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Posted
There have been several times where in wind I out drive my playing partners with my 2-iron and them using driver. So in essence I dont worry about driving distance too much because I have other clubs I can go to to get the ball out far enough.

I made an enemy one day at a course just south of Edmonton (Alberta - Coloniale - back when carts weren't mandatory, but I digress). A guy was trying to sell my cousin and his friend these long shafted drivers (Killer Bees I think) but it was a fairly breezy day. They kept using drivers - their own and the Killer Bee for comparison - rather than hitting something a bit lower and more piercing. I used my 2-iron on every upwind hole and was the longest off the tee every time (my cousin typically outdrove me by a mile). No Killer Bee sales were made that day.

Mizuno MP600 driver, Cleveland '09 Launcher 3-wood, Callaway FTiz 18 degree hybrid, Cleveland TA1 3-9, Scratch SS8620 47, 53, 58, Cleveland Classic 2 mid-mallet, Bridgestone B330S, Sun Mountain four5.


Posted
My driving distance is not that great...admitting my flaws... :) When I do hit solid, like yesterday, low trajetory going up on a hill I did hit 230yds with roll. I ave maybe 190-200 carry...On bad days against wind driver is completely lost!

ogio.gif Black/White Ozone Stand bag, Caddytek 13.5 Black/Red Push Cart

taylormade.gif RBZ Tour 9* Stiff / ping.gifRapture 3 'metal' Titanium 14* Stiff Aldila Proto VS 'By You'
adams.gif Hybrid A2 20*3 hybrid Stiff Aldila VS / ping.gifRapture Black Dot 4-PW Stiff / cleveland.gifWedges CG11 54* SW / taylormade.gif RAC 52*, 58*Wedge / odyssey.gif  33" White Hot XG


Posted
  Fatphil said:
I play with one young guy who can't play a lick but somehow when his ball hits the ground (about 210 out) the freakin thing runs like a jackrabbit 50 more yards. No clue how the hell he does it but I suspect he lucked out and got a driver that fits him perfectly (and doesn't even know it). While I think a lot of club fitting for mid to high hdcpers is hocus pocus, the spin issue on drivers seems to be for real.

I've just become that guy.

I've been playing for about 3 years and had been playing a 12* R-flex driver, easy to hit and I could poke it out there maybe 240 a couple of times a round, and probably averaged 215 on a good swing. I constantly felt like I was hitting huge drives out there, and then they'd be much shorter than I thought. I got fitted last month and the numbers were very good on a stiff-flex 9.5* Callaway FT3 tour for my swing speed that tops out in the low 100's -- in the store. So I ordered one from CGPO. So now I'm hitting line drives and I might need a 10.5* driver -- but I might stay with this 9.5*. The rollouts are incredible, I've hit some GPS-measured 250-260 yard drives on flattish holes that I know I didn't carry over 200. I like to swing at 80% on the course (I actually bought R-flex b/c I don't feel like I can load a stiff all the time), and then I switched to S&T; which lowered my ball flight. It feels like I'm not hitting the ball as far, but with rollout I'm longer when I put it in the fairway, now that it's dried out a little from our wet winter. And when I don't put it in the fairway, I think it's staying playable more often -- instead of flying into trouble, it will hit the edge of the fairway and get slowed by the long grass.

Posted
I drive the ball minimum a minimum of 350 yards each time. Typically I'll have to carry back up drivers because I tend to cave in the faces frequently. If the wind is at my back and I the fairway is hard, I could hit one as long as 400...

My favorite this year was a guy added to my group this weekend to make four. None of us is real long, but we had a healthy wind behind us on a short 500 yard par 5, he swore he carries his diver 280 average. Even with the wind which left me a guy who only carries the ball 210, 240 out he was only 5 yards closer, my buddy a low ball hitter, hit his three wood by both of us and he only carries his driver 225-230. He was short of the green often, and the pin every time on the par 3s. Every swing had an excuse or explanation attached. What guys like that don't understand is we only notice an area you excel in, chipping, scrambling, putting, working the ball whatever if we think we can learn something, otherwise nobody cares.

