This season has been a whirlwind for Lydia Ko, with headlines swirling over her push for a career grand slam and her latest competitive run at majors. From defending her crown at the AIG Women’s Open to new Hall of Fame honors, Lydia’s recent LPGA journey has mixed glittering highlights with candid perspectives about her game. But as fans keep their eyes on Ko’s skill chasing history, she dropped a surprising piece of self-awareness that has social media buzzing.

When chatting on the popular Taco Golf YouTube channel, Ko got real about one part of her game that surprises many. It’s her driving distance. Despite her status as one of the sport’s greats, Lydia admitted she’s not the longest hitter on tour. In fact, she described her driving as “just above average” compared with the power hitters like Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson. 

It was all friendly banter at first, but Lydia didn’t hesitate when asked about her distance standing on tour. “No. No, I’m like maybe just above average. Okay. Um, I probably hit it carry it like 235, hit it like 260, 265, and that’s just above average. The girls that hit it long like Nell, and then they’re like 280 plus,” Ko confessed, putting herself on record as an honest observer, even listing Nelly Korda as the long-drive queen. Koh tried to clarify, “With rollout, you come up or 280 carry?” Ko smiled and said, “No, no, the longer hitters probably carry between 255 to 60.”But that makes you think: Ko, a major champion and seasoned competitor, acknowledges the widening gap in raw distance among top players. While some drivers routinely blast drives well beyond 280 yards, she’s found ways to compete without matching that power.

Ko’s comments shine a spotlight on the big bombers of the LPGA, like Lexi Thompson and Nelly Korda, who routinely blast their drives well over 270 yards on average. In fact, both Korda and Thompson consistently top leaderboards in average driving distance, outpacing much of the competition with carries that reach up to 280 yards. This separation in pure power gives them a real edge in attacking courses but also sets the stage for different playing styles and varying paths to success.

While beast-mode distance gets headlines and a definite strategic advantage, Lydia Ko’s continued success shows just how effective versatility and finesse can be. Ko’s game, built on precision and smart shot selection, has kept her a fixture at the top of leaderboards, regardless of how far she sends it off the tee. In the end, once the numbers are tallied and trophies given, it’s clear that golf rewards much more than pure power, and Lydia Ko’s career is a testament to that balance.

Legacy beyond distance

When you stack up the numbers, it’s tough to look past Lydia Ko. She’s racked up 23 LPGA Tour wins, nabbed three majors, and even brought home a gold medal from Paris in 2024. And let’s not forget that Hall of Fame spot and a career spent perched near world No. 1. She might say she’s “just above average” with the driver, but her record shows she’s miles ahead where it actually counts.

Nelly Korda? She’s the power player with 15 LPGA wins, two majors, and Olympic gold. She spent over 100 weeks at No. 1, and 2024 was her year of dominance, reeling off five wins in a row. Lexi Thompson stays right in the mix, a constant force off the tee with 11 LPGA wins and a major, but hasn’t quite matched Ko or Korda’s trophy haul. Sure, Thompson and Korda can roast a golf ball and wow us with those jaw-dropping drives, but golf’s history books aren’t written only in yards.

So, after Ko’s candid Taco Golf moment, it’s clear that you don’t have to lead the league in driving distance to be the best. Lydia might not send it as far as Korda or Thompson, but her all-around game and ability to win, over and over, show what really matters. In the end, it’s the subtle skills, consistency, and champion’s mentality that keep Ko one step ahead, proving there are many ways to shape a legendary career, big hitter or not.