Driving Distance

[sean_miller]

Documenting my rounds reminds me how many times I leave the driver in the bag. This really brings my "driving average" down. Then factor in springtime in Alberta - the altitude and firm fairways - I'll put the Superman shirt back in the closet now.

[saevel25]

well we are not talking about driving average, if that is true my driving average is way lower because i usually pull out the 4-iron on most par-4's if under 350 yards, and my 3-wood if the hole is under 400 yards. I really only use my driver 4 times a round + any holes over 400 yards. the reason is i am more accurate with a full wedge shot than half wedges. So i tend to try to leave myself from 100-130 yards on each hole. That way i know the shot i play each hole.

[anotherday]

The golf course GPS had me at 260-280 yards... reality has me around 240. Haha.

[Arrogant_Kid]

I need some clarification.
First, I'll give you a story. I live in Middle Tennessee. One of the courses I play at has a 280 yard par 4. So I'm playing with about 12 of my friends, and two of my coaches. I'm on this hole, waiting for my friends to get off the green. With a three wood in my hand. A guy comes up behind me, screams at me for holding them up.

"Sir, I can hit this green. I'm waiting for them to get off the green."
"BULLSHIT! No one can hit a three wood that straight 280 yards!"(The hole is lined with trees).

Ok. So, I drove the green. He shit himself.
What I DO NOT understand, is why you people think a person cannot hit a ball over 300 yards. The same buddies I played with that day average about 290-320(Depending on the person), in distance. We use rangefinders, GPS systems, hole yardages, and our feet, to make sure we have the most accurate distances possible.

HOWEVER, we train everyday. As in, we kill ourselves working out, so we can get stronger, and more flexible.

Here is my statement.
A person who trains himself by working on his strength and flexibility daily, and practices daily, can routinely hit a ball over 300 yards. Sorry. But It's true. I WILL NOT say how far I hit the ball on average. Because with the mindset most of you have, you won't believe it.

Oh, and I'll just be generic and not give you proof. You shouldn't need it.


End of rant.

[sean_miller]

I need some clarification.

You're a 1.2.

The TST distance rants (shanks and others - myself included) are typically aimed at 15+ cappers. Either way, I get your point. I could drive 260+ over 20 years ago with a wound ball and maple laminates. I could hit 280+ with a decent ball and persimmons. Why would anyone in their right mind doubt I could bit over 290 with a G10? The beat goes on.

[Arrogant_Kid]

You're a 1.2.

...Oops.... My bad.... :[

I thought it was talking about all golfers. Apologies for the rant.

[saevel25]

No man rant rant away. I love these disbelievers, the guys i play just accept that i keep walking 70-80 yards past there ball consistantly, they kick my butt on days. Its called 100 yards and in. Pelz has it right. you can mess up a drive (not including lost balls, OB and water) and still make up the shot. You can miss your iron and still get up and down, you can flop a chip and still drain a long putt, but if you miss a putt there is no getting that stroke back. I have played rounds shooting in the single digits with a handful of GIR's and i shot rounds in the double digits with nearly 10 GIR's. It happens, its golf, if those who want to say it can't. You can't hit it 300 yards with out being a awesome iron player, come look at my game.

Shot 5 over par, for 9-holes
2-double bogies
2- birdies
3-bogies
2- pars

2-double bogeys due to two lost ball, that includes a double bogie with a 3 putt
2 birdies was because of an awesome sand shot on a par 5 and a chip shot when i drove the ball next to the green
3 bogies for missing 3 greens and 2 putting each
2 pars for hitting 2 greens and two putting each.

5 over par and i probably did everything except chilly dip and had some hozel rockets. Its golf, i can tell you when i pulled out the driver, i was out there 290-300 yards, GPS verified

[Arrogant_Kid]

No man rant rant away. I love these disbelievers, the guys i play just accept that i keep walking 70-80 yards past there ball consistantly, they kick my butt on days. Its called 100 yards and in. Pelz has it right. you can mess up a drive (not including lost balls, OB and water) and still make up the shot. You can miss your iron and still get up and down, you can flop a chip and still drain a long putt, but if you miss a putt there is no getting that stroke back. I have played rounds shooting in the single digits with a handful of GIR's and i shot rounds in the double digits with nearly 10 GIR's. It happens, its golf, if those who want to say it can't. You can't hit it 300 yards with out being a awesome iron player, come look at my game.

Yikes. Sounds like some winter rust to me. I'm sure you're better than that.

I really feel like I can get on Tour. I've been playing for a little over 2 years. Only been taking lessons about 9 months. And I'm down to a 1.2. I can do just about everything in golf. Except putt. God I'm an awful putter. I've been averaging about 28 putts around. I know it sounds low, but it needs to be a LOT lower. Haha.

[Titleist_ProV1x]

Documenting my rounds reminds me how many times I leave the driver in the bag. This really brings my "driving average" down. Then factor in springtime in Alberta - the altitude and firm fairways - I'll put the Superman shirt back in the closet now.

I'm still wondering why you havn't cut the driver down to 44" - 44.5" ? this alone will keep you in the fairways

[deronsizemore]

I need some clarification.

My point this whole time is that a bogey golfer is not consistent enough to AVERAGE 280+. I'm fully aware that any athletic guy can go out, swing out his shoes, the stars align and he hits it out to 280+. But, that same guy who cannot break 90, isn't capable of averaging that. That's all I've tried to get across this whole time. That and that most people have no clue how far 280+ actually is. Most hit a drive 250ish and think it's out there 300. That and yardage markers are notorious for being wrong as are driving range yardages.

