Driving Distance

Re: Driving Distance

Dont feel bad. I have about 2 years exp, and even when I nail a drive with 110% swing, and it goes straight or slight curve, it only goes maybe 225 or so. I think the main thing I am missing now is lag, but until I get to a range to work it out, I cant start trying new things on a course.

Re: Driving Distance

...I focused on my short game, chipping & putting, first. Maybe I'm backward. I drive about 225 with a #3 wood, 250 with a driver (which I seldom use) Not a great distance, but my approach shots and chipping keep me out of trouble....usually....sometimes....hopefully!

Re: Driving Distance

Working on my swing, trying to get my aim right and get my hands from flipping. also trying not to over swing. I dropped my driving distance from 300 to about 285. But i increased my driving accuracy to an additional 4-5 fairways per round.

Re: Driving Distance

I'd say driving the ball between 250 and 280 is going to get you equal to or beyond the majority of guys on this site. There are obviously going to be guys who hit it beyond you... but, for the most part, I'd say you'd be further along if your distance is accurate.

I keep my driving distances on record... and through 4 rounds this season... if I hit the fairway off the tee... my driver averages about 220-230. That includes a round in 30 degree weather where everything was about 20 yards shorter than what I typically hit. My last 2 rounds... my average when I hit the fairway with my driver is 249.50 yards. Overall... whether I hit the fairway or not (including topped drives that ended up at 80 yards or so)... my average with my driver is about 205 yards.

Now... I know when I catch one properly that it's going to end up between 250 and 270 yards... but I'd still say my average drive is only in the 230 range because I do have a lot of mishits.

By the way... all my yardages are GPS verified. Before using GPS... I used to 'calculate' my yardages by subtracting the yards left to the hole from what was posted on the scorecard. It's not even close. Especially since many of the courses I play have fairly large doglegs. Example is a 450 yard dogleg right hole that I only had 185 left to the pin. If I had been subtracting yardages... it'd mean I hit my drive 265 yards, but I caught it off the toe a little, and it was kind of a floating knuckleball looking shot that actually only went 240 yards. That 25 yards is a big difference when 'calculating' your average.

CY

Re: Driving Distance

Its hard to take this serious b/c most ppl severely mis judge their distances. Most ppl say they hit their drive 250, but in reality its more like 220-230, if that. Hey, but this is the internet so we all hit 350 yd drives and 150 yd lw.

Since I use a range finder I now know how far my drive goes which averages 265 at sea level with a club head speed of 105-109 mph. On a side note, I like it when I go to altitude like 4000 feet b/c that gives me one more club in length.

You've been golfing for 2 yrs with a hc of 30, hmmm I'm sorry, but I have a hard time believing that you hit your drive 250-280 yds; BUT if you really want to put some big distance on the ball learn how to bring your hips thru the shot. When you do it right it feels like the arms and hands are along just for the ride and the swing seems effortless. It will also help to flatten out your swing. This will help to get the hips thru the shot. Also remember the game is about as few strokes as possible which has little to do with driving distances and alot to do with the short game and putting.

Re: Driving Distance

220-240 last year, 9 handicap.
this year it be longer, how much I find out when the courses opens up.

golf is all about consistency.

Re: Driving Distance

During "summer" conditions (90+ deg. and fairways that actually give you some roll) and on days where I'm swinging the club well, I'll average between 290-300 yards off the tee with my driver. If I'm not swing the club well, I have a "power fade"-type go-to swing with my driver that'll work no matter how bad I'm swinging; with that shot I'll average between 270-280 off the tee.

To me, driver distance is COMPLETELY overrated and has absolutely no advantage unless the rest of you game is in shape. Even still, if the rest of you game is in shape an additional 20 yards of carry shouldn't make that big of a difference. What is 100 times more important is distance control with your other clubs. It's better to hit your driver 250 and know for sure your 7 iron will go within a few yards of 150 yards than it is to hit your driver 280 yards but have no clue what to hit that'll go 120 yards.

Re: Driving Distance

Driver mostly between 200-215 metres (218-230 yd) every now and then it goes further. Max is about 255 metres (278 yd)
Average carry is about 190 metres (207 yd)

Although it's pretty short (I was consistently behind my marker's 3 wood today) It's actually fairly reliable.

Here's a stat for you....

The Australian scratch golfer will hit an average drive of 225 metres (246 yd) and be able to reach a 430 metre (470 yd) hole in 2 shots. - This is what they use to determine the difficulty and playing length of any given hole.

Re: Driving Distance

I started noticing this at the end of last year. My best drives were when I felt like I was pushing hard with my legs and swinging easy with my arms. Now when I go to the range I try and focus on achieving that feeling of disconnect between my upper and lower body. At best right now I can only get it right about 20% of the time, but that's why we practice, right?

Re: Driving Distance

Your best/longest drives are going to be from swings that feel effortless and where you aren't trying to overpower the ball. You need to make a smooth swing in order to make a powerful swing. Distance is about one thing and one thing only; clubhead speed. To maximize clubhead speed, you have to make sure all your energy is going toward generating it and not trying to keep yourself from falling over after swinging out of your shoes.

As said earlier, your power comes from your hips and your core. It doesn't come at all from your arms. I average between 290-300 yards off the tee, and I could probably only do 2 or 3 pushups at the absolute most. If you use your body turn as your power source, not only will you be surprised by how much more power you generate but at how much more consistent your shot direction will be.

Re: Driving Distance

Handicap 30 and driving 250-280? Probably possible, but plausible? Do you have a video of your driver swing?

In any case, you know as well as everyone else in here that 250-280 driving distance is good.

Re: Driving Distance

I drive the ball minimum a minimum of 350 yards each time. Typically I'll have to carry back up drivers because I tend to cave in the faces frequently. If the wind is at my back and I the fairway is hard, I could hit one as long as 400...

Really, why another driver distance thread? 99% of people have no idea how far they actually hit the ball. The guys that think they hit it 300 are typically hitting it 250 and the guys that think they're hitting it 250 are actually around 200. Internet distances = overrated.

I cannot tell you how many times guys have seen me hit the ball and are just amazed with how far I hit it and THINK that my ball must have traveled at least 300 yards. I love the look on their faces when I tell them that I carry the ball about 260.

Re: Driving Distance

I need a stiff shaft on my driver, the ball goes really high with a draw.

I hit the ball 200-210m that's around 220-230 yards

Re: Driving Distance

I've been working a lot on weight shift lately and I'm hitting the ball a lot farther. I'll hit it anywhere from 270 all the way up to a little over 300 (that is my absolute max, and I very, very rarely hit it that far), but 285 is probably my average.

Re: Driving Distance

…just keeps getting tougher and tougher biting my tongue

Re: Driving Distance

These threads are ridiculous.

My average drive in the fairway this season has been gps measured at 211. The long for the season is 247 yards. Someday maybe I will be the guy who hits 270-290. Then i will be able to feel like more of a man. For now I just have to rely on having a wife and daughter that love me to make me feel like a real man