Hitting the long ball

[Tuflehundon]

Originally Posted by Dave2512

Yep. Reminds me of all the women I play with that hit 3 short shots from their tee on the way to a 1 or 2 putt and score better than the guys playing with them. Definitely more to golf than hitting a long drive.

I used to play Dubsdread in Orlando a lot. I would get paired up with some Seniors when I played during the week most times. Played with 2 guys once. 1st guy was 68, the 2nd guy was his Dad and never said how old he was. Neither hit the ball very far, but they sure hit it straight, and were really good at there short game. The Son said halfway through that his goal was to go a far as my drive in 2. I was hitting 260ish on average that day. But, at the end of the day, the Son beat me by 4 strokes, the old man didn't keep score, but I'd say he was close to. He beat me because his pitches and putts were dead on.

[Stargaze]

I personally don't have a hard time believing someone drives the ball 300+.  One of the long drive champions, Jamie Sadlowski, can hit over 400 and he's a tiny guy.  I was watching this other kid, only 16 years old hitting over 400.  I think if you have a solid swing and some athletic ability you can get that ball out there.

For me I'm not a powerful guy, I don't have a solid swing so 200+ yards is what I have to be happy with.  I'm not going to hit 300 unless there is a hurricane helping me.

[saevel25]

Key's to hitting the ball longer,

Ball speed = clubhead speed x smash factor

So there are two key's, clubhead speed and smash factor

Clubhead speed is pretty obvious. Smash Factor is were i think people get into troule. Its hitting the sweetspot on the clubface with a solid blow. You can still hit the sweetspot and have a glancing blow (slice or hook). The key to this is to have the minimal angle between your clubpath and your clubface. Thats why when people slice and they hit a pull it goes a long way.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Mr3Wiggles keys to hitting long bombs:

Preparation:

• Shoe laces tight and double knotted...check
• Black golf gloves on both hands...check
• Rip off break-away golf slacks in a dramatic fashion to reveal tiger striped spandex shorts...check
• Slap self across the face twice, followed quickly by a Ric Flair-esque "Woooo"...check

Lift-off:

• Unleash hell

Celebration:

• Loud grunting, muscle flexing, crab pose
• Question the manhood of the rest of your foursome

Works everytime.

[Stargaze]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

Mr3Wiggles keys to hitting long bombs:

Preparation:

Shoe laces tight and double knotted...check

Black golf gloves on both hands...check

Rip off break-away golf slacks in a dramatic fashion to reveal tiger striped spandex shorts...check

Slap self across the face twice, followed quickly by a Ric Flair-esque "Woooo"...check

Lift-off:

Unleash hell

Celebration:

Loud grunting, muscle flexing, crab pose

Question the manhood of the rest of your foursome

Works everytime.

LOL!!  Outstanding post.

[Doodaddy]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

Mr3Wiggles keys to hitting long bombs:

Preparation:

Shoe laces tight and double knotted...check

Black golf gloves on both hands...check

Rip off break-away golf slacks in a dramatic fashion to reveal tiger striped spandex shorts...check

Slap self across the face twice, followed quickly by a Ric Flair-esque "Woooo"...check

Lift-off:

Unleash hell

Celebration:

Loud grunting, muscle flexing, crab pose

Question the manhood of the rest of your foursome

Works everytime.

I once saw a guy go through this routine exactly, but he was alone. He drove away from the tee box crying to retrieve a 32yd dribble........was that you?

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by Doodaddy

I once saw a guy go through this routine exactly, but he was alone. He drove away from the tee box crying to retrieve a 32yd dribble........was that you?

I've never been to Louisiana in my life!

[Stargaze]

Here's a guy that can really smash the ball.  Take a look at his swing, it's unreal.

[sean_miller]

Why are people who couldn't possibly hit a 300 yard drive posting their swings in this thread?

[jshots]

I think that it is a combination of flexibility, core strength, and technique. (NO SHIT...)

I have major trouble with hitting my driver straight. I tried an R11s demo the other day on the course and hit is so incredibly well, I couldn't miss. Often times my good days feel like I'm swinging even harder than normal. I think it's the difference between using my hips and core and using more of my arms. When I really crush a drive, it feels like my arms are just along for the ride and that my hips just kind of snap and my whole body is forced to follow.

If I could keep my god damn drives in play I would easily be below a 5...

[Jimbo Slice]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Why are people who couldn't possibly hit a 300 yard drive posting their swings in this thread?

Shun the non believer... Shunnnn. lol. I assume your talking about me, and I linked my swing because it can produce 300 yard drives. Why exactly couldn't this be possible? The actual shot on that swing was an average driver stroke for me, and around 95 mph swing speed. The ball was hit good and trajectory was great, producing about a 270 yard shot, I did measure it. That same swing with a little extra on it can and does produce 300 plus yard drives. Not sure why it's so hard to believe because it happens often. My average swing when trying to hit the ball a little bit longer is 105 average. I have never swung higher then 109 ss. So a 109 SS when everything goes right can produce a 330 yard drive.

The swing stargaze posted is the most popular long driver and he hits 400+ yard drives often. You don't have to swing like Jamie Sadlowski to hit 300 yard drives.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Jimbo Slice

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Why are people who couldn't possibly hit a 300 yard drive posting their swings in this thread?

