Bernhard Langer’s performance at the Masters is proof that distance isn’t everything

Another one sent to Position A

Bernhard Langer’s average driving distance on the PGA Tour Champions this year is 276.9 yards. That’s perfectly acceptable on a tour made up of over-50s, but at the Masters he’s not only competing with players in their sixth decade; he’s competing with the best – and most powerful – golfers in the world. 

Langer played with world number one Jason Day on the Saturday of the Masters. Day averages 304.1 yards off the tee. During their Saturday round, Langer regularly round himself 50 or 60 yards behind the man 30 years his junior. 

“The scorecard doesn’t show it,” says Langer. And he’s right. Langer’s 70 was the second lowest round of the day. He beat Day by a shot. 

“Really, really impressive to watch what Bernhard did out there today,” said Day after their round. “Just the positions he was in compared to where I was… He just kept going along and knows his strengths and weaknesses.”

And there, Day has hit the nail on the head. At 58, Langer knows that he can’t compete with Day, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama, Smylie Kaufman – well, with anyone, really, when it comes to distance. 

But the 1985 and 1993 Masters champion knows that he doesn’t need to. 

Langer has more course knowledge than all of the aforementioned players combined. The Sunday of this year’s Masters will be his 114th competitive round at Augusta National. Add in practice rounds and he’s likely got over 200 rounds under his belt. 

On his way to that 70, Langer birdied all four of the par 5s. He was the only player in the field to do so. 

“There’s different ways of getting there, and obviously it’s a lot easier for these young guys, hitting a lot less club into some of the greens,” said Langer. “They can stop the ball, while mine sometimes release.”

Langer knows he can make up for his comparative lack of distance by keeping himself in good positions and utilising his famously impeccable ball-striking.

“When I play really, really good, when I bring my A game, I can still compete – even on a very long golf course like this.”

Langer believes that it won’t be long before an over-50 goes the whole hog and wins a major. The oldest man to win one was Julius Boros, who was 48 when he won the 1968 PGA Championship. 

“It’s going to happen,” said Langer. “One of the over-50s is going to win a major. We have guys right now – Davis Love, Vijay Singh, Fred Couples – these guys are still long enough to compete on any golf course.”

Asked what it would mean if he could defy the odds and win his third green jacket aged 58, Langer said, “It’d be one for the old guys”.

To be honest, Bernhard, it already is. And not just one for the old guys, but one for anyone who thinks they don’t hit it far enough to compete. 

NEXT: Bernhard Langer’s drill for quality ball-striking