Jump to content
IGNORED

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


Note: This thread is 977 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

  • Administrator
Originally Posted by Hacker James

when I quoted that stat...it was only to point out what has been stated about " average scoring not changing in over a decade" based on several articles I had read that said more or less of the same thing.

I think that's a bigger myth than people want to believe, or bad/old information. From Bomb and Gouge :

The USGA is unequivocal about average golfers: Despite decades of naysayers and experts alike suggesting that the average handicap is not dropping, has not dropped and never will drop, the fact is, it has. Let's say that again: The average handicap of all golfers -- men, women and children -- has decreased consistently for the past 15 years. The average handicap today is two strokes better than it was in the early 1990s, according to research provided to Golf Digest by the USGA's Golf Handicap & Information Network (GHIN).

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

when I quoted that stat...it was only to point out what has been stated about " average scoring not changing in over a decade" based on several articles I had read that said more or less of the same thing.  Here is only one of a half dozen or so I happened to see :  [URL=http://www.golfblogger.com/index.php/golf/comments/average_golf_score_remains_at_100/]http://www.golfblogger.com/index.php/golf/comments/average_golf_score_remains_at_100/[/URL]  I am sure if you look, you could also find many that will offer a different stat.  These are not MY numbers. Many factors would weigh in such as including ALL golfers, ones with (and without) established handicaps, weekend duffers, e.t.c.   it is all subjective.  I guess some could find solace in the fact that playing in the 90's is more less better than the OVERALL average. In reality this would be very hard to prove given that there are a lot of golfers like fisherman who tend to "imbellish" their facts.  I think my point was, that not much has changed in spite of equipment and course changes.  Nothing I intend to lose any sleep over and will just keep plugging away to see if I can improve for my own satisfaction.

I see your points, and So. Cal., where I live, might have some skewed statistics. We pretty much play year round. I should be much better than I am, but I just started playing seriously the last 8 months or so, and I am fighting with a flat swing. My new coach said that the average handicap for someone keeping it is under 14.6. It is likely that these people play at least two or three rounds per week. Like you said, golf is for enjoyment and personal improvement goals.

:ping:  :tmade:  :callaway:   :gamegolf:  :titleist:

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Originally Posted by Lihu

I see your points, and So. Cal., where I live, might have some skewed statistics. We pretty much play year round. I should be much better than I am, but I just started playing seriously the last 8 months or so, and I am fighting with a flat swing.

My new coach said that the average handicap for someone keeping it is under 14.6. It is likely that these people play at least two or three rounds per week.

Like you said, golf is for enjoyment and personal improvement goals.


Your golf instructor needs to read the PGA and USGA stats of legitimate handicaps that they review each year. The average handicap for weekend golfers (no pros, no golf shop or course pros, no college armatures, no daily players) just the weekend golfer that has been identified as a person playing 36 or more rounds of golf a year is over 25. Now he may not know these people and being an instructor he may never see them. He may only deal with that group of golfers that I noted in parentheses. I have a tendency to go with the governing agencies than a teaching pro. There are literally millions of weekend golfers in the world, tens of millions of them. That group of 287 or so that are touring pros worldwide (actually make their living solely from golf tournaments) are the elite of the elite of the elite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I'll join the fun. Here are my average distances: (I can get a little more out of a few clubs if I try to kill it, but I try not to do that .)

Yards

Driver: 240 - 300

3-Wood: 220 - 250

4 Hybrid: 190 - 220

4-iron: 210

5-iron: 200

6-iron: 180 - 190

7-iron: 170

8-iron: 160

9-iron: 140 - 150

PW: 130

GW: Don't have one. Need one for 100 - 115 yds!

LW: 60 - 90

With my driver right now I am getting better. Usually my average is around 250yds - 260yds but my distances vary above that as well when I play. My longest drive ever was 326 yards (a couple years ago) until I broke that record two weekends ago and hit one 356 yards right down the middle of the fairway on a 513 yard hole . I was stoked!!!! I took pictures of where it ended up but didn't get it on video ; although there were 3 witnesses.  But that's not a normal occurrence. I wish it was!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Driver- Don't use it... (cant hit it, need to find one I can hit...)

