Single most lied about sports accomplishment

[Surefire]

..and I believe the pro 'average driving distance' stats are taken from a few specific holes per tournament...not every drive they hit.

So surely this means the pros stats are a little on the high side if anything.

The measurement is usually on a long hole where the pro will go for it, such as a reachable par 5 or long par 4. This means you'll record the longer drives of the pros and other holes where they only hit 3 wood or iron will mean the true average is a little lower.

[powerfade]

I would agree with that. You can also bet those holes are not severely uphill or downhill (no slopes to catch, etc).

[cmay119]

I wish I could just average about 10-20 Yards further on my drives than I do. I'm a pretty small guy, I have good flexibility, but I don't seem to transfer a lot of power to the ball at impact on my drives. I'd say on average I hit my driver 220-230 (I'm not really sure). I'm pretty consistent with keeping it in the fairway, however, it really sucks on par 5's, because it's very rare for me to be able to get the ball on the green in 2.

The farthest drive I think I've ever hit was 250-260. Just eye-balling it, and measuring from tee box marker to fairway yardage markers (so probably 10-20 yards of error could be accounted for) on a dead straight par 5.

For the first time this season, I actually was able to get on the green in 2 on a par 5 (I couldn't believe it), my first actual putting attempt at eagle. Unfortunately, I missed the eagle & the birdie putt, and got the most disappointing par of my golfing 'career'. :(

I'm playing on some older Orlimar Trimetal's (for my driver/woods), anyone know if I upgrade to a newer & better driver if distance would be improved? Or is it all just marketing bull? If I can keep the fairways hit consistency I have right now along with being able to add another 10 or so yards to my tee-shot, I may actually have some more realistic prospects of getting on the putting surface in 2 on par 5's.

[extremeld]

with regard to the pro stats driving distance, they only measure drives in the fairway - which will naturaly be longer than (average) which end up in the semi etc

as they only measure drives in the fairway it pretty obvious that more downwind drives will count than those into the wind as its easier to hit the ball straight with the wind behind.

pga courses always get a lot of run compared to anything i have played and i have no doubt this inflates the numbers.

on the other side - they dont always hit driver on these holes but it still counts.

the average pro swing at 113mph or 114mph and has done for some time.

If you want to know what you swing at and you are in the UK drop me a pm and i can hook you up with great deal on ss radar.

conditions dictate your average, i am in scotland for example and know that if i played in florida i would get 20yards more carry as an average due to the temp.

I reckon if you maintain a swing of 120mph you can claim to average 300 yards in average conditions assuming you hit it solid.

JB holmes was averaging 124.99 in June for the year to date.

[Grndslmhttr3]

What's your clubhead speed? I'm just curious, because IIRC you are 15 or 16 and that means you can really crank the ball, and have a really high clubhead speed.

Dunno, is there a way to calculate it? I'm 17 in a little over a month, but with my driver I swing a lot harder than I probably should, because I don't try to swing nearly that hard with my other clubs.

[sonicblue]

It comes down to "can you" or "do you"? I certainly can hit it 300, and have done so multiple times (verified with GPS). In AZ a couple years ago, I piped one right down the middle, with some wind, that the markings suggested was 347. A few months ago, my GPS marked one off at 313 (it was right down the fairway). However, I'm lucky to hit one drive that like in any given round. So, if I'm asked, I will say something like, "I can, but I don't usually."

If you can hit homeruns in baseball, it doesn't mean you do every time. It doesn't mean every fly ball goes out, but there's certainly a difference between a viable home-run hitter and a guy who only occasionally pops it over the right-field corner.

[powerfade]

I wish I could just average about 10-20 Yards further on my drives than I do. I'm a pretty small guy, I have good flexibility, but I don't seem to transfer a lot of power to the ball at impact on my drives. I'd say on average I hit my driver 220-230 (I'm not really sure). I'm pretty consistent with keeping it in the fairway, however, it really sucks on par 5's, because it's very rare for me to be able to get the ball on the green in 2.

'Fire your hips' and compare your driver to others on the market with a swing analyzer.

Don't let your size get in the way. Charles Howell is small in stature but can absolutley rip the ball. It's amazing to see the speed at which his hips fire through impact. Make sure you're not sliding through impact. I play a Tri Metal (Hip Steel) 3 wood. I love that club. In your case I'd compare your driver head-to-head to others before making a purchase. You'll be looking for optimal spin/launch/ball speed rates. Chances are the newer drivers will perform better than your 5+ year old technology. Another (probably better) approach is to focus on the shaft.

