Yardage for a 95 mph swing speed

[Spiffysprt]

You are all missing very important points. Shaft flex and club head speed, while important, are not the major determining factors in an amateur's driving distance with any club.  While a theoretical maximum drive distance can be calculated using club head speed (converted to ball speed); the ball speed assumption is based on hitting the ball at the center of mass (the "sweet-spot") on the clubface and compressing the ball "to the screws".  This is a reference to old actual wood drivers that had screws holding on the face plate of a persimmon wood club.

Every deviation from the sweet spot whether top to bottom but especially side-to-side on the clubface will result in a significant reduction in distance.  When the ball is struck at the center of the sweet spot on the clubface, the clubhead speed compresses the ball and the ball's reaction to that impact generates the ball speed.  No matter how well your shaft flex is matched to your clubhead speed, even if you hit the sweet spot every time, it is all useless if the golf ball you select is too hard to be compressed by your club head speed, so that it will adequately react to the impact. When you hit the ball and it feels like you're hitting a rock, you are either using a ball that is too hard, or swinging a club with a shaft that is too stiff.

Many of us "macho dudes" want to play the same golf ball as our favorite pro golfer.  DON'T DO IT !  It will cost you distance - big time.

I'm a 9 handicap, senior golfer with a driver swing speed of 95-100 mph.  I am currently playing a RocketBallz driver (with a 46 inch - 50 gram shaft) because I can get it around faster than a heavier shafted driver (I have plenty of them at home).  I am fit and strong (for my age) and can still get my driver around with good accuracy, a square clubface at impact,  and hit the sweet spot 90% of the time.  My typical drive is 240 yards, and it's rarely more than 265 yards.  I use a softer ball for greater distance - because I can compress it fully and get max distance.  I recommend that you worry less about shaft flex and kick-points and pay more attention to accurate ball striking and using the correct ball for your clubhead speed.  Bridgestone has a number of different balls for various club head speeds.  Check with your golf store or PGA instructor for a recommendation.  I love Titleist golf balls, but my days of playing Pro V1s is past.

More important than anything else - HAVE FUN OUT THERE!

[soon_tourpro]

Originally Posted by Spiffysprt

You are all missing very important points.  Shaft flex and club head speed, while important, are not the major determining factors in an amateur's driving distance with any club.  While a theoretical maximum drive distance can be calculated using club head speed (converted to ball speed); the ball speed assumption is based on hitting the ball at the center of mass (the "sweet-spot") on the clubface and compressing the ball "to the screws".  This is a reference to old actual wood drivers that had screws holding on the face plate of a persimmon wood club.

Every deviation from the sweet spot whether top to bottom but especially side-to-side on the clubface will result in a significant reduction in distance.  When the ball is struck at the center of the sweet spot on the clubface, the clubhead speed compresses the ball and the ball's reaction to that impact generates the ball speed.  No matter how well your shaft flex is matched to your clubhead speed, even if you hit the sweet spot every time, it is all useless if the golf ball you select is too hard to be compressed by your club head speed, so that it will adequately react to the impact.  When you hit the ball and it feels like you're hitting a rock, you are either using a ball that is too hard, or swinging a club with a shaft that is too stiff.

Many of us "macho dudes" want to play the same golf ball as our favorite pro golfer.  DON'T DO IT !  It will cost you distance - big time.

I'm a 9 handicap, senior golfer with a driver swing speed of 95-100 mph.  I am currently playing a RocketBallz driver (with a 46 inch - 50 gram shaft) because I can get it around faster than a heavier shafted driver (I have plenty of them at home).  I am fit and strong (for my age) and can still get my driver around with good accuracy, a square clubface at impact,  and hit the sweet spot 90% of the time.  My typical drive is 240 yards, and it's rarely more than 265 yards.  I use a softer ball for greater distance - because I can compress it fully and get max distance.  I recommend that you worry less about shaft flex and kick-points and pay more attention to accurate ball striking and using the correct ball for your clubhead speed.  Bridgestone has a number of different balls for various club head speeds.  Check with your golf store or PGA instructor for a recommendation.  I love Titleist golf balls, but my days of playing Pro V1s is past.

More important than anything else - HAVE FUN OUT THERE!

well said.
ball speed if one do trackman should be consistent, if it varies to much your distance will be inconsistent.
Tempo to make solid ball striking contact the same every time is often beyond an amatuer player.

[Spiffysprt]

I understand that the average amateur golfer has trouble hitting the sweet spot (or close to it) on most clubs.  This is the exact reason for the development of clubs with cavity backs, speed slots, etc.  These game improvement irons provide a bigger sweet spot.  Older players (like me) learned to play with blades, since nothing else was available.  Our ball striking had to be good or the ball went no where and we were rewarded by a big "rattle" coming up the shaft of our clubs.

I'm trying to get the golfer of today (like my kids) to understand that you get more distance and accuracy by swinging at 80% and striking the ball on (or very close to) the sweet spot of any club, than you do my swinging as hard as you can and hitting the ball off the toe or heel of the club.

