Skeptical of reported distances

[TN94z]

Another thing that makes this a somewhat difficult thing to post accurately is that for most players, including myself, consistently solid contact is somewhat of an elusive thing. For example, I was at the range today working on two things: 1. Not dropping my hands behind my body at the start of my downswing 2. A more pronounced bump into my left side at the start of the downswing. Those two things, since I've built up such a bad habit of dropping the club inside and flipping, caused me to hit quite a few (4) shots where I caught the ball under the hosel. That is, I completely topped it and it flew to the left about 20 yards. When I caught it clean, it flew, according to googleearth, about 270 linearly, but it was playing down about 50 feet which I'm guessing is net 250 and into a very slight headwind. So the shot probably played 255, give or take a few yards for error. Now, what do I post? I try to hit my 3-wood 250 every time. But it just doesn't always work out like that. I mean, it's not like I hit 10 shots, 9 of them flew 220, one of them flew 250 and I claim I am averaging 250. That would be an obvious lie. It's more like I hit 10 shots, 6 of them fly 255, 1 of them is a 240 yard toe-hook, and 3 of them are topped and fly 20 yards. Do I claim that I average 183 yards with my 3-wood? That seems more misleading than saying I average 250. Which really means: "when I'm swinging well, I tend to hit most shots in the 250 range". Something to keep in mind.

IMO if you are going to boast about your "average drive," then you average drive must include the bad shots as well. Otherwise, a person could hit 2 drives 300 yards and 8 bad drives....does that mean that they average 300? Basically, take the total number of drives (good or bad) and average them....don't pick the good to average

[Lloyd Braun]

Another thing that makes this a somewhat difficult thing to post accurately is that for most players, including myself, consistently solid contact is somewhat of an elusive thing. For example, I was at the range today working on two things: 1. Not dropping my hands behind my body at the start of my downswing 2. A more pronounced bump into my left side at the start of the downswing. Those two things, since I've built up such a bad habit of dropping the club inside and flipping, caused me to hit quite a few (4) shots where I caught the ball under the hosel. That is, I completely topped it and it flew to the left about 20 yards. When I caught it clean, it flew, according to googleearth, about 270 linearly, but it was playing down about 50 feet which I'm guessing is net 250 and into a very slight headwind. So the shot probably played 255, give or take a few yards for error. Now, what do I post? I try to hit my 3-wood 250 every time. But it just doesn't always work out like that. I mean, it's not like I hit 10 shots, 9 of them flew 220, one of them flew 250 and I claim I am averaging 250. That would be an obvious lie. It's more like I hit 10 shots, 6 of them fly 255, 1 of them is a 240 yard toe-hook, and 3 of them are topped and fly 20 yards.

Well, if you're talking about potential, then I think you would take the median of those numbers. But if you want to be honest on how you hit the ball overall, then you would average those numbers. I think that's right.

[Laxplayer201092]

i read the first page and not the other 9...

But not to be mean, but some people are just flat long. or maybe not long, but they can hit the long ball..

I carry a laser range finder, and commonly use it. I was playing a local course the other day, and since they were doing maintenance, one of the tee boxes left only 275 yards to the green on a par 4. I take 3 wood, intending to lay up, catch it pretty good, and am on the green in one. I lase it, its playing 274 (that was the average of three different lasers) Now, would i every play a 270 yard three wood over water? hell no! but that doesnt mean that it cant be done.

As for people who hit bad shots in between their good ones, This is also a mater of handicap i belive. As a legitimate 3-4 handicap, my misses are a bit different than lets say, a 15's. My big duck hooks and things of that nature happen mainly when i have been on the driving range all day and am tired, not usually on the course. so lets say i average 275 with my driver, (and i do, i have used a friends GPS to do so) I dont think i am "deep" or long, but its not to say that some people cant.

Its just an ego thing really. people want to appear much better than they are on the internet. but to any one who really plays golf, it doesnt matter, because its a finicky game anyway. some people try for years and years and spend forever on the range and shoot in the 100's, other guys get out once a month an shoot par.

Bottom line for me is that i hit the ball, and i know how and how far i hit it, if you care to believe me, well, i really dont care about that part :)

[denver_nuggs_15]

I just googe earthed my drive distances from today and averaged 247.5 yards with my driver. I was the longest in my group on just about every hole. However, a lot of my friends can hit the ball a long way (average 270+). They are also very, very good golfers ranging from handicaps of 6 to +1.6. But, the one thing they rarely do is "go after" any shot. They just take nice, easy swings and the ball just goes. And the thing I'm most impressed with is their scores. Because I know one kid who can hit a 7-iron 190, a 9-iron 170, etc. But, that's all he does: hits it long and doesn't care about anything else. He hits very, very long, but is inconsistent as hell. The only thing he can brag about is his distance because his 96 he shot isn't impressive.
IMO, the better you are, the less likely you are (or should be) to brag about your distance, since we all know scores matter more than anything. If you are not good at golf, but hit the ball far, what should you talk about? Your scores? Heck no. Shooting 100 isn't as impressive as hitting a lob wedge 100. If you are good, a 78 is better than hitting a drive 280. And if you aren't good or long, what do you have to brag about on the Internet: your putting. That's exciting. So, people lie if they aren't good or long. That's my story anyway and I'm sticking to it.

