Warm, dry weather is expected to harden the putting surfaces and make things tougher, but if the final 36 holes even remotely match the first 36, average scores could still resemble the Nasdaq's straight-drop decline of the past year. Conditioning techniques and knowledge of the swing dynamic have advanced. Woods has raised the skill-level bar with his awesome performances. Big-headed drivers have added length off the tee. The golf boom Woods precipitated has expanded the talent pool.
Pro golf is just a longer and tougher place than it was five years ago.
Still, it's mostly the ball, stupid. Clearly, it's the ball. The trend is unmistakable, as is the new ball's impact. Until last year, most golfers used a long-accepted ball with a liquid center wound by thread and a soft cover. It subtracted some length but added accuracy around the greens.