20+ handicappers hitting 300 yards (mild rant)

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by iacas

We'll have a Flightscope X2 at our outing and demo day the day of the get-together/tournament.

That's pretty awesome, I never really expected to be able to take part of anything of this nature so even if I prove to only hit 230 yd drives I'll be happy know that it's really accurate.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

So frustrating. Nothing like being 160 yards from the center of the green and blasting a 7 iron that usually goes 155-160 15 yards past the green. Did that the other night, fortunately it was a 2 man scramble. Although hopefully that's because I'm not scooping and actually hit that one the right way. (Thanks Erik?) lol

This could be why I always have trouble figuring out what to hit into a green. At 100 yd out I'm thinking land 105 for the pin, when that puts me at the back of the green with a bounce off the backside... I do that pretty often.

[cipher]

This could be why I always have trouble figuring out what to hit into a green. At 100 yd out I'm thinking land 105 for the pin, when that puts me at the back of the green with a bounce off the backside... I do that pretty often.

Wouldn't you have adjusted your distances based on how far you hits shots in the course by now though?

[Jeremie Boop]

Yes and no, as I make adjustments to my swing the distances change. Also I got a new set of irons not long ago and haven't really played many rounds with them to really figure the distances. For some reason I've always had trouble hitting greens regularly, it's like I get too worried about sticking it close than just hitting the green.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

I came here because I was referred to it in another thread. I was also given some information that does change my idea of my drive length which brings it back to 280-290. A trackman session wouldn't be as simple as you put out because there aren't any areas close to me with that available. I am currently trying to find a place to get a good club fitting but it seems most are at least 1 1/2  hrs away. I can only go by what my courses have marked for yardage to gauge my shots at this point, and by those markings that's how I come to the numbers I have posted. Perhaps you are right, and I don't really reach 300 as often as it seems due to poor markings on the local courses. This would be an honest mistake on my part and I would have no trouble admitting it, just as I have already with other information given me.

Fair enough.  And just remember that I'm the resident douchebag around here, so don't let my posts ruffle your feathers too much.  It's not all that important and most folks probably just ignore these discussions, whereas I like to dig into the nuts and bolts of it.

One of the reasons why I get into it, is because I believe there is a general perception of 300 yards being shorter than it actually is.  I often have played with guys who talk of hitting it 300, then we hit it the same distance or I outdrive them, and when I discuss my furthest drives that day being in the 275-285 range, they change their perception of them being "crushed" to being pretty forgettable.

Originally Posted by RayG

If you are using Trackman's and simulators to arrive at your 300yd average, then it should be taken with a grain of salt. Perfect conditions to ideal landing areas.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

Actually, the way the courses around here do it they move a small flag on the flag stick up or down relative to how close or far the pin is to the front of the green.

Yeah, that's another way.  But just so you, and whoever else is confused, are aware ... that is information in addition to the course markings, which are permanent, and always (in my experience) to the center of the green.  A lot of the courses I play nowadays have gps on the carts, which makes it easier, but if I'm playing a regular course like this, here's a typical scenario:

I hit a drive in the fairway (actually, I lied, this is not typical ;)) and I see the white 150 yard marker several steps in front of me so I pace it off, and count 11.  Then I see that it's a blue flag so that hole is somewhere in the back third of the green.  That means I'm 150 + 11 + ?? (If you don't have a yardage book, I guess assuming 25-30 yards total depth is probably fair ... so that means 15 to the back edge of the green, but I'd rather miss short than long so maybe 7) ... which means my distance is 168 to the pin.

PS.  Also there are a lot of courses out there that have numbers on sprinkler heads.  My experience is that if they have one number, its safe to assume that is to the middle of the green, and if they have two numbers, ones to the middle and the other is the front edge.

[Dave2512]

I live in CO where the ball flies far. Can't say I've seen many legit 300 yd drives e.g. ones that didn't have some cart path help. I'm certain I've never seen any from guys playing 20+ golf. A high index suggests inconsistency, after playing around 12 for the last 6 months I know because that's the way I play. At my former home course there is a 317 yd par 4. In two years I've never seen anyone hit it near the green. In fact I'd wager most of the men don't land it closer than 75 yds out. Most of the time I see a big hit it's from an elevated tee with a hole playing downhill, tailwind assist on the one or two really well struck balls of the entire day.

[Jeremie Boop]

All this information is very helpful. Part of the issue I've always had is I don't have anyone good, or at the very least better than me, to play with and learn from. Getting information from the internet is a lot of the time hit or miss on the accuracy/validity. This is the first time I've ever actually take the time to become a member of a golf forum that was active and actually had knowledgeable people who *for the most part* are willing to help and be constructive with their comments. I appreciate all the input you guys are giving and I apologize if I came off as petulant or arrogant. Like I had said, I was going by some wrong information and the assumption that the markings on the course were accurate. Hopefully my extended battery comes in soon so I can start using gps tracking to get a more accurate understanding of the distance I hit my clubs. Also, it will be invaluable being able to take part in the outing with Iacas and others on the 3rd.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by Dave2512

I live in CO where the ball flies far. Can't say I've seen many legit 300 yd drives e.g. ones that didn't have some cart path help. I'm certain I've never seen any from guys playing 20+ golf. A high index suggests inconsistency, after playing around 12 for the last 6 months I know because that's the way I play. At my former home course there is a 317 yd par 4. In two years I've never seen anyone hit it near the green. In fact I'd wager most of the men don't land it closer than 75 yds out. Most of the time I see a big hit it's from an elevated tee with a hole playing downhill, tailwind assist on the one or two really well struck balls of the entire day.

