Distance improvement question

[Colicab]

Hello fellow golfers,

I don't know if this question has been answered before, but i appreciate as much feedback i get.

After I haven't played any golf in 8 years i decided to dust off my golf clubs and start playing again. I've been playing on daily basis again since a couple of weeks and I can see my game improving rapidly. My short game is pretty solid for a player of my level and I'm currently working on my shot consistency. The biggest bottleneck I face at this moment is the length in all of my shots. On the shorter PAR-3 holes i have no problems reaching Par, but when it comes to the longer par-4 and par-5 holes i struggle because of my shot distance. With my 6-iron I get around 165 yards, but i know players who can reach 190 with a 7-iron. Now I know that they are much better and that I should focus on myself, but gaining some extra yardage would be nice.

So my question is: How much do you think a novice golfer can improve in distance over what period of time with day-to-day practise? Is there any good practise drill you can think of to help improve me?

I do understand this is next to impossible to answer since every player is different and other factors like technique come into play. But I was hoping somebody might have some sort of rule of thumb or have experience with this.

Thank you very much for your effort!

[xmanhockey7]

Originally Posted by Colicab

Hello fellow golfers,

I don't know if this question has been answered before, but i appreciate as much feedback i get.

After I haven't played any golf in 8 years i decided to dust off my golf clubs and start playing again. I've been playing on daily basis again since a couple of weeks and I can see my game improving rapidly. My short game is pretty solid for a player of my level and I'm currently working on my shot consistency. The biggest bottleneck I face at this moment is the length in all of my shots. On the shorter PAR-3 holes i have no problems reaching Par, but when it comes to the longer par-4 and par-5 holes i struggle because of my shot distance. With my 6-iron I get around 165 yards, but i know players who can reach 190 with a 7-iron. Now I know that they are much better and that I should focus on myself, but gaining some extra yardage would be nice.

So my question is: How much do you think a novice golfer can improve in distance over what period of time with day-to-day practise? Is there any good practise drill you can think of to help improve me?

I do understand this is next to impossible to answer since every player is different and other factors like technique come into play. But I was hoping somebody might have some sort of rule of thumb or have experience with this.

Thank you very much for your effort!

If I were you I'd just focus on getting a swing that will allow you to hit shots consistently well and improve your short game. 165 6 iron for your handicap is plenty far. I'd say go to your local PGA pro and get some lessons. For me I always heard things that would "make me hit the ball further". Only thing that ever really worked for me was working out.

[LuciusWooding]

Move up a set of tees and voila, you'll be able to reach everything.

[tshapiro]

Perhaps try getting a small fairway wood like a 25* Rocketballz. It will make your 160-200 range pretty easy.

[soon_tourpro]

no short cuts, proper technique with good release is needed.

distance can be due to clubs is different due to loft also.

I am about 4 clubs longer today than I was 4 years ago all due to improved technique and release.

where I once hit a 6i I now can use a PW or 9i.

[Mr. Desmond]

How old are you?

Been away from the game for 8 years, been practicing a couple of weeks?, and your short game is strong?

Pars on par 3s?

You, my boy, are a savant.

165 for a 6i is not bad - can't say much, except to video yourself, have someone look at your swing, and then after some time, get fitted for the right shaft and head for clubs.

[saevel25]

I'll plug S&T; here...

read up on the 5 keys, they promote solid contact, which will dictate your distance more than anything. Think about this, distance = ball speed, Ball speed = club head speed x smash factor. Smash factor is dictated on how well you make contact with the ball. So basically if you mis hit the ball, hit it at a bad angle, your looking at a huge decrease in ball speed, east as much as 10%.

Another key is the swing path, if you have a huge over the top move with the downswing. Your looking at a ton of side spin, that slice will decrease how far you can carry the ball. towards the hole because some of that distance is taken away in horizontal movement.