[itzzzberny]

don't forget how much people don't consider hitting down slope and add those yardages to their average.

[TN94z]

Another thing that I just thought about today after my round is how dry and hard the fairways are these people are playing. I hit some 70% drivers today and they ran like crazy...and I am usually all carry because of my trajectory height. I had to pull the 3W out alot today because of this so I wouldn't get in trouble. The "runout" could be increasing the average as well.

[RC]

Claiming an average distance driving the ball is, in my opinion, pretty much a waste of a person's time. As with all clubs, each person has their 70, or 80, or 90 percent (or whatever yours happens to be) result or expectation, but as all of you have pointed out, this is not your average, plus, every day is different in wind, ground conditions, i.e., softness of fairways, and your own physical capabilities. People play at different altitudes as well. We would all be longer in Telluride, Colorado. All we can do is play to our likely outcomes. So if you have to carry a drive 250 over a canyon or be cooked, you decide what to try, and what you may or may not claim for an average drive is sort of irrelevant. Only the result matters. The proof is in the outcome.

Plus, I have learned over the years there is always someone who can hit freakishly long shots -- longer than me, longer than you, but I am more interested in if they can hit reliable carry distances at some high percentage of the time. The odd 5 or 10 percent miss would greatly reduce any one's average so when we say it is a 150 shot, or a 260 yard carry over a bunker, we select clubs based on the expectation of our likely shot given wind, elevation, etc., not our average, and not our best possible outcome.

BTW, I can average 290 all day long with the wind behind me hitting down a paved superhighway. So what. (well, maybe not... I would have to hit the highway first.) I topped a drive recently and it went about 50 yards into a creek... ruined my average downwind, downhill drive claims for the month.

[deafheaven]

It's taken me years to stop worrying about distance. I'm not a long hitter and never will be so it would extremely prudent of me to work on my short game (which I"m doing). I feel I have a decent chance of hitting the green from 180 and in so it's going to be the up and downs that are going to determine my progress. It's not mentally easy to ignore the fact that I may be pulling out a hybrid where my playing parternrs are using a 7 or 8 iron. Huge advantage to them. On the other hand, I take pleasure in taking different type shots successfully... like hitting low instead of high, pitching with an iron to go under a tree instead of trying to blast over... that type of thing.

As far as what people say about how far they hit... it's mostly bs. Having a gps this year was very enlightening... not only for my own use but in checking out some other players shots also.

[Chilli Dipper]

There's a course that I play whose first hole is a 415-yard par 4 that drops 100 from tee to green. The last time I stood on that tee, I also had the wind at my back, so I took a very easy swing, pulled it a bit to the right—and still managed to leave myself with a 120-yard approach from the edge of the fairway. The ninth hole is a 355-yarder that runs parallel to the first (and climbs 100 feet back up the hill). Later on that hole, I pured my tee shot, but the combination of the wind and the elevation change meant I barely carried it 190.

I can hit a 300-yard drive; I just have to feel very loose off the tee, swing as I hard as I can, hope I make square contact, and have a downhill landing area. Heck, I got all the ingredients just right on the first tee yesterday to leave a 210-yard second shot on a 525-yard par 5. But I don't have that shot 14 times a round. I'd rather keep my ball in play and keep my swing at a consistent tempo, and that means dialing my drives back to the 250-270 range. That's the more realistic yardage for me, so that's the yardage I claim.

[wedge player]

BTW, I can average 290 all day long with the wind behind me hitting down a paved superhighway. So what. (well, maybe not... I would have to hit the highway first.) .

says a guy who at over 50 won a long drive competition with 340 somethin

[TheNatural]

There's a course that I play whose first hole is a 415-yard par 4 that drops 100 from tee to green. The last time I stood on that tee, I also had the wind at my back, so I took a very easy swing, pulled it a bit to the right—and still managed to leave myself with a 120-yard approach from the edge of the fairway. The ninth hole is a 355-yarder that runs parallel to the first (and climbs 100 feet back up the hill). Later on that hole, I pured my tee shot, but the combination of the wind and the elevation change meant I barely carried it 190.

Is your HC still a 20+ or are you playing better , more to a 15hc? If I were able to drive every ball 250-270 I should be a 15hc. I hit it freaky long or freaky short, when its steady 250+ I play 15 over par or better.

[RC]

Wedge Player,

I hope I did not mislead you. I was a young man when I won the contest mentioned and that was over 40 years ago. I am now over sixty and a week or two ago I was leading the qualifying phase of a contest in the senior division (50 and older.) Later that evening a guy passed me so I turned out to be the second longest qualifier, not the longest. (one of those young 50 year old type kids beat me like a drum, ha ha.) I should have corrected that post after all competitors had performed, but it happened after I posted, late in the day. Frankly, I hurt my shoulder a little going at it that hard during qualifying and asked the organizers to please select the fourth qualifier to take my place in the finals -- because I wanted to play golf rather than compete with a sore shoulder the next day.

