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

[Lihu]

When a pro tees off, knowing he averages 290, it would be safe to say "I bet he is going to hit this drive about 290yds." Now, a 20hcp'er, who hits 3/10 balls solid, and those 3 balls average 290yds while the other 7 balls average 200yds, gets on the tee box. Would you bet this amateur is going to hit the ball 290? Or would you bet more around the 225yd mark?

I'm not saying it's right or wrong to report on only solid shots, but, I think it helps put into perspective just how good the pros are.

When a pro hits any club, I would expect it is going to be pretty repeatable. 290 yards is still 20 yards more than the average carry distance of a pro. I suspect that most pros can drive the balls that far, just not accurately enough to compete.

I can't imagine a 20 handicap hitting 290 yards, unless there were some freakish circumstances. If someone were to ask me what I can drive, I would say roughly 240 yards, even though my range could be anywhere from 150 yard worm burners to 290 yard dry fairway rollers.

My guess is that most 16-22 handicappers usually carry between 220 and 250 yards. Here's my reasoning. The average bogey par 4 is around 370 yards, so take 360 - 235= 125 or between a PW and a 9i for a bogey golfer. GIR is possible give or take an iron or two. If the drives are only 200 yards as everyone on this site seems to be stating, your approaches go anywhere from an 8i to a 4i. If someone drives only 200 yards, their 5i is going to be something like 140 yards. So you need to make the long approaches with 4i. Irons are so much harder to hit well that I can't imagine hitting greens with any kind of consistency from 150 yards or more for a bogey golfer.

[pdks]

I'm playing to a 6.  My gps measured distances, averages, gathered from a sample of solidly hit shots:

.

D - 265

3w - 235

21d hybrid - 210

4 - 195

5 - 185

6 - 175

7 - 165

8 - 155

9 - 145

G (50d) - 115

S (54d) - 100

L (58d) -   80

Do my splits make sense?

.

[late347]

When a pro hits any club, I would expect it is going to be pretty repeatable. 290 yards is still 20 yards more than the average carry distance of a pro. I suspect that most pros can drive the balls that far, just not accurately enough to compete. I can't imagine a 20 handicap hitting 290 yards, unless there were some freakish circumstances. If someone were to ask me what I can drive, I would say roughly 240 yards, even though my range could be anywhere from 150 yard worm burners to 290 yard dry fairway rollers. My guess is that most 16-22 handicappers usually carry between 220 and 250 yards. Here's my reasoning. The average bogey par 4 is around 370 yards, so take 360 - 235= 125 or between a PW and a 9i for a bogey golfer. GIR is possible give or take an iron or two. If the drives are only 200 yards as everyone on this site seems to be stating, your approaches go anywhere from an 8i to a 4i. If someone drives only 200 yards, their 5i is going to be something like 140 yards. So you need to make the long approaches with 4i. Irons are so much harder to hit well that I can't imagine hitting greens with any kind of consistency from 150 yards or more for a bogey golfer.

I suppose youre right BUT im actually a high handicapper and i can hit 250 yards total with solid hits at the course. Cuz ive done it, that's why. My problem though for that hole, was fat pitch shot landed short, followed by a shanked chip into sand. Followed by shooting backwards in the bunker, and followed by the bunker save... you get the picture... Yeah also three putt that hole... :(

[Lihu]

I suppose youre right BUT im actually a high handicapper and i can hit 250 yards total with solid hits at the course. Cuz ive done it, that's why.

My problem though for that hole, was fat pitch shot landed short, followed by a shanked chip into sand.

Followed by shooting backwards in the bunker, and followed by the bunker save... you get the picture...

Yeah also three putt that hole... :(

From my experience, the driver is easier to hit well than the irons. The main reason is that the driver is almost always hit off a perfect lie. Irons are almost never perfect, even on the fairway.

As you have found out, the worst distances for bogey golfers is in between 30 to 80 yards. They're not full shots and lob wedges are easy to skull, so you need to feel your way around it. As most of us are constantly changing our swings so it's almost impossible to get comfortable hitting partial distances. As you drive 250, you are going to see these distances a lot.

One thing that might help you is to use a chipper, @David in FL is a big advocate of them and he's a low single digit handicap. By the time I am ready to worry about my short game, I will probably pick one up even though I can hit my 60 degree almost all the time.

