How do you learn your club distances?

[srjorion]

For those of you who have a solid grasp of how long you hit each club, how do you determine it? I know mine to within about 10 yards, but I'm not able to say how far I hit any given club with any better accuracy than that.

I think driving ranges are terrible for distances for two reasons. One, the balls are not normally what you are hitting on the course. I know I hit the ball at least 10 to 15 yards further on the course than I do on the range. Second, it is hard to get a solid feel of the range distances. Sure, you see the ball hit somewhere, but getting accurate is tough.

The ranges I know come from playing and knowing how far I have to the pin on well marked courses. Unfortunately not all courses are marked accurately, and who knows if my distances are right on. Again, good for +/- 10 yards, but after that it's tough.

Ideally I would love to have a range with the balls I play with and be able to hit each club over time to get a good feel for how far I hit the ball. I know that's not going to happen anytime soon. Maybe when I win the lottery I will build a range like that

So what do you all do?

[larlev]

I have a real nice range...Callaway balls, laser distances at every hitting station....so to answer, I went to the range...

[kekoa]

you can go to a shop with all the measuring gizmos. they put some special electric tape on the iron sole and can give you a reading as to distance and shape of your shot.

[golf_junkie27]

I did the nerdy thing and went to Google Maps. I then used the measuring tool to specific targets and got the yardage. I also have taped to my irons the distances that I hit each iron, lie included. For example, it looks like this:

DH-165 (Downhill)
UP-150 (Uphill)
FL-157 (Flat Lie)
AF-138 (Above Feet)
BF-142 (Below Feet)

It has helped a ton and takes out the guessing game.

[larlev]

I did the nerdy thing and went to Google Maps. I then used the measuring tool to specific targets and got the yardage. I also have taped to my irons the distances that I hit each iron, lie included. For example, it looks like this:

OK can you explain this....I'm a little slow today, what on google maps are you measuring?

This is my biggest problem right now.....

[Big_M]

my GPS (iGolf CaddieII) is in the process of letting me know how far I hit my new clubs.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Good question..i really have no idea..lol. But I know how high I hit each club. So what I do is i look at a shot, imagine the way I want the ball to drop, and I pick the club that allows me to do whatever is in my head. Ive taken 7 irons from 110 yards in the past.

[Brooklyn]

sky caddie

[Oh that felt good]

I have a real nice range...Callaway balls, laser distances at every hitting station....so to answer, I went to the range...

Holy smokes! How much does it cost to hit at your range, and where is it?

[thedub]

i practice a lot!!

[Oh that felt good]

i practice a lot!!

Yeah, but how does that tell you what distance you hit your clubs? Do you have a great driving range with some very specific targets?

I practice a lot too, but I can't tell you how far I hit my clubs.

[larlev]

If you guys are practicing a lot w/o knowing club distances your leaving out a critical part of the learning process...your scores will never get any better.

[Shindig]

For those of you who have a solid grasp of how long you hit each club, how do you determine it? I know mine to within about 10 yards, but I'm not able to say how far I hit any given club with any better accuracy than that.

I used the range and the 10-yards-per-club rule as a starting point. I noticed PW shots on the range clustered around the 100 marker, so I assumed PW is 100, 9-Iron 110, etc. The range, however, wasn't well marked and this turned out to be inaccurate (the 100 marker was closer than it should have been, I believe). But I played enough well-marked par-3 courses - those where you hit off of mats are useful because the distances are generally the same - and was gradually able to adjust my expected distances based on results there.

OK can you explain this....I'm a little slow today, what on google maps are you measuring?

I think he's using Google Earth. If you haven't already, check out the article on using

Google Earth as a Golf Tool

[Lefty731PM]

For those of you who have a solid grasp of how long you hit each club, how do you determine it?

First of all, ignore anything in an indoor environment. Especially a machine with tape and electonic gizmos etc.

Get some practise balls (if possible, the same type you use in a round). Hit about 20 with each club and then note where they land. Find what seems to be an average position - if you can hit 15/20 of them solidly, you'll find half a dozen or so quite close to each other - and then use a surveyor's wheel to measure out the distance.

[Trevor07Silvy]

I have a real nice range...Callaway balls, laser distances at every hitting station....so to answer, I went to the range...

Are you talking about Hard Drive in Round Rock? I know they have Callaway balls but whats this laser distance deal?

[gbk56]

From the range and playing I pretty much know how far I hit the ball with each club. I admit some ranges are poorly marked where I hit my 140 yard club 150 yards, but from playing on courses and checking out some of the GPS systems when I play, I know how far I hit the ball.

I also agree with the post about indoor ranges. I play something called screen golf which is a virtual indoor golf course which allows you to play a round of golf by hitting a real ball into a screen. It has a bunch of lasers that calculates swing speed, ball speed, ball rotation, launch angle etc., for every shot. The lasers are hooked up to a computer and calculates where on a virtual golf course the ball will land. I get an extra 10 yards with all my clubs on those systems. I think it is because I am hitting perfect balls, with a perfect lie in a perfect indoor environment.

[iacas]

I never use a range (any range) to help judge my distances. The balls are never usually very good and the distances are usually off. Plus, depending on where you're teeing off from, even properly measured distances can be off because you're either angled to them or you're ten yards back or forward of the measuring point.

I hit my 7-iron anywhere from 100 to 185 yards. My average 85% swing is about 158 yards. Depending on terrain, the wind, the required shot shape, etc. that number can vary quite a bit. I've hit my 7-iron from 100 yards because the shot required it, and I've hit it 185 on flat ground with a decent tail wind, too.

Knowing the exact distance you hit your clubs is over-rated. You almost never have a "stock" shot.

However, having a good feel for ALL of your club's distances, that's much tougher and much more valuable.

[BASHERBAKER69]

trial and error. I hardly ever hit any of my clubs flat out anyway.