I outdrive guys half my age by swinging easier and hitting the sweet spot on my driver.  No question correct shaft flex helps, but the biggest distance increase most golfers will experience will be from accurate ball striking and choosing a ball that is soft enough to be compressed by the clubhead speed that you can accurately provide.  You can buy the right ball, but unfortunately, you can't acquire accurate ball striking by buying a new driver, or reshafting an old one.  It takes instruction from a qualified pro and practice time on the range.  Boring (I admit) but effective.

The equipment manufacturers will hate me for disclosing this "secret" because it doesn't sell new equipment.  But plenty of people won't believe me and will continue to buy a new driver every six months as they are rolled out.

BTW - I'm not immune to the hype.  I just looked at a new set of RocketBladez irons.  The main reason they are "longer" than most irons has nothing to do with the speed slot or the cavity back - if you look at the club loft on each iron, it is at least one club number higher than most clubs.  The 6 iron on my Mizuno MP-64 is lofted at 30 degrees, while the 7 iron on the RocketBladez set is lofted at 30.5 degrees.  The RB 6 iron is 26 degrees which is a lower loft than my Mizuno 5 iron at 27 degrees.  So of course the RocketBladez seem "longer" than the Mizunos on a club number to club number comparison.  On a loft basis the RB 7 iron = Mizuno 6 iron.  The RB 6 iron = Mizuno 5 iron.

HOWEVER, if you compare the RB to Mizuno on a loft vs. loft comparison, the RB has a larger sweet spot so it's better for mis-hits, but for sweet-spot to sweet-spot comparison, the Mizuno has a smoother, softer feel and the distance is the same as the RB irons.  It all turns on ball striking accuracy.

[Jeetz]

The distance is a function of swing-speed and loft. Think of a garden hose: depending on the amount of water flow applied (swingspeed),and there will be an ideal angle (loft) that will get the water to travel the furthest distance. Too low or too high and you lose distance. For the sake of simplicity, let's control other variables (e.g. shaft is suited for your swing, ball is the same, and assume that we hit the ball in the sweet spot every-time.

With a 90 mph swingspeed, here is what the lofts will produce (total distance + roll):

- 9 deg = 229 yrds

- 11 deg = 237 yds

- 13 deg = 240 yds

- 15 deg = 245 yds

- 17 deg = 236 yds

So you can see that 15 degrees is probably the ideal loft for a 90 mph swingspeed (under controlled conditions). However, if you have a steeper or shallower angle of attack, you need to factor that in. Note that's why many amateur golfers (where the avg swingspeed is 87mph) can hit further with their 3 wood than with their driver.

Here are some other ideal swingspeed to loft combinations:

80mph = 15 degree which produces 216 yds

100 mph = 11 degree which produces 269 yds

110 mph = 9 degree which produces 295 yds

[nick1998bunker]

Originally Posted by ronaldkuntoro

Have you measured your swing speed? If you have a 95 mph of clubhead speed... please share your club yardage...

Driver:

3 Wood:

3 Hybrid:

3 iron:

4 iron:

5 iron:

6 iron

7 iron:

8 iron:

9 iron:

PW:

SW:

thanks!

your probably a club or 2 less than me...

driver-(for you) 250

3wood-225

3 hybryd-205

3iron-200

4 iron 185

5 iron 175

6 iron 165

7 iron 155

8 iron 145

9 iron 135

pw 125

sw 95

[nick1998bunker]

Originally Posted by inthehole

I swing intentionally slow to save my back & hit accurately.     I hit my go to club, the 4 iron 165 consistently.     Internet yardage, I'm way short - in real life, just about average.

thats not average at all...how old are you, male or female

[lakeir]

DRIVER: 230 YARDS

3 HYBRID:  200 YARDS

4 HYBRID: 185 YARDS

5 HYBRID: 175YARDS

6 IRON: 150-155 YARDS

7 IRON: 140-145 YARDS

8 IRON: 130 YARDS

9 IRON: 120 YARDS

PITCHING WEDGE: 105 YARDS

54 DEGREE WEDGE: 85 YARDS

58 DEGREE WEDGE: 70 YARDS

[Spiffysprt]

95 MPH Swing (sometimes up to 100 MPH)

Driver: 240 - 260

3H: 230

3i:  210

4i: 190

5i: 175

6i:  160

7i: 145

8i: 135

9i: 125

PW:  115

50: 105

54:  90

60:  60 - 75

64: 30 - 50

That's 14 clubs not counting the putter, so I have to leave one behind.  It varies depending on the course I'm playing which club stays home.

If these distances seem a bit long.  I was a really big hitter in my youth, and am still a very accurate ball striker.  Sweet spot hits always go farther.

