Ideal Distance

[cantputt]

What do you guys believe is the ideal distance for each club?

IMHO,

SW -110
GW- !20
PW-135
9- 155
8-165
7-175
6-185
5-200
4-210
3-230
2- 250
driver- 310
putter- (5 footers in the hole every time)

[Xt1ncT]

What do you guys believe is the ideal distance for each club?

Personally I don't think that there is an ideal distance.

Everyone is different and hits the ball a different distance. I prefer people to hit it as far as they feel they should and can without trying too hard. If that means hitting 7 iron 130 yards then so be it. If they want to hit it further hit a 6 iron..!!! And with respect to the distances you posted, even on tour there are few if any players who average over 300 yards, let alone 310. I hit my driver on average about 245-255 metres, which on the par 5's I play is plenty - if I connect as well as I can I'll get the ball out to 270 metres, but that's about it. On a side note, I often think that people over-estimate how far they hit it, which is proven many times by people who go and get fitted, and find they are short by about 20-30 yards from where they thought they would be.

[cantputt]

On a side note, I often think that people over-estimate how far they hit it, which is proven many times by people who go and get fitted, and find they are short by about 20-30 yards from where they thought they would be.

what does that have to do with any part of my question... and i just asked what you would prefer to hit ur clubs.. if u honestly belive that a 130 yard 7 iron is ideal then thats all you have to say.. you dont have to get all defensive and start tunring away from the question. and when i said those ideal distances.. i never said that i hit it that far.. i meant that i would like to hit that far cuz in my mind that is ideal. i was just wondernig what everyone else believed was the ideal distance no matter how far you hit it. you can hit a 7 iron 50 yards for all i care, but that wouldnt be your ideal distance (hopefully). i was just asking for some simple answers. gees. i love you xtinct i didint mean anything mean.

if im just being stupid forgive me.

[Xt1ncT]

what does that have to do with any part of my question... and i just asked what you would prefer to hit ur clubs.. if u honestly belive that a 130 yard 7 iron is ideal then thats all you have to say.. you dont have to get all defensive and start tunring away from the question. and when i said those ideal distances.. i never said that i hit it that far.. i meant that i would like to hit that far cuz in my mind that is ideal. i was just wondernig what everyone else believed was the ideal distance no matter how far you hit it. you can hit a 7 iron 50 yards for all i care, but that wouldnt be your ideal distance (hopefully). i was just asking for some simple answers. gees. i love you xtinct i didint mean anything mean.

Sorry, didn't think I was being defensive. Was just trying to say to people, especially the new golfer or the higher handicapper not to get all worked up because they may not be able to hit the ball as far as someone else. IMO hitting it far gets too much attention when hitting it accurately would be better. Sure I'd love to hit my 7 iron 180 yards, but I don't. On a good day I'll hit it 150 metres, but when hitting within myself and when playing well I probably hit it about 140 metres, which is plenty IMO.

And that's what this place is for, to put forward opinions. Yours differs from mine - great, it makes for more debate, if everyone thought the same it'd be like yeah you're right, conversation over. And what fun would that be? FYI my distances are: SW - 75 metres GW- 85 PW- 105 9- 115 8- 125 7- 140 6- 150 5- 160 4- 170 3- 180 Hybrid - 210 3wood- 220 driver- 240-250 (All the above in metres) P.S. Not forgiving you......as you weren't being stupid

[cantputt]

is metres and yards the same? hhaha i dont know my sutff =/

[Xt1ncT]

is metres and yards the same? hhaha i dont know my sutff =/

Nope - a metre is about 10% longer than a yard.

135 metres = approx 150 yards.

[SuaSponteMn]

IMO hitting it far gets too much attention when hitting it accurately would be better.

I agree completely! I lost significant yardage when I switched irons, but they are much more accurate. Currently hitting them:

(In Yards) Driver = In excess of 240 usually 3W = 240 2i Hybrid = 225 3i Hybrid = 210 4i = 195 5i = 180 6i = 165 7i = 150 8i = 135 9i = 120 PW = 105 SW (54) = 90 LW (60) = 70 (prefer not to make full swings with this club)

[iacas]

What do you guys believe is the ideal distance for each club?

