Max Distance Needed To Be 1000 Rated?

[JC17393]

Something to keep in mind is that a 1000 rating is not the same as being competitive at the highest levels. I think sometimes people view anyone rated over 1000 as more or less the same, but it's not true. The difference between a Sexton or Doss or McMahon, let alone Wysocki and McBeth, and someone like Grady Shue (to name a guy who's out on tour regularly) is about the same as the difference between Shue (1010) and the guy who won USADGC this weekend (974).

 

[etdefender19]

I played with a guy who could bomb 500' drives consistently but couldn't throw 200' to save his life. So distance is cool but it doesn't always add up to being a good golfer.

When I played ball golf seriously, I BOMBED the ball off the tee - never got below a 13 handicap, though, because I couldn't do anything else consistently well.
You HAVE to have your 200' and in game locked down in this sport or it doesn't matter how far you can throw it, IMHO

 

[bnbanbury]

I think that, without being a statistical outlier, you need 400' of course distance at a minimum to be 1000 rated. There are guys that have been mentioned like Yeti who don't have a ton of power and still get to 1000 rated but that guy has a putter named after him because his short game is so good.

I read the question as, what is the minimum distance you need on average to be 1000 rated golfer. Without a world class short game, you need to throw far (actually 400' might not be high enough). Even if you play a bunch of wooded courses accurate distance matters so much because it allows you to throw slower discs in the woods.

 

[takman]

Of all the skills needed to become 1000 rated, distance is the least important IMO. It's a skill that you can make up for with accuracy, touch and putting.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Distance is the most important factor in having a chance to reach 1000 rating. If you can't reach several of the holes designed for gold level, your other skills only help you avoid those poor rounds that will pull down your rating average. The thing about having 400+ open hole distance, is that your wooded distance potential is likely high enough to be able to throw mid-range discs and sometimes putters over 325 on a low ceiling rope. Power is rewarded on almost every hole including putting from longer distances without changing your mechanics.

 

[BuiltTooLong]

The max distance a player can flex out a disc isn't nearly as important as the distance a player can throw on a pure hyzer. If a player can accurately backhand 400, and forehand 350 on pure hyzer angles, that should be adequate to get to 1000 provided the rest of your game isn't lagging. I've known players who can hyzerflip a flippy disc 420 almost every time but can't ever throw a 375 ft pure hyzer.

 

[takman]

Distance is the most important factor in having a chance to reach 1000 rating. If you can't reach several of the holes designed for gold level, your other skills only help you avoid those poor rounds that will pull down your rating average. The thing about having 400+ open hole distance, is that your wooded distance potential is likely high enough to be able to throw mid-range discs and sometimes putters over 325 on a low ceiling rope. Power is rewarded on almost every hole including putting from longer distances without changing your mechanics.

Agreed that it is important, but if you don't have accuracy, touch and putting skills then distance is useless. A player with 350ft distance can limit their events to shorter courses and placement courses and attain a 1000 rating with a "gold level" short game.

 

[bnbanbury]

Agreed that it is important, but if you don't have accuracy, touch and putting skills then distance is useless. A player with 350ft distance can limit their events to shorter courses and placement courses and attain a 1000 rating with a "gold level" short game.

As chuck says, it is not just important, it is the most important factor and nothing else comes close. Could a theoretical player who throws 350 max carefully select events at only dinker courses on which they can reach all the holes and then play them perfectly? maybe. But the shorter the course the harder it is to shoot really high rated rounds precisely because lower rated players can reach the pins.

It's not coincidental that we don't have 1000 rated FPO players. Sarah Hokum is incredibly accurate on approach shots and Lisa Fajkus putts better than many MPO players i can think of, they just don't throw far enough.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Agreed that it is important, but if you don't have accuracy, touch and putting skills then distance is useless. A player with 350ft distance can limit their events to shorter courses and placement courses and attain a 1000 rating with a "gold level" short game.

That's a course design issue though. While it's true a handful of players can get to a 1000 rating playing courses designed for blue level and lower, the true test is being able to apply those skills on gold level courses if you're trying to be competitive at an Open level. Frankly, players with that skill set are more likely aging players who had the power at one time and are able to retain their 1000 rating based on their skills honed over time. It would be rare for an upcoming player to gain those non-power skills before or in lieu of 400+ power.