[nick1998bunker]

95 MPH Swing (sometimes up to 100 MPH) Driver: 240 - 260 3H: 230 3i:  210 4i: 190 5i: 175 6i:  160 7i: 145 8i: 135 9i: 125 PW:  115 50: 105 54:  90 60:  60 - 75 64: 30 - 50 That's 14 clubs not counting the putter, so I have to leave one behind.  It varies depending on the course I'm playing which club stays home. If these distances seem a bit long.  I was a really big hitter in my youth, and am still a very accurate ball striker.  Sweet spot hits always go farther.

Something is wrong if you hit driver 260 and 64 30

[andy walker]

Driver-270yds 3w. -245 2ir. -215 4ir. -200 5ir. -185 6ir. -175 7ir. -165 8ir. -150 9ir. -140 PW. -130 52*. -110 60*. -85 Distance with club head speed of 106mph for my driver and are for total distance. But I hit the ball high with little spin so it's pretty much drop and stop golf for me.

[Spiffysprt]

Nothing is wrong with hitting a 64 degree wedge 30 yards when that is the shot that's called for.  I normally max the 64 at 50 - 60 yards, but by taking a half or three quarter swing and/or choking down on the club, the 64 is my go-to club for short, controlled shots around the greens.  I sometimes only hit it 10 yards coming out of a bunker with little green to work to.

[MitsuEd]

My average driver swing speed is 93-96mph. My distances below have been checked over time with the shot distance feature on my GolfBuddy GPS.

Also, course conditions were mild (gentle breeze & soft fairways)

Heck, I hit my 3 wood 255 yesterday on a firm fairway & my driver 220 into the wind.

Driver : 240

3 Wood: 215
3 Hybrid: 200
3 iron:
4 iron: 180
5 iron: 170
6 iron 160
7 iron: 150
8 iron: 140
9 iron: 130
PW: 120

GW 49* 110
GW:52* 100

SW 58* 80

[SumoSid]

At the beginning of the year I clock in at around 94..towards the middle of summer I am about 100-105MPH.  I play graphite shaft Ping G5 irons, TaylorMade Steel 3 wood, Ping i15 9.5 degree driver----all with stiff shafts.

My handicap is a 16.

Driver: Carry about 220-230 with roll about 250-270--I get some freaky hits in the 300yard range incl roll from time to time..
3 Wood: Carry about 200 with roll about 220
3 Hybrid:180 with roll about 200
3 iron: don't play it any longer
4 iron: don't play it any longer
5 iron: 185-190
6 iron: 175
7 iron:165
8 iron:155
9 iron:130
PW: 100-110
SW: normally only play it 70 or in...

Thing is, I can lean back in my swing and hit shots high, lean forward and hit shots low...I can hood a 7 iron and make it a 5 in distance...  but normal hitting all the above... I feel like I can really smash it with an iron and much more timid with a 3 wood or driver...

[golfman2329]

Wow, that seems a bit exaggerated considering my swing speed hovers between 105-115 and my distances are only about 10 yds longer than yours for each club. Either you are a very ripped senior player or you're playing a ball that just rolls a long way. Either way, hard to believe those numbers...

[Hammer 4]

At the beginning of the year I clock in at around 94..towards the middle of summer I am about 100-105MPH.  I play graphite shaft Ping G5 irons, TaylorMade Steel 3 wood, Ping i15 9.5 degree driver----all with stiff shafts.

My handicap is a 16.

Driver: Carry about 220-230 with roll about 250-270--I get some freaky hits in the 300yard range incl roll from time to time..

3 Wood: Carry about 200 with roll about 220

3 Hybrid:180 with roll about 200

3 iron: don't play it any longer

4 iron: don't play it any longer

5 iron: 185-190

6 iron: 175

7 iron:165

8 iron:155

9 iron:130

PW: 100-110

SW: normally only play it 70 or in...

Thing is, I can lean back in my swing and hit shots high, lean forward and hit shots low...I can hood a 7 iron and make it a 5 in distance...  but normal hitting all the above... I feel like I can really smash it with an iron and much more timid with a 3 wood or driver...

Seems a bit odd, you hit your 9i 130 yds., yet you hit your pw only 100-110. Is there a big loft difference between the 2 clubs..? Also, your 8i goes 155, yet your 9i is 25 yds short of that club..Not trying to insinuate anything, just curious.

[EverythingGolf]

Seems a bit odd, you hit your 9i 130 yds., yet you hit your pw only 100-110. Is there a big loft difference between the 2 clubs..? Also, your 8i goes 155, yet your 9i is 25 yds short of that club..Not trying to insinuate anything, just curious.

Thats not uncommon with some of todays irons, since the PW can have a loft of 48* and a 9 iron with a loft of 40*.

[Hammer 4]

Thats not uncommon with some of todays irons, since the PW can have a loft of 48* and a 9 iron with a loft of 40*.

Seems kinda dumb, having such a gap in lofts between a pw and a 9i..all in the name of distance..makes no sense to me.

Thanks for clearing that up.

[xerex250]

I wouldn't worry about comparing swing speed with distance. If you want to know your distance, get a rangefinder.