Worst Possible Scenario - are we doomed?

[DJYoshi]

400? That's nothing, I had a 430 yard drive in Tiger Woods 2007
20 mph wind downhill on a par 5. WHAT?! hahaha.

but seriously 400? I think I've only seen that done in those driving competitions with serious wind.

[chingali]

This might be a cultural thing. In Australia you don't decide your own handicap. It is an official thing.

Completely true, otherwise I would have "decided" I was off 14 yesterday and saved myself the embarrassment of being beaten 2 and 1 by a 79 year old gentleman off 27 in our clubs matchplay championship yesterday!

[Fourputt]

LOL.

You cannot use the card yardage to "measure" a golf shot. Cards are often wrong (courses like to inflate the yardage for the same reason that players do

). Holes aren't dead straight. The ball isn't necessarily hit on the same line that was used to measure the hole for the card. Even a GPS has an error of plus or minus about 3 yards. The only accurate way to measure is to use a good laser rangefinder. And any drive not in the fairway doesn't count for anything anyway. A baseball slugger can hit a 600 foot shot, but if it's on the wrong side of the foul pole, it's just a loud strike.

[crom44]

After taking the time to actually read most of this thread, I have come to the conclusion that honesty is completely arbitrary to those who do not consider it to be of high importance. True gentlemen will play golf according to the rules and take the time to learn the rules, play by the rules they know, and be willing to incorporate rules that they newly acquire. I play golf because I enjoy it, as I became better, I learned new rules and applied them. I still learn new rules and apply them when I have a chance to. But that is just me....So with that said, let the braggarts be braggarts, the newbies enjoy learning to play, and the BS'ers gloat in their moments of internet/19th hole glory.

[Drunk Driver]

I'm sure I remember someone posting the gaping hole in the logic of the distance over accuracy story but I can't seem to find the post in order to credit them.

The basic idea though is that even with high swing speeds 350+ yard drives aren't possible unless you are hitting relatively straight, because even a slightly off center contact will dramatically reduce your distance.

So someone claiming to average 350 yard drives, but have a high handicap because they lack accuracy more than likely BS, unless their straight drives are going 500, which is unrealistic.

I think what bugs me most though is how so many people would rather admit that they 5-6 putt than admit that they exaggerate their long drives. It's like drive distance is some sort of measure of manliness and putting isn't…

"I always struggle with my putting because my big penis gets in the way"

I think it's quite pathetic really. If you really have such a great long game and have neglected your short game that much then you are a drooling imbecile in my opinion and I'm not even slightly impressed by your 350+ BS.

The real credit goes to the people out there who know what they are talking about and aren't afraid to claim 240 yard drives, because they've pitched and putted their way to a respectable handicap.

[Dent]

I'm sure I remember someone posting the gaping hole in the logic of the distance over accuracy story but I can't seem to find the post in order to credit them.

You just earned a rep point from me. Well said my friend.

[Fourputt]

I'm sure I remember someone posting the gaping hole in the logic of the distance over accuracy story but I can't seem to find the post in order to credit them.

And a rep point from me.... great post. I used to be a big banger, but even then I didn't average 280. Now I'm not bad for a 61 year old, but at 240-250 just ordinary for a Colorado golfer. I'm very happy with my putting though.

[Dent]

Agreed. I used to be all about distance when I was little, but Now its where you put your shot. I used to swing as hard as I could, but then Just realized last year I'd greatly sacrifice accuracy for distance.

Having a regular shaft in my driver helps me slow my swing down, Or else Ill be punished. Its actually quite nice.

I totally agree, its funny how It's always the driver, Why doesn't anyone brag or lie about a 5w, or a 3 wood? Or even an Iron?

[ERC7.5]

You cannot use the card yardage to "measure" a golf shot. Cards are often wrong (courses like to inflate the yardage for the same reason that players do

Ok. That's fine. With that said. I have no idea what the yardage was on the drive that I had mentioned. So let me rephrase all of that...

I have seen a really long tee shot. I have no idea what the yardage was because the score cards yardages are often wrong (courses like to inflate the yardage for the same reason that players do ). However, this hole sets up as a 518 yd (per the stupid card) straight away par 5 that starts to slope GRADUALLY downhill at the 150 yd marker. There is also often a tail wind on this hole. Anyway, this kid who is quite the accomplished golfer (often shoots par or better, played for Penn State on a scholarship) hits a tee shot that ends up in the middle of the fairway about 10-15 yds behind the 100 yd marker. I thought it was pretty impressive even though the yardage is bullshit and it probably really only carried 170 and rolled the rest of the way there or a gopher picked it up and took it there. But, at least it wasn't a foul ball. Anyway. My apologies for making that silly/ridiculous/unnecessary post. I'm an a$$.

[NM Golf]

Wouldn't it be grand if there was a sandtrapper open that everyone could attend so we could actually see some of these feats. What people don't realize is there are probably only a handful of people on the planet that average 350 yards off the tee. It must just be a strange coincidence that so many of them are on this forum.

I took some time and looked at the stats page for every professional tour I could think of, PGA, European, Australasian, Nationwide, Canadian, Hooters, tight lies, etc. For the tours that kept driving distance statistics, the leaders were hitting it 310 or a bit less. The tour average was somewhere around 280 or so.

