[enrisaabsotte]

From Stina Sternberg's blog at GolfDigest.com:
25 More Yards: Golf Digest Woman: Golf Digest Magazine



25 More Yards

10.26.09 | 9:21 AM

When I started my eight-year run as an editor for the now-defunct Golf For Women magazine in 2000, I quickly learned that the most successful stories we could produce were the ones that helped women gain extra distance, especially off the tee. If we had an article that allowed us to slap a "25 More Yards" cover line on the cover, we were golden. Men are generally more interested in stories that help them fix a slice and keep the ball in the fairway, but for women, distance is king (or queen, depending on how you look at it.) It's pure physics: the average woman's swing speed is roughly 30 percent slower than the average man's, which means they hit it a lot shorter. In fact, women hit the ball shorter than even they realize. We conducted studies at GFW that showed the average woman golfer hits a driver about 145 yards, and she thinks she hits it at least 170.

I'm guilty of this myself. I used to be a decent junior player and still harbor illusions that I average about 200 yards off the tee. The truth is, my average is more like 180 yards these days (I've hit enough balls on a launch monitor to know this for a fact). But last week, at the Golf Digest Hot List summit in Mesquite, Nev., I found myself striping drives that routinely measured 210 to 220 yards day in and day out. I acted cool about it but secretly couldn't believe what I was seeing. I know the air is thin out there in desert, but I've played golf at serious altitude before (my favorite golf destinations in the U.S. are Aspen and Vail, Colo.) and know that at my clubhead speed, it doesn't add that much to the total yardage. This was strictly a result of hitting some of the next-generation drivers that were included in our testing.

I didn't get these numbers from one specific club, but several. And when I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, I'd pull out my own driver -- a 2007 high-end composite model from a major manufacturer, which was considered top-notch technology two years ago -- to compare. Every time, I came up a good 25 yards longer with the new clubs. On the surface, the latest drivers don't look all that different than mine, but under the hood, there are some real improvements that obviously work. They're also lighter and longer than they used to be, which helps increase clubhead speed -- especially if, like most women, you're on the slower end of the scale to begin with.

Any woman golfer who thinks this game is all about the operator and not the equipment is doing herself a huge disservice. You want 25 more yards? Then go buy yourself a new driver. I sure plan to.

--Stina Sternberg

[inofindy]

I may have to go buy a woman's driver after reading this... If percentages hold true, I should be able get an extra 35 no problem!

[Adeniinteme]

I believe it - several of the women I play with bought new drivers this year and there has been a difference. Hmm - Christmas is coming. I'm sure I can convince someone that a new driver would be a very nice gift to give me.

[SaamanthaSterlyng]

I believe it - several of the women I play with bought new drivers this year and there has been a difference. Hmm - Christmas is coming. I'm sure I can convince someone that a new driver would be a very nice gift to give me.

Didn't your brother and your Dad offer to get you a new driver just a couple of months ago? I'd go ask them if that offer still stood. Why wait for Christmas? don't you want more yardage by next Saturday?

[verybigf]

And yet people still think that new technology means nothing.

[Adeniinteme]

Didn't your brother and your Dad offer to get you a new driver just a couple of months ago? I'd go ask them if that offer still stood. Why wait for Christmas? don't you want more yardage by next Saturday?

My brother always offers. I should probably take him up on it. He bought the driver I have now for me. I'm embarassed to say he's the one who chose it. Maybe this time I should go test some myself.

[verybigf]

GG has reviewed quite a few as well.

Nickent 3DX RC Ladies
Taylormade Burner Ladies
Cleveland Bloom

[enrisaabsotte]

I didn't say this in the original post because I wanted people to read the blog entry without my thoughts possibly tainting their opinion, but I found it funny that Stina started off by saying that the way to get women to read the magazine was to "slap" "gain 25 more yards" and then she goes on the say "buy a new driver and gain 25 yards" and she titles the post "25 more yards."

Not saying she is making up the 25 yard claim. (Stina has never struck me as a BS'er.) Still, I'm skeptical about a 25 yard gain when her driver was only 2 years old.

[Adeniinteme]

Harry - Your "?" on the end of the thread title told us what you were thinking.

[verybigf]

I agree with you 100% Harry. While I will say that technology and hotter faces can help. 25 yard more claims seems high. The same thing I said about the Krank Driver. It has also been said for quite some time that the distances at the Hot List stuff is always iffy at best.

I do however believe that new technology has made the driver faces more hot for amateur swings and swing speeds.

I have always thought of Stina as a no nonsense informed woman. But she is doing the exact thing that she has been against or so it appears.

[Muhabsssa]

So--if my driver is only one year old, does that mean I'd get 12.5 yards?

[MadMark]

I think because your swing is also one year older, you have to factor that in also. Probably cuts your yardage gain down to about 8.68 yards. Of course you can probably regain the lost 3.82 yards by changing to a different ball.

Seriously though when I read a head line for anything golf that reads "...more distance..." aimed at those golfers with lower swing speeds, I immediately go into "highly skeptical" mode.

So--if my driver is only one year old, does that mean I'd get 12.5 yards?

[SaamanthaSterlyng]

My R7 460 is two years old and my new Burner is 1 year old. I get exactly 12.2436 yards more out of the Burner. Of course, its shaft is 2.17% longer so that may be the difference. In my case, 12.2436 yards gets me to exactly 265.686 yards in total distance, every single time I hit the ball.

Man, this new technology is really something.

[Muhabsssa]

My R7 460 is two years old and my new Burner is 1 year old. I get exactly 12.2436 yards more out of the Burner. Of course, its shaft is 2.17% longer so that may be the difference. In my case, 12.2436 yards gets me to exactly 265.686 yards in total distance, every single time I hit the ball.

Man, this new technology is really something.

Sounds like the most important piece of technology is that 12C.

[enrisaabsotte]

I agree with you 100% Harry. While I will say that technology and hotter faces can help. 25 yard more claims seems high. The same thing I said about the Krank Driver. It has also been said for quite some time that the distances at the Hot List stuff is always iffy at best.

I do however believe that new technology has made the driver faces more hot for amateur swings and swing speeds.

I have always thought of Stina as a no nonsense informed woman. But she is doing the exact thing that she has been against or so it appears.

Sounds to me like she got hold of a driver with a shaft that is longer and/or more suited to her swing speed. Considering that most companies are lengthening their driver shafts, that would be my guess.

[verybigf]

My thoughts too, but you would think Stina of all people would know this stuff. She is constantly making fun of "equipment people" and believes her own hype a little bit.

[smirnoffdear]

Sounds like the most important piece of technology is that 12C.

HaHa! (assuming I know what you're talking about. And if I don't, at least I got some amusement during lunch)

[Nothatspecial]

Equipment can help. Up to a point. You still have to be able to make a decent swing in order to take advantage of that technology.

I read somewhere that seniors (over 50 like me) should get drivers that are 48" long with ultra light shafts. I don't know if this is more hype, or will help folks like me reclaim lost yardage.

[Adeniinteme]

I don't know anything about equipment - most of you know that. I assume there are general guidelines as to when you should get a lighter shaft, etc., but doesn't it vary from person to person?

[Muhabsssa]

HaHa! (assuming I know what you're talking about. And if I don't, at least I got some amusement during lunch)

You do know.

Heck, I've been known to do quick asset ratios to amuse myself.