300 yards - fact or fiction: Post your experience

[Fourputt]

My longest measured drive this year was 281. My average is more like 230-235. That is improving however since I got my new Callaway Diablo Edge. I'm hitting straighter too. I have hit many drives over 300 yards through the years, usually with the help of a tailwind. The longest one I've ever measured (I've only had a GPS for 1½ years) was 324 yards.

[Shanks A Million]

It's my understanding that this average is made from a tee shot not on a par 3. This stat would include tee shots with woods and long irons. How many times does a PGA tour pro actually tee off with his driver? I'm sure the actual DRIVER average of most pros would be close to if not over 300 yards.

The PGA tour now records the average distance of all measured drives. Contrary to popular belief, it's actually shorter than driving distance. The holes used to measure driving distance are generally very wide open holes with where players tend to try to hit it long, like on wide open par 5s. The top driving distance on the PGA tour, for all measured drives, is 298 yards, which was achieved by an average clubhead speed of 121 mph.

http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?317

[mrmiller8]

Just under a 10 handicap and tee off with a three metal 80% of the time and average 230 with that. When I do hit driver I maybe get an extra 20 yards with a 60% chance of putting the thing OB...so I opt for the 3 wood and the fairway...

[goblue107501]

The PGA tour now records the average distance of all measured drives. Contrary to popular belief, it's actually shorter than driving distance. The holes used to measure driving distance are generally very wide open holes with where players tend to try to hit it long, like on wide open par 5s. The top driving distance on the PGA tour, for all measured drives, is 298 yards, which was achieved by an average clubhead speed of 121 mph.

If this is a list of all drives, it would encompass every 3-iron and hybrid used for position so of course the average will be much lower. If they had a stat that measured every tee shot with a driver, and only a driver, the average for most pros would be well over 300.

[jamo]

It's my understanding that this average is made from a tee shot not on a par 3. This stat would include tee shots with woods and long irons. How many times does a PGA tour pro actually tee off with his driver? I'm sure the actual DRIVER average of most pros would be close to if not over 300 yards.

The stat that says only 6 PGA TOUR players average over 300 is simple driving distance. It is measured on 2 holes per course, where players are likely to hit driver, and where the wind cancels out. So, yes, sometimes driver is not the club of choice (which is why Tiger was dead last in driving distance at Sawgrass), but they do they best they can. There is a stat called Driving Distance, All Drives, which is all holes.

[saevel25]

There is also a stat in there that takes into consideration distance of drives where they can measure it. IF you look at the difference between all drives (were measured) and the two holes, its only 4.8 yards. So there isn't a big discrepeny. If the two holes are meant to be the two were driver is take most often, then driver is used a decent amount of time on the tour, which makes sense since drivers are so forgivable now.

By the number of rounds, and number of drives measured, the average number of drivers hit per round is 11.3, so 11 times a round. Take out 4 par threes, your looking at 11 out of 14 holes.

Really, that means on the average of all drives your looking at 78% weighted towards driver.

I would say those two holes is a pretty good average of what the distance is on tour.

[kpaulhus]

So now, according to the poll, only 3.7% of the people in this thread avg over 300 yards. I would think that number would be higher for the amount of "I drive 300 all the time" posts in other threads lol

[DavidFehertysBike]

Ill hit one or two 300 yarders a every couple of rounds. Most of the time im in the 260-280 range.

[Fat Slice]

^ Well Shanks so far we have 73 golfers who are all 10 handicap or more and 0 have claimed to average 300 yards.

[bshack]

I rarely drive the ball 300 yds. I normally carry it between 250 and 270 and depending on how the fairway is rolling that day it may make 300... but normally it my drives sit at 260-285 after the roll which if on the fairway im okay with...

[sean_miller]

^ Well Shanks so far we have 73 golfers who are all 10 handicap or more and 0 have claimed to average 300 yards.

You need a new poll.

