"Women Golfers Are Embracing the Power Era. Is That a Good Thing?"

Paul Sullivan takes an NY Times look at chasing distance through the eyes of a few LPGA Tour players and it’s fascinating to read that some already regret the effort. But it’s also staggering to see the dispersion of average distances compared to the men.

The difference between the longest hitter on the L.P.G.A. Tour and the 168th ranked player, who is the last one on the list, is 60 yards. On the Ladies European Tour, which co-sanctions the Evian with the L.P.G.A., the difference is 79 yards between first and 168th place.

But even those numbers may downplay how far the longest hitters drive the ball, because the bombers do not always have to reach for their drivers to get maximum distance; they can play it safe with a 3-wood or iron and still be way out there.

By contrast, the difference between the longest hitter on the PGA Tour and number 168 is 33 yards. And almost all of those players are capable of hitting the ball 300 yards or more.

Anyway, it’s a good story and one to bookmark if you’re the parent of an aspiring young woman wondering if distance must be chased.