produces drives that travel over 300 yards for the professionals. If any of your golf partners says, “I hit the ball 300 yards”, call me, and I will take that bet every day of the week.

Almost every new golf course designed now must have a set of tees that stretch beyond 7000 yards. Why? The cost of construction could be lessened by not having to build these “Tiger” tees and thus possibly reducing the price of golf and saving the male ego. Why not build a golf course that is 6200 yards from the “tips” and has a par of 70? Save money on the amount of land, construction costs and maintenance by not building these “Frankenstein” monster golf courses. Golf courses should not be catering to the small minority of golfers who can actually play from 7000 yards.

Even with the extra distance there is one thing that scientists can’t make happen more often: holing more putts. Not yet, anyways.