3W R11sTP max loft max open - 250-260 (60-70% also don't use it a ton usually only on par 5s)

3H 230ish

4 210-215 ( My go-to... i use it instead of a driver on all par 4s)

5 200

6 185

7 170ish

8 155-160

9 145

PW 120-125

54* 100-105 Full Out 85-90 3/4 Swing

60* 85ish (Never hit it full tho)

64* 60-65 (but I usually hit it thin so I don't hit it full either)

I have high launch so my ball carries far, but i don't get much roll, except where I don't want roll (on the green)

Because of my inconsistency with woods, which is getting better, I use a lot of irons, I would rather hit a 4i + 5i in the middle and get on or close than hit further and be in trouble...

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Originally Posted by michajo2k3

3W R11sTP max loft max open - 250-260 (60-70% also don't use it a ton usually only on par 5s)

Does this mean you hit it this distance 60-70% of the time, or that you're swinging 60-70% of your max?

Is your index accurate?

Brandon a.k.a. Tony Stark

-------------------------

The Fastest Flip in the West

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Originally Posted by bplewis24

Does this mean you hit it this distance 60-70% of the time, or that you're swinging 60-70% of your max?

Is your index accurate?

i hit it 60 or 70 percent of the time... 30 or 40 percent mishit.... still working on it... my index is correct, accoriding to the guy in my league that takes care of handicap.... unfortunately.  when I hit the ball i hit it great, but still working out more mishits than I would like, also my short game is not pretty and my putting needs improvement.... so  my iron game is good, but my overall game is pretty rusty

Today is a good example, I played a  quick 9 on a course I have never played, I birdied the first hole, then went bogey, double, bogey, par, double, double, triple, par for a total of 46.... which is probably the best round I have played this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Originally Posted by DocParty

Your golf instructor needs to read the PGA and USGA stats of legitimate handicaps that they review each year. The average handicap for weekend golfers (no pros, no golf shop or course pros, no college armatures, no daily players) just the weekend golfer that has been identified as a person playing 36 or more rounds of golf a year is over 25. Now he may not know these people and being an instructor he may never see them. He may only deal with that group of golfers that I noted in parentheses. I have a tendency to go with the governing agencies than a teaching pro. There are literally millions of weekend golfers in the world, tens of millions of them. That group of 287 or so that are touring pros worldwide (actually make their living solely from golf tournaments) are the elite of the elite of the elite.


Yes, the thought did cross my mind. I think he is just trying to make me and my kids improve. Otherwise, we would be perfectly happy where we are now...

However, if you take a current average on this website, I bet the average handicap is less than 15. maybe 12? or less?

:ping:  :tmade:  :callaway:   :gamegolf:  :titleist:

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Since getting a few lessons and getting some new equipment over the last year and a half...

Driver - 250

3W - 220

3H - 210

4 - 200

5 - 185

6 - 170

7 - 155

8 - 140

9 - 125

PW - 115

AW - 105

Pretty much never hit my 56 or 60 full, if I'm under 100 yards out i'm punching with a 7 or a 9.

Driver: :tmade: Rocketballz Stage 2, 9.5 set 1 higher Woods: :adams: F11 15 Rescue: :tmade: R15 17 Irons: :tmade: Rbladez 4-AW Putter: :odyssey: White Hot Bag: :adidas: Cart Bag

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Originally Posted by DocParty

Your golf instructor needs to read the PGA and USGA stats of legitimate handicaps that they review each year. The average handicap for weekend golfers (no pros, no golf shop or course pros, no college armatures, no daily players) just the weekend golfer that has been identified as a person playing 36 or more rounds of golf a year is over 25. Now he may not know these people and being an instructor he may never see them. He may only deal with that group of golfers that I noted in parentheses. I have a tendency to go with the governing agencies than a teaching pro. There are literally millions of weekend golfers in the world, tens of millions of them. That group of 287 or so that are touring pros worldwide (actually make their living solely from golf tournaments) are the elite of the elite of the elite.

