Where Are Those 300 Yard Videos?

[sean_miller]

I might have said this before, but I have never ever met a good player who talks about how far he hits it. That's because he's focused on scoring, not driver distance.

Come on man, this is the internet. Of course good players don't boast about their driving distance (or whine about their lack of distance compared to the pros) to their playing partners because it would by definition be boastful (or whiney) but more likely you'd be seen as an arrogant di**wad. To say that good players don't focus on driver distance - ever - is sure not consistent with my experience. I've heard a lot of decent players over the years talk about their driver distance. Some guys can't believe how much longer their new stick is and other guys felt like they were striping it, yet the distance was a bit off. Those latter guys typically question their equipment or swing, then talk about checking both out during their next range session. Either way, without knowing your mean driver distance (carry and roll) how would you ever know which hazards you can carry and when to lay up? Would you just always choose to lay up? Wow, that's boring. How do you know which doglegs you can cut the corner on and which ones you should just get it to the corner with an iron?

[delav]

I might have said this before, but I have never ever met a good player who talks about how far he hits it. That's because he's focused on scoring, not driver distance.

As sean_miller said, this is not to say that most better players are indifferent to driver distance. With the guys I play with, it's common to hit the range, putting green or bar and talk about who hit what shot great, hit what putt terrible, etc... and the long drives come up too. If a friend tries a new club or swing thought that adds 10 yards, he's talking and I'm curious.

Look at all the tour players changing their equipment out, too. Of all people these guys are most concerned with scoring, and picking up 5-10 yards is a very big deal to them too. Yes, good golf is about scoring. But knowing and trusting my distances helps me play the hole backwards in my head from the tee. If I can have a 9 iron in my hand as opposed to a 7 iron, I'm a happy guy.

[chilly]

200-210 is normal there? man... i don't think ive ever golfed with anyone that drives that short. my dad who is 60 drives around 240+ average. My girlfriend who is just 5'4" 110 lbs drives over 200 yards...

You live on the moon or something? Almost every older guy (60+) I've played with at my home club hits it around 200yds, along with a lot of smaller guys in my work league, or anyone with a bad swing. First hole on my home course is very slightly uphill with bunker to the right at 200yds and a TON of people end up right at the bunker with driver. If they could hit it further, they would to take the bunker out of play. I've personally never seen a woman at my home club hit it over 170yds in "normal" conditions, and some of them are solid golfers (I've also been to a Futures Tour event and seen girls averaging 250yds so I'm not saying they can't hit it a long way).

[golfro]

You live on the moon or something? Almost every older guy (60+) I've played with at my home club hits it around 200yds, along with a lot of smaller guys in my work league, or anyone with a bad swing. First hole on my home course is very slightly uphill with bunker right at 200yds and a TON of people land it right at the bunker with driver. I've personally never seen a woman at my home club hit it over 170yds in "normal" conditions, and some of them are solid golfers.

My dad is 60 and he drives around 240 on average. He is a single digit handicapper though.

I golf often with a lot of my coworkers who are up in their 50's, a couple in their 60's, and they drive much longer than 200 yards. Maybe its just the people I golf with but 200 average is ridiculously short. Unless you're talking about complete hackers...then who gives a crap about distance. Consider me suprised. Likewise, my gf drives it around 200 yards and hits her 3 wood about 170. I've golfed with a lot of girls who can also drive around 240-250.

[sean_miller]

My dad is 60 and he drives around 240 on average. He is a single digit handicapper though.

That's pretty long for a female. I golf with a lady who hits 250 yard drives. They make her play in the men's league because she hits the ball 100+ yards past all the other women.

[James_Black]

My dad is 60 and he drives around 240 on average. He is a single digit handicapper though.

I can drive it 240 but most people i play with don't hit it that long.

Golf is a recreational game at the club I'm at, most people aren't very good. It's only 10 euro to play.

[golfro]

That's pretty long for a female. I golf with a lady who hits 250 yard drives. They make her play in the men's league because she hits the ball 100+ yards past all the other women.

Yeah I've taught her well! :D

Jk. she gets quite a bit of shoulder turn and has a great swing now. She loves hitting her driver and surprisingly enough, id say its one of her more consistent clubs. I have a family friend who plays golf often and she can slam the ball way out there, 240-250. She's young though and she's about 21 years old now and she was a great golfer, on her way to play college...and then she rebelled against her very traditional christian family and turned lesbian and quit golfing a couple years ago... totally called it...that girl had a deeper voice than me.

[mobosecomin]

I love this thread haha ...

dose anyone have any thought on markers not being placed at the right distances at the range ??
at the range i average 210 - 220 meters (240 yards)(no roll) by the markers on the course yesterday i hit a few 270 280 yards with no roll and today on 498 par5 i left 195 (had some roll course was hard)

something dose not add up really. i wonder what balls im using the range??

