Distance

[crayputter]

Hey guys, sorry I don't know if a thread's been posted on this topic before...if yes, please point me in right direction.

I play 18 currently, but compared to my buddies, I can't seem to get my drives anywhere past the 220 mark.

Therefore I am always left with a 170 to 200 yds left to the green and I always end up using a hybrid or a 3 wood to get it on...and as an 18 handicapper, I struggle with accuracy on the long clubs...

My longest iron, 4, goes around 160 yds

I am enjoying my game the way it is, but its getting depressing playing with my buddies, as they keep on telling me to go to a pro, get more distance and I was not playing proper golf !

Am I really that short ? Or do I just happen to be playing with some extraordinarily huge hitters ?

Cheers
Ray

[ks8829]

Is your goal to get more distance or is your goal to reduce your scores and handicap? Drive for show and putt for dough says it all. I truly believe that if you goal is to lower your scores simple work on your short game and putting.

Your buddies may out drive you but you will get to the hole in less strokes with a good short game. Another benefit of focusing on your short game is improve ball contact that may result in longer drives in the long run.

[Gioguy21]

Ks8829, while i agree with 'drive for show putt for dough', if you get there in 8 and 1 putt you still shot a 9. crayputter, if i were you i'd without a doubt get a lesson or two and see if how you're swinging is a detriment to your distance. what's your physical stature like? athletic? built? tall/short? if you're in decent shape and relatively coordinated, you shouldn't have a problem getting some more distance after seeing a pro for a lesson or two. i've been teaching/helping a friend of mine start golf and he's in good shape with decent form and still belts drives close to 230-240 when he connects the right way. Just my 2 cents

[Gibby]

Just remember that the most important factors in distance are good contact and good swing technique. I often hit half swings with my driver at the range to practice good contact and not wasting any motion in the swing. I have no problem hitting it over 200 when I feel like i'm just chipping the driver. When I put a full swing on it, the ball only goes about 40 yds further. Once you get past the idea of swinging harder and faster to hit it longer, you will be able to focus on contact, which will help you the most.

[Zeph]

Without knowing your physical shape, body size, agility, swing speed etc., I would wager a guess that you hit it short because you don't hit it properly. You don't need an awful lot of swing speed to get the ball flying, point of impact will always be the most important detail when it comes to hitting a ball well.
At handicap 18, your swing is far from perfect, so you will most likely expect to gain some distance as you progress.

What to do with it? At this point, play your own game. You got one shot more on every hole, play like you got three shots to the green on a long par 4, instead of trying to muscle the ball up there. Hit two short irons and you may have a chance for birdie. You can score par or lower on shorter holes, par fives and par threes. Play the game to your distances and watch them if you progress. If you at some point start swinging better and hitting longer, you can adjust your distances.

You should seek out a pro, regardless of wanting more distance or not. I would not focus on getting more distance, but rather the fundamentals of your swing. When they improve, your distance might too.

[ET-Taylor]

although my mate is way longer off the tee I usually beat him as I can chip and putt to a reasonable standard (my handicap isn't an accurate reflection of my ability)

[Fat Slice]

I have the opposite problem, and my problem is going to be harder to fix. Anyway, back to your issue!

I think you should be able to drive over 220 yards at 18 years old, even knowing nothing about you. I think you need to work on your technique. If you ball flight looks good then you are not generating enough clubhead speed. My guess (and PLEASE post a video so we don't have to guess!!!) is that you are not rotating and/or you are not accelerating INTO and swinging THROUGH the ball. I have friends who hit short off the tee and that covers their issues. Another factor could be your shaft - you need to match it to you swing(speed) so it properly loads and unloads.

I am not much of an athlete, am 47 years old, don't work out, and have slowly worked on my drive so I can get it out there and use a wedge/short iron. I chunk, miss the green, chunk the chip, 3-putt...all the short game issues. For me, that's what I need to work on. If you've already got your 125 and in game working then it makes sense to try and get longer off the tee. I put one 301 yards off the tee yesterday, middle fairway, leaving me 88 to the flag. I ended up with a double bogey. You might have birdied it.

Anyway, upload some videos of your swing and there are a bunch of people here who could make a diagnosis. Also, what's your driver setup?

[delav]

Hey guys, sorry I don't know if a thread's been posted on this topic before...if yes, please point me in right direction.

Given your age and these distances, a few keys from a teaching pro are going to be your best bet. Chances are there are fundamentals missing from your swing, and 30 minutes with a good pro will give you some important concepts to work on. As others have stated, low scores come from short game expertise, however it's totally understandable the frustration you are feeling with long irons into greens and a lack of distance off the tee. Make sure you are working on proper weight shift, shoulder turn and releasing your hands through the ball. If any of this sounds like Greek, I'd see a pro asap. Good luck!