Add separate choices for feet above sea level - up to a mile. Separate each altitude range into 225-250, 250-275, 275-300. I think you'll find your answer there - when I compare my average to another player, and it's 35 yards higher, a lot of that has to do with the fact my golf course is at 2800 feet. When I played in a scramle SW of Calgary last Friday I was hitting a 1/2 club long - the course is at 3550 feet.

[Shanks A Million]

^ Well Shanks so far we have 73 golfers who are all 10 handicap or more and 0 have claimed to average 300 yards.

Yeah, over 300. Ask the same question do you average over 260 or some number like that. It will still be too high. Not that many people claim to average over 300, but even averaging 270 is extremely high for most amateurs. Most of the so called "good drives" hit at sea level are more like 240- yards. The average amateur has a clubhead speed right around 86 mph, which is enough to carry the ball 192.8 yards at sea level.

We had a member here claiming that he swung 90 mph, and averaged 280. Here's the math: At sea level: 90 mph = 130 mph ballspeed max 19° launch, 2500 spin = 215.1 max carry assuming a 1.5 (perfect) smash factor. At one mile in altitude, the same numbers give a carry distance of 228.0. How about 100 mph clubhead speed in Denver? Is it possible to average even 280? Yes. With a launch angle of 22°, and a spin rate of 2,800 rpm on a perfect strike, you can hit the ball 273.7 yards at one mile in altitude. That same carry at sea level? 246 yards. Of course, these numbers assume every shot is struck absolutely center of the club face. Suppose you were to strike the ball just 1/4" of an inch off center? Now your carry at sea level is 227 yards. So, these people with a 100 mph clubhead speed who average 280, even in Denver, cannot afford to miss the center of the clubface by even 1/4 of an inch. If they do, kiss it goodbye, you are getting 258.0 yards at best. Now, here's where this gets interesting. These numbers I've presented are absolute maximums. Here's what I've conviniently left out. To hit it 270 with that 100 mph swing in Denver, you need to use about a 10.5° driver, and hit it at 13° on the upswing. Now, I can assure you that's not the case. If we input stats from an actual driver, the numbers become a bit more realisitc... In Denver, with a 100 mph swing, and a perfect strike, with a stiff shafted 10.5° driver, the actual carry distance is: But hey, I only use actual data.

[Fourputt]

The PGA tour now records the average distance of all measured drives. Contrary to popular belief, it's actually shorter than driving distance. The holes used to measure driving distance are generally very wide open holes with where players tend to try to hit it long, like on wide open par 5s. The top driving distance on the PGA tour, for all measured drives, is 298 yards, which was achieved by an average clubhead speed of 121 mph.

What I find even more telling is how the top 10 in length rank in accuracy. The 2 in the bottom of the top ten in distance are 19th and 20th in accuracy and they are best of the long hitters in that category. The #1 long hitter, Bubba Watson, is 153rd in accuracy, Mickelson is 6th in length, but 183rd in accuracy (and the only one who is in the top 10 for both driving and scoring).

This trend is somewhat in keeping with what I observe on the course. The guys I know who hit the ball longest, are also the wildest. I hate getting paired with most of them in a tournament because we usually end up in trouble over pace of play because we spend so much time stomping the native rough looking for ther balls. I'd much rather play with a 25 handicapper who only hits it 180 yards, but never hits it far enough to be out of the mowed grass.

[Kieran123]

Hey Shanks, whats that program you got there?

[saevel25]

Of course thats carry, add in dead of summer, hard fairways, you get 30 yards of roll ;b Just joking ;b

[Shanks A Million]

Hey Shanks, whats that program you got there?

Trajectoware driver.

[James_Black]

shanks one thing....
You have tee height set to 0.
Wouldn't there be a difference for carry if you tee'd the ball up?

What's dynamic loft?

[Shanks A Million]

shanks one thing....

How many

yards do you tee your ball up? That has nothing to do with what you think it's for, it's for how high or low the teebox is compared to the fairway. The dynamic loft is the loft of the club at impact. The loft of the driver + shaft kick. The more shaft flex, the more kick, the more dynamic loft, and the higher it launches.