There's no such thing as an ideal distance for each club, and certainly not across a variety of people.

If there were an ideal distance, regardless of the club, it would be "exactly as far as the distance between my ball and the hole."

[knock-down]

My very first set of clubs were Callaways w/ R-flex graphite shafts. I was kncoking my 4-iron over 240 yards (carry). But I sprayed them all over the palce.

So I bought a set of used DCI 962's w/ stiff steel shafts. My 4-iron was now only going about 185 yds. or so. But my game improved considerably.

I would say the only club that has an ideal distance is your D-spackle. And that ideal distance is 'as far as possible'.

[iikka.k]

Hey you guys, you've everyone missed the point, always play smart, swing hard :)

Okey, accuracy is what matters, so truth as women say "size doesn't matter" :)

[georgep]

If there were an ideal distance, regardless of the club, it would be "exactly as far as the distance between my ball and the hole."

And long enough to hit softly into the dirt on the back of the cup so as to stay in the hole rather than hitting the cup itself and bouncing out. Naturally, you'd also want it about 3/4 of an inch left or right to avoid the flag as well. I mean, we're talking "ideal" here. Or you could just roll it in, but what fun is that?

FWIW (not much in my opinion): On a full straight shot, I hit my PW about 125 yards, 8 iron = ~155, 3 iron = ~210, Driver = ~270. Plus or minus 5 if I hit a draw or fade, and then there's trajectory, 3/4 swings, 1/2 swings, punchs, knockdowns, lobs, the weather, all sorts of things to consider. Basically, as Erik said, the ideal distance with any club is hitting it the distance you are intending to.

[philipy]

What about this question: On average, what is the difference in yards between successive clubs? 10 yards?

[DBake]

What is the best way to find and understand the correct yardage for each club?

[Rafcin]

What is the best way to find and understand the correct yardage for each club?

Keep stats of your shots. it's a lot of work, but it pays off. You have to be "smart" about it - don't include total mishits in the averages, etc, etc. If you really serious about it - get yourself one of the handheld gadgets with GPS and stat tracker ( example: iPaq 6315w and Intelligolf Eagle Edition ). It's GPS receiver could be used as distance measurement device (if you downloaded the the course map) or you can use it to keep track of distances for your shots. It's not top-notch accurate (depends on weather, obstructions, etc.) but you can also enter the distances manually. Once you collect enough rounds you'll be able to see something like this:

http://www.rcl-consulting.com/stats.htm. Scroll down to see individual club analysis (note: I've only 4 rounds included, that's not enough. Some of the stats are a bit stupid )

[DBake]

Keep stats of your shots. it's a lot of work, but it pays off. You have to be "smart" about it - don't include total mishits in the averages, etc, etc. If you really serious about it - get yourself one of the handheld gadgets with GPS and stat tracker ( example: iPaq 6315w and Intelligolf Eagle Edition ). It's GPS receiver could be used as distance measurement device (if you downloaded the the course map) or you can use it to keep track of distances for your shots. It's not top-notch accurate (depends on weather, obstructions, etc.) but you can also enter the distances manually. Once you collect enough rounds you'll be able to see something like this:

Wow Wow, seems like the easiest way to keep stats. I also like the club break down at the bottom of the page.

[Rafcin]

Wow Wow, seems like the easiest way to keep stats. I also like the club break down at the bottom of the page.

I found it hard to do when I walk or ride a cart in the driver seat. Best are rounds with carts as passanger - plenty of time to punch in the numbers

[niblick]

If there were an ideal distance, regardless of the club, it would be "exactly as far as the distance between my ball and the hole."

This is the right answer.

Most amateurs, myself included, usually focus on a single distance for each club. I'd love to have the game to hit 3 or 4 different clubs 150 yards depending on the shot shape I wanted, but I don't. I'm working hard on it, but out on the course if I've got 150 to the middle, I'm hitting 9 iron every time. Which means if it's windy, I'm hosed.