Trackman Data: PGA Tour vs. LPGA (With 2017 Data!

[3putter]

This was funny, I completely agree with Bplewis24.

I cranked a good drive last week, and the 2 guys I played with were both sure it was nothing less than 295. GPS had it at exactly 265. Most amateurs have no clue what a 300 yard looks like. Don't even get me started on the ones that use the course yardage markers to judge their driving distances.

[JonMA1]

Originally Posted by 3putter

Don't even get me started on the ones that use the course yardage markers to judge their driving distances.

What?! The course markers are off? That can only mean that I'm hittin' my driver even longer than I thought. I better update my "how far do you hit your clubs" post.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

...  It was remarkable, and I think most people would be shocked to see him drive/hit the ball in person and realize that not even his drives were going 330 (more like 295-305). It was unlike anything I had ever seen in person, although I should admit that I haven't seen any pros hit in person.

The first time I ever attended a PGA event (Memorial at Muirfield Village), I was absolutely floored at how far the pros drive the golf ball in person. It's unreal to watch. In my 15 years of golf being paired up with all types of people from all walks of life, I've never once encountered someone who drives the ball as far as the big hitters on tour do. And yet it seems like half the contributors on this site AVERAGE over 300 yards off the tee? It's just laughable. Just a few weeks ago I attended the Monday After the Masters charity event here in MB. It's on a golf course here (Dye Club at Barefoot) that I play regularly and know very well. I stood on the tee of the par 5, 5th hole about 10 feet from Dustin Johnson and watched him drive the ball into an area of that fairway that I was sure no one on earth could reach. The people on this forum who claim they drive the ball 320 on average are just straight out crazy. They have no clue how far that actually is on the golf course.

[colin007]

Yeah, don't worry about it but also don't stop trying to improve it.  Just remember that during the round isn't the time to try and improve your distances, unless it's a practice round.   In your previous post to me, you mentioned that I played with guys who drive it 275, but I rarely do.  I'm the guy that typically drives it that far, and the vast majority of the time I'm the longest hitter in my group.  And there are days when it seems like the wind is always in my face, my swing doesn't feel very powerful, and I probably average more like 245-250 off the tee.  Sometimes I have to restrain myself from trying to swing harder to get to a driving distance I feel I should be at.  The reality is that from the tees I generally play from (6400-6700), driving it 250 isn't an issue.  Driving it 300 would be overkill for a lot of the holes on a lot of the course I've seen.   I used to track every tee shot via GPS, which is why I know my distances really well.  I no longer do, as they aren't as important to me anymore.  I guess it's possible that when all I had to hang my hat on was how far I hit it, I cared a lot about it.  Another part of it was genuine curiosity from wanting to compare my distances to pros and to what I read online.  Now that I have a general feel for both, I no longer care to obsess over it.  I'm mostly concerned with stats that are more relevant to the score.  But I think that progression is natural from being a beginning golfer and transitioning into a golfer that works very hard to maintain a legitimate handicap. I did recently play with a guy who shocked me with the distances he hit.  He hit every club 20 yards further than I do, albeit on a lower trajectory.  I believe he has a ball flight and distance that is similar to the pros.  He was hitting his 7i 180 to my 160 and I witnessed him outdrive me by 10 yards despite playing from the tips while I played from the blues (back tee).  It was remarkable, and I think most people would be shocked to see him drive/hit the ball in person and realize that not even his drives were going 330 (more like 295-305).  It was unlike anything I had ever seen in person, although I should admit that I haven't seen any pros hit in person.

[quote name="3putter" url="/t/32498/trackman-data-pga-tour-vs-lpga/72#post_852757"]This was funny, I completely agree with Bplewis24. I cranked a good drive last week, and the 2 guys I played with were both sure it was nothing less than 295. GPS had it at exactly 265. Most amateurs have no clue what a 300 yard looks like. Don't even get me started on the ones that use the course yardage markers to judge their driving distances. [/quote] I have had experiences like both of these. However, the guy that outdrove me had a very well fit driver and hit up on it really well. But when he mishit one, it was bad, like 230ish.people have no clue how far 300 is...

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by MyrtleBeachGolf

The first time I ever attended a PGA event (Memorial at Muirfield Village), I was absolutely floored at how far the pros drive the golf ball in person. It's unreal to watch. In my 15 years of golf being paired up with all types of people from all walks of life, I've never once encountered someone who drives the ball as far as the big hitters on tour do. And yet it seems like half the contributors on this site AVERAGE over 300 yards off the tee? It's just laughable.

Just a few weeks ago I attended the Monday After the Masters charity event here in MB. It's on a golf course here (Dye Club at Barefoot) that I play regularly and know very well. I stood on the tee of the par 5, 5th hole about 10 feet from Dustin Johnson and watched him drive the ball into an area of that fairway that I was sure no one on earth could reach. The people on this forum who claim they drive the ball 320 on average are just straight out crazy. They have no clue how far that actually is on the golf course.

I have a feature on my DMD that allows me to click a button on the tee and then when I get to my tee shot it tells me how far I hit it.  Shattered all of my illusions.  Reality can be a beayatch.  LOL

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

I have a feature on my DMD that allows me to click a button on the tee and then when I get to my tee shot it tells me how far I hit it.  Shattered all of my illusions.  Reality can be a beayatch.  LOL

I do the same thing. I use the GolfShot GPS App and you can measure the distance of any shot from where you teed off from. My playing partner always guesses about 20-30 yards further than it actually is.

