Average Distances - How Far Do You Hit Each Club? (And Don't Lie!)

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by x129

When golf digest measures drives on the course and says the average drive is 200 yards, it doesn't matter that half the golfers on the planet are 38. It matters that 75% of the rounds being measured are hit by 55 year old guys.

But...  that's the way averages work.  It's all in the sampling.  I see the point you are trying to make, but I'm not convinced it's correct.  You are saying the sample size or the location, or the time, they chose for the average wasn't large enough to account for bias.  Either that, or you are saying that the majority of golfers play golf at some time or location not accesible by the study.  Either way, I think the onus is on you to prove the sampling is faulty.  Maybe it is.  I don't have access to that data.  I'd be willing to bet money that the difference between truth and the representative sample in that study isn't going to make the average clubhead speed go from 85 to 95 or whatever you think it is.  Regardless, no one should be satisfied with a 200 yard drive.  That's why people want to improve.  They know they can hit it 240 or higher if they just work at it.

Originally Posted by x129

The point of all this is that looking at the average golfer is useless.  You are not him. You probably play 2x more, practice 5x more, and may even be willing to get the right equipment. Learn to hit he ball as far and as straight as you can and build your game around that.

True.  Don't feel bad about a 200 yard drive, but keep getting better and working at it.

[Jimdangles]

If the average drive was 200 yards that would mean the average player couldn't make 400 yard par4's in 2. not that they might night make it on the green because theyre too far out but they just cant reach it in 2 with 2 good shots. seems like that wouldnt be right.

[x129]

No I am saying that if a person plays 10x as much golfer as someone else, they will effect this average more than a person playing once. They did not ask each person for their longest drive and calculate an average. They sat at a tee box and measured the golfers that went through.  That is the sample size where the 200 yards comes from. Not all golfers. The ones that played on a given day. The 38 age number comes from a different sample size which is not wieghted by how much people play. I have no idea where you average swing speed numbers come from but if you don't know what the sample size is, they don't mean much.

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

But...  that's the way averages work.  It's all in the sampling.  I see the point you are trying to make, but I'm not convinced it's correct.  You are saying the sample size or the location, or the time, they chose for the average wasn't large enough to account for bias.  Either that, or you are saying that the majority of golfers play golf at some time or location not accesible by the study.  Either way, I think the onus is on you to prove the sampling is faulty.  Maybe it is.  I don't have access to that data.  I'd be willing to bet money that the difference between truth and the representative sample in that study isn't going to make the average clubhead speed go from 85 to 95 or whatever you think it is.  Regardless, no one should be satisfied with a 200 yard drive.  That's why people want to improve.  They know they can hit it 240 or higher if they just work at it.

True.  Don't feel bad about a 200 yard drive, but keep getting better and working at it.

[Stroudie]

This is something I am also curious about.... I play rounds with middle aged men, who are still very fit, and I am playing down 3-4 clubs. Like guys hitting 4 hybrids from 150 yards.... Driver on a good day 275+ 3wood 250 2hybrid 220 4hybrid 200 4 iron ? My most inconsistent club... I can hit cleanly and get it as short as 150 or as long as 220... 5 190 6 180 7 170 8 160 9 150 P 135 G 115 S 85-90 L 70 I realize that's 14 clubs without a putter... Gives me something to play with... I can take out my driver, 4 iron, or 4 hybrid depending on the course... My home course is long and tight. So I would normally leave my driver in the car...

[518TitleistX]

Titleist 910D2 9.5* Driver 46" ProjectX 73gram s-flex shaft   285-290yds
Titleist 910f 15* 3wood 43" Project-X 82gram s-flex shaft     255yds
Titleist 904f 19* 5wood YS-6 r-flex shaft                             235yds
Titleist AP1 3iron                                                             210yds  (with 30 yards of slice or hook usually)

Titleist AP1 4iron                                                             200yds

Titleist AP1 5iron                                                             190yds

Titleist AP1 6iron                                                             180yds

Titleist AP1 7iron                                                             170yds

Titleist AP1 8iron                                                             160yds

Titleist AP1 9iron                                                             150yds

Titleist AP1 PW                                                               140yds
Titleist Vokey 52.08 spin milled wedge                               125yds
Titleist Vokey 58.08 wedge                                                95yds
Titleist Scotty Cameron 35" Studio Select Squareback #2    (as short as possible)

[dsc123]

I don't know these numbers as well as I should, but these are the distances that I base my decisions on.

Driver - OB
3W - 240
3H - 215
4i - 210

5 195
6 180
7 168
8 155
9 139
P 126
G 115
S 100
L 85

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by dsc123

I don't know these numbers as well as I should, but these are the distances that I base my decisions on.

Driver - OB

3W - 240

3H - 215

4i - 210

5 195

6 180

7 168

8 155

9 139

P 126

G 115

S 100

L 85

LOL

[Motley01]

Man that is the funniest thing ever!

