The first Major Championship of the season is almost upon us. Most new drivers have been released. With 12 tournaments already in the books on the PGA Tour, it’s a good time to look at some numbers - specifically those relating to distance.
Tour players are hitting the ball further than ever before - that’s what we’re often being told, hence why the golf ball is going to be rolled back.
But what do the numbers tell us?
Unsurprisingly, the numbers don't lie.
Let’s start with driving distance. Aldrich Potgieter currently leads the way with a whopping average of 324.8 yards, and he’s closely followed by Texas Children’s Houston Open winner Gary Woodland, who is still managing to average 324.6 yards off the tee at 41 years of age.
Perhaps the more relevant number is the PGA Tour average, which sits at 302.6 yards. Wind the clock back to the same time last year, that average was exactly 300 yards - so, a slight increase in average distance.
What about clubhead speed? Woodland tops this particular statistic, averaging a super swift 128.19mph with his Cobra Optm Max-K driver (9° set at 7.8°) and Fujikura Ventus Black Velocore+ 8X shaft, while the Tour average sits at 117.02mph.
At the same time last year, the clubhead speed average was 126.63mph.
At the risk of going down a rabbit hole with this one and reopening the debate as to whether modern technology is making driving too easy at the top level (one member of our team suggests banning golf tees), here’s a more detailed look at the numbers for the last 10 years.
Actually, we will reopen this age-old debate. Let us know what you think by leaving your thoughts in the comments below.
Are you in favor of rolling the ball back? Should Tour pros play with a smaller driver head size? Is the game fine as it is?
Year |
Driving Distance (yards) |
Carry Distance (yards) |
Clubhead Speed (mph) |
Ball Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2026* |
302.6 |
285.2 |
117.02 |
175.08 |
2025 |
302.8 |
286.9 |
116.46 |
174.36 |
2024 |
300.2 |
286.6 |
115.92 |
173.63 |
2023 |
299.9 |
283.8 |
115.08 |
172.85 |
2022 |
299.8 |
282.9 |
114.6 |
171.86 |
2021 |
296.2 |
280.7 |
114.42 |
170.44 |
2020 |
296.4 |
279.2 |
114.01 |
169.71 |
2019 |
293.9 |
279.8 |
114.09 |
170.25 |
2018 |
296.1 |
277.6 |
113.74 |
169.17 |
2017 |
292.5 |
278.4 |
113.85 |
168.80 |
* Through 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open
As the table above shows, the average driving distance on the PGA Tour has increased by approximately 10 yards over the last decade. Meanwhile, there's also been a significant increase in ball speed, up by approximately 7mph.
How much of that is down to golfers working harder in the gym on golf-specific exercises versus the benefits of modern equipment is hard to tell, but the increase has been significant enough for golf's governing bodies to take action.
Last season, the average drive on the PGA Tour came in at just under 303 yards, the highest mark ever.
When the golf ball roll back comes into effect, professionals are expected to lose up to 15 yards with the driver, while the difference for amateurs is expected to be less and less as the swing speed decreases.
So, if you are struggling for a bit of distance off the tee, now might be a good time to have a look at the best drivers for distance on the market.
