Hitting the long ball

[Mr3Wiggle]

Ball Speed	Launch Angle	Back Spin (rpm's)	Carry Distance
170 mph	11.5-15.5+*	2000-2400	289 yards
160 mph	12-16+*	2200-2650	271 yards
150 mph	13-16.5+*	2300-2800	252 yards
140 mph	14-17+*	2350-2950	233 yards
130 mph	14.5-17*	2400-3100	215 yards
120 mph	15-17*	2500-3300	196 yards

Ball speeds with their optimum launch angles/spin rates and the expected carry distance.  1.53 is pretty much the maximum smash factor one can achieve.  More likely it's going to be 1.45 to 1.50 on a well struck drive.  So that means it takes 100 mph of clubhead speed to carry a ball 252 (given perfect launch and spin conditions).  107 mph of clubhead speed (given perfect launch and spin) should carry the ball a little over 270 yards.  Not many people have the ability to reach above 107 with a smooth/controlled swing.

[saevel25]

I never mentioned carried 300 yards, i mentioned just hitting it 300 yards. That means distance + roll, were the ball ended up. If you implied that i meant carry 300 because i said hitting 300, then i should have explained better.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by saevel25

I never mentioned carried 300 yards, i mentioned just hitting it 300 yards. That means distance + roll, were the ball ended up. If you implied that i meant carry 300 because i said hitting 300, then i should have explained better.

With roll included, clubhead speed x 2.5 is approximate distance. Your PGA Tour stats were misleading because they include more than drives taken with the driver.

A lot of people get strangely defensive when someone mentions their driving average and come back with really odd statements like "but is that all carry or does that include roll? I bet you don't carry the ball 275!!"

I was just pointing that out in case someone did their own math on your posted PGA Tour stats and piled on that one poster even more. You know the guy, but a year from now nobody will remember his thread.

[Stargaze]

I think I understand the confusion now.  I know for myself, when I'm talking about driving distances I'm including the roll.  My God I wouldn't bother dreaming of driving 300 yards in just the carry.

[bunkerputt]

You guys are seriously way over-thinking it too much for real.  The best tip for hitting the long-ball on the internet:  say you can hit it 300 yards, but follow it with either "but I can't hit it straight", or "but I'm not a good putter"

[saevel25]

But it doesn't matter because distance is about launch angle, ball speed, and the golf ball.. So it doesn't matter if they hit a driver or long iron. If bubba was able to get his ball speed up to 172 mph with the correct launch conditions with a 3-iron then it would go 300 yards.

The biggest factor is ball speed, if pro's can hit a 3-wood 300 yards (Rory did it a few times), it doesn't matter. He hit the ball with near perfect contact, with enough clubhead speed to produce enough ball speed, at the correct launch angle to get it to go over 300 yards.

All i am pointing out is that if you do the math that 115 mph is really the average clubhead speed you need if you have the Pro's contact ability. Lets say your Smash Factor is 1.4, you would need a 123 mph club head speed to get a 300 yard drive.

Now given 105 mph, your looking at a max of around 275 on average with pro contact. Now, on a dry day, wind at the back, you could get it above 300. There are some cases were the smash factor can go above 1.5, its very rare. Maybe on of his drives his clubhead speed gained 10 mph and he caught it flush, then he got his ellusive 300 yard drive.

But if someone is going to say they swing at 105 mph, and get 300 yards, that is not feasable unless they are not giving other conditions that change the physics the golf ball. Like maybe he didn't know he was hitting from an elevated tee 30 yards high, or maybe they had a 3 week drought and the ground was like concrete. These are other factors that are outside the 105 mph club head speed. But on average, a 105 mph clubhead speed, your looking at around 275 yards. A ball wont magically go from 275 to 300 with the same contact and the same clubhead speed..

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by saevel25

But it doesn't matter because distance is about launch angle, ball speed, and the golf ball..

Actually it does matter. You posted an average driver swing speed. Not an average club of any kind swing speed.

[jamo]

You guys are seriously way over-thinking it too much for real.  The best tip for hitting the long-ball on the internet:  say you can hit it 300 yards, but follow it with either "but I can't hit it straight", or "but I'm not a good putter"

If Jack Hamm could three-putt, he'd be dominating the PGA Tour!

[MajorSlice]

Originally Posted by mikelegacy

Since i can't do it, no one can.  It can't be done.

there...I fixed it for you.

I wish my golfing partners were here to confirm my story or there was a video of it.  The only evidence I have is my golf GPS, the courses posted distance (from my plugged ball), my golfing partners, the guy I almost hit on the green, and my wife...whom i also almost hit when she was golfing with my sister-in-law in front of us (that one i am still paying for).

my drive is long and i know my distances.  now if only i cold get rid of my slice to avoid safety shots and avoid three putts.

[celticstanger]

I'm a pretty decent hitter and attribute it to a "trebuchet" effect in my swing - a late release.  I don't give the club much credit for the distance - I can hit every club in my bag really long, when I want to.  One thing I found to be a killer when swinging hard is lifting in the swing - even with lift, I can hit the ball, but on what part of the face, and with it at what angle.  Swing hard and keep your pivot-point fairly stable and you're set.

Not sure if physical attributes are hugely relevant - I'm 6'3", 220lbs, workout only some, not great flexibility.  I'd assume my height would be more of a factor than my strength/flex (distance from pivot to club-head).

[saevel25]

Quote:

Actually it does matter. You posted an average driver swing speed. Not an average club of any kind swing speed

I wrote driver speed because we are talking about drives, but it doesn't matter, a driver is a club, and it doesn't matter what club you use. You could hit the ball with a putter, if it launches at the same conditions as a driver, and has enough ball speed its going 300 yards

[sean_miller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saevel25

Quote:

Actually it does matter. You posted an average driver swing speed. Not an average club of any kind swing speed

I wrote driver speed because we are talking about drives, but it doesn't matter, a driver is a club, and it doesn't matter what club you use. You could hit the ball with a putter, if it launches at the same conditions as a driver, and has enough ball speed its going 300 yards

How about you just stop while you're not too far behind. Your stats were posted in a misleading manner.