The NEW Average Drive Poll

[YogiTKE]

This is not a very good stat to bring up. It considers all shots form the tee including 3 woods. Pro's also admit that they dial down their drives to increase accuracy. You can really see this when they play a hole that gives them a lot of bailout areas at long distances. I watched Els bomb one 300+. Another example would be the longest drives competitions on the Big Break shows. Almost everyone nails it past 300 yards. However they say they would never swing like that in a tournament.

Fine print: "The average number of yards per measured drive. These drives are measured on two holes per round. Care is taken to select two holes which face in opposite directions to counteract the effect of wind. Drives are measured to the point at which they come to rest regardless of whether they are in the fairway or not." Bottom line: Ty Cobb had a .366 lifetime batting AVERAGE. I'm sure he could easily hit a homerun from time to time.

[birdiemachine]

Im deeeep. 300+ . Always play the tips to stroke my ego and have an excuse if my score blows up.

[Mr Eagle]

Havnt got a clue,do they have to be on the fairway to count ?
Is 300 yards into the woods any good,? no, how about not reaching the Ladies,do we count them? Im happy with anything straight that reaches the fairway,so I put myself down for 210.

[Dub]

Too bad we can't install a BS Detector on these polls.

I'd like to see some of the guys that average some of these distances.....wouldn't want to shake hands with them for fear of them crushing my hand.

I agree, though, that the distances are better distributed.

[RC]

I don't have an average drive, or cannot guess it. Longer than many, and shorter than some seems about right. What is that number? Well it depends on the course, wind, temperature, elevation, humidity, and how many cart paths I can hit hooking the ball back into the fairway. Maybe if we had a team of people charting our shots for 25 to 30 tournamants a year I might have a clue but I really have no fixed idea. I do know if there is a canyon out there at 300 yards, and the wind is no factor, I'm hitting a 3 wood because I am cautious. It it is a driveable par 4 at 310, and I am feeling it, I will go for it, and sometimes make it. Other times, I know not to try. Please don't take this post as flippant, it is not. I have to be there in the moment and know how I am feeling to make a distance decision. You step up, you feel the situation, and you pull a club -- that's all I know.

[kfowler]

Fine print:

Are the drives measured on two fixed holes or two holes where they actually used a driver? What if they never pulled the driver out of their bad during a round?

Lets assume the measurement was using a driver. That still doesn't mean the pro was trying to hit it with max power. I'm not sure I follow your Ty Cobb analogy either. My point is that a lot of these pros can hit 300+ on a consistent basis if they wanted. I agree though that the average golfer inflates his driving distance.

[ZaPPPa]

I'm going to go with 210-230 on average. I'll do anything between 200 and 250 depending on the swing, the wind and the slope. I'm comfortable enough in my manhood to admit I am in the lower range. I'll work on it this year, probably switch to a new club or at least a stiff shaft. I'm aiming to add 20 yards by the end of the year.

[YogiTKE]

Are the drives measured on two fixed holes or two holes where they actually used a driver? What if they never pulled the driver out of their bad during a round?

The point is what a pro CAN do and what he ACTUALLY does are two different things. Therefore the AVERAGE is calculated from what he ACTUALLY does.

PGA Tour average driving distance was 283.5 yds.

[lhshurdl3r]

voted Under 180.... I basically can't get the ball off the ground for some reason... two seasons ago I literally averaged 250-260 off the tee (with a Mizuno mx500, exsar 50 S shaft). and now i can barely get the ball off the ground. Don't know what happened.

[ryohazuki222]

oh snap... so are these totals or carry? if it's just carry i voted too high... :(

[goblue107501]

In season I average around 285, some shorter some longer, just depends.

Same with me.

[birdiemachine]

Pro averages are calculated based on drives on particular holes. Some guys use 3 woods which drastically bring down average yardage.

[bogeyhitter25]

I'd say around 225.

Considering the courses that I play at are no more than 6,100 yards, I don't need to be long. Accuracy > Distance for me any day of the year.

[flopdarock]

my upper limits to stay on the fairways is about 235- 240... if i decide to hammer it i could get farther but then i have no clue where it will end up

[Fourputt]

oh snap... so are these totals or carry? if it's just carry i voted too high... :(

Average driving distance... That's from where you stick the tee in the ground to where the ball ends up. How would you accurately measure carry alone?

I've measured mine with a GPS a good many times on a typical hole, no wind no significant elevation change and I can be anywhere up to about 270, but more often in the 240 to 250 range. When I add in that rare total hack that goes 100 yards into the left rough, and the slight miss hits that go 220-230, then I put my average at about 240-245. On the same hole in 3 consecutive rounds I measured my drive at exactly 242 yards, a lot more consistent than I usually give myself credit for, even given the margin for error in a typical GPS unit..

[Big_M]

Well... it may all change for me in a few days with my new driver, but with the old... I was 250-270 average on a well struck, normal drive. Occaisionally I will catch one on the toe or bottom groove and loose a few yards.

[JetFan1983]

Haha, I partially inspired this new thread...however, if I really wasn't an internet troll like I claimed to be in the other poll, I would've had the presence of mind to start this one myself rather than complaining. Thanks, Fourputt!

I voted for 210-230, and if I'm being honest with myself, I'm barely in this category. If I had to take a conservative guess, I average at least 212 off the tee or so, driver in hand. Once every 36 holes or so I can max out with a 255, 265 yard drive with favorable conditions. My longest one ever was 275 last August, again under favorable conditions, which landed in the middle of the fairway.

But I have too many worm burners and shanks that bring the average down. I think eventually I could be in the 260-270 Average Drive Club, maybe in 1-2 years? Wish me luck, guys.

[elsito99]

I voted 210-230 because that is what I am getting now.
Hopefully that will change as with other drivers I've had higher averages, and with my dad's R7 in Senior flex I had a 282 drive, my longest yet.

I would be very happy with an AVERAGE of 250 of the tee, that would mean usually less than 150 to green on par 4's. At less than 150 I have a high probability of hitting the green so all is good. Above 170 my probability decreases rapidly so I need a few more yards from my drive.