Fred Couples: Golf's Driving Master

In 1992, 32-year-old Fred Couples captured his first - and only - major golf title, winning the iconic 'Masters' tournament.

With the win, Couples became a household name, and a fan favorite on the PGA tour. But interestingly enough, 25 years later, the 57-year-old is now hitting the ball further than he did in his 30's. This chart (courtesy of Business Insider's Diana Yukari) describes the golfer's recent increase in driving distance, as he approaches his senior years.

The first aspect of the chart I noticed, is that the 'Y Axis' does not begin at '0' . However, I believe this is a rare case where it is appropriate. Since it's impossible for a pro golfer (or anyone) to hit a golf ball '0' yards, it would be unfitting to begin a graph at that value. I believe Yukari used '250' as a baseline because it roughly marks the lowest driving average of a PGA player over that time period. Since 'PGA tour driving distance' is what is being described in this chart, in this case, '250' essentially equates to '0'.

I found this chart fascinating because the 'line chart' clearly displays how his power has increased with age. Undoubtedly, there is no other type of chart you would use to display this data. In my opinion, adding interactive components is not necessary, as it would likely clutter a simple dataset. While I believe the visualization is framed appropriately - and is easy to follow - it still leaves a few questions unanswered.

For me, the chart's biggest issue is that it does not compare Couples' driving averages to the tour 'leader'. Since golf equipment has advanced dramatically recently, PGA players in general hit the ball further than ever. How much further? Well, the chart doesn't describe that. It would be extremely useful to compare him to his peers, because it would help uncover the true source of his power. Are 'state-of-the-art' golf clubs responsible for his (and the rest of the field's) huge shots? Or is Couples (nicknamed 'Boom Boom') a 'freak of nature' - who remains one of the tour's biggest hitters in his late 50's. My feeling is that it's likely a mix of both those factors, however it is impossible to quantify without any other data.

Finally, from a journalistic standpoint, I believe the headline and article should directly address 'why' golf has changed. The author simply states "Fred Couples shows just how much golf has changed..". Changed due to players improving their physical conditioning? Or new advanced golf clubs? This point might seem a tad irrelevant to anyone familiar with the game, but for someone who does not follow sports, this could cause some confusion.

Overall it is a simple, yet very interesting graph. It also led me to attempt to research some figures on PGA tour driving distance, which were somewhat difficult to find. In fairness to the creator of the chart, perhaps that's why it's somewhat bare. Nevertheless it is quite intriguing, and it gives me hope, that if I keep working on my swing, maybe one day I'll have a shot at the tour.

- SK