Why is it unbelievable I can drive 300+ ?

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Lol, okay dude.  Whatever helps you sleep at night.  But if you're going to have that attitude, don't complain about how you are treated by the forumers who disbelieve you.

Anyway, regarding Trackman, I believe it only tells carry distance, correct?  Not carry + roll?

Don't know how accurate it is, but mine gave both ... http://thesandtrap.com/t/60622/my-swing-golfingdad/0_30#post_753693 ... There is a column for Carry, and further down a column for Total.

I don't know how it follows the ball, especially while it's rolling on the range with a million other balls sitting out there.  Maybe it extrapolates from carry distance and landing angle?  I just don't know.

[LovinItAll]

Idk what you want me to tell you man. Hole 4 at badlands, desperado course. I didnt feel any wind when playing it. Was it blowing I dont even know. If there was a breeze it wasnt enough for me to rip up grass and throw it up. If it played down hill I couldnt tell. Sure wasnt an elavated tee box though. If my natural compass is correct and I beleive it is number 4 is facing the same direction as diablos hole 9 and that was definitely playing into the wind after it had kicked up a little more. I am sure I will catch gripe for this too but I then hit a pitching wedge from right next to the 155 marker and landed on the back of the green. My usual distance is 135. Im not trying to brag, I feel like this is typical and plenty more normal for people to understand and I am just saying distances changed more in vegas than I would have expected and I understand him saying that he can hit that. I know this is going to be IMPOSSIBLE to believe but I hit the OCCASIONAL 290 300 yard drive here in orange county at sea level. so Idk what that equates to. I truthfully didnt think I hit it that hard off the tee and didnt check since I thought with how hard my friend hit it he was gonna be past me so I didnt wanna give him any number and I was just happy to be in the fairway after bogie double double. For what its worth I landed about 7 feet on the green and rolled back off the green about a foot. My buddy was about 6 feet past the pin, was about 7 yards behind me and hit 7 irons. We usually have pretty comprable distances so I thought 8 iron was the right club and truthfully I THINK I remember saying I feel like that got caught up in the wind because I was playing the "high draw" shot mac was giving advice about in a different thread. Maybe because I was playing a prov1x and it is the best ball on tour with the Most distance. I dont know hwo short you hit it or why you are getting so mad about this dude. Next time Im in vegas me you and jimbo can go play a round if you would like.

I'm not mad, I'm just saying something isn't right. I'll say it again: We have 12 par 5's that are 500 yards or more, and you aren't hitting driver 8i into any of them unless you catch a sprinkler head or a cart path. There isn't anything magical on the golf courses in Las Vegas, and the implication was that driver 8i was a big feat for you because 'the ball carries farther in Vegas'. That's what you said, and I'm saying it doesn't, or at least not by significant amounts, Hey, maybe they had the tees moved up or something, I don't know, I do know that I read posts here all the time that guys come to Vegas and somehow become long ball hitters. They don't. Now you're the guy that drives it 300 and hits 8i 190. Maybe you do. Like everyone has said to the OP...Trackman, please. That now seems to be the standard response to anyone claiming to hit the ball 300 yards (or 8i 190 on the surface you described - that's Tiger/Rory distance). Oh, and my average drive? 240-250, same as it ever was. Have I driven a 300 yard hole or hit a 300 yard drive? Yes, but not without help, as in 'I have never struck the ball so pure on a flat surface with zero wind and hit the ball 300 yards with carry and roll'. Of the hundreds of guys I've played with, I can count on one hand the number of guys that have done that. Edit: I dont think I drive the ball long, but I'm not ridiculously short, either. I play PV1x's as well.

