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The lpga are catching the pga as regards driving.
Why is this?

Of course the seasons aren’t finished yet, but they are about half way and the results are amazing.

lpga 2005 top 5
T1 Brittany Lincicome 270.3
T2 Sophie Gustafson 269.2
T3 Laura Davies 263.4
T4 Annika Sorenstam 263
T5 Jean Bartholomew 262.7

lpga 2006 top 5
1 Karin Sjodin 288.1
2 Brittany Lincicome 283.1
3 Jee Young Lee 280.1
4 Sophie Gustafson 278.1
5 Brittany Lang 273.3

That is an increase of about 15 yards on average for the top drivers on the lpga tour.
Even more notable is that in 2005, there were 8 lpga members who exceeded 260 yards on average.
In 2006, there are 28 lpga members who have exceeded 260 yards on average so far.

So on to the pga then.

pga 2005 top 5
1 Scott Hend** 318.9
2 Tiger Woods 316.1
3 Brett Wetterich** 311.7
4 Scott Gutschewski** 310.5
5 John Daly 310.1

pga 2006 top 5
1 Bubba Watson** 319.3
2 J.B. Holmes** 311.9
3 Robert Garrigus** 309.5
4 Tag Ridings 308.1
5 Camilo Villegas** 306.2

The driving stats for the pga have actually gone back a bit.
In fact for 2005, there were 26 pga members who exceeded 300 yards on average.
In 2006, there are 13 members who have exceeded 300 yards on average so far.
The pga is actually lucky that some of its newer members are such long hitters, or it would have gone back more.

Does anyone have any explanation as to what is going on?

The women are on steroids. The LPGA needs a drug testing policy like MLB.

Equipment could have quite a bit to do with it.

It could be similar to losing weight - it's easier for a 300 pound person to lose 50 pounds than it is for someone who is 190 pounds. There is more potential for the women to gain more yardage distances per year because the men are closer to the maximums with today's equipment.

Equipment, Equipment, Equipment. I do not think you will see avg ever reach the mens avg. It is a Mars Venus thing.

The season isn't over yet. Those 2005 stats were for the whole season. It's still too early for comparisons.

I agree that the women won't catch the men.
However, on the equipment, are the women only receiving the new equipment that recently or were the women slower at gaining the advantages from new equipment.

I had been thinking along those lines earlier in the season, but the stats haven't changed, by the point of just over half of the season.

It should be quite a decent sample size so far, unless it's a big coincidence that the women have had easier courses to drive longer on so far.

No my guess is that the equipment the women are using was originally designed for men. About the only female that could step into mens equipment and play very well is Wie because of her size.

I was thinking it had something to do with the courses. Do you have any stats for driving distance for college golfers? I'm guessing they will be longer than those of the PGA.

What about tighter fairways on the pga which forces the men to swing slower?

You also have to think that maybe with everyone hitting it longer, they probably use a 3 wood off the tee to keep it in the fairway on some drives.

Over recent years, alot of more 'average' amateurs are keeping within view of my drives when they would not used to. I have seen 70+ yos hitting 250.... it is all the equipment and the male pros just have less they can gain.

Good points by the people who mentioned the men maxing out on what they can achieve, and the women having a bit more potential for improvement since they started from a lower base, and were so far from their potential.

I have noticed alot more girls hitting drivers longer, and having short wedges in on par 4 holes. The lpga should probably look into lengthening their courses.

rodney is right about the driving distance going down, and it's not just because only half the season has been played out. I noticed that Tiger is hitting it 15 yards shorter off the tee than last year, and I do believe that around this time last year he was averaging above (somewhere around 317 or 318 I think) what he ended up with at the end of 2005 (316). Now, Nike claims the Sasquatch is a longer club than the Ignite, and yet Tiger's hitting it 15 yards shorter. Vijay claims the Hi-Bore is the longest driver he's ever hit, and yet he's about 7 or 8 yards behind his 2005 average. I think last year and maybe 2004 was the MAX-OUT time for the male pro's and now it's going to start leveling off big time. All the drivers are already at the limit on COR and head sizes, and the ball is at the limit too.

One other thing I've noticed this year, however, is that the fairways on Tour seem to be softer. I remember Tiger hitting 350+ tee shots all day long at Doral in 2005 but this year it was a lot softer and he would KILL it and be about 330. Perhaps the Tour is watering the fairways more or something? I really don't know, but something has gotta be up because the technology may have been maxed out, but that shouldn't lead to a DECLINE, should it? Leveling off would be more likely, but when some of the longest hitters are losing 9, 10, even 15 yards then maybe there is something going on with the fairways.

I agree courses are being made to play longer (i.e. more watering, higher rough, strategic tee box placement). Tons of drives this year are carrying 270to 300 yards and only rolling a few yards. Two or three years ago these drives would roll out at least 20 yards.

As for LPGA driving distance increases, I don't believe you will see those types of increases in the future. I think the potential is being maxed out. Michelle Wie will increase the average once she's touring full time but I don't believe you will see any other LPGA player hitting 300 yard drives in the near future. Unless they change the course conditions (harder fairways).

Does everything a player hits off the tee on a par 4 or 5 get averaged in, or is it just when they land in the fairway? What about if conditions are such a low iron is played instead of a driver or 3 wood? Do those still get added into the mix? Depending on which hits are averaged in, it may affect the numbers.