1W Cleveland LauncherComp 10.5, 3W Touredge Exotics 15 deg.,FY Wilson 19.5 degree
4 and 5H, 6I-GW Callaway Razr, SW, LW Cleveland Cg-14, Putter Taylor Made Suzuka, Ball, Srixon XV Yellow


Posted
i always get a chuckle when i play with guys who had no clue just how long 300 yards is. im tall, pretty strong and athletic, and i hit the ball pretty hard. theyll see one of my good hits and say "whoah! that must be 300 yards!" and i'll say, thanks, but its nowhere near that far, and then i will show them the GPS that says something like 265, or 255, and they dont know what to say because that would mean theyve never even hit one over 210...

Colin P.

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Posted
Straight is long. I hit it about 195. I cannot reach the 235 yd par 3 with a driver but regularly get up and down from the front. I never get up and down from the pine trees on either side of the green. Are you trusting the yardage at the driving range? Some range balls fly 80% of the distance of a standard ball so driving ranges can fit into expensive real estate/ Tourist courses may have friendly distances. Country clubs with a complete measurement will be more accurate. use your laser or gps to measure your distances to be sure

Taylormade Driver HT
Taylormade 3 HT

Mcgregor 7w
Vulcan irons 5-P
Solus 53 61

Vokey 56

Scotty Caneron Flange/ Ping Cushin

Srixon ZStar

71 gold tees

bring cash


Posted
Does anybody know of an accurate formula for carry distance ? With a modern new driver and a good ball I have heard of anywhere between 2.3-3.0 yards per mph of clubhead speed. Any thoughts ?

Taylormade R7 460
Taylormade Firesole 3 wood
Cobra Baffler 2 hybrid
Cobra S2 forged 4-pw
Taylomade Rac 52,56,60Oydesee Dual Rossie IIOgio KingpinClic Gear 3.0


Posted
  Spike McTee said:
Does anybody know of an accurate formula for carry distance ? With a modern new driver and a good ball I have heard of anywhere between 2.3-3.0 yards per mph of clubhead speed. Any thoughts ?

SS x 2.45 is pretty much optimal

Driver: i15 8* UST Axivcore Red 69S
3w: CB1 15* Grafalloy Prolaunch Platinum 75s
5w: G10 18.5* UST V2 HL
3h: HiFli CLK 20* UST V2 Hybrid
4h: 3DX 23* UST V2 Hybrid5i-pw: MX-23 TT Dynalite Gold S300GW/SW: RAC 52*and 56*Putter: SabertoothBag: KingPin


Posted
  Bump-n-MI said:
…just keeps getting tougher and tougher biting my tongue

Ha, I know what you mean!

I drive the ball minimum a minimum of 350 yards each time. Typically I'll have to carry back up drivers because I tend to cave in the faces frequently. If the wind is at my back and I the fairway is hard, I could hit one as long as 400...

You too, eh? I've already replaced 15 drivers this year. I have trouble custom ordering my XXXXXXXXX shafts though, apparently they are hard to find in -8.2° torque models.

  None said:
Really, why another driver distance thread? 99% of people have no idea how far they actually hit the ball. The guys that think they hit it 300 are typically hitting it 250 and the guys that think they're hitting it 250 are actually around 200. Internet distances = overrated. I cannot tell you how many times guys have seen me hit the ball and are just amazed with how far I hit it and THINK that my ball must have traveled at least 300 yards. I love the look on their faces when I tell them that I carry the ball about 260.

Exactly. 99% of all golfers I've ever seen overestimate. I swing the driver 110 mph, and I average 246 yards off the tee. My average good drive is around 265. When I really catch one in calm conditions, 280 is a great drive. Anything more is downhill, downwind.

  jlh1508 said:
These threads are ridiculous.

  Randy4h said:
Is it just me, or does anyone else notice that the really long drivers here all have relatively high hdcp's, and the "naysayers" all have very low hdcp's? I guess it could be that as one's handicap gets lower, they automatically lose distance. Or it could be that as one's handicap get lower, they actually know their true distance.