[iacas]

[Harmonious]

Careful Erik, this Trackman chart may shatter the illusions of many a 14 year old on the forums.

[goatlord]

Since I am new both for golf and here, I must admit that I was pretty amazed about the statistics in swing speeds. I had previously regular flex "wal-mart" driver, but after measurements made in Trackman I had to upgrade it a bit. Record swing speed was 122 mph, 115-117 are ordinary now. I took a lesson from pro recently and he told me the scratch players have those kind of swing speeds. Why does it affect so much to handicap and does the swing speed increase when more experience comes in for the play?

After all, I would easily guess that the extra 50 yards won´t make You happy unless You can chip and putt securely and constantly? Those features of the game seem at least to me much more important than driving. No one cares for the drives unless the 3-feet putts are not going in. My new driver is Rocketballz 10,5 degree with 9,5 loft now. Shaft is Diamana Kai´Li x-stiff 80 g.

[saevel25]

Better swings can accumulate more power. They are more efficient. Also it is natural ability. Even among tour players there is a broad spectrum, about 105 to 124 mph. So you got 20 mph range there.

Mostly the biggest difference is in ball speed. Ball speed = Club head speed x Smash Factor. Smash Factor is just quality of contact.

Also I would say pro's do leave a little in the tank. I am not going to say they can add an extra 10 mph, but they probably could get it up an additional 5 mph. Dustin Johnson averaged 122 last year, and his fastest was 125. You know he's went after a few on occasion. Kinda looks like 3-7 mph is the average between a PGA tour max and what they usually average.

[colin007]

i'd love to know what Tiger's regular smooth driver swing speed on the practice range is vs his go-after-it wild on the course swing.

[saevel25]

Probably not as much as you think.

Last year Tiger averaged 118 mph, his lowest was 115 and his highest was 122 mph. Shockingly consistent. Most pros are with in that +/- 3-6 mph range on their average.

If Tiger is easing up a bit on the range, its probably 110 ish. Wouldn't think it would be too low.

[JPK1988]

I got fitted for some new iron shafts last week, here is the data of the 40 something 6 irons I hit that night haha. thought it was interesting/applicable to this forum.  I was hitting a little bit of a push that night but it was hard to tell just hitting off the flightscope floor monitor thing and the club fitter not telling me what my ballfight was... for comparison I do get about 305-310 total and about 280-285 carry out of my driver

I have another sheet too with the different iron shafts we tested if anyone cares lol

[iacas]

Probably not as much as you think.

Last year Tiger averaged 118 mph, his lowest was 115 and his highest was 122 mph. Shockingly consistent. Most pros are with in that +/- 3-6 mph range on their average.

If Tiger is easing up a bit on the range, its probably 110 ish. Wouldn't think it would be too low.

I think if it was 8 MPH that would qualify as "a hell of a lot."

[saevel25]

I think 8 MPH as you stated is a hell of a lot.

Ok, maybe not that much. Not entirely sure what the mph difference is between driving range easy and on course. Though makes me wonder if amateurs tend to over swing on the driving range before the round.

I got fitted for some new iron shafts last week, here is the data of the 40 something 6 irons I hit that night haha. thought it was interesting/applicable to this forum.  I was hitting a little bit of a push that night but it was hard to tell just hitting off the flightscope floor monitor thing and the club fitter not telling me what my ballfight was... for comparison I do get about 305-310 total and about 280-285 carry out of my driver

I have another sheet too with the different iron shafts we tested if anyone cares lol

Umm, not really. Unless you are a PGA tour player in disguise. This thread is about data for PGA and LPGA players.

[JPK1988]

Ok, maybe not that much. Not entirely sure what the mph difference is between driving range easy and on course. Though makes me wonder if amateurs tend to over swing on the driving range before the round.

Umm, not really. Unless you are a PGA tour player in disguise. This thread is about data for PGA and LPGA players.

I was posting that in reference to that handful of previous posters who mentioned not having a grasp of what 300 yards really is.  I don't think 300 is the magic, unattainable number number that it was once held up to be, especially with new equipment and technology.

Where was your snarky response to previous posts who mentioned their own game?

[saevel25]

I was posting that in reference to that handful of previous posters who mentioned not having a grasp of what 300 yards really is.  I don't think 300 is the magic, unattainable number number that it was once held up to be, especially with new equipment and technology.

Where was your snarky response to previous posts who mentioned their own game?

Well, If you wanted to post something on 300 yards, there are plenty of threads about it. When I mean plenty, I mean too many.

Though I warn you not to start that up again, those threads are like throwing oil onto fire.

[Spitfisher]

The first time I ever attended a PGA event (Memorial at Muirfield Village), I was absolutely floored at how far the pros drive the golf ball in person. It's unreal to watch. In my 15 years of golf being paired up with all types of people from all walks of life, I've never once encountered someone who drives the ball as far as the big hitters on tour do. And yet it seems like half the contributors on this site AVERAGE over 300 yards off the tee? It's just laughable. Just a few weeks ago I attended the Monday After the Masters charity event here in MB. It's on a golf course here (Dye Club at Barefoot) that I play regularly and know very well. I stood on the tee of the par 5, 5th hole about 10 feet from Dustin Johnson and watched him drive the ball into an area of that fairway that I was sure no one on earth could reach. The people on this forum who claim they drive the ball 320 on average are just straight out crazy. They have no clue how far that actually is on the golf course.

Exactly! At 6' 4" I hit the ball long for my age some believe 265-280, I on the other hand know its 240-250 tops.