Despite all this Luke Donald, Stephen Ames, Kirk Tripplett, David Toms and Aron Oberholser have enjoyed tour victories this year. Aside from Tiger the only guy that has really "muscled" a golf course and won is J.B. Holmes. At it's essence golf is a game of ballstiking and course management. I don't think that's entirely lost despite how courses have been set up.

Old player
 

I think that everyone talks about how much more power that today's players have and that it just isn't all that much more. Sure fitness is a bigger part of the game now but there have always been people who are just naturally strong. The major difference is equipment and I believe that if the players of yesteryear had today's equipment in their prime that many of them would hit similiar lengths on drives.

A case in point is Palmer who used mainly brute arm strength to swing a club and yet he drove a 315 yard par 4 during a british open and this was with the "old" style balls and a persimmon driver.

ce_me_golf,
I like your opinion about the "Bombers." I think there should be differing opinions about this topic. As for last week at The Playa's Championship, Ames is not a bomber and he did win, but that course is listed at 7093 yds. That tourney is a "Major" and they set it up like a major. Length on that course isn't that important. I caddy for Brian Gay, ranked 162 (276.9 yds) and 18 (66.8 %) and I really liked our chances on that golf course. We missed the cut, but the most he hit into a par 4 was a 5 iron, with the exception of #18 @ 447 yds which was into the wind all week. Number 9 @ 583 yds was into a strong wind and the other 3 par fives were all downwind. It was just ironic that the PGA Tour Staff only sets up their biggest event of the year correctly and doesn't do it more often in other towns. On that golf course, length only really helps a guy hit a couple of clubs less into holes, there isn't any trouble that a bomber can carry that a short hitter can't. Keep the post coming.
Eddie

Palmer was long....

Long drives happen in any era.

Averages have gone up though.

That's for your support. Personally, for me hitting a golf ball pure is one of the sweetest feelings in sports. I'm very interested in see who contends for the Masters, especially with all the course changes. And I wouldn't be surprise if a guy who can think his way around the course is not near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday. Yes, Augusta is long but shot placement is crucial.

I think we can both agree that guys are hitting it longer than ever. What I don't see is that length necessarily translating into better golf or even more winning golf. The guy who had the longest driving average on tour last year Scott Hendt, couldn't keep his tour card. And Hank Kuehne reknown for his driving distance is having trouble this year making cuts.

Driving it long is the sizzle but ball striking and course management skills are the steak. Me, I'd rather eat steak! :)

On the clock...
 

"Can you imagine Tiger being put on the clock just when he took the lead in the final round in a major?"

Sorry, I just had to do it, and maybe it isn't precisely what happened, nevertheless, I will admit, who would've thunk it.??? :eyes:

JP