Add new comment

Nicklaus used to say that he might have 2-4 perfectly hit shots (non putts) in a round.
Assuming he had 34-36 full swings, the was "flushing" something like 1/9-1/18 of them.
That's with the ball sitting still. But, of course, Jack's "non-perfect" shots still looks pretty "flushed" to the layman viewer.
Line drives are like that. Some of them aren't ripping rockets, but they still find a hole. They look perfectly nice. Back in 2002 Dan Wilson nearly hit .300 (.295). I said at the time that he was the only guy to hit .300 and not damage a blade of grass, because he hit these floating-soft liners that fell (nestled) in. But they were line drives all the same.
It stands to reason that the harder the ball is hit, the less time fielders will have to get to it. That's why BABIP is tied to liners.
Of all the great ball strikers in golf's past, all except Moe Norman (no relation) hit a ball that curved. Nicklaus hit a power fade, Trevino a WAY big fade, Hogan a baby fade (once he got great by conquering the rollicking hot hook), Nelson a draw, etc. The old ball spun to much to hit it very straight very consistently. Nobody even tried.
Today's players (excepting Bubba) generally hit a pretty straight ball. The current ball doesn't spin nearly as much.....and is designed so essentially the harder you hit it, the less it spins.
moe