[GolferDot]

with regard to the pro stats driving distance, they only measure drives in the fairway - which will naturaly be longer than (average) which end up in the semi etc

By measuring only drives in the fairway I think that would reduce the average distance as you are more likely to be errant when you pull out the stops and go for it.

oh and their stats include their 2-Iron, 3-wood etc tee shots.

[extremeld]

By measuring only drives in the fairway I think that would reduce the average distance as you are more likely to be errant when you pull out the stops and go for it.

yep i did mention in my post that they may not hit driver on every hole, its pretty reasonable to assume that straight shots will go furthest especially as they roll whearas those in the rough do not.

Also the straight shot is generally better struck.

[GolferDot]

I know for myself, when I go for it I can still hit it solid but just offline, or sometimes too far into the rough, it would certainly be interesting to look at the pro stats for length of drives that are offline.

what I should have said more clearly as an average a 2-iron off the tee will bring down the overall dramatically ie. 4 X 300 yards + 1 X 200 yard average is 280 yards.

One of my major faults is I hate target golf and tend to hit driver on every hole (also trying to knock the socks off it)

[drtbk933]

In the past two days, I have hit two drives over 300 yards. Sunday I hit one on #6 385 yards slightly downhill. Non windy, sunny day, cold hit a beautiful drive with new driver and bombed one and was about sixty yards away from the pin. Today I hit one perfectly straight and freakin' amazing and I measured it with a 100 yards tape measure. I needed three tapes and another six yards. I love that driver.

[Fat Slice]

When I was swinging wildly I would get close to 300 now and then, but mostly I'd spray, slice, and mishit. The thing is...if you are swinging as hard as you can you can get lucky and get that "perfect storm" where everything works to maximum efficiency and power and you can click off a bomb. I did that once in San Diego or thereabouts. I did it by accident, pulling the ball hard left across a ravine that I was trying to cross to the right where it was shorter. I blasted it and though "oops" then kept watching it thinking it had a chance...it barely cleared the thing and rolled up 15 feet from the green (I went up and down). I used my laser rangefinder and the thing went 323 yards. Big whoop. I'm trying to figure out how to hit it 220 and keep it in the fairway - that'll be the thing that helps my game, not the random 300 yard drive. I do note, though, how many people talk about how long they drive and I *know* they're off (long) because I know exactly how far I drive and I'm often past them.

[julius06]

I have a buddy that just picked up a new TM driver and was boasting about all of his 300 yard drives all of a sudden. Now granted, he was upgrading an original Big Bertha, but the guy was lucky to break 230 when he cranked it. I typically hit the ball about 280 all things considered and knew there was no way a club was adding 50 yards to that swing. So we played. After about the 3rd hole of my 280 vs his 245, he started swinging out of his shoes. I kid you not, he actually spun out of his spikes leaving two of them on the ground...three times. After the third time, the whole foursome just fell to the ground laughing. Next time I play with him, I swear I am taping it. YouTube here I come...

[Lefty731PM]

I've never heard a really good player boast about distances off the tee.
Where's the "driver accuracy" thread?

[Zeph]

If you make one, everyone averaging 270-300 will probably claim they are within 10 yards each way.

[cmay119]

'Fire your hips' and compare your driver to others on the market with a swing analyzer.

Yeah, I've stopped trying the fire the hips procedure a couple years ago because I did have a major tendency to start 'Hula Dancing' in front of the ball instead of rotating on an axis. I still get rotation in my hips now, I'm just not as aggressive with their release as I should be. I'm going to head out to the range tomorrow and give it another shot. I guess I had forgotten about it, since it's been since about 2004 since I've really tried to release from the hips.

Thanks for the suggestion. :)

[Fat Slice]

If I had $1.00 for every nincompoop who has bragged about making a "10 second pass" down the dragstrip....I'd be able to use Pro V1s at the driving range.

[M2R]

... Is it the macho thing? Or the fact that so many people play golf, or what is it? ...

Sort of has to be a macho thing, ever hear the women bragging about their drives?

Funny thing is Annika was here this summer doing a clinic for Callaway and did have a driving contest against a 16 year old girl. They both drove it off the end of the range which I think the announcer said was 278 yards (somewhat downhill though). In the interview with this 16 year old, she said her best ever round was a 61 at The International ... ouch! That dents the ego!