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

[Jakester23]

Lihu I would say I haven't played with a lot of people who can consistently hit it 240+. I play with probably 4 or 5 of the same people most of the time and all of us can do that. On the other hand I've played with quite a few people who are a lot closer to averaging 200 than 250 (even if you take out the really bad misses). I don't think as many people are able to hit it 250 on average as you think. Ad far as on this site I completely agree with you. Almost everyone on here is not your typical player though.

[ChrisWev]

However, the golfers on this site seem to be more serious about accuracy than other sites. This is the main appeal of this site. We used to have "distance police" to keep things straight. Not sure what happened to them. Maybe you can keep an eye on the HC and the distances, and scoff at them as they post.

The only issue is now people will post 2 HC and 250 yards distances. You can't tell they're full of it until they post something that makes absolutely no sense. It is the internet, after all.

Yeah the site is great, I've read posts on here for months but only just starting to post now I've found my way a little. I've no doubt I'm probably talking some crap, but it's to be expected with limited experience :)

I try not to lie to myself with distances as it can only get me in trouble on the course, if I believe myown hype so to speak. That's one of the main reasons for buying Game golf though, the numbers don't lie

[cipher]

Lihu I would say I haven't played with a lot of people who can consistently hit it 240+. I play with probably 4 or 5 of the same people most of the time and all of us can do that. On the other hand I've played with quite a few people who are a lot closer to averaging 200 than 250 (even if you take out the really bad misses). I don't think as many people are able to hit it 250 on average as you think. Ad far as on this site I completely agree with you. Almost everyone on here is not your typical player though.

Yeah I agree. The average player may hit a shot or two that goes 250 and they think that is their average distance. People should look at guys stats on game golf. There is a huge range for driver distance, top end is much different than average. Especially for a 20ish handicap player. Heck I have a 77 yard difference between the top end and the low end. My average so far is only 256.

[Jakester23]

Yeah I agree. The average player may hit a shot or two that goes 250 and they think that is their average distance. People should look at guys stats on game golf. There is a huge range for driver distance, top end is much different than average. Especially for a 20ish handicap player. Heck I have a 77 yard difference between the top end and the low end. My average so far is only 256.

And he hits is well I've seen it.

[Lihu]

Lihu I would say I haven't played with a lot of people who can consistently hit it 240+. I play with probably 4 or 5 of the same people most of the time and all of us can do that. On the other hand I've played with quite a few people who are a lot closer to averaging 200 than 250 (even if you take out the really bad misses). I don't think as many people are able to hit it 250 on average as you think. Ad far as on this site I completely agree with you. Almost everyone on here is not your typical player though.

What I didn't say is that I've seen >80% drive less than 200. In fact, one of the first tee dads thought he would hit into a party on the green from 300 yards away. I said no way. Don't even worry about it. His "great drive" went 200.

[scorpion12]

I'm not a long ball hitter... but here it is. I suffer from inconsistency... and no short game to speak of to even think of saving par with...

Low   Avg       Hi     Personal best

Driver - 165y - 185y - 200y - 238y

3W     - 150y - 170y - 190y - 200y

7W     - 140y - 160y - 180y -

4I       - 120y - 160y - 170y -

5I       - 140y - 160y - 165y -

6I       - 140y - 150y - 160y -

7I       - 130y - 140y - 150y -

8I       - 120y - 130y - 130y -

9I       - 110y - 120y - 120y -

PW    - 100y - 110y - 110y -

AW    -   65y -   75y -   75y -

SW    -   0y   -   50y -   60y -

[Slice of Life]

Yeah I agree. The average player may hit a shot or two that goes 250 and they think that is their average distance. People should look at guys stats on game golf. There is a huge range for driver distance, top end is much different than average. Especially for a 20ish handicap player. Heck I have a 77 yard difference between the top end and the low end. My average so far is only 256.

Yeah, I'm a good example. Right around a 20 hc. Driver distance ranges from 150-319 (though the 150 bounced off a tree), and it shows my 90-95% swing at 243 yards.

