Do you consider yourself a 'big' hitter?

[mirv]

i consider myself to be borderline long with my driver as my average is about 270 (longest drive yesterday was approximately 285, according to yardage markers), but i'm ridiculously short with my irons. i have a pretty short swing to begin with - maybe ever so slightly less than 3/4 - but i think a lot of my problem is that my irons are too short for me. as such, my PW currently only goes about 100 yards. 5 iron is about 160-165. on the other hand, i think my fairway woods are the right size for me, and i can hit the 5-wood about 200 yards off the deck and 3-wood about 220.

[ryohazuki222]

Every time I think I'm finally getting closer to being a long hitter, something else pops up. ie... I don't know for sure, but I'm convinced my clubs are stacked.. making my 5 iron more like a 4 iron. If I hit it clean I'm looking at about 170/180.

I stopped driving cuz it was too inconsistent. Started befriending the 3 wood. 14.5 or 15.5... i forget which. But the other day I crushed one 265/270 and it was beautiful... only a foot off the fairway. Normally I hit it 230/250 with good accuracy.

[tiger4prez]

for years, i have always been considered a big hitter. and as ive gotten older, and my golf swing has improved, i have gained MANY yards off the tee.

I average 287.9 yards off the tee.

[Blades4me]

Over time technology has made certain distances that once seemed unimaginable very realistic. What distances do you consider to be those of a long or big hitter? Do you consider yourself one? For me I think a long hitter averages the 285 mark with a driver (no thats not me). A long hitter also can hit a club off the grass (hybrid or wood) 225 or more ( that is me, but not consistently) and a big hitter pulls out a wedge from 140 (I go PW). To me those are the distances that constitute a long ball hitter, what determines it for you?

Arnie and Jack drove 280 with persimmons. The distances haven't improved that much with we hacks. For the ones that have accuracy is now a paramont issue, which leads one to wonder if the gain in distance is really worth it?---Anyway, no I'm not a big hitter, probably average 270 or so on my drives and if I really get ahold of it 290. I can do 220 off the deck with my 17* Nicket and good for around 240 off the deck with my strong 3w, (12.5*). 140 is a easy 3/4 8i for me.

[bennyfabulous]

This is a funny thread, i consider myself a reasonably big hitter due to not playing with anyone who can outhit me regularly.

But even with the conversion from yards to metres im still only hitting around 250-260 yards. i work in a golf pro shop and I do notice alot of people overestimate their length off the tee. (If i was to take everyones word for it the majority are hitting close to 300 yards regualrly)

Which leads me to the question how can you possibly know what your average yardage/meterage is? and even further how do you determine to a decimal point like some have suggested on here?

[bogeyhitter25]

I'm not long at all. But I'd rather be 220 yards in the fairway than 250 yards yanked way right/left.

[extremeld]

i average 300 and something, but the something is the bit i aint too sure of.

I am a big hitter, but i know guys who hit 250 who are considered big hitters as they play with guys that are hitting 200.

k

[sonicblue]

No, definitely not. If I get paired up with a couple of 20-handicappers, I'll usually end up hearing something about how "you big hitters" play, but I'm really not. I've hit a few documented 300-yd drives, but they're uncommon, and my iron distances are very average.

[Fat Slice]

I changed my swing arc from something choppy and short to more of a smooth longer sweep and I lost distance on my max drives but put more drives in the fairway. My *average* has gone up, even though my *long drive* has gone down. Never was a big hitter, am less of one now, but am playing better golf. I do love watching someone smash the ball, though...it's just doesn't have to be me!

[denver_nuggs_15]

I hit my driver an average of 250 yards. Every once in a while I hit it 270-285. I hit an 8 iron 147, 5 iron 175-180.

I don't think that I'm a big hitter. I would like to be, but it is not a necessity. The last time I played, this guy outhit me by 20 yards on his drives. I shot an 83 and he didn't even break 100. Go figure. It's gotta be nice to hit PW 140+.

[hawkeye]

Yes and no

Yes - when i'm playing at my home club and playing againt my peers handicapwise, i'd consider myself long. I'd average 260/5 (includes uphill / into the wind etc.)

No - when I played in college I was outdriven by 30-50 yards by some team mates and opponents. Granted - they were one or 2 levels better than me - they'd show Corey Pavin a thing or 2!

[s0lid]

Big hitter? No.

Big slicer? Yes ....

My best friend (the person who got me into all of this) hits about 280 consitantly with his drives, and hits his pitching wedge from about 150 or so... And most people we play with comment on how big he hits...

[RobotDoctor]

I do not consider myself a big hitter, at least not any more. I used to be longer than I am now but age and additional poundage sees to that. I can still hit the ball a good distance. My driver swing speed is around 108 (110 on a good day). I can carry 265 (sea level) on well struck drives and carry my 8 iron 150. Of course I live and play in Colorado so add 10-12% to those carry distances. While I am longer than many people I play with, there are some who make me look like short hitter.

[flopdarock]

yeah im def not a big hitter... id say i was about average... 240-250 driver... but my brother destroys balls an i can still beat him score wise

[Crafty]

Not a long hitter. I'm actually quite average. My drives go from 250 to over 300 (once this year

I would respectfully disagree with those figures. Most pros hit their sand wedge (54-56 degrees) a max of about 115 yards with lob wedges (roughly 60 degrees) anywhere from 85-100.

On the topic of big hitters, I would say that anybody that hits their driver over 275 yards at roughly sea level is hittin a pretty long ball.

[Fourputt]

I would respectfully disagree with those figures. Most pros hit their sand wedge (54-56 degrees) a max of about 115 yards with lob wedges (roughly 60 degrees) anywhere from 85-100.

Ok, then tell me why every time a pro is in that 90-100 yard range the commentators say that he's in perfect position for a smooth SW. And the on course commentator confirms that he's playing a SW. And then he takes a smooth full swing with that SW. Not a nuke swing, just a typical wedge swing.

Pros rarely make a "max" swing with a wedge. If fact they rarely make a max swing with any club, except maybe John Daly. 80%-85% with control is more normal, with something left in the tank to use when absolutely needed.

[Righty to Lefty]

Ok, then tell me why every time a pro is in that 90-100 yard range the commentators say that he's in perfect position for a smooth SW. And the on course commentator confirms that he's playing a SW. And then he takes a smooth full swing with that SW. Not a nuke swing, just a typical wedge swing.

It is because pros are knocking spin off of the ball that is why a sand wedge is the weapon of choice from such a short distance. They don't want the spin so that is why that is their club. If you just look at their clubhead speed they are more than capable of hitting a 56 degree well over 100 yards but that ball is gonna suck back about 30 feet. I don't claim to be a tour player not one bit but I understand what they are trying to do from analyzing my own game. For example: I can even hit my 64 sky high 100 yards so I know a pro can even hit it a lil further because they strike the ball better but that ball is gonna suck back at least 30 feet because of the spin. Even the lob wedge is gonna back up on even a half shot because of the spin and the intial launch angle. A half 56* to me feels like I just take a very lazy half swing because I know i have at least two clubs extra than I need and the ball comes off with the perfect amount of spin to hold it's line with a low to mid trajectory and then the correct spin to stick and stop and that I want from an approach shot usually especially from inside of about 110 yards. Try it for yourself when you play next by taking two extra clubs above what you would normally play and watch how dialed in your feel gets. Oh yeah and pros also can hit 150 yard pitching wedges and that is NOT a 80-85% shot unless your clubhead speed is about 125-130 ish with your driver so looks can sometimes be deceiving i.e. Sergio who admits he swings hard.

[extremeld]

not many pros can hit a wedge 150.