'I think they're relatively the same': Bryson DeChambeau makes bold driver claim
Bryson DeChambeau contends that drivers haven't changed all that much in recent years, and more credit for distance gains should be given to those swinging the club.
Bryson DeChambeau has never been shy about staking out a position, and his latest one is sure to ignite the debate over the impending ( albeit contentious ) equipment rollback that will commence with the golf ball in 2030 for all golfers. Speaking ahead of this week's LIV Golf event in South Africa, DeChambeau was asked whether the equipment arms race or raw athleticism deserved more credit for tour players bombing it farther than ever before. His answer was unambiguous.
"If you want to say that a driver back in 2009 is worse than now, I would actually disagree with you on that," he said. "I think they're relatively the same and not much has changed. You can't change it that much with the rules being the way they are.
" It's a bold claim. The average driving distance on the PGA Tour was 302. 8 yards in 2025—a roughly 15-yard jump from the tour average in 2009 (287.
9 yards). Assuming driver technology has played a role in the distance spike isn't a stretch. DeChambeau isn't blind to the numbers—he just thinks they're telling the wrong story.