Are Kids Really Hitting It 330 Or Are They Just Bragging?

[Naruto]

Keep in mind that this average includes all drives . . .

all correct except the very first sentence...all of that is not factored into driving average... driving average on the tours is factored off of two relatively long holes were the majority if not all of the players will hit their drives and the two holes will be in oppossing direction to counteract wind...i.e. one into the wind and one with the wind that way its a true average.... let's please consider that the people who figure these stats out were smart enough to tie their shoes in the morning that indeed they would be smart enough to know that average driving distance if they are all hitting hybrids and fairway woods would not be an effective representation of the information that we want to know..... besides if your statement was correct than tigers average would be way lower due to the fact that during the british open he hit all 2 irons and then another tournament after that it was almost all 5 woods....he's good but even he doesnt average 300 with a 2 iron or 5 wood..... according to the golf channel statistics he barely averages that with a driver. FYI.... http://www.golfweb.com/stats/2003/r_101.html read the statement at the bottom in the grey box....cheers.

[RX Phoenix]

all correct except the very first sentence...all of that is not factored into driving average...

thank you for the correction on the driving average methodology. . . but there must be some variables that are being overlooked, possibly that the tour players are not necessarily cranking it up like the kids who have nothing to lose in just hitting it as far as possible, the pro's do have perhaps a million reasons to not hit it into the woods so they are also very intent on accuracy as well. Say a pro has a swing speed on average of 115 and he uses that for accuracy, but he can crank it up to 125, however he may use the 115 in a tournament and not risk trying to kill the ball. The kids are just trying to hit it as far as possible, i've seen it. I played with a few and they hit it a mile, but more often than not ended up off the fairway and into some trouble, but they didn't care.

[Naruto]

i have watched several pro clinics and almost all of the pros say they swing about 80-85% everytime.....but they all say that their longest drives come on these 80-85% and not their 100%....because very few, maybe a handul, of people in the world could consistently hit the sweet spot swinging all out...and if the pros who hit billions of range balls say that it goes farther at 80 % than it does at 100 I will have to assume that kids now adays havent' got a clue how far 300 yards is...

there maybe 2 14 year olds alive that hit it that far....don't you think we would have seen them on the golf channel by now???

i'm sorry if tiger can hit a nine iron 212 and he usually does not leave much in the bag with driver in hand and he's not averaging any more than 305 no 14 year olds are....

besides studies have shown that the average golfer says they hit it 250 and only actually hit it 210....so if you hear a kid say i hit it 300 he meant 260.....

I worked at a golf club in texas where the pro was about 28 and 6'4"...215 lbs....with a swing speed of like 125+ with his driver and he was just past 300....these kids are lying through there teeth....115 will not get the ball 300 yards out there....


next time you see one ask them what their measured ball speed is off the driver and if its less than 180 mph....they are lying about 300 yard bombs.

[golfer53]

i have watched several pro clinics and almost all of the pros say they swing about 80-85% everytime.....but they all say that their longest drives come on these 80-85% and not their 100%....because very few, maybe a handul, of people in the world could consistently hit the sweet spot swinging all out...and if the pros who hit billions of range balls say that it goes farther at 80 % than it does at 100 I will have to assume that kids now adays havent' got a clue how far 300 yards is...

You know what i think/ believe.. the reason no one belives kids can do this is because they cant do it themsleves.... if you were hitting the ball 350 yards you would believe a kid who said they could hit it 300 but since you can only hit it 250 to 285 you think it is impossible and that all such kids are liars... i could care less if you believe me when i say that i can hit the ball over 300 yards because i know i can and how am i going to impress you by saaying that im not... it will end the same as in the quote kids cant do it... but yet the winner of the drive chip and putt competition for 13-14 year olds last year was 140 yards so it is possible ....any time you want to come to NB Texas i will prove to you that yes kids can do it...

[Naruto]

You know what i think/ believe.. the reason no one belives kids can do this is because they cant do it themsleves.... if you were hitting the ball 350 yards you would believe a kid who said they could hit it 300 but since you can only hit it 250 to 285 you think it is impossible and that all such kids are liars... i could care less if you believe me when i say that i can hit the ball over 300 yards because i know i can and how am i going to impress you by saaying that im not... it will end the same as in the quote kids cant do it... but yet the winner of the drive chip and putt competition for 13-14 year olds last year was 140 yards so it is possible ....any time you want to come to NB Texas i will prove to you that yes kids can do it...

where is nb texas.... I am originally from houston and my family is still there...if its close enogh next time i go down there i will come to see your "300" yard drives....because if you were...i would know your name by now...being that you would be the only kid in the world doing it.....so where is NB texas????

