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

[liquor box]

This threads a joke, I'm sure the OP had good intentions to begin with but too many people think their best potential is their average and that is simply not the case, realistic a lot of these guys saying 275+ are really closer to 235+, honestly I couldn't care less what lies people want to confuse themselves with but just remember it's you that your fooling not me.

I wonder if people confuse metres and yards. They actually hit the ball 250yds and not 250m there is a significant difference

[liquor box]

If the ball at my local range hits the safety fence, damn right it goes to 275 yards minimum. That's because I asked about the distance from range staff.

I am sure the range staff have a vested interest, most people like to hit the best quality balls, if you think you hit 20 yards more at a certain range then you will probably think they have better ball sand will keep going there.

Ego is a great motivator, if you get great number you will return.

I have yet to find a range that is accurate, even at top end ranges.

[late347]

I am sure the range staff have a vested interest, most people like to hit the best quality balls, if you think you hit 20 yards more at a certain range then you will probably think they have better ball sand will keep going there.

Ego is a great motivator, if you get great number you will return.

I have yet to find a range that is accurate, even at top end ranges.

on the other hand - golf ranges are not exactly "golf mines" in terms of profitability...

I have yet to see  a golf range with top quality range balls, which fly same as titleist or whatever new balls you buy from the store... (your game balls that you take to the course)

For the record, I specifically asked about the distance from the golf clubhouse door hitting mat, to the back fence, so you would think that the range staff knows what they are doing since it's their job and their golf range...

But indeed 250m is a lot of distance - that's been my best drive about that distance.

274m is about 300 yards

250m is about 273 yards.

200m is about 220 yards or so.

[Lihu]

I am sure the range staff have a vested interest, most people like to hit the best quality balls, if you think you hit 20 yards more at a certain range then you will probably think they have better ball sand will keep going there.

Ego is a great motivator, if you get great number you will return.

I have yet to find a range that is accurate, even at top end ranges.

Yes, it is.

[late347]

Here's some flightscope data for you guys (I went to a demo event with manufacturers to try out cobra clubs and callaway   clubs)

Range balls used were 90% distance balls, according to demo event staff.

Average swing speed 104mph - the staff at the demo event recommended me to try regular and stiff shafts and compare the two. I couldn't tell massive difference either way in feeling... Results matter most to me, I suppose. But it was nice to get measured in flight scope radar because it was available at the demo event.

My hand started hurting from practice range earlier this week (from a fat shot) Im gonna go to the doctor soon. My results today at the demo range were a little bit hampered by lack of health in this case.

my best shot specs:

clubhead speed: 104mph

smash factor: 1.48

spin rpm: 3500

dynamic loft 7degrees (roughly)

carry distance: 230 yards

total distance: 270 yards

club specs:

cobra biocell

stiff shaft

11,5deg loft

I'm hitting down on the ball -with the driver - so that always robs you a good bit of carry distance. And of course, carry distance is useful when crossing over ravines and water obstacles on the golf course.

I'm hitting with a club loft 11,5deg and dynamic loft is 7deg. I'm hitting down on the ball about -4,5deg ?

[metrybill]

Super Senior here: 66 y.o., 5'9:, 185 lbs., 10 hdcp., 50 years of play, lowest hdcp. ever 3, lowest score ever - 66, plays 6-8 per month,

Driver 10.5* - 215 to 250 yds.Callaway XHot 2

4 wood 16.5*  - 190 - 205 yds. Ping G25

3 Hyb, 19* 175 - 190 yds. Callaway XHot

4 Hyb. 23* Adams Pro Idea

5-P Cleveland 588 TT irons - 5 iron (155 -175 yds.),, P (<120 yds., max)

2nd, 3rd, and 4th wedges.  Cleveland 50, 54, and 58*.

Putter.

Interesting:the longer we hit it (260 - 300 yds.), the shorter we hit it (like me), the more the wedges becomes important.

Anecdotal, not proven, facts:  Sam Snead played with only 2 wedges (50 and 55/56*) wedges; and so did Seve (same lofts).

[HighlandLaird]

This is a nonsense question.  It depends entirely on the loft your clubs have.

See Tom Wishon's excellent book "The Search For The Perfect Golf Club", in which he points out the "vanishing loft disease" of recent years. Irons have typically lost eight degrees each over the last thirty years, so today's pitching wedge is yesterday's 8 iron and so on.  It is the reason gap wedges and hybrids are necessary, (as current one or two irons would have insufficient loft to get the ball airborne), thus increasing the manufacturers' sales.  It is all a matter of manufacturers' salesmanship-------they claim their clubs go further than their rivals' products, so each manufacturer goes along with this cynical exercise in selling to the greatest mugs on earth-----golfers!

[iacas]

This is a nonsense question.  It depends entirely on the loft your clubs have.

See Tom Wishon's excellent book "The Search For The Perfect Golf Club", in which he points out the "vanishing loft disease" of recent years. Irons have typically lost eight degrees each over the last thirty years, so today's pitching wedge is yesterday's 8 iron and so on.  It is the reason gap wedges and hybrids are necessary, (as current one or two irons would have insufficient loft to get the ball airborne), thus increasing the manufacturers' sales.  It is all a matter of manufacturers' salesmanship-------they claim their clubs go further than their rivals' products, so each manufacturer goes along with this cynical exercise in selling to the greatest mugs on earth-----golfers!

