I hate when golf shops mess with their simulator before releasing a new driver...

[Frito]

Sounds like the settings on the simulator were actually set on Moon Landing Site lolz

[HoosierGolfer]

I never knew any one ever trusted a simulator in the first place. Not sure I would ever buy anything hitting inside. I want to see the REAL ball flight, outside on the range before I buy something. JMO of course.

[colin007]

That story pisses me off honestly. IMHO a consumer watchdog group should be contacted and this story aired through mainstream news.

mainstream news doesnt care at all about a story like this, and to be honest, its not that serious in the grand scheme of things.

[Fat Slice]

If only they rigged the cash register the same way so my $20 registered as a $50 - they'd probably sell me an R9 Tri.

[dkglf]

So true, our flightscope can adjust for altitude, so when our fitter is asked how far the ball went he always asks, "how far do you want it to go"

[WUTiger]

I guess this may vary by store. At the Golf Galaxy I go to a rep said their monitor shows 3% - 5% less yardage than the actual yardage. Rep says they don't want to exaggerate distance in selling clubs.

[youngskip40]

Selling insurance is a lot different than selling golf clubs. I used to sell for a personal training facility and would promise the women to be in a 2 piece within a few months. There are 2 buying emotions:

Obviously it's very different, but I've sold insurance, books, shoes, and golf merchandise... I still believe in being honest about what you're selling and not making false claims or promises. I understand that might put me in the minority of salespeople, but just my opinion. Thanks for the comment though.

[youngskip40]

I guess this may vary by store. At the Golf Galaxy I go to a rep said their monitor shows 3% - 5%

It certainly does vary by store, because each store can adjust the settings to their liking. That said, in my experience at Golf Galaxy, the store employees will tell you whatever is most likely to end with you buying a club. If you read the last part of my original post, I go into it a little there. For people that aren't hitting it as far as they'd like, the staff tells them that you have to add yardage because the sim isn't as long as real life. For people skeptical because they're hitting it unrealistically long (my situation), they'll tell you you have to take distance off because the sim exaggerates distance. Not saying that's absolutely true at all Golf Galaxy stores, just my experience with the 2 closest to me.

[BDoubleG]

Hahah...same thing where I live. When I hit the ball at a sim, I don't generally even consider the distances (as I don't trust them), I just go for the feel. That said, what drives me nuts is that the sidespin on the sims is maybe 1/10th of what it really is, and yet the employees claim that the sidespin readings are legit.

I'm not going to lie, my technique isn't anywhere near perfect, and I fight a slice. So last year I tried a monitor with the FT-iq, and I was guaranteed by the sales people that it was totally eliminating my slice (since none showed up on the sim). Excited, as soon as the snow melted, I tried the driver and, low and behold, my slice was barely changed.

Lesson 1: Don't assume technology will fix my less-than-perfect game overnight
Lesson 2: Never trust the sim, nor the people who try to sell you the clubs. Just trust the feel of the club (or go to a range)!

[jpalermo]

Obviously it's very different, but I've sold insurance, books, shoes, and golf merchandise... I still believe in being honest about what you're selling and not making false claims or promises. I understand that might put me in the minority of salespeople, but just my opinion. Thanks for the comment though.

I wasn't condoning (sp) shady sales practices, but if the people aren't smart enough to know that they can't drive the ball 340 yards then good for the salesman. I would have been like "Ok, turn the settings back to normal and let me hit it for real" They probably fooled a few people because of the rigged sim and the buyers lack of knowledge of the game.

[Shanks A Million]

I wasn't condoning (sp) shady sales practices, but if the people aren't smart enough to know that they can't drive the ball 340 yards then good for the salesman. I would have been like "Ok, turn the settings back to normal and let me hit it for real" They probably fooled a few people because of the rigged sim and the buyers lack of knowledge of the game.

