10 Golfers With The Most Powerful Drive


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Ryan Palmer

Ryan Palmer
Allan Henry-USA Today Sports

When we go combing through the statistics of golf, the Greens In Regulation(GIR), Scoring Average, Money List, and World Rankings are all interesting stats, but the one that usually garners the most attention is the Driving Average. That's the one that all high handicappers like myself look at with pride. Come on, how many times do we go out for a Sunday Foursome, and equate penis size with how many yards we can bomb the little White rock? That's probably why we are all high handicappers, and will never play at Augusta.

I went to Pebble Beach in 1980 to watch the old Crosby Pro Am(now it's called the AT&T something or other), and set up between the 14th green, and the 15th tee. I was able to watch everyone play into 14, putt out, and watch them tee off at 15. That was the day that I ended any hopes of making the PGA tour. I watched Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer, and Tom Weiskoff all play through, and decided I could never hit the ball that far, no matter how hard I tried.

Out of curiosity, I went back in the statistics to 1980, and looked at driving averages. Now keep in mind, we were playing with Persimmon Drivers in those days, and technology, that brings 300 yard drives had not yet arrived. One of the big sticks from 1980 was Dan Pohl. Pohl led the PGA that year with an average of 274.3 yards per drive. An interesting name at number three was Fuzzy Zoeller. Fuzzy was bombing it 271.5 yards. What's that these days? A big five iron, maybe an easy four? Jack Nicklaus was 10th at 269.0 yards per drive.

The first big bomber to come along to amaze us with jaw dropping tee shots was John Daly Big John must be double jointed, cause the dude took his driver back so far, that it looked like he was going to stick the butt of his club into his hip-pocket. In fact, he did every club like that.

With this bit of history in mind, I will share with you the 10 Golfers I think are the most prolific at this statistic on both major tours, and have the Most Powerful Drive. I have pictured Ryan Palmer because after two tournaments in the new year, Ryan Palmer leads the PGA Tour in 2013 with an average of 320.4 yards. Brad Fritsch is second at 319.6 yards, and there's Big John after one tournament in third place at 313.9 yards.

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Number 10 Jason Day

Number 10 Jason Day
Debby Wong-USA Today Sports

Jason Day is a 26 year old PGA regular from Beaudesert, Queensland and turned pro in 2006, and was 9th on the PGA in 2012, and hit for a 308.6 yard average in 2012. He has career earnings just over $10.7 Million Dollars.

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Number 9 JB Holmes

Number 9 JB Holmes
Offsides Sports-USA Today Sports

JB Holmes is 30 years old, and from Campbellsville, Kentucky. He turned pro in 2005, and has made just over $10 Million Dollars. He had a driving average of 309.7 yards in 2012.

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Number 8 Rory McIlroy

Number 8 Rory McIlroy
Kevin Lilles-USA Today Sports

Rory McIlroy was the best golfer on the planet in 2012. He won his second major championship at the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, and the DP World Championship at Dubai in December. He had a driving average of 310.2 on the PGA Tour in 2012, and a 301.9 average on the European Tour. With the news that he has switched his bag to Nike, look for him to add some distance in 2013.

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Number 7 Dustin Johnson

Number 7 Dustin Johnson
Allan Henry-USA Today Sports

Dustin Johnson will turn 29 years old in June, and has won almost $18.5 Million Dollars on the tour, with his lastest win coming at the season opener in Hawaii at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. He turned pro in 2007, and had a driving average of 310.23 yards in 2012.

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Number 6 Robert Garrigus

Number 6 Robert Garrigus
Kevin Lilles-USA Today Sports

Robert Garrigus has been somewhat of an under-achiever, after turning pro in 1997, has made just under $10 Million Dollars on the tour. He was third on the PGA Tour Driving distance in 2012 with an average of 310.3 yards.

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Number 5 Charlie Beljan

Number 5 Charlie Beljan
Bob Donnan-USA Today Sports

Charlie Beljan catapulted to fame in the final tour stop at Disney where he fought anxiety problem for four days enroute to his first tour victory, and his tour card. He turned pro in 2007, and has won just a shade shy of $1.5 million dollars. He was second in driving distance at a 311.6 average in 2012.

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Number 4 Alvaro Quiros

Number 4 Alvaro Quiros
Allan Henry-USA Today Sports

Alvaro Quiros was born in Kadiz, Spain and will turn 30 years old this year. He turned pro in 2004, and has career earnings just over $8 Million dollars. He doesn't have status on the PGA Tour, but he was third in driving averages on the European Tour at 312.5 yards in 2012.

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Number 3 Nicolas Colsaerts

Number 3 Nicolas Colsaerts
Kyle Terada-USA Today Sports

Nicolas Colsaerts is 30 years old, and made history in 2012 by being the first player from Belgium to be selected to the Ryder Cup. He turned pro in 2000, and has career earnings of just over $5.5 Million dollars. He finished first on the European Tour in 2012 driving average at a 318 yard average. This guy is super human with the big stick in his hand, but his putter, and shot game has kept him out of the winner circle.

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Number 2 Bubba Watson

Number 2 Bubba Watson
Debby Wong-USA Today Sports

I put Bubba Watson as number 2, but with a 315.5 yard average in 2012, he was still a couple of yards shy of number 3, but he playerd on the PGA Tour, so I put him in 2nd place. Bubba is 35 years old, and turned pro in 2001. He is the current Masters Champion, and has made $17.8 Million dollars. Don't let the pink driver, and home made swing fool you, this guy can hit the driver.

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Number 1 John Daly

Number 1 John Daly
Mitch Gunn-USA Today Sports

John Daly was 9th in 2012 on the PGA Tour in driving distance with a 306.7 average, and he was 5th on the European Tour with a 305.3 average. That's not bad for a guy that's less than four years away from the Champions Tour. With the exception of 1994 when Davis Love III won the driving title, Daly was first in driving on the PGA Tour from 1991 until 2002. He was the first to have an average over 300 yards for a year in 1997 when he averaged 302.0 yards for the entire year.

He finished second in 2003 at 314.3 yards to Hank Kuehne, and continues to hang around the top ten every year.

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