I notice that too. I thought I hit it 300 when I was a 30 handicap. I know now that was a fantasy. I hit it more like 210. You'll notice the scratch and plus handicaps all seem to hit it shorter than the 15 handicappers... That's not because they actually hit it shorter, it's because they measure it more objectively.


Posted
i am a high school teen(16) and there is a hole, par 4 that you can carry the water and be put right on the front of the green. gps measured, to carry the water is 275. i ALWAYS carry the water and never come short. my average drive, misses and all, is about 290-300. when i grip it and rip it i get 330-340 measured. my best is 364 with about 10 mph of wind behind me, so thats bout the best average 330-340 plus th wind.

Posted
Average would guess in the 260's. Last round I clocked one on a flat hole that is 320 yds to 40 yds (with gps) so 280.

Driver: TM TP460
3W: TM Burner Superfast

5W: TM Burner Superfast
4-9: TM MC
48: CG14
52: Nike VR

56: CG16

Putter: Ping Gnome


Posted
i am a high school teen(16) and there is a hole, par 4 that you can carry the water and be put right on the front of the green. gps measured, to carry the water is 275. i ALWAYS carry the water and never come short. my average drive, misses and all, is about 290-300. when i grip it and rip it i get 330-340 measured. my best is 364 with about 10 mph of wind behind me, so thats bout the best average 330-340 plus th wind.

Do you walk across that water on your way to the ball as well?

Driver: i15 8* UST Axivcore Red 69S
3w: CB1 15* Grafalloy Prolaunch Platinum 75s
5w: G10 18.5* UST V2 HL
3h: HiFli CLK 20* UST V2 Hybrid
4h: 3DX 23* UST V2 Hybrid5i-pw: MX-23 TT Dynalite Gold S300GW/SW: RAC 52*and 56*Putter: SabertoothBag: KingPin


Posted
  chilly said:
Do you walk across that water on your way to the ball as well?

lol!

340 yard average? Bubba Watson has an average of 301 yards. (top of the list) people please realise that 300 yards is an amazing drive. 340 all the time is silly.

My Clubs
Driver - LV4 10* R flex
Wood - sam snead persimmon 2 wood (for windy days)
Hybrid burner tour launch 20* stiff flex.
Irons - Tour Mode 3i,4i stiffIrons - FP's 5-PW R-flexWedge - spin milled 54.14Wedge - spin milled 60.07Putter - Victoria Lowest round 2010: 79 (par 70)Latest rounds at...


Posted
  James_Black said:
lol!

What if it's true though - can you imagine playing with this guy?

"Hey, did you guys see where that went?" "Not exactly - our human eyes can't see that far. It probably burned up on re-entry though, so you'd better hit a provisional - use a 6-iron this time."

Mizuno MP600 driver, Cleveland '09 Launcher 3-wood, Callaway FTiz 18 degree hybrid, Cleveland TA1 3-9, Scratch SS8620 47, 53, 58, Cleveland Classic 2 mid-mallet, Bridgestone B330S, Sun Mountain four5.


Posted
So far what I have learned after making this post is that YES its time to focus on other facets of my game, what many of the responders missed when criticizing my drive distance vs. handicap was the point that I give up 1-2 strokes per hole for horrible chipping/putting. At two strokes per hole goofing easy up/and downs I would already establish a 36 handicap!!!!

Generally what I was looking for is to find that yes my driving is acceptable and apparently above average. In the early days of my golf career (all years prior to 2008) my swing was way to hard and out of rhythm. I will try and get some swing videos up so you can see the nice relaxed tempo I now employ. Prior to league last year I played 15 times in '08 and probably 4-5 times per year prior to that, these events were typicaly focused on drinking / goofing off. I played a league last year for first time ever and all driving was snap hook after snap hook, I've addressed this by keeping my left arm straight and actually coiling. As a hockey and softball player my elbow was always out of place and I wouldn't coil the core. Especially as a hockey player I liked to try and SMASH the ball.

These concepts have been applied to my iron game and driving game, which is fairly free of bad duffs and huge hooks/slices. I often hit the ball straight now but off target and my distance control is shakey. There are a lot of factors involved for a new golfer to overcome. I.E.. what club to hit and at what swing height for varying wind conditions, green conditions, pin locations etc. etc.

