"Why, one wonders, is there any need to lengthen a course the world's best found more than challenging at a time when the technological issue is apparently done and dusted?"

John Huggan looks at R&A Secretary Peter Dawson's various contradictory statements and actions on the distance issue in an excellent reminder of where the governing bodies say the game is and where we actually stand. The List also gets a mention!

"Driving distance is not increasing and we take that very much into account in course set-up and course alterations," said Dawson. "We do think we have this issue (distance) surrounded."

At first glance, Dawson is right. A quick look at driving distance statistics shows that, in 2005, the longest driver on America's PGA Tour was Australian Scott Hend with an average knock of 318.9 yards. Last year, Robert Garrigus of the US was longest, on 315.5 yards. Hang on though. A closer inspection of the numbers is less reassuring. If we go back to 2002 (when former Open champion John Daly was the biggest hitter on 306.8 yards) only one player, Daly, averaged over 300 yards from the tee and a mere 18 averaged over 290 yards. Three years later, 26 players were routinely over 300 yards and 86 averaged 290 yards or more. And last year, Garrigus was one of a dozen over 300 yards, with 73 averaging more than 290 (the slight drop can be attributed to course set-up "tricks" such as mowing the fairway grass towards the tee rather than the green).