[Jimdangles]

Originally Posted by LovinItAll

I'm not mad, I'm just saying something isn't right. I'll say it again: We have 12 par 5's that are 500 yards or more, and you aren't hitting driver 8i into any of them unless you catch a sprinkler head or a cart path. There isn't anything magical on the golf courses in Las Vegas, and the implication was that driver 8i was a big feat for you because 'the ball carries farther in Vegas'. That's what you said, and I'm saying it doesn't, or at least not by significant amounts, Hey, maybe they had the tees moved up or something, I don't know, I do know that I read posts here all the time that guys come to Vegas and somehow become long ball hitters. They don't.

Now you're the guy that drives it 300 and hits 8i 190. Maybe you do. Like everyone has said to the OP...Trackman, please. That now seems to be the standard response to anyone claiming to hit the ball 300 yards (or 8i 190 on the surface you described - that's Tiger/Rory distance).

Oh, and my average drive? 240-250, same as it ever was. Have I driven a 300 yard hole or hit a 300 yard drive? Yes, but not without help, as in 'I have never struck the ball so pure on a flat surface with zero wind and hit the ball 300 yards with carry and roll'. Of the hundreds of guys I've played with, I can count on one hand the number of guys that have done that.

Edit: I dont think I drive the ball long, but I'm not ridiculously short, either. I play PV1x's as well.

I believe gps said pin was 175 ish so I basically clubbed down for vegas like I said landed front of green so maybe the hole overall I was 10 yards shorter. The way the tee boxes are labeled in the course guide it says it plays 504. so maybe give or take 5 yards. call it now at 490 - 175 to the center. Im now at 315. looking at the hole again depending on how they measured it, it COULD be considered a hair dog legged but I was pretty much in the middle on the lay up shot so I dont know how much that was a factor because I pretty much played the distance and sure didnt cut any corners. I dont consider myself a big hitter. I do consider myself a longer than average player and hit the occasional long ball. Im not gonna have the same arguement as the other jimbo on here.

I dont respect being called a bullshit liar. There is nothing that could be constituted as a lie. I hit driver from the blues followed by an 8 Iron that left a divot on the green. I told you I dont beleive there was any wind. It was saturday in vegas so maybe you remember the weather. As I recall it did end up raining that night so maybe it was humid also? I told you the hole for you to check out on google earth or their website or whatever you would like. Feel free to find any factors that discount what I have calculated at a 315 yard drive on the short side. Im sure all the math cant make it less than 300 and even if you did find a way to it ABSOLUTELY COULDNT have been less than 290. I am only 5'9" and about 190 pounds so not a particularly big guy but have played hockey my entire life so have some power in these legs but as I recall jimbo is something like 6 3 so I dont find it unlikely that he can get another 10 yards more than me.

What do the swing tips say to get more distance? Make your swing/arc longer and wider and extend the club. He has to have atleast 3 inches on my wing span.

[Jimbo Slice]

Originally Posted by Jimdangles

I believe gps said pin was 175 ish so I basically clubbed down for vegas like I said landed front of green so maybe the hole overall I was 10 yards shorter. The way the tee boxes are labeled in the course guide it says it plays 504. so maybe give or take 5 yards. call it now at 490 - 175 to the center. Im now at 315. looking at the hole again depending on how they measured it, it COULD be considered a hair dog legged but I was pretty much in the middle on the lay up shot so I dont know how much that was a factor because I pretty much played the distance and sure didnt cut any corners. I dont consider myself a big hitter. I do consider myself a longer than average player and hit the occasional long ball. Im not gonna have the same arguement as the other jimbo on here.

I dont respect being called a bullshit liar. There is nothing that could be constituted as a lie. I hit driver from the blues followed by an 8 Iron that left a divot on the green. I told you I dont beleive there was any wind. It was saturday in vegas so maybe you remember the weather. As I recall it did end up raining that night so maybe it was humid also? I told you the hole for you to check out on google earth or their website or whatever you would like. Feel free to find any factors that discount what I have calculated at a 315 yard drive on the short side. Im sure all the math cant make it less than 300 and even if you did find a way to it ABSOLUTELY COULDNT have been less than 290. I am only 5'9" and about 190 pounds so not a particularly big guy but have played hockey my entire life so have some power in these legs but as I recall jimbo is something like 6 3 so I dont find it unlikely that he can get another 10 yards more than me.