You'd be surprised how many people

really believe they hit it that far. Just start a thread on here entitled "how far do you hit your driver." There was a thread here where a poster asked how far we hit the driver on average , and I took all the numbers and averaged them out to 272 yards for the single digits. Now, 272 yards is a long drive, much longer than the average drive for a male golfer, 208 yards. This number is quite a bit more realistic. Counting mishits (and most people mishit their driver most of the time, if they could pure it everytime, they'd have no problem hitting a 1 iron), and wind in both directions, 208 is a good average number. When I go to the range, I would say most people there hit it about that far on average. Our range uses real balls, and has water at 235-246 yards when it's at its furthest forward. It's extremely rare to see a splash. Even the better players often fail to carry that 235 yards, even with a tailwind. To those who do believe they hit it 300 yards, well, good luck to them. The amount of skill it takes to hit a ball that far consistently is impressive. Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods average just over that with clubhead speeds in the 120s, ballspeeds in the 180s, hitting tour issue drivers that are specially designed to reduce spin and are not available to the general public, as they would not be able to get them airborne with any consistency. To be able to control a driver moving 120 mph at the end of a 45" shaft into an area the size of a poker chip requires amazing skill. To amateurs with clubhead speeds in the 90s, these distances are just not going to happen. Despite the gains made by altitude, wind, slope, roll, and other factors, the average male golfer hits the ball just 208 yards at sea level, with no wind and average fairway conditions.

[DaSportsGuy]

I need to go to that simulator. Talk about a confidence booster...

[B Keller]

To those who do believe they hit it 300 yards, well, good luck to them. The amount of skill it takes to hit a ball that far consistently is impressive.

I have no problem hitting a 300 yard drive as long as I have a helping wind and the ball is rolling down a cart path with a curb to keep it from rolling back onto the grass.

Oh...you said consistently. 220 it is....

[ET-Taylor]

On a wide piece of tarmac i can hit the ball 300 yards as long as the ball doesn't go on to the grass

[Shanks A Million]

I have no problem hitting a 300 yard drive as long as I have a helping wind and the ball is rolling down a cart path with a curb to keep it from rolling back onto the grass.

On a wide piece of tarmac i can hit the ball 300 yards as long as the ball doesn't go on to the grass

I don't doubt that any of us can't occasionally pound one out to 300 though, that's not a problem, even in fairly normal conditions. If you have a swing speed around 110, then it's not all that rare to hit one that far. My swing speed is in that range, and I've hit the ball that far or more in the past. It's the idea that were hitting it to 300

consistently that's asinine. If you generate enough clubhead speed, 300 yards can be done quite easily, but the chances of doing it every time require a very proficient ballstriker.

[youngskip40]

I don't doubt that any of us can't occasionally pound one out to 300 though, that's not a problem, even in fairly normal conditions. If you have a swing speed around 110, then it's not all that rare to hit one that far. My swing speed is in that range, and I've hit the ball that far or more in the past. It's the idea that were hitting it to 300

Well said.

By the way, if you have clubhead speed of 110 MPH, you should absolutely be hitting 300 yard drives with some consistency. Not saying you will average 300, but unless you just can't find the middle of the clubface, you should be able to hit 290-310 in normal conditions with some regularity, provided you have a driver that fits you reasonably well. If those are your numbers and you aren't getting there, I'd recommend a driver fitting.

[Shanks A Million]

Well said.

Nah, heck, the average tour pro hits it 286 on average with a 112 mph swing. I can't find the center of the face anywhere near as regularly as they do, so I should be hitting it about 265 or so, which is where I generally average. The bottom line is, very, very few people really, truly, accurately measure their average driving distance. After every round, I take the distance of all the drives, and average it to the number of drives. Even one necked drive in the 220 yard range will bring the average down, and I'll even get the occasional 180 yarder off the toe here and there. Every now and then, one just flies a mile, and that's cool, but it's not

average , and if I were to say that I could average 300, I'd be lying.

[i-Guy]

Nah, heck, the average tour pro hits it 286 on average with a 112 mph swing. I can't find the center of the face anywhere near as regularly as they do, so I should be hitting it about 265 or so, which is where I generally average. The bottom line is, very, very few people really, truly, accurately measure their average driving distance. After every round, I take the distance of all the drives, and average it to the number of drives. Even one necked drive in the 220 yard range will bring the average down, and I'll even get the occasional 180 yarder off the toe here and there. Every now and then, one just flies a mile, and that's cool, but it's not

Very well said and others should follow this to know what their avg drives are...as humbling as it would be when they find out their actual average drive distance over say 5 rounds...but I cannot tell you how many times I meet people who say they avergae 270-280 and then I get to play with them and I am hitting my 3 wood 10-15 yards pass their driver all day long...I think they say that based on that one dirve they hit once in awhile. Also according to PGA Tour.com the avg drive is 279.8...I believe that is total distance...man I wish I could average 279 off the tee. I know I can hit it 279 but can I average that off the tee...that is the big difference...