Shun the non believer... Shunnnn. lol. I assume your talking about me, and I linked my swing because it can produce 300 yard drives. Why exactly couldn't this be possible? The actual shot on that swing was an average driver stroke for me, and around 95 mph swing speed. The ball was hit good and trajectory was great, producing about a 270 yard shot, I did measure it. That same swing with a little extra on it can and does produce 300 plus yard drives. Not sure why it's so hard to believe because it happens often. My average swing when trying to hit the ball a little bit longer is 105 average. I have never swung higher then 109 ss. So a 109 SS when everything goes right can produce a 330 yard drive.

The swing stargaze posted is the most popular long driver and he hits 400+ yard drives often. You don't have to swing like Jamie Sadlowski to hit 300 yard drives.

Yes, a 109mph swing could produce 300 yard drives.

[Jimbo Slice]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Yes, a 109mph swing could produce 300 yard drives.

That makes sense to me. All my shots that have went 300+ plus where probibly higher swing speed then 109, but I couldn't say that they where because I don't know for sure. All I know is that at dicks sporting goods, the highest swing speed I have recorded was 109, and that is with no warmup at all. I just walk in and hit 20 balls to get my average swing speed every couple weeks. When I first started golfing my swing speed average was 93 mph and I was hitting 260 yard drives, that was on day one. Now I have a 105mph average swing speed 10 weeks later, possibly even faster and I'm producing 300+ yard drives. I'm still not sure why it's so far fetched for people.

Im going to start a new thread in a day or two posting all my long drive claims and stats. You guys can trash on me in there so we don't tarnish this post to much.

[Doodaddy]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

I've never been to Louisiana in my life!

Not missing out on much other than the best food of your life. ;)

You just missed crawfish season!

[saevel25]

In 2011, those who averaged 300 yards on the PGA tour, averaged a Club Head Speed of 116.6 mph, there ball speed was 172.4

Really ball speed is all that matters for distance, so your looking at 300 yards, 172.4.. There are areas on the clubface that give you a higher smash factor than 1.5, but 1.5 is close enough for and the theoretical maximum translation from club head speed to ball speed.

If you had a perfect smash factor of 1.5, your looking at a club head speed of 115 mph. A clubhead speed of 105 mph will not get you an average of 300 yards. It might if you live in Vegas were you are at a higher elevation, and dry conditions. But through out the united states, on the PGA tour, you need 115 mph.

The pro smash factor is 1.479 for those golfers who hit it 300 yards.  So if you take 105 mph clubhead speed, on average for the PGA tour, your looking at 275 yards average tee shot.

[Jimbo Slice]

Originally Posted by Doodaddy

I once saw a guy go through this routine exactly, but he was alone. He drove away from the tee box crying to retrieve a 32yd dribble........was that you?

That could have been me ROFL, just kidding, but I do have allot of 32 yard drives hahaha.

[Jimbo Slice]

Originally Posted by saevel25

In 2011, those who averaged 300 yards on the PGA tour, averaged a Club Head Speed of 116.6 mph, there ball speed was 172.4

Really ball speed is all that matters for distance, so your looking at 300 yards, 172.4.. There are areas on the clubface that give you a higher smash factor than 1.5, but 1.5 is close enough for and the theoretical maximum translation from club head speed to ball speed.

If you had a perfect smash factor of 1.5, your looking at a club head speed of 115 mph. A clubhead speed of 105 mph will not get you an average of 300 yards. It might if you live in Vegas were you are at a higher elevation, and dry conditions. But through out the united states, on the PGA tour, you need 115 mph.

The pro smash factor is 1.479 for those golfers who hit it 300 yards.  So if you take 105 mph clubhead speed, on average for the PGA tour, your looking at 275 yards average tee shot.

At no time did I ever say I average 300 yard drives, this is crazy. I did however state in another post. My average drive distance is probably around 190 yards if you count them all. If you're only counting fairways hit then maybe more like 240 average. With these two less then stellar stats, I still rip 300 plus drives often, two sometimes three per round. I said I have an average 105 swing speed with an average drive of 240 on fairways hit. Since my first 300 yard drive, I have hit at least one every round since. It's not a fluke.

Playing in vegas in for sure helping my drive distance a bit, and my home course has super hard and dry fairways, but I'm still hitting shots that carry 270 often. My home course's driving range back fence is 260 yards out and 10 feet high. When hitting range balls, one out of every 10 maybe goes over the fence, sometimes way over.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by saevel25

In 2011, those who averaged 300 yards on the PGA tour, averaged a Club Head Speed of 116.6 mph, there ball speed was 172.4

Really ball speed is all that matters for distance, so your looking at 300 yards, 172.4.. There are areas on the clubface that give you a higher smash factor than 1.5, but 1.5 is close enough for and the theoretical maximum translation from club head speed to ball speed.

If you had a perfect smash factor of 1.5, your looking at a club head speed of 115 mph. A clubhead speed of 105 mph will not get you an average of 300 yards. It might if you live in Vegas were you are at a higher elevation, and dry conditions. But through out the united states, on the PGA tour, you need 115 mph.

The pro smash factor is 1.479 for those golfers who hit it 300 yards.  So if you take 105 mph clubhead speed, on average for the PGA tour, your looking at 275 yards average tee shot.

The professionals' driving averages also include a lot of drives not using a driver, right?!?. There is almost always roll, even for those not playing rock hard fairways. 10% roll is pretty commonplace. Suggesting a player couldn't ever hit a 300 yard drive because he can't carry the ball 300 is just not entirely accurate.  I did it myself in an earlier post.