What do the swing tips say to get more distance? Make your swing/arc longer and wider and extend the club. He has to have atleast 3 inches on my wing span.

You don't like being called a BS liar LOL, join the club ROFL, JK.

I live out in vegas as everyone knows lol. Even out here 175 with a 8 iron sounds down right crazy. My average distance with an 8 iron is 145. I have never even loaded up on my 8 iron but I'm guessing If I did, it would get it out there around 160 maybe. It sounds scetchy to me and if I supported your claim it would actually help my argument out lol, but it sounds sketchy.

and I'm 5'11 and 165lbs wet baby lol. where are you getting 6' 3"?

[Jimdangles]

Originally Posted by Jimbo Slice

You don't like being called a BS liar LOL, join the club ROFL, JK.

I live out in vegas as everyone knows lol. Even out here 175 with a 8 iron sounds down right crazy. My average distance with an 8 iron is 145. I have never even loaded up on my 8 iron but I'm guessing If I did, it would get it out there around 160 maybe. It sounds scetchy to me and if I supported your claim it would actually help my argument out lol, but it sounds sketchy.

and I'm 5'11 and 165lbs wet baby lol. where are you getting 6' 3"?

For some reason I would have swore I remember seeing that. I guess I should have fact checked.

I said I was 175 out but landed on the front of the green so maybe 10 15 short. I strike the ball better swinging down on it and putting my hips into it. In california I play my 8 iron around 150 155. Im just not comfortable with a 7 iron lately so a smooth 7 wasnt exactly as good as an option I felt compared to the 8iron.

[LuciusWooding]

Originally Posted by Jimbo Slice

You don't like being called a BS liar LOL, join the club ROFL, JK.

I live out in vegas as everyone knows lol. Even out here 175 with a 8 iron sounds down right crazy. My average distance with an 8 iron is 145. I have never even loaded up on my 8 iron but I'm guessing If I did, it would get it out there around 160 maybe. It sounds scetchy to me and if I supported your claim it would actually help my argument out lol, but it sounds sketchy.

and I'm 5'11 and 165lbs wet baby lol. where are you getting 6' 3"?

5'11" - 5'9" = 2", plus an inch for your longer arms sounds about 3 inches on vertical reach anyway. Wingspan I don't know.

I don't think you're lying btw, but I certainly don't want a piece of this category 5 s***storm. I hope you carry a couple like a solid 260 on the monitor so we can all be right; you can rest assured 300 is possible with roll and everything, and the rest of the group that doubts you can say you'd only be 275 on their course. I don't really care, but honestly a legit 260 carry is a lot more impressive to me than 300 total. I don't care if you can hit it straight either, or if you can putt or have a good iron game. I don't care if it's 1 per round either. Obviously if all those weren't true, you'd be a really good golfer, and you're currently not. I do want to see the results though because I like seeing the numbers.

[onesome]

Originally Posted by Phil McGleno

That is a cop out. Trackman will show us several things that will let us determine whether it's likely that you hit it 300+ even on a semi regular basis as you claimed. I do not care what ends up happening but I am a little interested in the results Be a man of integrity and post them whatever they say please.

I think the person who runs the facility or trackman is named Jeff and Eric said he would send him the results, if Jimbo wants to defend GPS versus state of the art technology that's fine hes only fooling himself on that one, I would suggest buying a laser instead and then you would get a true distance within a yard or two. I guess one 300 yard shot however it happens is what hes after to prove his point. I really don't see how it proves anything other than when someone disregards playing within their abilities can hit a ball a long ways after many swings that go in the trees,OB,hazards and what not. But I can also understand being called a liar and BS'er about what you did can make you want to prove you did it no matter the extremes you have to go to. Anyways good luck to you Jimbo, I honestly have no idea what is going to happen but it should be entertaining.