[golfer53]

where is nb texas.... I am originally from houston and my family is still there...if its close enogh next time i go down there i will come to see your "300" yard drives....because if you were...i would know your name by now...being that you would be the only kid in the world doing it.....so where is NB texas????

Its new braunfels texas and its between austin and san antonio on ih 35 but if u think im the only kid doing it look up the drive chip adn putt distances for kids last year 90% of them are over 300 yards and they are all younger than me....

[Naruto]

Its new braunfels texas and its between austin and san antonio on ih 35 but if u think im the only kid doing it look up the drive chip adn putt distances for kids last year

i know where new braunfels is....schlitterbahn....i probably misspelled that!!!still about a 3 - 4 hour drive.....hmmmmm

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.a...15&select;=4379 out of 79 13-14 year olds....11 reached 300+ yards...and if you consider the spread you have to assume location and local conditions played a role...like the kid in charleston, sc...at patriots point links...i have played there its right on the ocean and the wind is usually going down range about 750 mph....that might help a little....again 337 is a good drive for 14 year old kid...another thing when i was in new mexico at 4300 feet i hit one that went 350 and my golf buddy hit one 385; but at sea level there's no chance....for us....we are both mid 20's and in good shape, not like we are slobs.... so 11 is roughly 14% of 79 which means in other words that 86% of 13-14 year olds hit it less than 300+..... their total yardages = 20,868...divide by 79 = avg. 264.15.... most kids seem to be about 10-15 yards shorter than my average.... and mind you now these are the longest balls they hit...not their 80% keep it in play swings....if i go balls out i may have another 10 or so in the bag... in keeping with the spirit of things there are a handful of kids nationwide that can break 300 but the majority of them are not....and by majority i mean 86% of the longest kids aren't so i'd say 98% of all kids playing golf do not hit it 300+......... which would make sense since the majority of pros do not hit it over 300+....just a thought

[golfer53]

haha no i didnt mean 90% of all kids i meant 90 % of the winners of the drive chp and putt in their area...but yeah come and visit sometime im not a great golfer but i can hit the ball along way:)

[Naruto]

haha no i didnt mean 90% of all kids

i know...but its only 14% of the winners that are over 300....i've always wanted to see newbraunfels and the only girl to every show me her goods on a golf

course works at a premier resort in austin.....hmmmmm

[golfer53]

i know...but its only 14% of the winners that are over 300....i've always wanted to see newbraunfels and the only girl to every show me her goods on a golf

lmao haha well idk who else can but i know i can i dont hit over 300 every hole but i get over 300 on alot of them

[Naruto]

if i want to hit it over 300 yards its driver wedge....

[Upright]

Taking the short way through a dogleg, or catching the wind just right, there's all kinds of ways to blast one over 300 but it doesn't happen as often as some might like you to think it does. Sure kids are more flexible etc., but even the tour stats will show less than 300 on average for most pros. I have before many times but something has to happen to help it along. Heck I hit one 340 not too long ago on a flat hole with no wind, but I landed on the 200 marker and it was hot, dry Summertime. I don't know about everybody else, but if I'm chipping to a par 4 most of the time I laid the sod over my second shot to get there.

[FosterPann]

Interesting thread. As many people have pointed out, with the right conditions many people can hit the ball 300+ but to do it regularly, say in winter conditions. I don't think so. I'd say I'm a comparatively short hitter (average maybe 250-270). God knows what I'd be hitting if we were still using Persimmon. I almost dread to think.

[RX Phoenix]

I believe that we just found out an answer to this question . . .
Tadd Fujikawa, 16yrs, 5'1", and 140lbs was ripping the ball off the tee at the Sony Open, got some out over 300 and one real long ball near 340. He doesn't even seem to have that big of a swing, so it would seem that there are teenagers who can really bomb it these days. I mean he was outdriving Jim Furyk!

The kids are sophisticated and know what they are doing, the launch angle, spin rate, ball speed, shaft, club head . . . everything is in synch probably due to using launch moniters and/or teachers who undertand exactly what will maximum their distance. Plus they have the right attitude and belief like it is no big deal to hit it that far. Expectations are as powerful as anything else.

