The impact of driving distance and accuracy on scores: For a 20 yard increase in driving distance, a typical 100-golfers score will decrease by an average of 2.3 strokes per round. For a one-degree improvement in accuracy a typical 100-golfers score will decrease by an average of 1 stroke per round. Extra driving distance is worth more to high scoring golfers than low scoring golfers. The results below are based on a simulation analysis in a 2013 Columbia Business School working paper by Broadie and Ko:
Strokes per 20 yards: PGA Tour – 0.8; 80s – 1.3; 90s – 1.6; 100s – 2.3
Stroker per degree: PGA Tour – 0.8; 80s – 0.9; 90s – 0.9; 100s – 1.0
Distance vs Accuracy