250 yards is a respectable carry distance

[uitar9]

5 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

250 carry is big boy land.. I don't carry a driver too much further than that and i consider myself to have very good power for an Am player. Though 250 in total is still very good distance. You can comfortably play anything up to 6900 yards with that, IMO. Most of you probably don't drive it that far, though 

I played with two guys yesterday. Both were longish hitters, IMHO. I'm in the 190-210 area. They were anywhere from 20 to 30 yards further. We were all mostly on the fairway. Where I play, I rarely see someone as far as 250, including roll, unless they spend every driver hole looking for a lost ball. Hitting driver is golf to them, not getting the ball in the little hole

 

[ssbn611]

Using Google Earth is:

1. Humbling because many golfers (myself included) don't hit the ball off the tee as far as we think we do.

2. Helpful in learning that one does not need to hit the ball 250+ to play decent golf. 220-240 and in the fairway or close to it can work well for many (most?) players.

3. Shows you where a 280 yard drive would put you on a given hole so you can see just how good the pros really are. 

4. Did I say it is humbling? Definitely for me. 

[Jeremie Boop]

19 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

Most of you probably don't drive it that far, though 

Probably could have left this part off.... I don't see any point in it. The rest of your post was plenty informative enough without questioning the accuracy of how far they say they hit the ball.

[Groucho Valentine]

6 minutes ago, Jeremie Boop said:

Probably could have left this part off.... I don't see any point in it. The rest of your post was plenty informative enough without questioning the accuracy of how far they say they hit the ball.

See ssbn611's post 

17 minutes ago, uitar9 said:

I played with two guys yesterday. Both were longish hitters, IMHO. I'm in the 190-210 area. They were anywhere from 20 to 30 yards further. We were all mostly on the fairway. Where I play, I rarely see someone as far as 250, including roll, unless they spend every driver hole looking for a lost ball. Hitting driver is golf to them, not getting the ball in the little hole

 

I play with someone like that every now and then. But if hitting the big stick is what keeps them coming back, more power to them. Everyone is allowed to enjoy the game in their own way. 

Edited July 10, 2017 by Groucho Valentine

[Jeremie Boop]

3 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

See above post 

 

10 minutes ago, ssbn611 said:

Using Google Earth is:

1. Humbling because many golfers (myself included) don't hit the ball off the tee as far as we think we do.

2. Helpful in learning that one does not need to hit the ball 250+ to play decent golf. 220-240 and in the fairway or close to it can work well for many (most?) players.

3. Shows you where a 280 yard drive would put you on a given hole so you can see just how good the pros really are. 

4. Did I say it is humbling? Definitely for me. 

This is why many of us started using GPS, laser range finders, and apps such as GameGolf to more accurately measure our distances.

[socialputts]

I hit my driver 170.  In fact, I've had rounds where all my clubs go 170. 

[klineka]

57 minutes ago, ssbn611 said:

3. Shows you where a 280 yard drive would put you on a given hole so you can see just how good the pros really are. 

280 yds shows you where the bottom of the shortest hitters on tour are. Add about 15-20 yds onto that to get closer to the middle of the pack, then another 20-30 on top of that to get to the longest hitters... Those guys are crazy long. Most of the courses around me are 5800-6000 yds, some of the longer ones will reach 6500, with only one that I have played this year that reaches 7000 from the tips (I played it from the 6200 yd tees). Its crazy that they played, and by US Open standards, tore up, a 7800 yd golf course. 

Edited July 10, 2017 by klineka

[Groucho Valentine]

24 minutes ago, socialputts said:

I hit my driver 170.  In fact, I've had rounds where all my clubs go 170. 

LMAO! 

[dennyjones]

31 minutes ago, socialputts said:

I hit my driver 170.  In fact, I've had rounds where all my clubs go 170. 

Now that's a feat with a putter.

[socialputts]

3 minutes ago, dennyjones said:

Now that's a feat with a putter.

Never up, never in, right?

[uitar9]

On 7/7/2017 at 1:00 PM, Moppy said:

It's like the lumber at Home Depot. Now they have signs that say that while the label says "six inches" if you take out a ruler, its five and a half.

