Distance gaps?

[MCMLXXXV]

I'm trying to figure out what is the expected distance gap between irons on full swings. Recently, I've found that my 3, 4, and 5 irons are going basically the same distance. It's probably because I'm not striking them well, but I was just wondering what if there is a general rule with distance gaps between all irons. Thanks.

[Shindig]

  MCMLXXXV said:

I'm trying to figure out what is the expected distance gap between irons on full swings. Recently, I've found that my 3, 4, and 5 irons are going basically the same distance. It's probably because I'm not striking them well, but I was just wondering what if there is a general rule with distance gaps between all irons. Thanks.

I find my distance gap to be about 2.5 yards per degree of loft difference. Your 3, 4, and 5 are probably closer in loft than your 9, 8, and 7.

[chingali]

Instead of asking questions on a forum and or just guessing why don't you work it out, it's easy to do. Buy yourself a survryors measuring wheel, it'll cost you about $50 off ebay. Buy yourself a bag of 50 used balls identical to what you play. Find an area where you can hit your balls, preferably when the ground in the landing area is soft, early morning is usually a good time. Hit 40 or 50 with a 9 iron and walk out to the middle of the grouping, the distance where most of them finished and with your measuring wheel measure back to where you hit them from and write it down. Repeat this for every club in your bag a few times over a few weeks (don't do all of them in a day, do the whole set over a few days) until you have a nice consistent yardage for every club. If you change the ball you are using or if you get a new set of irons or reshaft them or your golf improves, do it again.

No point in guessing when it is very easy to find your exact yardages. My current yardages as of a few weeks ago,

  None said:

None

[jaydotscott]

Check your lofts...pro's do it every day...granted, they have access to the tour van - I was amazed to see my MP60s vary by 2-3 degrees after a month of practice/play. Forged will vary more than cast.

[Dent]

i think on my clubs, i have less loft on every single one of my clubs than the default lofts.

[chingali]

  jaydotscott said:

Check your lofts...pro's do it every day...granted, they have access to the tour van - I was amazed to see my MP60s vary by 2-3 degrees after a month of practice/play. Forged will vary more than cast.

Good advice. I check mine every 6 months or so and they do vary. I have a simple loft and lie machine I bought 20 years ago and I rarely use it to bend anything from a set but I use it for checking. If I find something is out of whack like my 7 and 9 iron for example then I'll take the whole set of irons in to my clubmaker to check and adjust. His machine is a heap more accurate than mine for measuring loft and lie, and incredibly more accurate when it comes to making the adjustments.

[Matt P]

I like the idea of a surveyors wheel. I hadn't thought of that. One of my goals for this season was to define my club distances. I have always relied upon the I think method of I think I can hit hit the seven iron here. I think knowning how far I can hit the shot will give me more confidence in my shot selection.

[MCMLXXXV]

  chingali said:

Buy yourself a survryors measuring wheel, it'll cost you about $50 off ebay.

That's actually a great idea. I think I'll be looking into that. Thanks.

I'll just have to find a spot like that in Los Angeles.

[Shindig]

  MCMLXXXV said:

That's actually a great idea. I think I'll be looking into that. Thanks.

If you find one, let me know. Only thing even like that that I know about is a pitching/chipping area on the UCLA campus, but that cuts off under 100 yards, so you won't have much luck using it past your wedges.

[chingali]

> This is what you want

[MCMLXXXV]

  Shindig said:

If you find one, let me know. Only thing even like that that I know about is a pitching/chipping area on the UCLA campus, but that cuts off under 100 yards, so you won't have much luck using it past your wedges.

That's the only problem with the surveyor wheel idea. I figure there aren't too many places that are wide open and unpopulated. The only thing that comes to mind is a public park, but I don't think people would take too kindly to that.

[Shindig]

  MCMLXXXV said:

That's the only problem with the surveyor wheel idea. I figure there aren't too many places that are wide open and unpopulated. The only thing that comes to mind is a public park, but I don't think people would take too kindly to that.