Originally Posted by Lihu

Yes, the thought did cross my mind. I think he is just trying to make me and my kids improve. Otherwise, we would be perfectly happy where we are now...

However, if you take a current average on this website, I bet the average handicap is less than 15. maybe 12? or less?

I just had a look at the statistics in USGA. The cumulative percentage of golfers with a HP of 18 or better is 77%, and roughly 14 to 15 is right at the 50% percent cumulative mark.

http://www.usga.org/handicapping/articles_resources/Men-s--Handicap-Indexes/

I should trust my coach, he really knows golf.

:ping:  :tmade:  :callaway:   :gamegolf:  :titleist:

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
Originally Posted by Lihu

I just had a look at the statistics in USGA. The cumulative percentage of golfers with a HP of 18 or better is 77%, and roughly 14 to 15 is right at the 50% percent cumulative mark.

FWIW those are among people with handicaps, of course.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Originally Posted by iacas

FWIW those are among people with handicaps, of course.

I agree, out of 18 guys in my league, maybe 3 of them have a u USGA handicap....  Range is from 15-30....  with some higher and lower...

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I just had a look at the statistics in USGA. The cumulative percentage of golfers with a HP of 18 or better is 77%, and roughly 14 to 15 is right at the 50% percent cumulative mark. [URL=http://www.usga.org/handicapping/articles_resources/Men-s--Handicap-Indexes/]http://www.usga.org/handicapping/articles_resources/Men-s--Handicap-Indexes/[/URL] I should trust my coach, he really knows golf.

Right, but a large majority of the golfers in this country do not have an official USGA handicap....even those that play regularly (once or twice a week). I believe the average of people who HAVE an official USGA handicap is around 15. That makes sense. But if we factor in the thousands who don't have an official handicap, the average would be much higher, I'd guess 25-30 range.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Originally Posted by MyrtleBeachGolf

Right, but a large majority of the golfers in this country do not have an official USGA handicap....even those that play regularly (once or twice a week).

I believe the average of people who HAVE an official USGA handicap is around 15. That makes sense. But if we factor in the thousands who don't have an official handicap, the average would be much higher, I'd guess 25-30 range.

It's also worth mentioning that 36.4 is the highest handicap possible, so a lot of bad players cap out and don't represent their actual ability in that average. If you used average score (which is not limited, even with ESC you are supposed to count every stroke towards the total, just using your ESC to prevent the inflation of your handicap index. You can make a 386 for 18 holes, submit a 108 or something to the USGA from ESC scores on every hole for calculating your index, but the 386 is still your score for all other purposes) instead of index, it would go higher than you can estimate by handicap alone, and this would still only include those who keep a handicap.

Mind you, this is totally off topic and has nothing to do with bragging about hitting the ball far, the purpose of this thread. But for the purposes of this argument, the average score is probably higher than any of us can imagine, especially if you apply strict rules.

In My Bag:

Adams Super LS 9.5˚ driver, Aldila Phenom NL 65TX
Adams Super LS 15˚ fairway, Kusala black 72x
Adams Super LS 18˚ fairway, Aldila Rip'd NV 75TX
Adams Idea pro VST hybrid, 21˚, RIP Alpha 105x
Adams DHY 24˚, RIP Alpha 89x
5-PW Maltby TE irons, KBS C taper X, soft stepped once 130g
Mizuno T4, 54.9 KBS Wedge X
Mizuno R12 60.5, black nickel, KBS Wedge X
Odyssey Metal X #1 putter 
Bridgestone E5, Adidas samba bag, True Linkswear Stealth
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Originally Posted by tyrion86

Driver- 240-260

3Wood-230-240

Hybrid- 225-230

3i- 215

4I-205

5I-195

6I-180

7I-165

8I-150

9I-130

PW-115

GW 50-90

SW 56-60

all carry and yards

some crazy gaps on the irons

Bettinardi Golf Kuchar #2 Cobra Bio Cell+ Callaway Razr Hawk 3W TaylorMade SLDR 19H Mizuno JPX 825-Pro 4-AW Scor 55 & 60 (Wedges)

