Two occasions where the best players in college golf crush the field 💨
Mikkelgolf.com Newsletter #28
The Open is being played this week at Royal Troon Golf Club and I’m hoping to catch some of the action. I was fortunate enough to get to compete in the Amateur Championship there in 2012. I unfortunately don’t remember too much from that week, other than the terrifying tee shot on the 11th hole (the Railway), the iconic 8th (the Postage Stamp), and of course - the challenging conditions.
The last part there, the challenging conditions, brought me to remembering something interesting from my time as a college coach. While at Texas Tech and Baylor, I kept quite a few stats from each tournament that we played in. For example, I charted every hole location, wind direction (when our players played the hole), wind strength, yardage of the hole, the average score to par for the field on the hole, the top five scores in the field, and obviously what our players scored.
I also made a few categorizations to the holes. One of which was “tee club”. If I perceived that 90% or more of the field used a driver, I labeled it “D”. If most players used irons, it was marked “I”. If it was a mix, I classified it as “C” for choice.
While the data and resulting insights were somewhat subjective, based on my classifications and perceptions of wind conditions, they provided valuable anecdotal evidence. Watching The Open this week reminded me of what seemed to be significant differentiators in college golf based on the tournaments we played:
🌪️ 1. Wind
In general, the more wind, the more separation in the field. The cream rises to the top and separate themselves by larger margins with increasing wind. However, there seems to be an inflection point around 20 mph, where the difference between the top college players and the average players levels out.
⛳ 2. The Scoring Spread from Par
Another aspect that distinguishes the best players is the scoring spread from par. It's not just the holes playing over par that create separation; the best players also seem to excel on holes that play significantly under par.
Consider a 500-yard bunker-lined par 4, that plays well over par. Here, the best players in the field showcase their skill by making strong pars. They minimize mistakes and navigate the challenges with precision.
But the same seems to apply to holes that play under par. Think of reachable par 5s or drivable par 4s, where the best players again stand out. On these holes, the best leverage their distance and skills to create opportunities for birdies or even eagles.
In both scenarios, long clubs come into play. With longer clubs, the margin for error decreases, and the best players capitalize on this.
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