Guess What? Jack Wasn't All That Much Longer

I found a short but interesting article over at golfdigest.com about length off the tee back when Jack was playing and with the big hitters now. You might want to take a few seconds to read it because its conclusion is interesting -- namely, Jack didn't really have the big advantage most of us believe!



Now clearly this doesn't mean that extra distance off the tee is useless. But it certainly points out that Jack's ability to hit fairways and greens was a lot more important than his length off the tee. After all, why do you think the long hitters aren't able to consistently finish ahead of the shorter hitters? Because recovery shots are lower-percentage shots than shots from the fairway.

Weekend players should take some solace in that knowledge. Bear in mind that extra distance doesn't get you any closer to the hole if the ball isn't headed toward the hole in the first place! And if you get that ball in the fairway, it's going to get some extra distance rolling.

It's food for thought, anyway.