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Driver distance vs. Handicap

birdiedream

By birdiedream,
in Golf Talk

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O.B. Right Well Established Member

O.B. Right

In my opinion, experience and observation, you can't hit really long drives without a good swing. Just can't.

So I think by the time you get to be a single digit you will automatically be longer from the tee because you will have better swing. 230 is good, though . .really. I don't think you need to worry about your distance at all . . . it will just come.

But anyway - my handicap, if I kept one, would probably be about 24 at this point. My average drive that lands in the fairway is 150. My swing speed when I really go at it on a simulator is about 105 with bad technique so, once my technique improves, I expect to automatically start driving closer to 250. Those same improvements should also get me into the high single digits. So I don't even worry about hitting the driver - I actually have been teeing off with a 5 iron lately.
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alo1984 Well Established Member

alo1984

Absolutely you can. I'm a 6 handicap and a good drive is around 240-250 for me. Most days I'm hitting it about 230-240 and some days I can push 260 on a couple of holes. Handicap is not really dependent on your distance. It's dependent on your ability to make good contact. Distance comes from good contact, but only to the extent that you are physically capable. If you aren't physically capable of swinging the club fast enough to hit the ball 275+ then don't worry about it. Focus on making the proper swing to maximize your potential ability. Don't fall prey to the doctrine that you must hit long bombs all day long to be any good. Practice, and play the appropriate tees and your handicap will get lower.

What's in my bag:
Driver: taylormade.gifBurner 09 Stiff 9.5*
Fairway Woods: adams.gifRPM Low Profile 3 & 5
Irons: mizuno.gifMP 57 - 3-PW Project X 5.5
Wedges: wilson.gifREG. 588 54* &cleveland.gif 60*Putter: ping.gifAnserBall: titleist.gifProV1x Home Course: Forest Ridge Golf Club

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Heroe123 Member

Heroe123

I'm around 290 off the tee with a handi of 1.8 atm.... Distance to handicap does have some factor I suppose. I mean your handicap gets adjusted for playing the different tee boxes due to slope. But playing the tips compared to the front/middle mens tees is totally different. Ahh also if your consitently straight and you continue to hit your tee shot that distance you will be hitting longer irons into the greens instead of hitting easy wedge shots. But just keep practicing and mid irons will be dead on and you will be able to stick your irons close as well. But, all in all there are just a lot of factors into this topic.
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right handed phil mickelson Great Member

right handed phil mickelson

Average about 250-260. I can crank out one to about 275 if I really let loose. I'm a +1 handicap.

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha Diablo 9º
2 Hybrid: Callaway Big Bertha Heavenwood
Irons: Nike Slingshot OSS 6-3 iron
          Taylormade Tour Preferred PW-7 iron
Wedges: Cleveland CG14 50º, 54º
              Taylormade RAC 58º
Putter: Ping Darby 32" shaft


 

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golfro Great Member

golfro

280 average, 5 handicap.

DST Tour 9.5 Diamana Whiteboard
909F3 15* 3 FW stock Aldila Voodoo
909F3 18* 5 FW stock Aldila Voodoo
'09 X-Forged 3-PW Project-X 6.0 Flighted
CG15 56* X-Tour 60* Abaco

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nearwater Established Member

nearwater

I think driving the ball off the tee is a stronger part of my game. Handicap is 17.1 so far this season.
I average about 250-260 w/ 52.6% hitting the fairway.
I do have those occasional pull/hooks that ends up in a penalty stroke though.
Accuracy in iron shots and putting is just terrible.

I don't think driving distance has much to do with handicap. I know several single digit handicappers who average about 220~230.

Dan

In my Revolver bag:

| Driver | Burner 460 9.5°
| Wood | Burner Plus 3 wood
| Hybrid | 22° Rescue Dual| Irons | MX-300 / Grads| Wedge | Spin milled 54°, 60°| Putter | Studio Newport 2.5 35"| Balls | NXT, Pro V1x DDH SF Tour, Pinnacle logo overruns :)

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soloredd Dedicated Member

soloredd

230-250 / 19.2

Callaway Org14 Sport w/ Clicgear Cart:

Callaway X 460 9* - Callaway X 15* - TaylorMade 19*/21* Hybrid - Callaway Diablo Forged 4-PW - Titleist 50/56/60 - Rife Cayman Brac - Bridgestone xFIXx/B330-RX - TRUE Linkswear Supporter!

