First Time Playing - Driving Range

[gamesetmatch4]

Hey everyone! Tonight was my first time actually playing golf. I went to the driving range. I recently bought the Wilson Ultra complete set, which was the local golf store's best seller for golf newbies. I have heard from many sources not to actually try the driver first at the driving range because it is the hardest to hit. I tried most of what was in the bag and I actually liked hitting the driver the most. The farthest I hit it was 200 yards but consistently it was probably in the 150-170 range. I also tried many of the irons and if I remember correctly, the 6/7 irons were in the 120-130 range and the 8/9 irons were maybe in the 85-95 range. Is this bad for a first-timer?

[Skragbait]

That's pretty much normal. I still remember hitting my pitching wedge around 90-100 yards :P. Now I hit it around 130. Distance comes with lots and lots and lots....and LOTS of practice. Not just randomly swinging at balls either but studying a good golf swing and learning it. Welcome to the obsession! :) May it frustrate and exhilarate you as much as it has all of us.

[mcgriff]

At least your driver is going longer than your irons. When I started I am pretty sure my 7 iron was the longest club. But, those wood woods were a bear to learn to hit.

[darkhunter139]

  Skragbait said:

That's pretty much normal. I still remember hitting my pitching wedge around 90-100 yards :P. Now I hit it around 130. Distance comes with lots and lots and lots....and LOTS of practice. Not just randomly swinging at balls either but studying a good golf swing and learning it. Welcome to the obsession! :) May it frustrate and exhilarate you as much as it has all of us.

Yeah same here, I was hitting my 5 iron 150 when I first started. Hitting it about 190ish only a few months later.

[clubchamp]

As long as you're hitting it straight the distance will come in time.

[soloredd]

I didn't hit a driver for the first 3 years when I started out (when I was 13). It was all 3-woods off the tee. So, if you are able to hit the thing, that's awesome.

Good luck and have fun. I started with Wilsons also :)

[rogerw]

Welcome to the addiction. I can't think of any other sport that I've played in my life as addicting as this one. Most likely everyone in this forum can think of that one shot that they hit that keeps them coming back for more. I'm also really starting to believe that most golfers have a significant amount of masochism in their blood.

[SteelCitySlice]

Personally, I think that's great. I've been taking a co-worker to the driving range with me weekly for about a month or so. He still has trouble hitting anything over 100-120 yrds, no matter what club he's hitting! He finally got hold of one with the driver last week and put it out there about 200 yrds. So if this is your first time on the range and you already know what distances you're hitting for almost all of your clubs, I say well done. Keep at it and I bet you'll be a low handicapper in no time!

[JKMS]

I started about 6 months ago and I couldn't get my driver to go straight consistently until a couple of months ago. You are on a pretty good start!

[kurisu]

Started a bit more than year ago, first time I swung a 7 iron and hit the ball, I think it went 100 yards. Same as my 5, 6, 8 and 9 ! They all went the same distance.
Then things slowly started to progress. Now I can hit my 3 iron 195~200 yards and my PW 110. It takes time and this game will make you learn patience!!!
But from a newbie to another: don't focus on distance. It doesn't matter. What matters is contact. Make good solid contact, and distance will take care of itself