[Jimbo Slice]

When looking at golf from the outside in and having absolutely no experience or involvement with it. The only thing I ever really heard about golf was 300+ yard drives. When thinking about golf to myself before I started, the only thing to ever cross my mind, was if I would be able to hit a 300 yard drive, and how long it would take me to break 100. When I was thinking these things I never had any intentions of actually ever golfing.

5 years ago, I told my wife "I'm starting to get old" lol 30, I'm 35 now. I told here I was going to pick up one of two hobby/sports... fishing or golfing. I told myself, this is your last chance to pick up golfing, if you don't do it now your never going to do it. LOL. Well I picked up fishing and cast golf aside forever, or so I thought. My good friend moved into a house on hole 17 of what is now my home course. We used to hang out in the back yard and watch the people golf, and I was amazed at how bad most of them where. That's when the idea of golfing sparked up again,  and I started contemplating picking it up. Just to test the waters I bought a driver off craigs list and made a trip to the range. It was more then fun. Needless to say I have picked up a complete set and try to golf as much as possible now.

I came into the game driver bias, and now that I played a bit I can tell you that it is indeed my favorite club to hit. Whether it be a real life round or practice, I'm fond of the driver. I am concerned with improving my entire game and know focusing on hitting the long ball can hinder that improvement at times, but I don't see anything wrong with it at all.

Some people keep saying hitting the long ball or trying to hit the long ball is the wrong way to play/approach golf or something to that extent. Especially if you have a high handicap. The general consensus seems that if you have a high handicap you have no business trying to hit a long ball. A common statement said is, drive for show put for doe. All this would be dead on accurate.... if I did play for money. I'm under the impression that the average golfer does not play for money if they do, not for any type of life changing money. If I was playing for money or planned on playing for any type of money over $1000 I would indeed hang up any thoughts about working on my long drive, but I don't plan on playing for money.

Some folks are seeming to take the game a bit to seriously and over criticizing other peoples play style and goals. Not everyone is trying to get to the Majors. Allot of people play golf just to have fun, as I do. If I have more fun trying to hit a long ball while golfing and practicing, is there really something wrong with that? Should I sacrifice my good time for a possible better golf game in return, I think not lol.

Unless your trying to go pro, playing in some big money bet games, or trying to get a scholarship and go to college . The main goal in golf should be to just have fun. If one person has fun playing golf a certain way I really don't see anything wrong with it.

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by Jimbo Slice

We used to hang out in the back yard and watch the people golf, and I was amazed at how bad most of them where.

My brother and I have had the same experience.  It's extremely unusual to see anyone on the range who can flight the ball like a pro.  The more I watch people, the more I realize how vast the chasm is between good golfers and bad ones.

[onesome]

Originally Posted by Jimbo Slice

When looking at golf from the outside in and having absolutely no experience or involvement with it. The only thing I ever really heard about golf was 300+ yard drives. When thinking about golf to myself before I started, the only thing to ever cross my mind, was if I would be able to hit a 300 yard drive, and how long it would take me to break 100. When I was thinking these things I never had any intentions of actually ever golfing.

5 years ago, I told my wife "I'm starting to get old" lol 30, I'm 35 now. I told here I was going to pick up one of two hobby/sports... fishing or golfing. I told myself, this is your last chance to pick up golfing, if you don't do it now your never going to do it. LOL. Well I picked up fishing and cast golf aside forever, or so I thought. My good friend moved into a house on hole 17 of what is now my home course. We used to hang out in the back yard and watch the people golf, and I was amazed at how bad most of them where. That's when the idea of golfing sparked up again,  and I started contemplating picking it up. Just to test the waters I bought a driver off craigs list and made a trip to the range. It was more then fun. Needless to say I have picked up a complete set and try to golf as much as possible now.