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Driver: 260-270 carry

3 wood: 245-255 carry

2 hybrid: 225-235 carry

3 Hybrid: 215-220 carry

4 Iron: 200-205

5 Iron: 180-190

6 Iron: 170-180

7 Iron: 160-170

8 Iron: 150-160

9 Iron: 130-145

pw: 105-125

sw: 80-100

lw: 50-75

TM RBZ Stage 2 9.5* Kuro Kage Silver 60s
TM V-Steel 13* 3w
Callaway BB Heavenwood 3H 20*
Cobra S2 Forged Irons
Callaway Forged Copper Wedges 52*-58*
Oddysey White hot #1

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Note: This thread is 977 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.
  • Posts

    • I had to think about this topic for a while. I don't tend to remember specific details about my putts, but a few do stand out in my mind so I guess they're worth noting. I don't know that I'd call them my favorite but it's close enough. #18 at Spooky Brook Might be the hardest 4' putt I've ever had. Pin was back right and I hit my third shot just to the right of it. The green slopes fairly severely back to front. I read the green but I knew the putt anyway as I've seen it before. I told the guys I was playing with that the putt was it was going to break almost 3' and if it doesn't go in I'd have a longer coming back up for par than I was looking at. It went in. #12 at Quail Brook I'm not even sure how to describe this green properly. It's not quite a two-tiered green, but the back and front are separated by a ridge that goes across the middle of it, with the green sloping harder off the front than the back. You can generally putt from the front to a back hole location but good luck keeping the ball on the green if you putt from back to front. On this particular day, I was looking at the latter. I had to putt up into the apron due to how the ball was going to break and that helped slow the ball down enough to hit the hole at the perfect speed. One of the rare birdies I've seen on that hole. #2 at Hyatt Hills Short par 5. This makes the list because it's the first eagle putt I've ever made, which funny enough happened the day after the first eagle I've ever made. I've made two eagles in all my life and they came on back to back days. I wasn't even planning on playing golf - it was a Monday - but I was doing some work at the place I used to work at when I was younger and catching up with some of the guys I've known for years. They were going out to play in the afternoon and had a spot available. I used to see these guys every day for years but we've never played together, so I said I'm in. I hit a really good approach shot into slope that separated the two tiers on the green and spun the ball closer to the hole. Had roughly 8' left to the hole, a downhill right to left breaker. One of the guys said, "You've got to make this, I've never seen an eagle before," and I said, "I've never made an eagle putt before." And then I made it. #17 at Stoneleigh @GolfLug's post reminded me of my own heroics on #17 a couple of years ago. The hole was back left, in the bottom tier. I hit my approach short of the green and flubbed my chip so it stayed on the top tier. I read how the putt was going to break after the ramp (is that what you call it?), then read my putt up to that point. It needed to basically die at that point because if it hit the slope with any kind of speed, it would long past the hole and possibly off the green. I hit the putt perfectly and holed the 40-footer center cup. #6 at Meadow at Neshanic Valley, #15 in the Round This was during the stroke play qualifier of my tournament. It might be a little bit of recency bias and I hit some really good long putts in the four rounds I played, but this 7-footer was my favorite putt of the entire tournament. The hole was cut on the top of a ridge. I hit my tee shot short right but hit a pretty good chip just long and below the hole. Play had backed up at this point, with the ladies waiting on the tee while we were finishing up. I hit the putt just a hair on the high side and it curled around the hole, fell back a couple of inches and stopped on lip. We all looked at it incredulously, "How does that not fall in?" Before I took my first step towards the hole, the ball must have thought the same thing and decided to drop.