I am clearly a "has been..." It is sort of like being an old basketball player. Man would I love to stuff a basketball one last time in my life, but I cannot jump very high anymore -- it will not happen. It is sad in a way that I will never pound a golf ball as long as I have, nor flip 180+ yard eight irons ever again. But don't think for a minute that that diminishes the fun of golf. Now I have to be creative and figure how to get to a 573 yard par five in two by optimizing landing areas, winds, and using modern equipment in the best way... and while most of the time I don't make it, there are those few grand moments when the eagle putt is there and I love it. Have not made one yet this year, but probably had 5 or 6 last year, and 2 on par fours. Some day, those too will be memories. Age is both cruel and delightful, and everyone of us is dealing with it in our own way. Don't think for a minute it does not grate me when playing with a college kid and he hits a club or two less than I do on a long par three -- it does, but then I think of guys who have injuries or illnesses and frankly, I am a lucky guy.

[Chilli Dipper]

Is your HC still a 20+ or are you playing better , more to a 15hc? If I were able to drive every ball 250-270 I should be a 15hc. I hit it freaky long or freaky short, when its steady 250+ I play 15 over par or better.

My short game and putting are rubbish right now, hence the high handicap. Need to be less of a hit and hope player on and around the green.

[Chas]

What makes me a little skeptical is that I'm 6'3", 225, and get a little over 90 degrees shoulder turn with pretty solid swing mechanics. That puts me in a pretty narrow percentile, and still I only hit 275 or so. I know some good college and high school golfers can bomb it a mile (290+ carry), but I doubt most people on this forum fall into that category. I'd bet most people are working professionals of some kind based on the "what do you do for a living" forum.

As a 185lb 6'0'' rather unfit fellow who doesn't play as much as he wants to or should to keep improving, I feel much better about my own driving distance after reading this. Also I'm heading for the big Six-Oh and my body isn't getting any looser, to put it mildly.

Then again, that journeyman Allen (no PGA tour wins) who just won the Senior PGA Championship a few minutes ago bombed a 315 yarder down a narrow fairway on the 18th. Went on to birdie the hole and thus take the championship in real style - marvellous! The moral? THERE'S HOPE FOR US OLD F***S YET, yardage-wise. RC: Nice post. Well, you may be a "has been", but me, I'm a "never was" when it comes to golf. Wish'd I'd taken it up seriously in my youth, too much tennis, squash etc etc delayed my real initiation by about half a century. That's OK, it's all good in this game-for-the-ages.

[opie]

2 days of golf and I used my range finder on every hole I hit driver. I lost a few but still tried my best to gauge distance with my rangefinder. I was considerabliy shorter when losing the driver right. My shortest driver was 235 and was horrid push slice

Longest drive was 305 which had help from clearing a hill in the fairway and rolling down the other side.

My average I calculated was about 265 (the shorties really hurt). When I hit it normaly I'm in the 275-280 range with the occasional above that

[Undr Par]

the 3 most lied about tales by Men are?

1) Driving distances
2) size/amount of fish they caught on the last fishing trip
3) sex/amount and partners...

no wonder huh? on the Internet I can be something when in reality I'm just a McDonalds Employee.....

[RC]

Ok... time for a long drive story. It came after a major flash flooding rain. But the rain suddenly ended. Course is soaked, water is draining off rapidly... but they start play. This other guy on the first hole, a par five, hooks his tee shot, but it rolls down into a low natural drainage area (a normally grassy area, not marked as a hazard or anything) that ran along the left side all the way to the green then turned right on the upslope of the green and fanned out into a very shallow, wide drainage area in lush grass. His ball rolled along in the draining area to the left, all the way to the green and then like magic turned the corner and stopped moving right in front of the green. When it stopped, he declared it casual water, picked it up and dropped it back about 10 yards short of the green. Had to be about 540 yards off the tee. He hit a poor chip and two putted for a birdie.

I'm sure there are longer ones that land on downhill roads, but this drive was right in the middle of the fairway when it stopped. Pretty cool head, and apparently within the rules. At least we could not dispute his actions since the ball never stopped rolling until it got to the green.

[NorCalGolfer]

It's hard to judge how far I carry the ball, but average driver distance is anywhere from 280-310 given wind, wet grass, rough etc.. My 4i distance is anywhere from 210-230 given the same conditions. Seems far, but I have no qualms with recording my swing and trying to gauge distance on the range. Since my video camera is just a normal photo camera quality may not be great, but at least I'm willing to try and back my claims. Now I realize these aren't some of the longest numbers I'm sure some of you guys have heard, but I've always wanted to post my swing anyways to see if someone can point out where I'm going wrong with my driver.