I came into the game driver bias, and now that I played a bit I can tell you that it is indeed my favorite club to hit. Whether it be a real life round or practice, I'm fond of the driver. I am concerned with improving my entire game and know focusing on hitting the long ball can hinder that improvement at times, but I don't see anything wrong with it at all.

Some people keep saying hitting the long ball or trying to hit the long ball is the wrong way to play/approach golf or something to that extent. Especially if you have a high handicap. The general consensus seems that if you have a high handicap you have no business trying to hit a long ball. A common statement said is, drive for show put for doe. All this would be dead on accurate.... if I did play for money. I'm under the impression that the average golfer does not play for money if they do, not for any type of life changing money. If I was playing for money or planned on playing for any type of money over $1000 I would indeed hang up any thoughts about working on my long drive, but I don't plan on playing for money.

Some folks are seeming to take the game a bit to seriously and over criticizing other peoples play style and goals. Not everyone is trying to get to the Majors. Allot of people play golf just to have fun, as I do. If I have more fun trying to hit a long ball while golfing and practicing, is there really something wrong with that? Should I sacrifice my good time for a possible better golf game in return, I think not lol.

Unless your trying to go pro, playing in some big money bet games, or trying to get a scholarship and go to college . The main goal in golf should be to just have fun. If one person has fun playing golf a certain way I really don't see anything wrong with it.

I agree also Jimbo, I'm heading out right now and I'll think of you when I hit that next 300 yarder out there.

Good luck I know I have been critical some but I also tried to be fair about some of it also, hit em long and straight.

[saevel25]

That makes sense on the less humidity flying less. Its been forver since i did idea gas laws, at least 5 years..

[LovinItAll]

I believe gps said pin was 175 ish so I basically clubbed down for vegas like I said landed front of green so maybe the hole overall I was 10 yards shorter. The way the tee boxes are labeled in the course guide it says it plays 504. so maybe give or take 5 yards. call it now at 490 - 175 to the center. Im now at 315. looking at the hole again depending on how they measured it, it COULD be considered a hair dog legged but I was pretty much in the middle on the lay up shot so I dont know how much that was a factor because I pretty much played the distance and sure didnt cut any corners. I dont consider myself a big hitter. I do consider myself a longer than average player and hit the occasional long ball. Im not gonna have the same arguement as the other jimbo on here. I dont respect being called a bullshit liar. There is nothing that could be constituted as a lie. I hit driver from the blues followed by an 8 Iron that left a divot on the green. I told you I dont beleive there was any wind. It was saturday in vegas so maybe you remember the weather. As I recall it did end up raining that night so maybe it was humid also? I told you the hole for you to check out on google earth or their website or whatever you would like. Feel free to find any factors that discount what I have calculated at a 315 yard drive on the short side. Im sure all the math cant make it less than 300 and even if you did find a way to it ABSOLUTELY COULDNT have been less than 290. I am only 5'9" and about 190 pounds so not a particularly big guy but have played hockey my entire life so have some power in these legs but as I recall jimbo is something like 6 3 so I dont find it unlikely that he can get another 10 yards more than me. What do the swing tips say to get more distance? Make your swing/arc longer and wider and extend the club. He has to have atleast 3 inches on my wing span.

