No player in the history of the game has changed the landscape of golf more than Tiger Woods . He has inspired a new generation, and further generations, of youngsters to play the game and his fame transcends the sport. No golfer, and few sports stars, are more recognisable than Tiger. Woods changed the way top-level golf was played and approached. His powerful technique and wide arc generated huge clubhead speeds that caused instructors around the world to take note and change their methods of instruction. Fitness became an important word for top level golfers and Tiger's athletic approach to the game ushered in a new "power" age in top level professional golf.
Woods has always been known as a hugely powerful player, with quick muscles and the necessary skills to hit the “long ball.” Even more recently, despite a litany of injury struggles, Tiger can still sending it out over 300 yards. In practice for this year's Masters, Woods was clocked on the range generating ball speeds of up to 180mph, delivering carries with the driver of over 310 yards.
Back in his prime though, when he was winning the bulk of his 15 Major titles, Tiger was one of the very biggest hitters in world golf. In 1996, at the time he turned professional, only John Daly averaged further from the tee on the PGA Tour. It should be noted, in those days, nearly 30 years ago, the leading driving distance averages were quite a bit lower than they are today. In 1997, Tiger was second on the PGA Tour's end of season driving distance table. He averaged 294.8 yards for the year. Tiger placed, at worst, 12th during the next 10 seasons. It wasn’t, however, until 2004 that he averaged more than 300 yards from the tee for the first time over a full playing year (that was 301.9 yards).
2005 was Tiger’s best season for driving distance on the PGA Tour. That year his average was a mighty 316.1 yards. Only famous big hitter Scott Hend of Australia topped his average in that season. It was a year in which Tiger won both The Masters and The Open Championship.
If you calculate an average of all Tiger Woods’ annual driving averages on the PGA Tour (for the seasons he has played between 1997 and 2022) you get an overall average of 299.2 yards.
Tiger has finished a PGA Tour season with a driving average of over 300 yards seven times. He managed that most recently in the 2021/22 season, although it's worth noting that he only played three events during that season.
Tiger won nine times in 20 starts on the PGA Tour in the year 2000, a season that included three major wins for the "Big Cat." Most pundits consider 2000 to be the absolute pinnacle of Tiger’s “prime.” He returned a driving distance average of 298 yards that season.
“Tiger-Proofing”
At that time, Tiger dominated golf to such an extent that tournament organisers and governing bodies felt the need to act. The question/problem of his power was a hot topic. The concern was that championship courses were being out-hit. The concept of "Tiger-proofing" arose.
Alterations were made at Augusta National to toughen and lengthen holes in order to prevent players (that meant Tiger) from overpowering the iconic course. Other tournament venues, including Open Championship courses like St Andrews followed suit. At tournament courses across the globe, holes were lengthened, par-4s stretched beyond 500 yards, the rough was brought in, trees were planted, bunkers shifted in attempts at “Tiger-proofing.”
Woods average drive may have been at, or just under, 300 yards but he was famously able to turn up the dial and launch it out there. He would regularly drive well over 300 yards with his longest drives for each season generally over the 350 yard mark. Tiger's longest ever drive in tournament play measured a whopping 498 yards. It came on the 18th hole at Kapalua in the Mercedes Championship of 2002. A caveat though is the hole is significantly downhill and the ball tends to run out quite a distance if it catches the right slope. Most years, the longest drives of the year on the PGA Tour are recorded on that hole.
Tiger could "send it" - he still can! And, with a following wind, firm ground or both he can drive it well beyond 300 yards. But, by looking at an average of his averages when he was at his prime, we can fairly accurately say that, at the peak of his powers, Tiger Woods drove the ball around the 300 yard mark in standard conditions.
Fergus Bisset writes extensively about the history of the game. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here. Tiger Woods features in one episode when Fergus considers his incredible performance in the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach.