I won't argue with you on what you've experienced, because I have no basis to do so. At the same time, on the courses around here I typically am very close to the green if it is around 320 or less, usually chipping/pitching on. It could very well be that the yardages here are wrong though. Once I get the chance to start working with a gps app on my phone I'll be able to post more accurate numbers.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

I won't argue with you on what you've experienced, because I have no basis to do so. At the same time, on the courses around here I typically am very close to the green if it is around 320 or less, usually chipping/pitching on. It could very well be that the yardages here are wrong though. Once I get the chance to start working with a gps app on my phone I'll be able to post more accurate numbers.

You may find that to be the case very frequently. Plenty of times the holes around here can vary by as much as +/-30 yards from what the scorecard says based on my GPS.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

You may find that to be the case very frequently. Plenty of times the holes around here can vary by as much as +/-30 yards from what the scorecard says based on my GPS.

Ha, if that's how it is, no wonder so many of us think 300 yd drives are common if the yardages are so far off. No courses here have gps in the carts, one did for awhile but it was too expensive to maintain I guess so they took them out.

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

I won't argue with you on what you've experienced, because I have no basis to do so. At the same time, on the courses around here I typically am very close to the green if it is around 320 or less, usually chipping/pitching on. It could very well be that the yardages here are wrong though. Once I get the chance to start working with a gps app on my phone I'll be able to post more accurate numbers.

I'm not trying to beat you down just mentioning what I've seen. If you search you'll find a thread here where a high capper thought he was consistently close to 300 yds, I'm too lazy to dig it up. He actually went for a Trackman session after some member goading. Can't remember the exact results but it turned out his average for that session was 240ish with just one or two over 300 and most were far shorter than that.

I assume the reason most of the decent to good members here doubt the 300 yd claims, and they always do, is because they track stats and monitor their own trends. I wouldn't doubt if many are usually the longest hitter in their groups averaging drive distances in the 250-260 yd range. Just to keep it that high means hitting longer drives often. I'm sure quite a few would cop to being south of the 150 markers on longer par 4's recalling their most recent round.

[David in FL]

You may find that to be the case very frequently. Plenty of times the holes around here can vary by as much as +/-30 yards from what the scorecard says based on my GPS.

It's worth remembering that scorecard yardages are based on following a series of straight lines down the center of the fairway. As the crow (golf ball) flies distances can be significantly less depending on the actual orientation of the hole and direction of the drive itself...

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

Ha, if that's how it is, no wonder so many of us think 300 yd drives are common if the yardages are so far off. No courses here have gps in the carts, one did for awhile but it was too expensive to maintain I guess so they took them out.

Yeah, once I started using GPS, it got a lot easier to track distances. There's a lot less guessing that way. You'd be surprised how far a 300 yard drive looks if you aren't actually hitting them.

I hit what I thought was an absolute bomb a couple weeks ago, and it only actually carried about 260, and since it was so wet, it just plugged right there. The other night when I really got a hold of one, I actually lost sight of it...and it was JUST over 300 yards.

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by David in FL

It's worth remembering that scorecard yardages are based on following a series of straight lines down the center of the fairway. As the crow (golf ball) flies distances can be significantly less depending on the actual orientation of the hole and direction of the drive itself...

Yep.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Yeah, once I started using GPS, it got a lot easier to track distances. There's a lot less guessing that way. You'd be surprised how far a 300 yard drive looks if you aren't actually hitting them.

I hit what I thought was an absolute bomb a couple weeks ago, and it only actually carried about 260, and since it was so wet, it just plugged right there. The other night when I really got a hold of one, I actually lost sight of it...and it was JUST over 300 yards.

I know when I don't see the ball land I've knocked it a ways lol. I need to get the recent score cards I have and work out what my handicap is for the 3rd. I don't doubt I will not be the longest hitter there now that everyone has opened my eyes to how many things out there can skew what your true distances are.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

I know when I don't see the ball land I've knocked it a ways lol. I need to get the recent score cards I have and work out what my handicap is for the 3rd. I don't doubt I will not be the longest hitter there now that everyone has opened my eyes to how many things out there can skew what your true distances are.

While I'm inconsistent, I have a lot of driver power, Spyder can crush the ball pretty well, and Erik wasn't even trying and was smashing the ball. So even if we're relatively long by high cap standards, prepare to be humbled.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

While I'm inconsistent, I have a lot of driver power, Spyder can crush the ball pretty well, and Erik wasn't even trying and was smashing the ball. So even if we're relatively long by high cap standards, prepare to be humbled.

Lol, I'm prepared to be humbled in basically every facet of the game.