Let me see if I can be more diplomatic. You came to Vegas, played golf, and discovered that if you lived here, you would be hitting short irons into 500 yard par 5's. You have a friend you played with that can vouch for the distance phenomena that shrouded the two of you at the Badlands, a course I've never played. Man, I think that's great. I'm glad you have the memory of a good time in Vegas. As you make the rounds telling your buddies about how gravity/altitude/weather allows golfers to do things in Vegas that they can't do anywhere else, just remember that there's always a resident here who's willing to enhance your experience the next time you're here. We'll go out to my club and I'll let you tee up a dozen balls at the 500 yard mark on a par five. Hit 'em all. We'll go chase those, then I'll let you tee up your approach shot and hit 8i. I'll fork over a crisp $100 for every ball that reaches the green. You fork over a $20 for every one that doesn't. That's what Vegas is all about, right? Did you do what you said you did? Maybe/probably/doubtful/yes/no, but not for the reason you cited. The golf ball only flies marginally further here than at your home course. You may have gotten some other-worldly roll, but that's not what you said in your post. You attributed your distance to the added carry you think occurs here. I'm telling you that the golf ball does not carry much further here (<5%). As I said earlier, maybe the Badlands had concrete-hard fairways that helped you along, but again, that isn't what you attributed your added distance to. Look, I think you can find plenty of golf articles that will say, 'The golf ball flies about a club to a club and half (~10%) further in Denver than at sea level.' Vegas is 3000 feet below Denver. The ball just doesn't have magical properties here, yet visitor after visitor has some story to tell about how far they hit the ball here. I play with tourists every couple of weeks or so (was more often), and I've NEVER heard one of them say, "Wow! I gotta adjust my distances. The ball is flying farther here than at home." They don't say that because it just does not happen. Tell your story....it really doesn't matter to me. The thing that bugs me isn't that you had an exceptional experience on one hole during one round, but rather the perception you've created that a golfer playing a 6600 yard course in Vegas is somehow equivalent to the same golfer playing a 5800 yard course at sea level. 275 yard drives turn into 315, 150 yard 8i's turn into 180, and par 5's are all reachable for 15 HC's. THAT'S bullshit, and it serves to diminish the accomplishments of golfers who live here. Like another poster said, "If you want to hit the ball a long way, move to Vegas." It's like saying, 'If you want to get laid more, wear a blue shirt instead of a red shirt.' It just isn't true.

[Jimdangles]

Originally Posted by LovinItAll

Let me see if I can be more diplomatic.

You came to Vegas, played golf, and discovered that if you lived here, you would be hitting short irons into 500 yard par 5's. You have a friend you played with that can vouch for the distance phenomena that shrouded the two of you at the Badlands, a course I've never played.

Man, I think that's great. I'm glad you have the memory of a good time in Vegas. As you make the rounds telling your buddies about how gravity/altitude/weather allows golfers to do things in Vegas that they can't do anywhere else, just remember that there's always a resident here who's willing to enhance your experience the next time you're here. We'll go out to my club and I'll let you tee up a dozen balls at the 500 yard mark on a par five. Hit 'em all. We'll go chase those, then I'll let you tee up your approach shot and hit 8i. I'll fork over a crisp $100 for every ball that reaches the green. You fork over a $20 for every one that doesn't. That's what Vegas is all about, right?

Did you do what you said you did? Maybe/probably/doubtful/yes/no, but not for the reason you cited. The golf ball only flies marginally further here than at your home course. You may have gotten some other-worldly roll, but that's not what you said in your post. You attributed your distance to the added carry you think occurs here. I'm telling you that the golf ball does not carry much further here (<5%). As I said earlier, maybe the Badlands had concrete-hard fairways that helped you along, but again, that isn't what you attributed your added distance to.

Look, I think you can find plenty of golf articles that will say, 'The golf ball flies about a club to a club and half (~10%) further in Denver than at sea level.' Vegas is 3000 feet below Denver. The ball just doesn't have magical properties here, yet visitor after visitor has some story to tell about how far they hit the ball here. I play with tourists every couple of weeks or so (was more often), and I've NEVER heard one of them say, "Wow! I gotta adjust my distances. The ball is flying farther here than at home." They don't say that because it just does not happen.

Tell your story....it really doesn't matter to me. The thing that bugs me isn't that you had an exceptional experience on one hole during one round, but rather the perception you've created that a golfer playing a 6600 yard course in Vegas is somehow equivalent to the same golfer playing a 5800 yard course at sea level. 275 yard drives turn into 315, 150 yard 8i's turn into 180, and par 5's are all reachable for 15 HC's. THAT'S bullshit, and it serves to diminish the accomplishments of golfers who live here. Like another poster said, "If you want to hit the ball a long way, move to Vegas." It's like saying, 'If you want to get laid more, wear a blue shirt instead of a red shirt.' It just isn't true.