[golfro]

I love this thread

a lot of ranges have inaccurate distances marked at the range. The local range I goto is off by 10 yards but verified with my range finder, distance is fairly accurate.

If you're hitting shorter at the range, its likely they're limited flight balls.

[motteler621]

yea the markers at a local range by me are way off. The farthest the markers go is 225 and thats about at the fence,lol. That fence is atleast 300 back

[max power]

yea the markers at a local range by me are way off. The farthest the markers go is 225 and thats about at the fence,lol. That fence is atleast 300 back

Unlikely the markers are that inaccurate-it's probably the range balls. Fence probably seems 300 yds away if you're trying to reach it with a beat up and/or limited flight range ball.

[mobosecomin]

now that i think about it alot of ranges probably use limited flight balls?? should their marker then be set up to match .. 90% balls = 200 marker at 180 .. they should probably have a big sign up telling people anyway ..

also what difference can a ball make .. higher handicapers might use distance balls hence 300 yard drives

if you think about it though average guy 20s or early 30s pretty fit.. plays golf every second weekend buys r9 likes the brand and having the name in the bag.. buys pack of wilson distance balls 2 for one in the golf shop.. their a good chance that alot of these guys are going to crack a few of these close to 300 and then let the ego add on the extra few yards to tell the buddys down the bar.

since i started playing golf a few years ago i have always held onto the belief thats theirs a certain amount of amnesia generated in a round of golf how one good shot can erase 45 bad ones. thats how we all started i think! hacking around and the 2 good shots we had completly erased the memory of all the other bad ones.

i think these drives are golf amnesia manipulated by ego i cant remember all the bad ones but one went 300 and thats all i remember .. their are genuine 300 yarders out their though ... FREAKS

[Mexicanleprican]

I am definitely more prone to remember all my bad shots. I try to learn alot from what I do wrong.

[ohiolefty]

if you think about it though average guy 20s or early 30s pretty fit.. plays golf every second weekend buys r9 likes the brand and having the name in the bag.. buys pack of wilson distance balls 2 for one in the golf shop.. their a good chance that alot of these guys are going to crack a few of these close to 300 and then let the ego add on the extra few yards to tell the buddys down the bar.

Exactly. I've hit 300 yard drives before and I'm sensible enough not to think I have anything close to world-class distance. With today's equipment, even a middling guy like me (or basically EVERYONE on this forum) can get one out there deep once in a while. Let's see it with a persimmion driver, or even one of the metal drivers from the late 80s or early 90s and a balata ball (because nobody good played with rocks...hehe).

[max power]

Exactly. I've hit 300 yard drives before and I'm sensible enough not to think I have anything close to world-class distance. With today's equipment, even a middling guy like me (or basically EVERYONE on this forum) can get one out there deep once in a while. Let's see it with a persimmion driver, or even one of the metal drivers from the late 80s or early 90s and a balata ball (because nobody good played with rocks...hehe).

I don't find the new drivers to be tremendously

longer than persimmon or 80's-90's era metal-just much more forgiving. So average distance is definitely longer, but the longest drives I see at the range are about the same as always.

[motteler621]

Unlikely the markers are that inaccurate-it's probably the range balls. Fence probably seems 300 yds away if you're trying to reach it with a beat up and/or limited flight range ball.

yea could be limited flight balls. but Ive never seen anyone hit that fence and everyone tries to. Its funny cause the sign says 225. this range has been around forever and is all mats

[Fourputt]

Exactly. I've hit 300 yard drives before and I'm sensible enough not to think I have anything close to world-class distance. With today's equipment, even a middling guy like me (or basically EVERYONE on this forum) can get one out there deep once in a while. Let's see it with a persimmion driver, or even one of the metal drivers from the late 80s or early 90s and a balata ball (because nobody good played with rocks...hehe).

I still have my 8.5° TaylorMade TP Tour Driver circa 1988. I hit a lot of great drives using that club and a Titleist Tour Balata 100. On average, I hit the ball farther then than I do now, partly because of age, partly because I had a more consistent swing then. And that club has a 43" TT DG steel shaft. I still take it out a couple of times a year just for kicks.

[Shanks A Million]

The idea that modern drivers are that much longer is crazy. I just hit an early 80s or so TaylorMade Tour Spoon, and that sucker flew like a rocket. I was amazed how much hotter it was than a modern fairway wood. I occasionally get out my old drivers, take them for a spin. Not a huge difference in distance. The ball is what has changed the most. A persimmon driver may be 10-20 yards shorter at the most.

Still, 300 yards is quite a feat. I will reiterate this, to reach 300 yards on flat ground with no wind, you must swing a club about 120 mph. 120 mph is considered extreme clubhead speed, even on tour that's high. Most amatuers swing around 80-90 mph. And athleticism has little to nothing to do with it, unless you think John Daly or Angel Cabrerra are fitness models. Technique is all that matters.