How important is driving distance in PGA?

As much as we would love to be the case, not everything in life is clear cut.  Granted, there are general trends that are developed over longer periods of time but for each individual event the probabilities are different.  Golf in particular seems to be one of the easiest spots to play and succeed in from an outsider/novice.  Blantaly that is not the case and anyone who has tried to pick up the clubs and knock down the links and instead slices one fifty yards off of the fairway can attest to it.  Fortunately, here we are talking about professionals so the consistency and talent is already there.  So the day old question is upon us for fantasy golf advice:  Is it better to be the power guy who can drive it as close to the hole as possible or the guy who takes some off his swing to ensure that he sets himself up for a manageable shot the next time?

The answer is one of consistency.  At the top of both actual and fantasy golf rankings are guys like Jordan Spieth, and Jason Day among others.  Neither of the two even rank in the top 10 on driving distance against the rest of the field on the tour.  Rather where both of these men truly excel is the short game and putting.  Spieth is top 10 on both putting and short game around the green.  On the other hand Day, the renowned world #1, is tops in short game putting and overall short game.  At the end of the day, the 20-40 extra yards that a player can outdrive their opponent on the opening tee is further compromised with the each of their following hits.  The true difference maker is making it to the green in as little shots as possible proceeding from their tee shot.  The power driver who surpasses the rest of the field more times than not will find greater difficulty with precision and setting themselves up for manageable swings to make it to the hole.  That is why for PGA tour fantasy picks,  the gems and the guys that are vital to your overall team success is one who can limit their own mistakes.  That truly is the name of the game in Golf as every player, in the simplest of terms, is competing against each other to minimize their mistakes not necessarily who is the better driver, putter, etc.  So at the end of the day,  look for the guys who pride themselves on consistency and making their next shot manageable and playable rather than the ones who solely are able to bomb it down the fairways.