I wasnt going to go through my entire round and mention all the clubs that I hit longer than usual that day. I remember hitting about 140 yard gap wedge where my usual distance is 120. This was an elavated tee box but not 20 yards worth.

Maybe your right and you might make money on that bet. I was shocked that it felt like such an unbelievable difference at first. All I know is in southern california the shortest club I have ever hit into a par 5 was a 5 iron and that was kind of dog legged and here I am on my 4th hole even in vegas and I reach it with an 8 iron. I also said that I probably should have hit 7 so if this hole played the same distance as the hole here than it was only a 20 yard difference over a driver and a 5 iron so maybe a club length.

FWIW It ruined my game all day. I was playing for fun but I started thinking I was gonna reach all the 300 yard par 4s but semi island type greens and I missed them all. Whether it was left right short or long IDK I never saw my ball again.

I have no other differences to attribute the distance changes too. Maybe I ate my wheaties that morning but as innocent golfer walking into vegas I hit the ball longer that day for whatever reason and since it was the only difference compared to here I had assumed it was the heat/elavation difference. I am done trying to defend it, I really dont care that much but felt it was related to backing jimbo up and I never stated that I hit it 300+ yards or stated any definitive numbers or distances until asked because I didnt measure. I said that I hit driver from the blues where the course guide said the hole played 504 and then 8 iron on my second shot and hit the green from 175 to center to which I did hit front of the green so maybe 10 yards short of that.

[TourSpoon]

Originally Posted by LovinItAll

The ball just doesn't have magical properties here, yet visitor after visitor has some story to tell about how far they hit the ball here. I play with tourists every couple of weeks or so (was more often), and I've NEVER heard one of them say, "Wow! I gotta adjust my distances. The ball is flying farther here than at home." They don't say that because it just does not happen.

Tell your story....it really doesn't matter to me. The thing that bugs me isn't that you had an exceptional experience on one hole during one round, but rather the perception you've created that a golfer playing a 6600 yard course in Vegas is somehow equivalent to the same golfer playing a 5800 yard course at sea level. 275 yard drives turn into 315, 150 yard 8i's turn into 180, and par 5's are all reachable for 15 HC's. THAT'S bullshit, and it serves to diminish the accomplishments of golfers who live here. Like another poster said, "If you want to hit the ball a long way, move to Vegas." It's like saying, 'If you want to get laid more, wear a blue shirt instead of a red shirt.' It just isn't true.

My experience playing in Scottsdale is that there is an adjustment due to the lack of humidity, increase in temperature and higher elevations (isn't this similar to Nevada?). It wasn't uncommon to be hitting decent drives approaching 300 and then having to dial down the irons. Contrast that to sea level in South Florida on a humid day (85%) and you can't tell me that there is not a difference.

Here is a post I made after a particularly humid day at the Doral:

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

Ok, I feel a lot better after watching the first day of the Doral as it seemed as if the pros were hitting clubs that some of us mere mortals hit.  Some examples were:

Tiger along with many others hitting an 8i at the 154 par 3

Rory, DA and others hitting 3h or 3i at the 220 par 3

Did anyone else notice this?  I thought these guys would be hitting smaller irons into these holes and this was when the wind had died.  Is it the humidity and being at sea level?  Anyway, I would hit the same clubs into these yardages and just found it odd because normally they seem to hit it farther (just for reference, I live 60 miles north of Doral).

I am pretty sure that a green shirt will get you more action...or maybe that is just with M&Ms.;

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by LovinItAll

I'm telling you that the golf ball does not carry much further here (<5%).