The average is not quite as extreme as that.

Pitching wedges debuted in the 30s or 40s at 49 to 51° or so. My pitching wedge is still 48°.

And for about the thousandth time (to all), there's more to a club than its loft. Musclebacks tend to have a higher CG and hit the ball lower with the same loft as a SGI club. If you gave a 51° PW SGI club to an amateur you may as well give him a lob wedge wrapped in a space suit, because that ball is going to the moon.

Titleist's own CB and MB line varied by 2° in loft (and the CB was hardly "SGI" with the location of its CG) and yet blended at every iron in the set with virtually identical vertical launch angles.

There's more to a club's distance than the loft. SGI clubs need to have less loft because their CG is so low. Have lofts gotten stronger? Yes, even on the remaining musclebacks. Have they shaved 8°? Not even close. More like 1 to 4° or so.

[HighlandLaird]

The average is not quite as extreme as that.

Pitching wedges debuted in the 30s or 40s at 49 to 51° or so. My pitching wedge is still 48°.

And for about the thousandth time (to all), there's more to a club than its loft. Musclebacks tend to have a higher CG and hit the ball lower with the same loft as a SGI club. If you gave a 51° PW SGI club to an amateur you may as well give him a lob wedge wrapped in a space suit, because that ball is going to the moon.

Titleist's own CB and MB line varied by 2° in loft (and the CB was hardly "SGI" with the location of its CG) and yet blended at every iron in the set with virtually identical vertical launch angles.

There's more to a club's distance than the loft. SGI clubs need to have less loft because their CG is so low. Have lofts gotten stronger? Yes, even on the remaining musclebacks. Have they shaved 8°? Not even close. More like 1 to 4° or so.

Utter tripe.  In your conceit, you obviously think you know more about clubs than Tom Wishon, but the informed amongst us know that you do not..

Here are the FACTS:-   My irons are Wilson Staff Dynapower 1973 and the PW has a loft of 51 degrees, with the 7 iron at 39 degrees.

Current Adams New Idea 7 iron = 32 degrees. Cobra Baffler XL 7 iron = 30.5 degrees. Cleveland 588 Altitude 7 iron = 31 degrees.

Progen Haema 7 iron = 31 degrees. TaylorMade RocketBladez Max 7 iron = 30 degrees. Wilson D-100 7 iron = 31 degrees

Yonex VXF 7 iron = 31 degrees. Nike VRS Covert 2.0 7 iron = 31 degrees. ALL these are around 7.5 to 8.5 degrees "stronger" than 1970s irons.

I quote the manufacturers' own figures.

It is not surprising then that "distance" with a numbered iron depends entirely upon the loft, not the particular number ascribed to it. Your own 7 iron will have a loft of 36 degrees, and you would certainly hit the above quoted clubs further.

In short, sir, your rude dismissal of what I wrote is arrogant and misinformed.  You should be a little less sneering and a little more informed.

But then, you claim to know more about clubs than THE  American and indeed world expert, Tom Wishon, don't you?

[iacas]

Utter tripe. In your conceit,…

In short, sir, your rude dismissal of what I wrote is arrogant and misinformed.  You should be a little less sneering and a little more informed.

But then, you claim to know more about clubs than THE  American and indeed world expert, Tom Wishon, don't you?

Maybe next time you could actually respond to what I wrote instead of being a major ******* about it, hmmmm?

It is not surprising then that "distance" with a numbered iron depends entirely upon the loft, not the particular number ascribed to it.

As I said, dIstance depends on more than just loft. For example, and again as I stated in my post , the location of the CG. Others I didn't mention include the springiness of the face. The length and type of shaft. The kind of ball a player uses. The condition of grooves. A player's swing speed - some will hit a 7-iron farther than a 4-iron in the air due to a lack of clubhead speed.

Basically, my post pointed out that there's more to consider than the loft of a club. If Tom Wishon thinks that distance is ONLY affected by the loft on the club, he's wrong. The thing is, I know he doesn't think that - but you seem to believe he does, for some reason.

P.S. Titleist's MB: 35° 7-iron, 47° PW. Mizuno's MP-69: 34° 7-iron, 46° PW. Those are "facts" too. You listed primarily SGI irons, which didn't exist in the 30s and 40s or even the 50s, 60s, 70s… or 80s. I have a set of the TaylorMade blades… and… wait for it… they're 35° and 47° as well.

[William Wayne]

I hit my driver about 230 yards and dead straight.  I have a 4 handicap.

[DoubleFlangeMan]

Maybe next time you could actually respond to what I wrote instead of being a major ******* about it, hmmmm?

As I said, dIstance depends on more than just loft. For example, and again as I stated in my post, the location of the CG. Others I didn't mention include the springiness of the face. The length and type of shaft. The kind of ball a player uses. The condition of grooves. A player's swing speed - some will hit a 7-iron farther than a 4-iron in the air due to a lack of clubhead speed.