Now if we remove the shots that were crushed, and the shots that were duffed or bounced off a tree, I still range from about 218-252 at where the bulk of my drives are. However, contradicting that graph, that's with 105+ mph swing speed...which tells you just how much poor/mediocre contact and a slice can affect your distance.

[Lihu]

Yeah, I'm a good example. Right around a 20 hc. Driver distance ranges from 150-319 (though the 150 bounced off a tree), and it shows my 90-95% swing at 243 yards.

Now if we remove the shots that were crushed, and the shots that were duffed or bounced off a tree, I still range from about 218-252 at where the bulk of my drives are. However, contradicting that graph, that's with 105+ mph swing speed...which tells you just how much poor/mediocre contact and a slice can affect your distance.

I swing about 10mph slower than you and we get the same distances? Just saying. . .

[ChrisWev]

However, contradicting that graph, that's with 105+ mph swing speed...which tells you just how much poor/mediocre contact and a slice can affect your distance.

I feel your pain!

[Slice of Life]

I swing about 10mph slower than you and we get the same distances? Just saying. . .

Welcome to the world of slicing. I was on Golf Galaxy's trackman the other day swinging a 5 wood at 103 mph.

Even when my swing was in much worse shape, I was at 93 mph with a 6 iron.

That was kind of my point...swing speed doesn't always equal more distance if you aren't hitting the ball well. That's why I have a 319 yard drive and a bunch of 230 yard drives. Guess which one I hit on the sweet spot and didn't slice? lol

(Not that I would expect anything close to 319 if I consistently hit the ball better...but you get my point I hope)

[Lihu]

Welcome to the world of slicing. I was on Golf Galaxy's trackman the other day swinging a 5 wood at 103 mph.

Even when my swing was in much worse shape, I was at 93 mph with a 6 iron.

That was kind of my point...swing speed doesn't always equal more distance if you aren't hitting the ball well. That's why I have a 319 yard drive and a bunch of 230 yard drives. Guess which one I hit on the sweet spot and didn't slice? lol

(Not that I would expect anything close to 319 if I consistently hit the ball better...but you get my point I hope)

Yes, I do. I even mentioned this in an earlier post today.

I was just joking with you.

[Slice of Life]

Yes, I do. I even mentioned this in an earlier post today.

I was just joking with you.

Yeah I figured.

Home gym starts getting put together tonight so I can get back in the shape I was in beginning of '13. Between that, and the winter practice setup I'm working on, I'm hoping all my distances go up, as my scores go down!

[18rounds]

The thing I don't understand is to hit 270 (in any direction) you need to be hitting it cleanly off the centre of the club, unless you've got an inefficient swing which is much faster than a tour pro who uses an optimal launch driver for their speed (9 deg quoted). I'd like to know what driver and loft they have to achieve this as I'd assume most are in the 10-12 deg loft range which to my knowledge would max out at 270 with a 20 handicappers inefficiency.

According to what I know, if you're hitting it cleanly to that distance it's gotta be going roughly in a straight line (Pull, straight, Push) and as I'm sure most peoples troubles in that handicap area are going to be a slice they're going to lose distance due to that slice. If I Av 225 with the driver and I slice the ball it goes about 170, physics says anything not optimal will reduce energy into the ball. To hit it bad and it go 270 would require some serious swing speed numbers.

Anyone whacking one 270 into the trees or onto the next fairway all the time is going to get an awful lot of doubles and not a lot of carry, even the pro's do that so how a 20 handicap guy does the same to recover as a tour pro is a miracle.

Also the point with the 7i, this will need a clean hit too and good swing speed to produce numbers over 160, but due to the loft/ d-plane this should be difficult to slice/ hook? Obviously 40 yards left or right isn't going to help, and I've done it but to do that with a 7i takes some doing from 150 yards from the green. It would be like a 30% push/ pull?

I might be talking crap (like I said I've only been playing 5 months) but the numbers just don't seem to add up to me. I think people lying to them selves or being ignorant of their real numbers can be very dangerous.

In 70 rounds (fair enough I play a lot on my own, but my course is one of the busiest in the world so I end up watching people often) I've seen one guy hit 300 and he said that was the drive of his life, he drove the green whilst I was on it .