[BritBoy]

I've attended several regional Drive, Chip & Putt competitions and the best I've ever seen was about 260.

at the Drive, Chip& Putt in Boise I saw a 14 year old boy win with a drive of 316 yards, that is with the roll but who cares, its still 316 yards at 14!!!!

Let them hit their long drives now because by the time they are in their 30's they will be thinking too much, gripping too tight, and not be as flexible as they are now...... then they are mine !!!! LOL

[RX Phoenix]

at the Drive, Chip& Putt in Boise I saw a 14 year old boy win with a drive of 316 yards, that is with the roll but who cares, its still 316 yards at 14!!!!

So true, LOL!

Well, today I got some inside information on this question by talking to a golf instuctor who worked with one of the LPGA stars who is a very long hitter. He said there are a LOT of young people who are hitting it very long right now, especially the girls. He said it's not just Michelle Wei, there are many others like her. I asked what the secret is and he said that they are born that way now, exercise programs are very sophisticated, then the equipment, but mostly he said they are just natural long hitters and that you can't teach speed. I also asked about Wei if she has peaked and now in decline, he said NO, that she will get much stronger in the next few years working out and this will lead not to longer drives but to greater consistency in her game and she will start winning in a few years on the LPGA. Very possible. He said working out is the biggest difference in todays player, look at Tiger, he is a workout fanatic and is extremely strong and balanced because of this. And this is one reason why I say he is better than Nicklaus, more consistant. Work out, diet, supplements, every facet of today is more sophisticated, so the kids are hitting it long today, yes!

[John Boy]

I hate to say it, but i know a kid, now about 16, that can BOMB a ball. I probably average about 260-280 off the tee, pending on weather and how soggy the ground is. This kid put me to shame. Oddly enough, he was a pretty solid golfer. He needs some short game, but he has the stuff. I would venture to say he was carrying the ball around 300 yards. He was also a pretty hefty kid. That was about 2 years ago, so he was around 14. I know no one that can hit the ball like this kid did. He is still around, I just dont play the same course anymore. I think he was just a freak of nature with great natural ability...

Most kids are just bluffing for the most part. I have played with many who say they can hit the ball 300 yards, and I blow by them with ease. I am still only hitting about 270. This is adults. Kids do the same. thing.

It all comes back to "THE BIG FISH" story.

A valid point above was the kid WINNING the long drive with a 300 yard drive. The winner hit barely over 316. That tells me that not many kids can do it, even though it is possible.

[Naruto]

not to take away from tadd and his accomplishments because that kid is good, but 300+ drives in hawaii are to be expected especially when you get the amount of roll they are getting, 25+ yards....the avg. muni rolls about 10-12 yards, big difference...again at the same event John Daly and Bubba Watson hit some 417 yard drives....so i guess they could claim they drive the ball over 400 yards....but you take out the wind and you take out the perfect manicured fairways that roll 25+ yards and tadd probably only hits the ball 260-270...for crying out loud the guy is 5'1" and 140....with a club head speed of 125 when he goes all out....I am 5'10" and 155 with the same club head speed...so If I am not driving it over 300 neither is he...have i ever hit a ball 300 yards..sure...one time in NEW MEXICO i hit one that went 350, do i tell people that i hit it 300 no...

Tadds total driving distance avg. for the Tournament was 287.2... thats with roll and everything so I would wager i can hit the ball 20 yards past him on avg.

Again guys, if TIGER with all his conditioning, and muscle mass barely avg. 300+ how are 140 lb. teenagers supposed to keep up???

Hawaii is the worst possible example for proving how long guys are...how many times have you seen the Stuart Appleby bomb of 428 yards from the Mercedes advertised..(not this years mercedes)

lets see Tadd hit one over 300 at Augusta...a place where theres not a lot of wind and very little elevation change.... or better yet come to my local spot and hit one that far when you only get 10 yards of roll....

the pros don't just play a different game than us, they also play on a different field....one that if you find the fairway you are usually very rewarded.....you guys no how much more these things roll...

how often do you see the pros have a ball stop on a downslope in the fairway...NEVER, unless its wet... happens to me all the time because our fairways are thick...their fairways are almost better than my greens....

are there a handful of teens today that can hit one 300...sure...how rare are they...rarer than a john daly win!