Are club distances forever?

[madcityscott]

Sorry, weird title but I'm not sure how to put it.

Let's say you're an 18 handicap and you hit your 7I 150 yards. Will it always be about that distance, or will it gradually get longer and longer as your handicap improves? (Obviously up to a point, when age catches us to you.)

[m11]

Sorry, weird title but I'm not sure how to put it.

i wouldnt say they are. You get the most distance on hits from the sweet spot...the better ball striker you become...the more often strikes will contact where they are supposed to.

Also after you develop a consistent repeatable swing. You can choose to get more aggressive if you want to squeeze more yards out of each club.

[CG031]

Not at all. You can usually work on your swing to add distance to your game. You could also start working out to get greater swing speed. You could also get clubs with stronger lofts...

There's many things to do that can change your distances. I'm not sure your distances will go up any by just improving your overall game and scores.

[GaijinGolfer]

You distance should improve as you become a more solid ball striker.

[glebert]

As I've played and practiced more my distances have certainly gone up, but my scores haven't really dropped That being said a 150 7i is not too bad. I hit my 8i 150ish, and can hit my driver 270ish. Supposedly a scratch golfer hits driver at least 250 yards, which is the only thing I have in common with him!

[wilnham]

As I've played and practiced more my distances have certainly gone up, but my scores haven't really dropped

i was hitting my 9 iron 150 but i just recently changed my swing to hit nothing but a fade, totally eliminate the left side of the course ... (working good so far) the one thing that im having trouble with is getting the right club, im losing some distance for sure, im now hitting my 8 iron 145-150

, i dont care though as long as im more accurate

[Stacey_E]

Better contact definately leads to more distance. This is especially true for your "average shot". Don't just consider your dead solid perfect distances when figuring your distances. It's better to hit a 7 iron 140 every time, than 150, 130, 175, 120. The name of the game is consistancy.

That being said, who wouldn't rather hit driver - wedge, than driver - 6 iron into the same hole? I don't have power, but I will not deny it's effect either. I hit my 7 150 carry and have played myself down to a 13.6. Neither of those numbers are great and I know that. What I also know is I could get down to single digit with the distances I have now if I would spend a little more time on my short game.

And never ever underestimate course mangement. Even IF distances were forever, we can always learn something about a course everytime out.

[Shindig]

Cause and effect are wrong. My distances didn't increase because my handicap went down - although part of my handicap drop was because of the increased distance. My bad drives are about the distance of my expected drives in the past. That helps.

My distances have been increasing due to increased fitness and correctness of contact for me. If you need/want more distance, consider getting fit for shafts by a group like Max Out Golf.

[allin]

As my swing has improved I have gotten longer, more effecient swing, more distance. I have found that my maximum distance for the driver hasn't increased much, but my average has. Those worm burners and duck hooks really hurt the average.

[King Cobra II]

If you improve your swing, your distances will improve. Last year was my first year really playing a lot of golf. About one month in I'd hit my 5 iron 150. By the end of the year it was my 7 iron. Now I hit a 9 iron from 150. It's all in the swing, and the practice.

[NBGC]

Pretty much what everyone said, as you become a better and more consistant ball striker, you'll gain distance.

My swing speed has increased from 95 (when I bought my driver) to 107 (when I went to replace my reg flex shaft). During that period of lessons and practice my PW went from 125yds to 140yds. All my distances went up 1 club length, all attributed to better hip action, coil, and most importantly hitting the ball more consistantly on the sweet spot. All that inspires confidence over the ball, allowing you to swing a lil faster (not harder).

I'm stepping up to Mizuno's this week (UPS can't get here fast enough ) and hopefully there won't be too much of a transition..although getting used to new clubs might be the perfect excuse to get out to the range/course more often

[yeis20]

I am 1 club longer on any irons from the beginning of the season. I started flying greens with my normal distances so I have had to adjust.

The more swings I have taken and the more comfortable from the left side I have gotten has added given me the opportunity to reduce my approach clubs by -1.

I am defintely not over-swinging either, if anything my swing is more relaxed and fluid... the length came through repitition.