There are two forms of golfers: these chasing extra distance and people craving extra accuracy. Aaron Rai is firmly within the second camp.
On the time of writing, he’s hit 653 of 890 fairways this season, good for a 73.37 % driving accuracy fee. For comparability? The least correct driver on the PGA Tour (Frankie Capan) finds the green simply 42 % of the time.
What makes Rai’s driving stats so attention-grabbing isn’t simply how correct he’s, it’s what he’s utilizing to do it.
Aaron Rai’s driver setup: Not what you’d count on
Aaron Rai remains to be gaming a 2019 TaylorMade M6 driver with a Mitsubishi Diamana BB 73 TX shaft.
For context, the M6 gained “Greatest for Distance” in MyGolfSpy’s 2019 Most Needed Driver Check. It didn’t end high of the charts for forgiveness however its mix of velocity and consistency works for Rai.
What’s much more telling is that Rai shouldn’t be afraid to switch and improve gear. He performs the trendy Qi10 fairway woods. He’s testing what’s on the market however has had no purpose to alter to one thing aside from the M6.
Longest versus most correct: How their seasons examine
The following apparent query that involves thoughts is how essential it’s to hit fairways on the PGA Tour. We took the longest driver on Tour, Aldrich Potgieter, and in contrast him to Aaron Rai to see what their seasons appear like.
Clearly, there’s much more to it than distance versus accuracy off the tee however it’s nonetheless attention-grabbing to have a look.
Aaron Rai (Most Correct)
Driving Accuracy: 73.37%
Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee: 0.390 (twenty second)
Membership Head Pace: 113.38 mph (145th)
Common Driving Distance: 284.5 yards (162nd)
Official Cash: $2,771,710 (fiftieth)
Prime-10 Finishes: 1
Wins: 0
Aldrich Potgieter (Longest)
Driving Distance: 327.6 yards (1st)
Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee: 0.686 (2nd)
Membership Head Pace: 125.77 mph (2nd)
Driving Accuracy: 55.21% (137th)
Official Cash: $2,950,266 (forty seventh)
Prime-10 Finishes: 3
Wins: 1
So what will we be taught?
Regardless of Rai’s elite accuracy, Potgieter’s energy sport has translated right into a stronger season general. He had extra top-10s, extra prize cash and a Tour win. That’s to not say Rai’s technique doesn’t work (his consistency off the tee remains to be among the many finest on the earth) however it does spotlight a reality most mavens know properly: hitting fairways is efficacious however distance wins extra usually.
Take a look at Rory McIlroy, the second-longest driver on Tour. He ranks 171st, 5 from the underside, for accuracy.
Closing ideas
Aaron Rai is likely to be one of many few gamers on Tour nonetheless gaming a six-year-old driver however there’s an excellent purpose: it performs for him.
If a membership provides you confidence and management, it doesn’t have to be the latest mannequin. Nevertheless, it in all probability is sensible to check it and see what the variations in stats would appear like. It’s one thing that Aaron Rai has probably executed each season.
The submit He’s The Most Correct Driver On The PGA Tour—However He’s Not Utilizing The Membership You’d Count on appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