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WUTiger Incredible Member

WUTiger

220 Carry + 20 Roll | HDCP = 19.6

Last season was the first time I used a true jumbo driver, and it took me most of the season to get used to it (proper tee height was problematic).

Scorecard says I'm hitting 58% of fairways - plus two or three per round in the first cut - so my driving has improved. Problem: I still skyhook a drive OB about 1.5 times per round.

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
  • GolfWorks Clubmaking Academy: Fitting, Assembly & Repair School (2012)

Driver:  :touredge: EXS 10.5°, weights neutral   ||  FWs:  :callaway: Rogue 4W + 7W
Hybrid:  :callaway: Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  :callaway: Mavrik MAX 5i-PW
Wedges:  :callaway: MD3: 48°, 54°... MD4: 58° ||  Putter:image.png.b6c3447dddf0df25e482bf21abf775ae.pngInertial NM SL-583F, 34"  
Ball:  image.png.f0ca9194546a61407ba38502672e5ecf.png QStar Tour - Divide  ||  Bag: :sunmountain: Three 5 stand bag

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B-Con Great Member

B-Con

24.4 handicap, 205 carry with 15 roll (roughly).

"Golf is an entire game built around making something that is naturally easy - putting a ball into a hole - as difficult as possible." - Scott Adams

Mid-priced ball reviews: Top Flight Gamer v2 | Bridgestone e5 ('10) | Titleist NXT Tour ('10) | Taylormade Burner TP LDP | Taylormade TP Black | Taylormade Burner Tour | Srixon Q-Star ('12)

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mcgriff Well Established Member

mcgriff

240-250 with 12ish HCP (gotta go through the cards and nail down my final cap for the year)

I don't think one has anything to do with the other. Put me out at 275 and 10 to 1 my cap would be the same.

Geomax 16 reg - driver
G10 17 4 wood reg
Sumo2 20 hybrid Reg
MX-100 4h, 5h, 6-gap Reg
MP T 10 56.10, 60.08Bullseye putter

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CrazyXGolfer Dedicated Member

CrazyXGolfer

Me: +1 HC 280 avg
My Dad: 20Hc 250 avg

I belive lower handicaps would usually hit the ball a little bit futher. Lower handicaps will ALWAYS have a better golf swing and a good golf swing will usally mean you will swing the club abit faster because of weight transfering at the right times and getting a more flatter penatrating ball flight.

Driver: 909D3 8.5* Diamana White Board X
3 Wood: MP 630 15* GRAFALLOY PROLAUNCH RED X
Hybrid: 909H 19* "Real" VooDoo X
3 - P: MP-68 KBS Tour Black Nickel X
56* 10 Wedge Vr60* 06 Wedge: VrPutter: Custom Made.Golf Ball: TOUR B330SI am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was....

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snowsurfer Member

snowsurfer

Average 240. Handicap index 9. SS 100mph. I can hit it 270 occasionally, but I can also hit it 220. R9 460 w/ Oban Devotion 6/4

WITB
Titleist 910 D3 Motore F3
Ping G15 4wd TFC
Adams A12 20* RIP'd VS Proto, Adams CB2 Forged 4-GW DGSL S300 Scratch 8620 54* and 58*

Mizuno Bettinardi BC4 TaylormadeTP Red/ Wilson Staff FG tour

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James_Black Great Member

James_Black

A junior golfer I know hits it 300+ yards on most drives.
He plays off of 3.
I played with another junior who drives it around 280 and he's off 4.
And another junior I know is off 6 and hit's it 280 as well.

I don't know any single digit handicappers who can't hit the long ball.

My Clubs
Driver - LV4 10* R flex
Wood - sam snead persimmon 2 wood (for windy days)
Hybrid burner tour launch 20* stiff flex.
Irons - Tour Mode 3i,4i stiffIrons - FP's 5-PW R-flexWedge - spin milled 54.14Wedge - spin milled 60.07Putter - Victoria Lowest round 2010: 79 (par 70)Latest rounds at...

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