So what you people out there want us to believe is that you or "someone you know" consistantly outdrives the very best players in the world by 40 yards. 40 yards people!!!! 4 first downs! And thats not the worst of it, you also expect us to swallow the fact that they play off a 20 handicap? Are you #*@(ing kidding me? So they are so inconsistant they can't break 90 but by some miracle of athletic prowess they can outdrive the best players in the world by nearly half a football field. Get real.

The fact is, for all you people out there who claim these things, is you probably hit it 230 and your friend hits it 255 and both of you need math lessons on measurement and how to determine an average. 350 yards is a long damn way. To hit it that far once in 3 rounds is a feat, to average that is garbage. I hit it farther than anyone I have ever played with, have competed in long drive contests, and live at an altitude of one mile and I don't sniff an average of 350 yards.

My $.02

[ERC7.5]

Wouldn't it be grand if there was a sandtrapper open that everyone could attend

Now that would be cool! Except for all the digust that exists here might trickle onto the course.....so nevermind.

[golf_junkie27]

I admit I used to be one of those guys that used to get pissed when I heard these claims. I play a ton with my cousin. I love him to death and he's a great guy but he's a BSer when we're on the course. In the rough, 175 yards out, he's pulling a 7I. When it goes 140 yards, with roll, it's "Man, I just missed that." It used to drive me nuts.

I played with a complete tool two months ago. Guy kept hitting his driver about 220 yards and telling me "When it gets hot that same shot will be 300 yards." I'm thinking to myself "How hot? Living on the sun, hot?"

Now, I just laugh. I have, too. Otherwise, my round and game will go to pieces.

[Craig Mac]

Now, I just laugh. I have, too. Otherwise, my round and game will go to pieces.

I know what you are saying there, better just to not get caught up someone else's game(or lack there of), and just enjoy your round.

[rudygu]

I'm sure I remember someone posting the gaping hole in the logic of the distance over accuracy story but I can't seem to find the post in order to credit them.

Nicely put. I'm longer than most people I play with and my good, straight drives usually go ~260-270 - my blocks and hooks that miss the fairway are more like 220-230. Of course, if I'm hitting with the wind on a dry fairway on a downhill hole I can get it past 300 - a lot of people can, but that's nowhere close to an average. I think most people who claim this 350 yd average nonsense must have no real idea of how long a drive that would truly be.

I average 4 GIR and 36 putts per round...If I could trade 20 yards with my driver for 8 GIR and 30 putts per round, I would.

[hansol04]

Well guys, here is my story for you, and maybe it will help calm some frustrations:

I drive the ball about 180-ish yards. If I hit the sweet spot, maybe it goes further. Often times I slice it and it goes OB. But if I do hit it straight, I usually bounce clear of the 150 yard sign and it rolls near the 200 yard sign. Very seldom does it carry further.

My 150-to-the-pin club is my 4 iron.

My 119-yard par 3 club is an 8 iron.

My short game blows, I can't get hardly any spin on the ball, and most often I 3-putt.

What I can't figure out is why some guys have such difficulty posting such info. Maybe the whole idea of "competition" negates being honest, but to me, with the way I golf right now, all I try to do is try and shoot better than I did the day before. I can't see any shame in saying what a guy honestly hits. Or maybe that is just me...

Cheers -Cameron

[golf_junkie27]

It must just be a strange coincidence that so many of them are on this forum.

The most amazing thing is that the average Tour Driver Swing Speed is 112 MPH and this yardage includes roll. Yet, people who don't practice or play as much as Tour Pros can accomplish or exceed what is, IMO, the hardest part of golf.

If this is the case, then why can't these same people hit their irons like a pro, putt like a pro, chip like a pro, etc? Why do they carry handicaps of 14? 18? 24? I read a post where someone wrote they "bomb" their driver, 300 plus but hit their 7I 140 yards. Hmmmm, hmmmm. I guess the best golfers are found on internet forums and the worse ones are on the golf course.

[meenman]

Well guys, here is my story for you, and maybe it will help calm some frustrations:

You are not alone. I hit several 200 yard drives today for the first time in my short time playing (thinking the driver switch may have helped) - before today i rarely (with roll) went past 170.

I am solid with my hybrid, 3 wood on the fairway and my chips. My long irons are either on or off as is my play on par 3s and my putting disturbs me (mind you I do have an excuse because of the shape of the greens at my home course). Once I lose 2 out of the 3 blowup holes I have a game I will finally break 100. However, I have fun whenever I am out there. I only compete against myself and no matter what - there is no place I would rather be than out on the course.

[hansol04]

Well I'm sure the last thing you guys want to hear about is my mediocre (if that) statistics, but like was stated previously, golf used to be a gentleman's game. And usually being humble and polite was part of being a gentleman.

Now it seems there are less of that type of person around maybe? Certainly we find a lot of braggarts and over-exagerrations, but I like to hope that somewhere out there, there are a few guys who can turn to their golf partner and say "Buddy, I am playing horribly today, my shots are horrid, my short game is laughable, and my 11-year old sister could out-drive me", and be completely comfortable saying it.

I mean, it's golf after all: A classy, laid-back, skilled game. If someone is so motivated by the need to beat their chest and go on about 400 yard drives, maybe they should take up professional bodybuilding, or maybe even try duelling Chuck Norris with a flintlock pistol or something. That is pretty masculine...

Cheers -Cameron