[late347]

From my experience, the driver is easier to hit well than the irons. The main reason is that the driver is almost always hit off a perfect lie. Irons are almost never perfect, even on the fairway. As you have found out, the worst distances for bogey golfers is in between 30 to 80 yards. They're not full shots and lob wedges are easy to skull, so you need to feel your way around it. As most of us are constantly changing our swings so it's almost impossible to get comfortable hitting partial distances. As you drive 250, you are going to see these distances a lot. One thing that might help you is to use a chipper, @David in FL is a big advocate of them and he's a low single digit handicap. By the time I am ready to worry about my short game, I will probably pick one up even though I can hit my 60 degree almost all the time.

Admittedly 250 yard isnt my average - but i have hit a slammer like that on the course. And since ive played A LOT Of shots with 21deg and 24deg hybrids - i can get some mad distance with those clubs ( occasionally ) I hit once on an open wide fairway something like 200m - which is over that amount in yards - with either 21deg or 24deg. I felt really happy about that teeshot. I had a legit birdie or par chance there. But - i faded accidentally into green bunker with my iron shot. I totally ruined that hole - i OBed my bunkershot into the forest. The angle and slope in that bunker was very difficult. The inaccuracy of my iron play is one problem. I can still get consistent hits with them but often it is either push or pull shot. Sometimes not enough to attack that green head- on.

[Lihu]

Admittedly 250 yard isnt my average - but i have hit a slammer like that on the course. And since ive played A LOT Of shots with 21deg and 24deg hybrids - i can get some mad distance with those clubs ( occasionally ) I hit once on an open wide fairway something like 200m - which is over that amount in yards - with either 21deg or 24deg. I felt really happy about that teeshot. I had a legit birdie or par chance there. But - i faded accidentally into green bunker with my iron shot. I totally ruined that hole - i OBed my bunkershot into the forest. The angle and slope in that bunker was very difficult. The inaccuracy of my iron play is one problem. I can still get consistent hits with them but often it is either push or pull shot. Sometimes not enough to attack that green head- on.

There's definitely a terminology issue. When I ask what's your average drive, I mean typical decent one. Not the arithmetic mean of every drive. Driver is much easier to hit flush. That's how I feel, but it probably is skewed a bit because I hit clubs intended for low handicaps. Nevertheless, I think a well hit iron is much more rare than an adequately hit driver. 250 is definitely long enough to make GIR more often for bogey golfers. I think better golfers can make GIR with a lot less distance off the tee so they have many more choices off the tee.

[warrior808]

D      9d - 215

3W  15d - 200

Res 19d - 185

5H   25d - 160

7i      145

8i      135

9i      125

PW   115

48d   105

52d     85

56       70

60       55

If you look at just the length of the arms of a person over 6 ft versus 5' 6" you will find that the shorter person must generate a 15% faster swing than the taller person just to get the same numbers....of length times velocity.  Interesting. To put it more precisely  the shorter person must have a 92 mph swing compared to a 6 footer whose swing speed is only 80 mph.

[sopel10]

I recently joined a 3 some. One of them was playing for the 3rd time in his life.  Big guy, strong.  I played tips, so he was teeing off about 20 yards ahead of me.  On a good hit (which was 1 out of 10), he would end up few yards behind me.  So he hit it about 240 or so (mostly carry, wet conditions).

So this happens, just not too often, and not consistently enough to be called an average.  BUT, if you have a group ahead of you about 240 out, this guy should not go ahead and hit, b/c 1 out of 10, he will get it there.

[late347]

D      9d - 215

3W  15d - 200

Res 19d - 185

5H   25d - 160

7i      145

8i      135

9i      125

PW   115

48d   105

52d     85

56       70

60       55

If you look at just the length of the arms of a person over 6 ft versus 5' 6" you will find that the shorter person must generate a 15% faster swing than the taller person just to get the same numbers....of length times velocity.  Interesting. To put it more precisely  the shorter person must have a 92 mph swing compared to a 6 footer whose swing speed is only 80 mph.

Are you that's exactly how it goes?

I mean yeah... JB Holmes is like 5 foot 9, he averages say... 310 yards off the tee. His got fast clubhead speed for sure.