[Arrogant_Kid]

My point this whole time is that a bogey golfer is not consistent enough to AVERAGE 280+. I'm fully aware that any athletic guy can go out, swing out his shoes, the stars align and he hits it out to 280+. But, that same guy who cannot break 90, isn't capable of averaging that. That's all I've tried to get across this whole time. That and that most people have no clue how far 280+ actually is. Most hit a drive 250ish and think it's out there 300. That and yardage markers are notorious for being wrong as are driving range yardages.

Ah. Apologies. You're talking about high handicap golfers. Oops.

[Shanks A Million]

5 over par and i probably did everything except chilly dip and had some hozel rockets. Its golf, i can tell you when i pulled out the driver, i was out there 290-300 yards, GPS verified

So, you can't hit a wedge, with a 33" shaft, but pull out a 45" driver, and you'll smash it right on the center of the face each time? Yeah, that makes sense. I've heard it a million times, but I've never, in my 20+ years of playing this game seen it, not once.

I'm going to say this YET AGAIN. The longest hitters on the PGA tour (who have clubhead speeds that average around 125, so don't even try to tell me they "lay back", because their "laying back" is still faster than most of us could hope to swing) hit it about 300 yards on average. They also have amazing swings with incredible fundamentals, and make dead center contact with most every shot. They do not shank, top, and chilli dip wedges, because they have amazing swings. Find one tour player who has shanked, skulled, or duffed a shot more than once in a four day event. 300 yards is a long, long way. The ball will hang in the air for roughly 8 seconds on a 300 yard drive. If you miss the center of the face by a half of an inch, forget it, you're not going to drive it 300.

[mtsalmela80]

I need some clarification.

This has got to be a joke profile, arrogant_kid?? Lifting weights = 300 yard drives? lol I wish. If raw strength was all you needed to smash drives, and pga pros hit 300, I would be hitting 500 yard drives.

[Arrogant_Kid]

So, you can't hit a wedge, with a 33" shaft, but pull out a 45" driver, and you'll smash it right on the center of the face each time? Yeah, that makes sense. I've heard it a million times, but I've never, in my 20+ years of playing this game seen it, not once.

I know people like that. I've seen it.

P.S. Swinging as hard as you can is the worst idea ever. :P What you said reminded me of that

[Arrogant_Kid]

This has got to be a joke profile, arrogant_kid?? Lifting weights = 300 yard drives? lol I wish. If raw strength was all you needed to smash drives, and pga pros hit 300, I would be hitting 500 yard drives.

I never once said lifting weights led to 300 yard drives. Ever.

It does help hit it further. But it won't automatically make you hit it 300 yards. The more muscle I gain, the better I swing, thus the better contact I make, thus the longer the drive. Notice I said I. I. I. I. As in, for me, gaining muscle and flexibility helps me play better.

[Shanks A Million]

I know people like that. I've seen it.

If you know 15 handicaps who can consistently drive the ball 300 yards, you might want to re-evaluate what 300 yards is, or check the altitude or winds. The better I get, the farther I hit the ball. I used to think I drove the ball 300 yards or so when I was a 35 handicap. I really, honestly believed it too. I would go down to the range, and hit a few that flew the 250 sign, and boom, I was a 300 yard driver!

What I didn't realize was what depth perception and consistency meant to drives. I saw my drives going past that 250 sign, and I really wanted to believe it. Turns out, first, that 250 sign was 208 yards. Secondly, I was only seeing the ball fly it, it wasn't really. When I first started measuring drives, I was amazed how short they were. I went to a shop that does fitting, and hit about 20 drivers. The average was 246. Turns out, those mishits really affect "average". The fitter told me that was a great average. I thought he was joking. He wasn't. To this day, I will outdrive most people I meet. Even on days when I can barely make contact, I'm usually past my playing partners. I am surely capable of hitting huge drives, I swing around 110, and I've seen 320 yard drives and 270 yard 3 woods, but to say they were average would be delusional. So, being honest with myself was the best thing I ever did. I ended up playing a hell of a lot better when I didn't worry about my ego. When I saw a 150 yard shot, I pulled an 8 iron, and I didn't try to tell myself I can nail a 9 there every time. When there's bunkers at 240, I don't tell myself I can fly them, because it's possible I won't. I see so many people come up short of the green, time after time, they really believe they can hit that 7 iron 180. Meanwhile, I'm on with a 5 iron and a nice easy swing. Though my swing is not nearly as good as most here, I can score much better because I take the most important obstacle out of play; my ego .

[Titleist_ProV1x]

Bubba Watson drives it 300+ yards on average, with a Ping G15, yup yup

[Hackforfun]

If I cream a drive I am thinking that has to be 270-280 yards as it hangs in the air. Then I check the numbers on google earth and see they are more like 250 tops including the roll on a relatively flat hole. Average for me would be 30-40 yards less than that I would think including roll, if I disregard the complete flubs I make from time to time.

I think I'm an average length hitter, maybe slightly on the short side for my handicap but it is surprising how many times I am out there within 10 yards of people on much lower handicaps...there is obviously a bit more to scoring than thumping the ball long off the tee.

When I do get to play with a low marker who puts it out a long way I just try to enjoy watching the ball fly. It is great seeing someone pound the ball into next week