Sorry if I sound argumentative, I don't mean it to sound like that, I'm just amazed in all honesty.

In all reality I do not know that his wild shots measure. I am guessing they are less. On the occasions where he is in an area that the ball can be found he is very long and we have measured (range finder and on course markings) more than a few this summer that were right around 300. He is tall and I think his driver may be too short for him. His swing has so many moving parts its not a wonder he is not consistent.

As far as my swing I don't know what to tell you. I am very inconsistent. I have said that a few times on this thread and other places on the forum. I don't know why I would lie about how far a specific club goes when it is not in any way correlating to low scores. Also, when I say my 7 goes 165-170 I am certainly not saying that it is consistent. I am just saying that if I don't blade it or hit it fat my 7 goes that far.

I recently was paired with a guy in his 60s that smoothly scored a 80. There was nothing flashy about his game (well maybe his putting. he seemed to drop everything)  just boring golf. Boring consistent golf is my goal.

[Lihu]

In all reality I do not know that his wild shots measure. I am guessing they are less. On the occasions where he is in an area that the ball can be found he is very long and we have measured (range finder and on course markings) more than a few this summer that were right around 300. He is tall and I think his driver may be too short for him. His swing has so many moving parts its not a wonder he is not consistent.

As far as my swing I don't know what to tell you. I am very inconsistent. I have said that a few times on this thread and other places on the forum. I don't know why I would lie about how far a specific club goes when it is not in any way correlating to low scores. Also, when I say my 7 goes 165-170 I am certainly not saying that it is consistent. I am just saying that if I don't blade it or hit it fat my 7 goes that far.

I recently was paired with a guy in his 60s that smoothly scored a 80. There was nothing flashy about his game (well maybe his putting. he seemed to drop everything)  just boring golf. Boring consistent golf is my goal.

Isn't that the truth.

[guywoof]

Driver 140, 3 iron 150, 4 iron 150, 5 iron 150, 6 iron 150, 7 iron 150, 8 iron 150, 9 iron, on a good day, 160. pw 110. Although I am normally a little more consistant.

[ChrisWev]

As far as my swing I don't know what to tell you. I am very inconsistent. I have said that a few times on this thread and other places on the forum. I don't know why I would lie about how far a specific club goes when it is not in any way correlating to low scores. Also, when I say my 7 goes 165-170 I am certainly not saying that it is consistent. I am just saying that if I don't blade it or hit it fat my 7 goes that far.

I recently was paired with a guy in his 60s that smoothly scored a 80. There was nothing flashy about his game (well maybe his putting. he seemed to drop everything)  just boring golf. Boring consistent golf is my goal.

Ah fair enough, If I nail one they go miles too but that's a long way from my "usual", the same way I'm not including the fat 7i's that go 100-120.

I'm not saying anyone specifically is lying (I probably put that across the wrong way earlier) but if people can smash it (wildly) why not reign it in and take a normal guys distance but a lot closer to target?

I'd happily get shot of half of my irons if the others were guaranteed "standard distance" and within 15 yards of target

I wonder if they do drivers with a 460cc head with 17 degrees of loft? This would solve a lot of my problems.

[Lihu]

Driver 140, 3 iron 150, 4 iron 150, 5 iron 150, 6 iron 150, 7 iron 150, 8 iron 150, 9 iron, on a good day, 160. pw 110. Although I am normally a little more consistant.

I've had some pretty rough days myself.

[18rounds]

Ah fair enough, If I nail one they go miles too but that's a long way from my "usual", the same way I'm not including the fat 7i's that go 100-120.

I'm not saying anyone specifically is lying (I probably put that across the wrong way earlier) but if people can smash it (wildly) why not reign it in and take a normal guys distance but a lot closer to target?

I'd happily get shot of half of my irons if the others were guaranteed "standard distance" and within 15 yards of target

I wonder if they do drivers with a 460cc head with 17 degrees of loft? This would solve a lot of my problems.

No kidding. Some days I would be ready to use a pool cue. I would at least know where it is going. :)