Man, I REALLY crushed that ball

[x-forged]

your right, it doesnt mean a darn thing. he actually beat me by a couple shots, he was quite the player.

[Three Putt]

your right, it doesnt mean a darn thing. he actually beat me by a couple shots, he was quite the player.

He must have been a good player, i'm not a 4 yet, though it is my goal by December (but i will settle for a 5).

[lamebums]

In all due respect....guys who claim to "knock the cover off the ball" are the best to bet against. No game whatsoever, see Jason Zuback...last years TV tourney deal.....

Of all my buddies, I'm the one who completely knocks the dimples off the ball - none of us are really that consistent. Thing is, I'm the one who always seems to lose when it comes to money, even though everyone else is a complete hack - I'll rack up a huge number on a hole and be down for the rest of the day. Or I'll lose a whole load of skins.

I've learned the hard way not to bet much when playing.

[Lefty731PM]

Do people really know how far 270, 280 and 300 yards really is?

From being a keen reader of this site for quite a while it would seem to me that a lot of posters not only have no idea how far they hit it, but know very little about the game itself. A few examples:

1 - A fellow who claimed to play off 14 asking how to hit greens in regulation. 2 -Occasional players who claim to hit it 280-290 on average (and straight) 3 -People who think they could play Oakmont in US Open conditions by doing the (apparently simple) thing of hitting 3 wood off the tee (but forgetting that they'd be lucky to have less than 45 putts even if they were 15ft from the hole on every green) and would be lucky to advance the ball 10 feet from the rough, not to mention not being able to reach the fairways from half the tees. 4 - Players who need to ask if others play the ball as it lies (My God!!) 5 - Posters who ask others which rule they break most - as if that's normal. 6 - Posters who seem to think that professional golfers are excited by the idea of getting free gear and playing for free. 7 - Players who say their handicap is "about" x. 8 - Those who reckon that despite their modest abilities they are able to "pull the string" on wedges 9 - One classic who claimed to be a scratch player when the pressure was on !!!! (But really played of "about" 6) 10 - Those who fail to realise that going from a 13 handicap to scratch is not a realistic goal in a few months. 11 - People with aspirations to turn pro - but who have clearly never actually seen a good pro strike the ball - and don't realise they're playing a different game. Oh - I digressed - At my course there are two par 4s which are slightly over 300 metres. One of them I have seen driven once (because it's slightly downhill) and the idea of an amateur flying the other is just too ludicrous to contemplate. My guess is that many players do not realise that 230 is a very good drive.

[JaY_B]

From being a keen reader of this site for quite a while it would seem to me that a lot of posters not only have no idea how far they hit it, but know very little about the game itself. A few examples:

Good post, should put quite a few people on this forum in their place.

[Saks]

My guess is that many players do not realise that 230 is a very good drive.

So true. I am one of the bigger hitters in my club. (when the bl**dy thing stays straight!). We have a 250 metre (275 Yards??) par four which plays from a massively elavated tee. Usually into a head wind. If I absolutely crush one it will land in front and bounce on (no wind). Never past it! I have only seen three other people drive it or drive past it. One plays off a scratch and is looong. One off a 4 with a killer drive and the last claims to drive it over 300 metres. his came up short both times I saw him drive it. The first two guys might reach it if it was flat. Maybe. The 300 guy would have no chance....

Guess you cant believe everyone aye!

[Elsfan]

From being a keen reader of this site for quite a while it would seem to me that a lot of posters not only have no idea how far they hit it, but know very little about the game itself. A few examples:

I love number 8. The other day I saw a guy who had around a 7 handicap listed that said he was terrified over 165 yard par 3's. That was a little fishy.

[Finn07]

From being a keen reader of this site for quite a while it would seem to me that a lot of posters not only have no idea how far they hit it, but know very little about the game itself. A few examples:

Haha awesome post. So true.

[Stevin]

Funny thing this, when I play and especially when I was a very competitve golfer thinking about turning pro we all used to hit our drivers more than 270yards (most of us avg around 270meters) , but I guess we dont compare with your usual weekend hacker.

I i know I hit the ball about 300 yards... I also know that when I play with my fathers friends who are you avg weekend golfer they would be lucky to be within 50yards of me at best.

[g-funk13]

There are many factors that mitigate a "long drive". For example, if you are measuring total hole length - distance to the flag, or center of the green and saying that's the length of your drive, well:

Where was the tee placed? They measure the LONGEST possible placement for the scorecard.
Where is the flag placed? The above may be true for this as well.
Downwind?
Downhill?
Is there ANY corner at all to cut? Even a slight bend in a fairway comes up in the total yardage ie. hole distance is NOT measured as the bird flies.

This is one area where the gps types have an advantage. I am a bushnell rangefinder guy, and I have a hard time finding something EXACTLY tee-box high to shoot for an accurate distance once I get to my ball. But EVEN THEN, are you using your GPS on EVERY DRIVE? Uphill drives? Drives into the wind? I GUARANTEE YOU the PGA does that for Woods and JB Holmes.

The other day I played Wildcat/Highlands in Houston. On the front , the wind was behind MANY tee shots. I would have averaged at least 290 on those. But on the way in, with the same 30mph wind in my face, I was LUCKY to get 225 with driver.

There are so many guys that have two good drives a round, and that magically becomes the average drive.

The same is true for the driving range dudes who are swinging out of their shoes and not counting the 8-12mph wind at their back. Come back to the range when that same wind is in your face. Besides, a driving range is A BIT wider than a fairway.

[Rusty2228]

As a big guy 6'2"-6'3" 225lb former college baseball player, I can hit a ball 300yds off the tee almost everytime. The problem for me is whether it goes right, left, or way right/left. So if you were to do an accurate average I have a feeling mine would be closer to 100yds than 300yds (I am counting the one that I top that only goes 20yds).

Now I never say I average 300yds. But when someone asks me how far I hit the ball what would be an appropriate response?

The other point brought up here is the waiting for the green to clear thing. I have been the guy who waits and proceeds to shank his next shot. But if I hit the shot that I have hit previous times I would be on or near the green. Being a relative 'hacker' I am just as likely to shank my pitching wedge as much as my 3 wood, so shouldn't I plan for the best possible outcome? (I realize the flip side is that you should also be aware of the worst possible outcome as well.)

[NM Golf]

There have been numerous threads like this concerning people who overestimate their driving distance. Here is my take.

I hit the ball a long way. I am able to hit it 300 yards or more most of the time. I have competed in long drive contests and have many documented drives (with normal Ping and TaylorMade drivers) over 330 yards in competition.

That being said I can honestly say it bothers me when people I play with or am next to on the range ask me how far I hit it. Also, its embarrassing when people make too big a deal out of it. I play with a guy who hits it farther than I do and he says the same thing. The only time I have ever even mentioned hitting it a long way is in some of these threads like this.

Basically, from what I have seen if someone hits it far they don't make a big deal out of it. If someone is way caught up in their driving distance and likes to inform everyone around them of their drivng prowess chances are they can't hit it past 250. Thats the way it goes. If you have the ability you don't need to brag about it.

[ArjunGFX]

^^ Very well said!

To people that are more serious about golf, distance is just not that important, especially when you are playing from the correct tees (that's a whooole other discussion right there lol).

Last week I was in Florida and hit one of the longest drives of my life - about 307. But I literally forgot about it until I saw this thread. The putt I holed for fringe on another hole was exponentially more important, as was my bunker play.