[Harmonious]

Ultimately, your distance is a factor of your clubhead speed AND solid contact. Don't worry what distances other people hit. At your level, you need to be concerned with hitting the ball consistently.  Sure, improved technique and/or conditioning may increase your clubhead speed, but in the end you need to hit a consistent distance with each club.

A 165 six iron is just fine, if you can hit it that distance consistently. Just channel Corey Pavin, who gives up 40 yards to almost every other player on tour.  He competes with his ability to maneuver the ball, his short game and his putting. Whenever I outscore my regular playing partner (who outdrives me by 40-50 yards) on a hole by hitting a hybrid to the green while he hits an 7 iron, I tell him "Looks like I Pavined you on that one".

[BostonSully]

Originally Posted by Colicab

Hello fellow golfers,

I don't know if this question has been answered before, but i appreciate as much feedback i get.

After I haven't played any golf in 8 years i decided to dust off my golf clubs and start playing again. I've been playing on daily basis again since a couple of weeks and I can see my game improving rapidly. My short game is pretty solid for a player of my level and I'm currently working on my shot consistency. The biggest bottleneck I face at this moment is the length in all of my shots. On the shorter PAR-3 holes i have no problems reaching Par, but when it comes to the longer par-4 and par-5 holes i struggle because of my shot distance. With my 6-iron I get around 165 yards, but i know players who can reach 190 with a 7-iron. Now I know that they are much better and that I should focus on myself, but gaining some extra yardage would be nice.

So my question is: How much do you think a novice golfer can improve in distance over what period of time with day-to-day practise? Is there any good practise drill you can think of to help improve me?

I do understand this is next to impossible to answer since every player is different and other factors like technique come into play. But I was hoping somebody might have some sort of rule of thumb or have experience with this.

Thank you very much for your effort!

Honestly I have the opposite problem as you do. At around a 22-24ish HCP I can cream the ball with my driver. I've clocked a few over 300 this year and probably average around 270 or so. But when I drive a ball on a 350 par4 and I have less than 100 to go I still can struggle to get the Pars.

I really wouldn't worry about distance, i've always been a big athletic hockey player so for me distance came first and I'm trying to work out control. I think that if I had control first and figured out distance I'd be in a much better spot. Dont worry about what other players are doing, last night I tied my friend who 2 ironed off of every tee because he doesn't like his driver. Distance is overrated except for on the odd 550+ par 5s.

[rustyredcab]

165 6-iron is very good distance. It is about how far I hit my 6-iron and I am considered a long hitter by the rest of the old guys I play with each week. If I somehow lost my 5-iron and my 4-hybrid, I could swing my 6-iron and hit it 175-180 yards. But I could not control it. What is the point? I played the best golf of my life after intentionally dropping 10-15 yards with every iron. Better contact. Better distance control. Better direction control. Closer to my targets.

Worry about hitting a 6-iron straighter instead of longer and your game will improve. Playing for more distance with your irons as a goal is a high-handicap sucker game.

[Colicab]

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

How old are you?

Been away from the game for 8 years, been practicing a couple of weeks?, and your short game is strong?

Pars on par 3s?

You, my boy, are a savant.

165 for a 6i is not bad - can't say much, except to video yourself, have someone look at your swing, and then after some time, get fitted for the right shaft and head for clubs.

I'm 24, and had lessons for little over a year when I was younger. So I still remember the fundementals and the do's and don'ts, but I guess it feels like learning to walk again. But thank you and all the others for the feedback!

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by Colicab

I'm 24, and had lessons for little over a year when I was younger. So I still remember the fundementals and the do's and don'ts, but I guess it feels like learning to walk again. But thank you and all the others for the feedback!

OK, at 24, you have the potential to go longer than 165 with a 6i.

You might want to get stronger in terms of all-around, and have strong forearms and wrists. Of course, quality lessons that fit your style will get you swinging more efficiently. A head-shaft combo that is right for you will also help. good luck.

[saevel25]

I don't think age has anything to do with it. I'm 27, and i know people who are 10 years older than me who hit the ball as far or on occassion farther than i do.