I just got to where I sometimes exceed 200 yards, 180 carry, and maybe, once a summer, on a dry fairway with a lot of roll, I can hit it 250. But you feel funny admitting it when everybody hits it "240" minimum. But at the driving range, maybe there are five or six balls at that distance laying in the grass. 

 

My nephew played college hockey, and I have seen him put it on the apron from the tee on a 300 yd short par four. He played the short tees to accommodate me. He can't putt to save his life though.

Funny, was thinking about the home depot measurement the other day. We could put those two misconceptions in the same bucket. 

Seriously, had to take a look at the PGA stats. Average carry distance, 10 guys over 300 yards and 87 guys, 280 yards and higher. That's as at July 9. That doesn't count the 100's who are currently carrying cards on the other various world  wide tours. and who are probably really carrying 250.

Groucho V. You are probably spot on with that last sentence. I don't see it as s--t disturbing. Just a fact.

[Inferno2ss]

I play golf by myself during the week days and get paired with a lot of random people and it always amazes me with how obsessed people are with the distance they hit specific clubs.  I use a gamin watch to track the distance of my own clubs and I typically drive it around 245 to 270 with roll.  My 7 iron carries about 155 yards with a fairly high trajectory, yet guys who drive it 20 plus yards less than me will be hitting PWs and 9 irons into the same holes i hit my 7 iron.  Only problem is just like their driver they are swinging so hard that they spray the ball all over the course.

Personally I'd rather hit good, crisp shots than worry about how far I hit whatever club.  I have plenty of others things to fix in my game.

[p1n9183]

I carry 260 with my driver in average. This last weekend i was paired up with a gay that killed the ball.
Finally in one hole we both hit good drivers to the middle of the fairway. He won by 50 yards... but he was not accurate inside 150 yards so we shoot around the same score in the end, we have the same handicap so it was logical short game was his big weakness.  
Distance is important but without control and a respectable short game is usless.   

[David L Yskes]

i just got home from playing 9 with my dad....   so on one of the holes it was 275 yards from tee to green from where we was hitting from...  And it was pretty straight with two big tree's on each side of the fairway and i'm like ok... this is the hole where i see if i can drive the green...       And i hit the ball really good and straight too.... and still came up 25 yards short of the green...   and made par...  

and on the last hole, it was a par 5,  505yds and once again i hit my tee shot really good and straight... and still only went 250 yards..   and made par again... would of had a good chance for birdie, but i didnt hit my 3wood good and ended up short / right ... but still made par.....    

i mean if i could hit the ball 250 to 275 and straight all the time.... i'd be happy as hell, and my scores would drop like a rock in water..    

what people dont realize is most of the courses WE are playing on are in the 6000 to 6500 yard range..   

heck a few years ago a friend told me, if you can hit the ball 150 yards and straight.. on most holes you will be on the green in 3 

 

[RichWW2]

Got a new driver last year and finally developed a consistent swing for it within the last few months.  Can carry the ball around 250 or so.  The ball flight is a lot lower than my previous driver so usually there is some roll out.  Getting about the same distance as the older driver but got rid of my slice (for the most part) and keeping it in play a lot better.  My struggle has been with my irons recently, so I still get beat regularly by a guy I out drive by 30 yards per hole. Distance isn't everything.

[fishgolf]

250 yards carry is indeed unobtanium for most.  Based on my observations of golfers, consistently getting 250 yards total distance is a challenge.  I also agree that most grossly overstate their driving distance - at least true average.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 7/10/2017 at 3:00 PM, Jeremie Boop said:

Probably could have left this part off.... I don't see any point in it. The rest of your post was plenty informative enough without questioning the accuracy of how far they say they hit the ball.

I can see your point, but I can also see his! I see so many guys, I will not include women in this, who are fooling themselves out there! They think they are bombing it when they are really pooping little dinks out there! It's a guy thing. I'm now 65, and have lost significant distance in just the last 2 years! And I've learned to recognize it.

I'm still pretty accurate, but I just can't get the distance I used to. And, this is through the bag. I would kill for a 250 total, let alone a 250 carry! Nowadays, 230 total is a buster for me.

I think the most important thing is recognizing reality, and picking the tees that match that reality.

[Casualgolfer]

I can legitimately hit the ball pretty far but it really is a blessing and a curse all in one. Nice to have the distance but you have to be twice as accurate most times.