    • I don't remember a ton of putts, but I've thought about this a bit and came up with 2 good ones. #5 at Mid-South: 2017 Newport Cup I remember the putt pretty well, but the surrounding details are a little hazy. I believe this was in my singles match against @cipher, and it was a hole he was stroking on. I had hit a mediocre approach to the front of the green and had what must have been a 50 foot putt to a back pin. If I remember correctly, @cipher was pretty close for an easy par at worst. I had @mvmac help me out with a read, which ended up being a great read by him. Hit the putt and jarred it for birdie. It was perfect speed, too, would have been an easy 2 putt if it hadn't gone in. I think we ended up tying for the hole. But I rarely make putts that long, and doing it to steal half a hole was really nice. #3 Fox Hollow (Links): 2023 Match Play This was on the third extra hole of a scratch match against a legitimate 0 handicapper. We had tied after 18 holes and traded pars on the first two extra holes. On the third extra hole, he had about 30 feet for birdie; I had about 25. We were on pretty much the exact same line. He missed his putt just on the low side, and I conceded the par. I felt good over this putt - I knew the break well and just needed good speed. I hit a great (not perfect) putt, and BAM, back of the cup for the victory on the 21st hole. I will say that the speed wasn't great, as it would have been a few feet past if it didn't hit the cup. But I wanted to give the ball a chance and take a bit of break out of it. I went on to win the match play tournament, which is my only tournament victory in a scratch event.
    • there will be lots of changes.  i mean, look at newey past, each team fell off a cliff when he moved on i think max is the magic bullet   if red bull loses him then whee are they going for drivers?   lots of young talent but he is a proven winner and i’m sure top engineers love to work with him  
    • I too, like @GolfLug, remember great wedge, iron shots, or my missed putts, more than my made putts. My most memorable recently, would be: #17 Old Course St. Andrews (last year) I had been putting awful all day (I started 3 putt, 4 putt, 3 putt, 3 putt), but found a putting stroke on the back 9 and was 1 under on the back going into 16 and of course I 3-putted it for a bogey. Got to 17 and my playing partner just hit it into the hotel, so I went a little more left and decided to not try and hit it over the hotel.  And as soon as my ball was in the air, I heard one of the other caddies do the chicken noise.  LOL My shot was a little more left than I wanted, about 185 yards, I hit a 6-iron and it was drawing right at the flag.  The pin was just to the right of he bunker and towards the front of the green. My ball hit short (and just missed going into said bunker) and stopped about 15 feet left of the hole. Had a little left to right break and as soon as I hit it, I knew it was in.  Birdie on the road hole, looked at the caddie and said not bad for a Chicken.  Parred 18 (missed 10 foot birdie putt) for a 35 on the back 9 at the Old Course. #18 Springfield G&CC Last year while playing in our season long match play event, my partner and I get the 18th hole needing to win the match to move on into the knockout round.  We are tied going into 18.  A tie and we lose on overall points by .5.  Our teaching pro is on the other team (very good golfer), so we were pretty sure we needed a birdie to have a chance to win the match, I hit on of the best drives I hit all day and had about 135 yards to the pin, but it was in a place where you didn't really want to be long.  So I hit a PW and it landed just short of the flag but released about 12 feet past the hole, so have a devilish putt coming back down the hill.  Our competitors were away and the pro missed his birdie putt by inches, I thought it was in when he hit it.  So after reading the putt, which probably had a 2 cup left to right break, I made the putt to win the match.   #15 Springfield G&CC A few years back, was playing in the first round of the Club Championship (against the previous years runner-up) and my putter was balky all day.  Got to the 15 hole, 2nd Par 5 on back, and was 3-down with 4 to play.  We both hit good drives, both hit good second shots and we both hit decent 3rd shots.  I was about 15 feet and he was just a hair longer.  He missed his putt, I had another slider putt down the hill, with about a foot of right to left break and made the putt.  I birded the next hole, to go 1 down, but not a memorable putt as I only needed a bogey to beat him on that hole, he had all kinds of issues going on.  Lost on 17, as he birdied it, right after I missed mine to lose 2&1.
    • Wordle 1,049 3/6* ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟨 ⬜⬜🟨🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...