I am a firm believer that distance doesn't count for squat if you can't consistently put the ball in play.

My focus for the coming weeks of golf league is to establish a good tempo for my pitch/chips and continue to practice putting, a lot of strokes are lost on and around the greens. Escpecailly for me who is w/ in lob wedge distance or chip distance on the par 5's I play after two strokes. Is it so hard to believe I can drive and hit irons well while being putrid as short game.

Granted I will now focus on keeping record of the drive distances (W/ Roll), all of your comments have been appreciated even the ones that may see beligerent.

I have learned to provide more specifics for such a detial oreinted group. As a new member of the forum and golf community I look foward to comming along and learning the ways.

Whats in my bag:

Driver: 10.5 degree R7 Limited OZIK Stiff Shaft
Woods: Raw Distance 2007 3 & 5 Woods w/ Aldila NV-RD Stiff Shafts
Irons 4-PW: ***Tour Model III*** Ping Zing 2 Knock Offs Wedges: Rac Chrome 52 & 56 Degree Wedges, Tour Pro Z-Groove 60 degreePutter: White Hot XG 2-Ball SRT 34"...


Posted
  sean_miller said:
...use a 6-iron this time."

Wait... but what if this kid and the guy who hit the forged 6-iron are the same guy? I mean... 250 yard 6-iron isn't too far behind a 340 yard drive... right?

CY

Career Bests
- 18 Holes - 72 (+1) - Par 71 - Pine Island Country Club - 6/25/2022
- 9 Holes - 36 (E) - Par 36 - Pine Island Country Club - 6/25/2022

 

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Posted
  Fairway_CY said:
Wait... but what if this kid and the guy who hit the forged 6-iron are the same guy? I mean... 250 yard 6-iron isn't too far behind a 340 yard drive... right?

POW!!!!!

The Hammer!!!!!

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  • Posts

    • Eh... what's he going to say? "Hey, I bought a new driver. It's 10 yards shorter and I hit twice as many OB now." Does he have any data to back up his claim? Or is he just going by what he saw at his fitting?  I've been using either Shotscope or Arccos since 2018 and if there's one thing I've learned is that it's the archer not the arrow. When I'm hitting the driver well, it goes far and straight. When I'm a mess, it's a mess.  If you were properly fit for a driver in the last (dare I say 10 years) 5 years for sure. I'd be surprised if you can get more than a couple of yards out of it by getting a new one. The COR rule has been 0.83 since 1998, with widespread and standardized enforcement since 2003. Obviously, the engineers can still optimize spin and launch and shaft flex and/or kick point. So there are things that can be done. But I believe the days of 10 or 15 yard gains are over... unless your current driver is unfit for you. (as @Typhoon92 mentions above.) If you were fit for your epic. You will likely see very little on course performance difference.  Having said that, I get a new driver every 2 or 3 years... Why? Because I like shiny things. So, if you want a new driver, get a new driver.   
    • My suggestion to you is to take your driver with you and go to a golf store where you can hit the new Ping 440 AND your own driver side by side.  They you can decide.  Very simple test you can do for free. You have no idea ( and your friend probably doesn’t either) how old his old driver was, what loft it was compared to the new one, what shaft and flex he had in his old driver vs. the new one.  
    • I might be inclined to try to figure out what is bothering them. Is it that their index is 12 but they're only getting 10 strokes? If that's the case then I think I would just point out that their handicap is being adjusted for the difference between par and the course rating. It's adjusting for this course being easier than typical for the par. Course rating being roughly what a scratch should shoot on a good day and par being the sum of the numbers on the card. The whole concoction (which Erik and Dave explained already) is simply a way to get everyone to play on an even playing field. So if everyone plays to their handicap, then they'll all have the same net score. The adjustments are there mainly for those instances where something more complicated is happening like playing different sets of tees, but still apply otherwise. It's also easiest to say "your handicap index is 12.4, which means you should shoot 10 over par to play to your handicap" rather than "your handicap index is 12.4, which means you should shoot 12.4 over the course rating after adjusting for the slope", which is a whole lot of gobbledygook to people who don't know how the system works.
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