Thanks to this club, Justin Thomas says he’s hitting the ball 15 feet longer

Justin Thomas admitted his shots on the front nine on Thursday didn’t go well, as balls would start left of his target, then drift further left. However, he thought it might happen.

This too.

“I drove the hell out of it on the back nine,” he said.

This week’s World Challenge of Heroes holds a somewhat unique place in the current pro golf calendar, aside from the fact that it is played at the idyllic Albany Golf Course in the Bahamas. WHEREAS Tiger Woods– the organized event is not stupid at all – $1 million is awarded to the winner of the 20-player tournament – it is also not Masters-serious, or, and this provides the opportunity to tease. Scottie Scheffler is playing with it a new claw putting the catch (to great success, too, if the first two days are any indication). Akshay Bhatia is starring in a new driver.

AND Thomas is playing with a longer driver, from 44⅞ inches to 46, the maximum length allowed according to the rules. Why not, thought he and his caddy, Matt Minister.

“I mean, I’ve been messing around with a longer driver this offseason, and I put it in today just because with not much wind, I felt like it was a good opportunity,” Thomas said. “I can use it at home, but to put something on and play it in competition, I think it’s different.

“They didn’t go too well at the front, but again, they weren’t necessarily terrible drives. I sort of told the Rev (the minister’s nickname) walking up to nine – they all felt like pretty good swings; I was barely starting left out of my window and just going left versus liking the ball to go right. And because it’s a little bit longer, I have to get the club out in front of me and swing it a little bit more.”

So work is needed. It’s not for everyone, not even professionals.

But there is pro to play it. Think physics. A longer club means a longer swing arc, leading to more room to accelerate before contact – and potentially more distance. Thomas said he thinks he’s getting 2 or 3 mph more in ball speed and 15 extra yards.

It can be climbed then, although understandably not everywhere. It will be an equation. Narrower courses equal the shorter driver; open courses mean longer drivers.

“I want to be able to have that because I think there are some courses that are a huge advantage,” Thomas said. “It’s not necessarily one. You know, some of those drives that I’ve hit in – I don’t know if you want to call it a sandy area, a desert area, whatever the hell it is – you know, they’re not bad pictures in a lot of places. If it’s just rough, I’ll be able to get over the green, vs. 3, I’m up against a bush.