Basically, my post pointed out that there's more to consider than the loft of a club. If Tom Wishon thinks that distance is ONLY affected by the loft on the club, he's wrong. The thing is, I know he doesn't think that - but you seem to believe he does, for some reason.

P.S. Titleist's MB: 35° 7-iron, 47° PW. Mizuno's MP-69: 34° 7-iron, 46° PW. Those are "facts" too. You listed primarily SGI irons, which didn't exist in the 30s and 40s or even the 50s, 60s, 70s… or 80s. I have a set of the TaylorMade blades… and… wait for it… they're 35° and 47° as well.

CG and face "springiness" have almost no effect-----it is loft that matters.

HighlandLaird is right in this spat.

It makes no difference that Titleist irons are not low lofted, the question was "how far do you hit each club?" and lofts are highly variable, as  shown by HighlanLaird's post.

It is useless asking how far do you hit each iron?------irons should show their loft, not an arbitrary number.

[14ledo81]

CG and face "springiness" have almost no effect-----it is loft that matters.

HighlandLaird is right in this spat.

It makes no difference that Titleist irons are not low lofted, the question was "how far do you hit each club?" and lofts are highly variable, as  shown by HighlanLaird's post.

It is useless asking how far do you hit each iron?------irons should show their loft, not an arbitrary number.

Loft only??  As has been proven, COG plays a pretty big role as well.  Maybe irons should show both???

[saevel25]

Loft only??  As has been proven, COG plays a pretty big role as well.  Maybe irons should show both???

What about how the shaft delivers the clubhead. Should they print on a loft factor conversion for different swing speeds.

KBS Tour, 95 mph iron speed, deloft fact 1.5 degrees.

I mean we must get as accurate as possible.

[Lihu]

http://www.golfwrx.com/143743/iron-lofts-alone-dont-create-more-distance/

. . . on the same site . . .

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/881490-wishon-the-most-important-fitting-elements-for-distance/

It seems like the only relationship CG has to distance is when the ball is struck off center.

"The most significant effect that the clubhead center of gravity has on distance is a negative effect - when impact with the ball is not in line with the vertical plane through the CG , the off center hit that results will cause a moderate to significant loss in distance. Therefore, from a distance standpoint, any fitting changes that result in more consistent center contact (length, shaft weight, total weight, swing weight better fit to the golfer’s swing characteristics) are key to the relationship of the CG to shot distance . "

Maybe a scratch player will not see a difference, but the rest of us. . .

[flopster]

I noticed as well, honestly if some 17 handicap young[quote name="phillyk" url="/t/18426/average-distances-how-far-do-you-hit-each-club-and-dont-lie/1656#post_993038"] You should always care about how far you hit!  On any given hole, you want to know where the trouble is and stay away from it given your "normal miss."  If you have a 220 carry over water and more water after 260yds, you'd want to choose the club that lands and stops in between those yardages. I think you see my point. Those who lie about their accuracy on these averages will only hurt themselves when it comes time that they need that carry for a certain shot. [/quote] And I LMAO at how high of a percentage these individuals are, accuracy is distance, if you can't hit the ball somewhere near the sweet spot on a consistent level then your average distance will be smaller regardless if you can hit 1 out of every 10 275 yards it doesn't mean shit if the other 9 are 225,238,193,121,255,211,110,243,187 that would be 205 yards, welcome to reality for some of you guys. You have to count all your strokes on the course then count all the shitty drives also.

[Lihu]

I noticed as well, honestly if some 17 handicap young

And I LMAO at how high of a percentage these individuals are, accuracy is distance, if you can't hit the ball somewhere near the sweet spot on a consistent level then your average distance will be smaller regardless if you can hit 1 out of every 10 275 yards it doesn't mean shit if the other 9 are 225,238,193,121,255,211,110,243,187 that would be 205 yards, welcome to reality for some of you guys. You have to count all your strokes on the course then count all the shitty drives also.

True, distance only means something when you are playing a course. I also think an average really only means something when you know your range and distribution as well.

Unfortunately, I don't really know how far I hit my driver as I just started to be able to hit a few of my clubs at this point.

[chasm]

And I LMAO at how high of a percentage these individuals are, accuracy is distance, if you can't hit the ball somewhere near the sweet spot on a consistent level then your average distance will be smaller regardless if you can hit 1 out of every 10 275 yards it doesn't mean shit if the other 9 are 225,238,193,121,255,211,110,243,187 that would be 205 yards, welcome to reality for some of you guys. You have to count all your strokes on the course then count all the shitty drives also.

All very true. And obviously the high handicapper (me, for instance) is going to make a poor contact often enough to make it sensible to lay up rather than attempt the carry over a hazard that would require me to hit my best possible shot. But if there's no particular trouble in the way I'm going to take the club that will get the required distance if I hit it properly. My "average" distance, counted to include the bad shots, is completely unhelpful in terms of planning my way round the course, because I'll almost never hit it the "average" distance. i'll either hit it properly or screw up and be much shorter, or off-line. There's no point in taking a five iron rather than a seven when I'm 150 yards from the green just because I sometimes mishit it.