I would say, if you took a long time off, your muscles are not use to swinging. I can say this, i hit my drives the farthest about 4-5 weeks into the season because my muscles remember the swing better, the neurological pathways are being reset for the golf swing. Its like if you take 4 weeks off from weight lifting, you might not have lost any muscle strength, but you lost the neurological feeling of the movements, which can down how much you can lift. Also you might not be flexible, i know one of the great things i did was that i overswang for a huge part of my early golfing career. It stretched out my muscles, and now i got great leverage. I play golf with a guy who doesn't get his hands higher than his shoulder, and he useing alot of wrist action to get the golf shaft to parallel. The golf shaft is almost touching his upper back. I think he's only 5 years older than me, but i don't think he started golf till his 20's. So he doesn't have that muscle flexibility from starting early and playing often.

I would just keep working on your golf swing, get to were you are hitting the club consistantly, and see how much distance you gain. Stop trying to think you need to bash the ball, my best drives are when i just don't care about distance and just free swing the club. When i start thinking i got to pound it, i end up doing bad things. Its not how hard you swing the club, its how fast, there is a mental difference. When you start thinking about swinging hard, you get all tense, you try to just destroy the ball and you probably loose alot of clubhead speed.

[rustyredcab]

Club head speed is going to come from having your hands work correctly. The fastest you will ever swing your arms might be about 40 MPH. To make a clubhead go fast, you need to have proper wrist hinge and allow the clubhead to reach its maximum speed as it it reaching the ball. Unlike a baseball flying at you at 90 mph, the golfball is little and just sitting there. It does not fight back against your clubhead. Swing fast, not hard. Never try and hit a ball hard. Try and hit a ball fast.

As a newer golfer, more increase in distance will be attributed to better contact with the clubhead than with increases in clubhead speed. Your long drives will come when you make great contact.

Want to hit it farther? Get some impact tape and work on hitting the ball on the sweat spot of the club face with relaxed arms and a proper wrist hinge.

But again I ask, why do you want to hit your 6-iron farther?

[EverythingGolf]

Originally Posted by Colicab

Hello fellow golfers,

I don't know if this question has been answered before, but i appreciate as much feedback i get.

After I haven't played any golf in 8 years i decided to dust off my golf clubs and start playing again. I've been playing on daily basis again since a couple of weeks and I can see my game improving rapidly. My short game is pretty solid for a player of my level and I'm currently working on my shot consistency. The biggest bottleneck I face at this moment is the length in all of my shots. On the shorter PAR-3 holes i have no problems reaching Par, but when it comes to the longer par-4 and par-5 holes i struggle because of my shot distance. With my 6-iron I get around 165 yards, but i know players who can reach 190 with a 7-iron. Now I know that they are much better and that I should focus on myself, but gaining some extra yardage would be nice.

So my question is: How much do you think a novice golfer can improve in distance over what period of time with day-to-day practise? Is there any good practise drill you can think of to help improve me?

I do understand this is next to impossible to answer since every player is different and other factors like technique come into play. But I was hoping somebody might have some sort of rule of thumb or have experience with this.

Thank you very much for your effort!

Hitting a 7 iron 190 yards is very rare. I hit my 7 iron 160 yards.

Accuracy is more important than distance.

[Beachcomber]

Buy a Trackman.  It will help eliminate the guesswork.

[LuciusWooding]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Buy a Trackman.  It will help eliminate the guesswork.

Somehow I doubt he has the coin. He could afford a membership, 2 years of weekly lessons, a new set of clubs, and a personal golf cart for what a Trackman costs, easily. Probably a caddy too. There are simulators that are a couple hundred but don't give accurate measurements and are limited in the data they read, but real launch monitors cost a hell of a lot.

[EverythingGolf]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Buy a Trackman.  It will help eliminate the guesswork.

Get a GPS it will show you how far you hit your shots.