Yeah... and there isn't exactly a ton of open parks off-campus near you. Not that there are that many here.

If I find a place where this can be measured around us, I'll let you know. Unfortunately, parks around Westwood even say "No hitting of golf balls" on signs.

[chingali]

Are you a member of a golf course? I do all of my yardages (and practice) at the practice fairway at the club I am a member of. A lot of courses here in Australia have an area you are welcome to use if you are a member, you bring your own balls hit them and pick them up when you are finished. The course I am currently a member of has an area big enough to hit 5 irons, but late in the evening they don't mind if you hit balls from the practice area down the 3rd and 4th fairways after the last group has gone through.

As I understand it though, you don't have this sort of arrangement at many of your courses in America. On the other hand we don't very many driving ranges here, only a handful of our top courses and some of the better resort courses have them. Our practice facilities are bring your own balls affairs mostly.

[Shindig]

  chingali said:

Are you a member of a golf course? I do all of my yardages (and practice) at the practice fairway at the club I am a member of. A lot of courses here in Australia have an area you are welcome to use if you are a member, you bring your own balls hit them and pick them up when you are finished. The course I am currently a member of has an area big enough to hit 5 irons, but late in the evening they don't mind if you hit balls from the practice area down the 3rd and 4th fairways after the last group has gone through.

We don't, but if a course did, it might motivate me to join it.

I see the old Bobby Jones videos where he says "I'll meet you on the 14th" mid-day and they go and practice chipping at a real green for a while. It just makes me wonder what the members playing the course are doing. I don't doubt Bobby Jones could ask a course for a given hole for half an hour, but I doubt I could do it. Practice fairway? Different from a range? That sounds quite awesome. I wonder if my future employers will have openings in Australia...

[MCMLXXXV]

I would just love if I could use a fairway to practice on. That's awesome man, I gotta look into getting to Australia later in life. As a poor college student, I can't afford to join any clubs yet.

I guess Shindig and I are going to have to do some hunting. I'll let you know if I find anything also.

[ChillyDipper]

Another option you have for finding distances is skycaddie golf gps. There is a mark button on the unit that lets you "mark" a spot from where you hit your ball and when you reach your ball you hit the button again it tells you exactly how far you've hit your ball. The only drawback about this option is you have to be on a course that is preprogrammed for the skycaddie and you would also have to do this during a round. If these options are available to you I would give it a try.

[Shindig]

  ChillyDipper said:

Another option you have for finding distances is skycaddie golf gps. There is a mark button on the unit that lets you "mark" a spot from where you hit your ball and when you reach your ball you hit the button again it tells you exactly how far you've hit your ball. The only drawback about this option is you have to be on a course that is preprogrammed for the skycaddie and you would also have to do this during a round. If these options are available to you I would give it a try.

is Civilian GPS sufficiently accurate for these measurements? I realize it can tell the difference between a 200 yard drive and a 250-yard drive, but can it tell me if my 9-Iron is 105 yards or 110?

[MGP]

  Shindig said:

is Civilian GPS sufficiently accurate for these measurements? I realize it can tell the difference between a 200 yard drive and a 250-yard drive, but can it tell me if my 9-Iron is 105 yards or 110?

It sure can. SkyCaddie uses the enhanced accuracy mode that the boys in Washington finally unlocked to the general public. As long as you have at least 4 satellites locked up it will use the enhanced accuracy mode. I forget at the moment what it's called but the Skycaddie GPS units show a little "+" sign by the signal strength meter when it's on.

I just got a SG3 this year and was testing the accuracy in a friend's yard (he's got about 3 acres) and every measurement I took was within a pace of what I walked off for each shot. I only tested it to about 150 yds. but I don't see any reason it won't be accurate at longer distances too. The "mark" function also works anywhere you've got GPS reception too, not just on "4-star" courses. I'm going to keep a notebook in my bag this year and measure as many shots as I can to work up a log of club distances and also track any improvements (hopefully ) in my game.