[Golf Topic] Shin Queen "Operating 48-inch Long Driver on European Tour~"

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] ○…Callum Shinkwin (England, photo) has showcased a 48-inch long driver on the European Tour...

On the 3rd (Korean time) at the Dubai Championship held at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with a total prize of $1.2 million, Shinkwin carried two Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero drivers in his golf bag, one of which was 48 inches long. He is the player who secured his first European Tour victory last month at the Cyprus Open. On this day, he finished the first round tied for 28th at 4-under par, drawing particular attention with an average drive distance of 328.5 yards (2nd place).

It is interesting that 'Hulk' Bryson DeChambeau and 'veteran' Phil Mickelson (both from the USA) have recently been testing '48-inch' drivers. Mickelson already used a '47.5-inch' driver at last month's Masters. Arithmetically, every additional inch of shaft length increases centrifugal force, adding about 7 yards to the distance. The problem is control. Mickelson's actual fairway hit rate in four PGA Tour rounds using the '47.5-inch' driver was only 36%.

DeChambeau first bulked up by gaining 18 kg, becoming the leader in driving distance on the PGA Tour in the 2020 season with 322.1 yards. In the 2021 season, his distance increased further to 337.8 yards. He explained, "Through diet and intense training, my muscle mass has increased." His next move is the '48-inch' driver. He added confidence, saying, "I am conducting various tests to improve my strike rate" and "I can average 370 yards."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.