How far do you hit your driver? Ohh it's about.....OB give or take, left or right. LOL

[soon_tourpro]

7 185
8 175
9 165
P 155
52w 140
56w, 120.

all carry.

find myself hitting stuff to long with irons all due to improved technique.

longer clubs still dont match up where I want them yet.

4 clubs longer than 3 years ago.

my home course is ridiculously short now.

[bplewis24]

That's impressive.  I hit my 52* every day for practice and I think the most I can get out of it for carry is 115-120.

Brandon

[bunkerputt]

Didn't post all of my numbers, so somewhere around these numbers in carry currently for a full swing.  Driver rolls out quite a bit, typically hit 108-112, but I can go after it and hit 118 or so if I feel brave.  8i and in I feel pretty good about the numbers to within a couple of yards.  Above that, I'm estimating based a handful of GPS measurements and a few clubs like 4i I just stuck in the middle of two clubs.  The numbers I have are getting more accurate over time, but the more comfortable I get with the new swing, the longer I'm hitting the ball, so it's tough.  If only I had a trackman to hit on every day...

Dr - ~285

3w - ~250

5w - ~240

3Hy - ~235

4i - ~220

5i - ~205

6i - ~190

7i - ~175

8i - 164

9i - 152

PW - 136

52 - 125

[gloomis29]

Driver - ~225-235 (250-265 if I make a great swing/transition and everything feels perfect LOL ..........maybe once a round.......a few weeks ago I hit 8 250 yd drives in a round, and I can't get the feeling back!)

3W - 215-235

2R - 210-215 (if I carry it)

3R - 205

4R - 195

5i - 175-180

6i - 165-170

7i - 150-160

8i - 140-150 (my favorite club)

9i - 125-135

PW - 115-125

GW - 100-110

50 Vokey - 95-100 (haven't been carrying this in the bag lately - hit the Mizuno GW more consistent as far as 100 yard club, I feel like I have to swing out of my shoes to hit the vokey 100)

54 Vokey - 85-95

58 Vokey - 75-85

I'm not a long hitter but I do hit these "new to me" irons probably a good 5-10 yards further than my old ones!

[The Recreational Golfer]

Driver - 230 yards (carry)

7-iron - 145 yards, 150 by accident

The rest of the bag falls in line.

[Mitcheman21]

Driver 270 carry 3W 250 3hyb 240 3i 220 4i 205 5i 195 6i 183 7i 171 8i 162 9i 152 Pw 135 Gw(52) 120 Lw(60) 90 All with pretty easy swings, I could get maybe another 5-10 out of each club with a good full wack but then that brings fats in to play...

[ajst22]

I am 16 and started golf last year, don't have great distances but it is the least of my problems. I shoot on average high 80s low 90s. Here are my average distances Driver: 215 5W: 200 7W: 185 4i: 170 5i: 160 6i: 150 7i: 145 8i: 135 9i: 125 PW: 115 56*: 90 59*: 80

[lostine]

Driver - ~270

3W - 230

3H - 215

4H - 200

5I - 185

6I - 170

7I - 160

8I - 150

9I - 135

PW - 125

GW - 110

SW(56) - 90

[blue72ss]

These #'s will obviously vary fairly greatly depending on what area of the country (or world) I am in, and even more importantly WIND, but here is my #'s for FL (United States), I would add about close to 20 yards for each club and closer to 30 for the hybrid, 3 wood, driver, if I lived in Western part of United States where I've played many rounds and can confirm the extra the distance.

Driver:                           295

3 wood (14.5 degree):  255

3Hybrid:                        240  (this is what golfsmiths machine tells me, personally I think it is closer to 230-235 based on course experience)

4i:  205

5i: 190

6i: 180

7i:  170

8i:  160

9i:  150

PW: 135

52:  120

56:  105

In typing these distances, I've realized that guys who really know this game know that each shot is different, just because I'm 170 yards out doesnt mean I hit 7 iron, it all depends on the shot, weather conditions, wind.

Guys on tour from 170 yards will hit anything from PW to 6 iron, depending on the shot, humidity, part of the country, wind, uphill / downhill, pin location, draw or fade, green slope.

[blue72ss]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Sounds the same for me.  The last two tournaments I've played in I only hit my driver a total of 4 times.  I'm much more comfortable off the tee with the 3 wood which is consistently going about 260 or so.  The tees I'm playing from, that's plenty to leave me a mid-to-short iron into most greens.  Driver swing still feels somewhat awkward for me.  The longer shaft and oversized clubhead make me hate it.

Brandon

You sound like you overswing with the driver, if this is the case you could probably benefit from Zach Johnson's driver drill, he takes full swings with the driver at about 50% speed trying to only hit the ball about 150 yds.  When you first try this (like I did), you will probably swing closer to 80 percent of your normal swing speed, and if you hit 3 wood 260 (like me), your 80 percent driver swing will probably go 300yds, this will be due to the smoothness of your swing creating the same if not more clubhead speed as when you try to kill it!

The purpose of the drill is to make a smooth swing, if you are good enough to hit a small headed 3 wood on the sweet spot 260, then you should have no problem hitting a sweet spot that is 3 times larger on your driver.