[James_Black]

yes your hitting the ball pretty short.
Get a few lessons and the Pro will get you hitting the ball 2 clubs further.

[jlund]

Hey guys, sorry I don't know if a thread's been posted on this topic before...if yes, please point me in right direction.

It has been stated, but it sounds as though you would benefit from some lessons to focus on improving your fundamentals. 160 yards for a 4i is pretty short. My 4i is my 210-215 club (

just for reference ). Go get some lessons. If you enjoy the game, they are well worth it.

[Ozarkhillbilly]

Were you fitted for your clubs? I was for the first time in 2000 & now every time I purchase a new club I am fitted, crucial to ballstriking 4 me anyhow.....

[sacm3bill]

Lots of good advice in this thread, but no one has mentioned tee box selection yet. If you need a hybrid to reach every green even after your longest drives, you're playing from the wrong tees. I know it's tough on the ego to play more forward tees than your buddies are playing, but that's what I did (played whites while buddies played blues) until I gained distance. In fact, if they really are buddies they won't mind occasionally playing the forward tees with you.

Until you get more distance you should move up. That's exactly why there's more than one tee box - to equalize the course for everyone. (Playing the correct tee box for your game helps with pace of play too - not saying you're slow, but you can't be doing anyone any favors by turning all the par 4s into par 5s...)

[crayputter]

Lots of good advice in this thread, but no one has mentioned tee box selection yet. If you need a hybrid to reach every green even after your longest drives, you're playing from the wrong tees. I know it's tough on the ego to play more forward tees than your buddies are playing, but that's what I did (played whites while buddies played blues) until I gained distance. In fact, if they really are buddies they won't mind occasionally playing the forward tees with you.

Thanks, mate !

That's actually a great tip ! Of course my buddies reaction remain to be seen, but I think it should be alright... :) Ray

Is your goal to get more distance or is your goal to reduce your scores and handicap? Drive for show and putt for dough says it all. I truly believe that if you goal is to lower your scores simple work on your short game and putting.

Thats EXACTLY how I am approaching the game right now...and I am actually quite happy with it....I can easily par the 5's and 3's....so I just make sure I get on the par 4's in 3 and try to sink in the putt or make bogey, at worse !

Playing this way, on some good days I actually break 90 ! Ray

[senorchipotle]

Lots of good advice in this thread, but no one has mentioned tee box selection yet. If you need a hybrid to reach every green even after your longest drives, you're playing from the wrong tees. I know it's tough on the ego to play more forward tees than your buddies are playing, but that's what I did (played whites while buddies played blues) until I gained distance. In fact, if they really are buddies they won't mind occasionally playing the forward tees with you.

how does moving up help anything?

[sacm3bill]

how does moving up help anything?

It doesn't help with his distances obviously, if that's what you mean. But it helps in that he would be playing the correct tees for his game, at least until his distances improved.

[scott71law]

Ray you didn't mention if you have any physical "ailments", but I can tell you from experience that back/hip issues will KILL your mechanics. I was hitting my drives 230-250 last year pretty regularly and was an 11 handicap until November when I hung up the clubs for the winter, then developed some sort of lower back/hip problem where I can barely move some days, thought it was a torn hip labrum but MRI negative. I have gone out three times this year and have yet to hit a drive over 150 yards and have shot 96-94-94 on easy short courses. Measured my swing speed (with a pretty crude spring loaded device) at 60 mph this year when it was 85 last year. Needless to say I am about ready to quit the game for good since I can't even reach longer par 3's with my driver now. I guess what I am getting at is make sure you are 100% healthy before you go to any pros for lessons.

[The Road Dog]

Lots a good advice here but you really didn't give much info to work with. One guy figured you for 18 yrs old. I doubt that. So what are the stats? How long have you been playing. From what tees, and what have you been practicing or have you been practicing? How did you get into the game? Some of the guys here are really sharp with suggestions if they have a chance to understand the problem and not just the symptoms.

[crayputter]

Lots a good advice here but you really didn't give much info to work with. One guy figured you for 18 yrs old. I doubt that. So what are the stats? How long have you been playing. From what tees, and what have you been practicing or have you been practicing? How did you get into the game? Some of the guys here are really sharp with suggestions if they have a chance to understand the problem and not just the symptoms.

I read somewhere (can't recall where though ) that you need to make a nice turn (back almost facing the target ) for more distance.

I tried it, just made a nice turn ( or coiling, if you may ), and accelerate through the ball at impact ! The results : my drive is now 240 consistently (used to be 220 ), my 4 iron is now 180,190 instead of 160 MAX...it feels great ! Of course, my body is having aches and pains now, but I am sure its just adjusting, and will be ok ! Cheers Ray