 

[takman]

That's a course design issue though. While it's true a handful of players can get to a 1000 rating playing courses designed for blue level and lower, the true test is being able to apply those skills on gold level courses if you're trying to be competitive at an Open level. Frankly, players with that skill set are more likely aging players who had the power at one time and are able to retain their 1000 rating based on their skills honed over time. It would be rare for an upcoming player to gain those non-power skills before or in lieu of 400+ power.

Why is it an issue? If the only goal is to reach 1000 rating then the courses don't matter. Nothing was said about a true test on a gold level or even being competitive. Just looking at it literally, I see no minimum distance requirement, just lights out putting at the right courses.

 

[Shamis]

400' with great putting is easily 1000 rated. They may not always put up 1000 rated rounds on long courses, but they could definitely be 1000 rated.

 

[Atvizory2000]

So who would be the shortest throwers of the current 1000 rated club? I can think of Nate Sexton always talking about trying to keep up with the big arms, but he is talking about the 500+ throwers. Im pretty sure he is in the 450 range.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

It amazes me how much our equipment has changed in such a short time. I can't help but think of watching the top pros in the final 9 at 1998 and 1999 DGLO near Ann Arbor. Hole #4 on the Hudson Mills Original course was an open-ish 480-footer with a few mature (and now long dead) ash trees. Climo was left and maybe 375' on his drive with a Gazelle? Stokely was pin-high but more than 100' left, somewhere by (past?) the tee for the next alternate hole with probably an XL. (Neither of the Rico brothers were in a high-percentage birdiable position; one of them had a failed roller if memory serves).

Climo nailed his 100-footer for a birdie two. CHING!!! Stokely made an easy 3, as did everybody else.

The next year, Ron Russell threw a roller with a Cyclone (I think) that made it all the way to the pin for a pickup deuce on the same hole.

I'm guessing today's pros would all be in a good position to deuce this hole, right?

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Oh, and in that 1999 one, Stokely overthrew Hole #2 (350', mostly open) by like 50' with a friggin' Magnet.

 

[bnbanbury]

So who would be the shortest throwers of the current 1000 rated club? I can think of Nate Sexton always talking about trying to keep up with the big arms, but he is talking about the 500+ throwers. Im pretty sure he is in the 450 range.

Sexton is one of the shorter world class guys, but there is a big difference between 1000 rated and 1030+ where sexton is. Sexton is still 450 at least.

There honestly aren't many guys that throw 400' max and are 1000 rated. That's why this discussion of a theoretical guy who plays select courses, throws 350', and is a 1000 rated guy strikes me as pretty ridiculous. They just aren't there.

 

[wolfmandragon]

How far can MJ throw on a pure Hyzer? I know its not super long and he is one of the best in the game.
What was it, 2 years ago, he was in top 10 end of year tour points?

Whatever he can throw minus 25 feet to be a 1000 rated player

 

[lyleoross]

See post below.

 

[lyleoross]

This, in all likelihood. If you play a lot where 450' doesn't gain you much, your 400' arm can compete well with those 500' arms.

Also worth remembering that "1000-rated" aren't the same as "top pros". The guy without a 450' arm (or perhaps more) may not be able to compete on the pro tour, but he can be a local or regional star. I've known of 1000-rated players whom I doubt could reach 450', but who were extremely accurate and consistent.

Of course, there are a bunch of people with 500' arms who will never reach 1000 rating.

I've not read every post, but as is often the case, David has hit the nail on the head. I will add, the kind of game that gives consistency and accuracy, also gives distance. If you have those two components down, you will be as long as your body allows.

 

[Shamis]

I'm willing to bet that there are a lot of Masters/grandmasters that are between 990-1010 that only throw 400. A lot of those top older players put up hot rounds with wild rollers and flawless putting. How far does Moser throw in the air? Maybe 450 max? He's been over 1000 rated for a very long time.

 

[bnbanbury]

I've not read every post, but as is often the case, David has hit the nail on the head. I will add, the kind of game that gives consistency and accuracy, also gives distance. If you have those two components down, you will be as long as your body allows.

I don't agree with any aspect of this post. I have been racking my brain for 1000 rated guys who max out at 400' or less and i can't think of a single one (and have played with a bunch). I don't agree with David at all. 450+ of power lets you throw mid ranges 350 and putters 300' which greatly affects your ability to score.

It is definitely not true that if you have an accurate game you will be "as long as your body allows". There are lots of players who throw accurately at relatively low speeds and are not getting nearly the power they could be if their mechanics were different. I used to be one of them.