Bubba Watson is a huge dude, he's like 6 foot 4... he's also has really fast clubhead speed. Then again, Bubba's clubs probably are longer and probably his arms too are longer...

D      9d - 215

3W  15d - 200

Res 19d - 185

5H   25d - 160

7i      145

8i      135

9i      125

PW   115

48d   105

52d     85

56       70

60       55

If you look at just the length of the arms of a person over 6 ft versus 5' 6" you will find that the shorter person must generate a 15% faster swing than the taller person just to get the same numbers....of length times velocity.  Interesting. To put it more precisely  the shorter person must have a 92 mph swing compared to a 6 footer whose swing speed is only 80 mph.

I suppose the reasoning behind this is that with a taller person, he has longer club shaft and longer arms in general?

Though, it probably takes a lot more strength to hold on to the grip, if the club is longer it ought to take more effort to swing the clubhead at fast speeds?

It feels a lot easier to swing a short object around, compared to a longer object. Especially if both objects have a weighted portion at the far end. (aka, a golf club)

[Hammer 4]

I dunno, smaller guys like Louie O. and Fred Couples seem to hit drives consistently in the 300 yd range..so is it really a matter of how big you are..??

[mdl]

Wow.. Most of the folks here averaging 285 yard drives! The average distance for PGA Tour players using driver is 287.4

Interesting...

Those PGA stats are average carry as far as I know.  I imagine most people here are posting average total distance, carry+roll.

[saevel25]

Those PGA stats are average carry as far as I know.  I imagine most people here are posting average total distance, carry+roll.

Nope total driving distance on tour averages 288 last year. Its not just carry.

[late347]

I dunno, smaller guys like Louie O. and Fred Couples seem to hit drives consistently in the 300 yd range..so is it really a matter of how big you are..??

Yea those big hitters like Jamie Sadlowski isn't too big either...

He's got really good flexibility though...

Rory ain't that big either. He's one inch taller than me actually, and his average driving statistic is about solid 300 yards

[Hammer 4]

Yea those big hitters like Jamie Sadlowski isn't too big either...

He's got really good flexibility though...

Rory ain't that big either. He's one inch taller than me actually, and his average driving statistic is about solid 300 yards

Exactly..

[saevel25]

I dunno, smaller guys like Louie O. and Fred Couples seem to hit drives consistently in the 300 yd range..so is it really a matter of how big you are..??

Generally yes. Taller guys just have an advantage because they swing on a bigger arc.

Velocity = Radius x Angular Velocity

So as radius increases the velocity at the end of the circle increases. Taller players have longer arms so they can swing the club faster with less angular velocity. This is why Rory has to have some of the fastest hips on tour, he's only 5'8" tall compared to Dustin Johnson's 6'3" tall.

[MS256]

Generally yes. Taller guys just have an advantage because they swing on a bigger arc.

Velocity = Radius x Angular Velocity

So as radius increases the velocity at the end of the circle increases. Taller players have longer arms so they can swing the club faster with less angular velocity. This is why Rory has to have some of the fastest hips on tour, he's only 5'8" tall compared to Dustin Johnson's 6'3" tall.

Yeah one of my son's friends is about 6'5" or 6'6' tall. He never had any "pop" in any sport he played growing up. Just always seemed to have a long, lazy tempo that didn't translate very well to baseball, football or basketball.

Surprisingly (at least to me) he can hit a golf ball pretty far. Still has the same slow, laid back, lazy looking tempo he always had but that long swing arc produces pop that he never had playing anything else.

[Golfingdad]

I average 350 with my driver.**

** On the 11th hole today.

[Lihu]

According to Trakman, I drive about 278 with a standard length Xstiff shaft and long drive head. I don't know if it's possible because my swing speed was meaured at only 95 with a ball speed of 146, Spin 2900 AoA +2 degrees. The ball speed/swing speed is 1.53???? I was 254 yards, 95, 145,, 5700 AoA -6.5 degrees.I just put the ball further up in my stance to get the above results. I was wearing street shoes, no glove and during a dinner party. On the course today with really whippy "stiff" Adila 65gm shafted rental clubs I was only getting 255 yards on decent drives, but this was prior to my fix made at the Trakman session.