Look, I think you can find plenty of golf articles that will say, 'The golf ball flies about a club to a club and half (~10%) further in Denver than at sea level.' Vegas is 3000 feet below Denver. The ball just doesn't have magical properties here, yet visitor after visitor has some story to tell about how far they hit the ball here.

5% added carry is about right, in my experience. I wasn't a tourist; I lived in Henderson for 5 years and played a number or courses in the Las Vegas area. What makes a big difference is the rollout on the fairways.

I hit it about 250 carry with a decent driver strike (I know, woefully shorter than just about everyone here).  In Florida, with no wind near sea level with soft fairways, add 10 yards for 260 total distance.  In Las Vegas, that drive would carry an extra 5% due to elevation, say 260-265 yards, and roll 20-30 yards on the harder fairways.  That makes it 280-295 yards. So yes, you would get longer total drives in Las Vegas.  I sure did.

[LovinItAll]

5% added carry is about right, in my experience. I wasn't a tourist; I lived in Henderson for 5 years and played a number or courses in the Las Vegas area. What makes a big difference is the rollout on the fairways.  I hit it about 250 carry with a decent driver strike (I know, woefully shorter than just about everyone here).  In Florida, with no wind near sea level with soft fairways, add 10 yards for 260 total distance.  In Las Vegas, that drive would carry an extra 5% due to elevation, say 260-265 yards, and roll 20-30 yards on the harder fairways.  That makes it 280-295 yards. So yes, you would get longer total drives in Las Vegas.  I sure did.

I wouldn't argue with this. I learned to play golf in northeast Florida. I've said in earlier posts that my swing speed has decreased slightly in the past six years (2-3 mph), yet I'm hitting my clubs about the same distance in Vegas. No one drops two clubs here, though. Jimdangles: After playing many, many rounds in Las Vegas myself and with more tourists than I'd like to admit, I assure you that your experience is unique. Driver rolling out on hard fairways? I've already given you that. Carries that are >15% longer than normal (your gap wedge)? All the science in the world fails to explain atmospheric conditions as the cause for that. Had you said, 'Man, the ball rolled forever', I wouldn't even have chimed in, but stuff like AW flying an extra 20 yards can't be accounted for simply by the higher altitude and warmer temps here. BTW: I hit lob wedge 75-80 yards once yesterday, which is 15-20 yards further than I normally hit it. Didn't even feel it off the club face. Apparently, that's what actually hitting the nearly microscopic sweet spot will net me. I won't plan for it, though, as it happens so infrequently to me that I would be constantly disappointed. What's the stat - every 1/2" miss of the sweet spot with driver costs about 10% in yardage (close, I think)? I'd think it was much more likely that you hit it sweet more often, for whatever reason, than magic Vegas air. 1/2" isn't very much, either. Like I said, whether you did it or not has no bearing on my life, and if you had a good time in our fair city, please come back soon and contribute to our economy....we need you! Just know that the air isn't special here, and if you fly AW 120 at home, you'll soon be doing the same here if you play enough rounds. Look, don't you think I wish my 250 yard drives stretched out, or my stock 120 yard PW's started flying 140? Of course I do, and I'd be hollering from the rooftops that everyone needs to come to Vegas to get a confidence bump and play a game similar to the pros without moving up to the red tees if that were true. Back to the OP: Another poster said something like, 'We should have considered Jim's location when he was talking about 300 yard drives'. That's what I'm talking about - no consideration need be given to Jim's location unless we're trying to differentiate between 290 and 300 yard drives. Jim won't magically go from smacking it 260 at sea level to 300 in Vegas.[b] It's science, not opinion.[/b] Back to Jim: Man, I don't want to put any pressure on you, but can you have your wife cook you something high in carbs with extra protein before you Trackman? Take some Adderral, caffeine pills, or some other performance enhancing shit before you go, too. If you swing the club at 99 mph, every person in the galaxy will think hitting driver 300 in Vegas is the rule, not the exception! j/k....have fun :-)

[x129]

Humidity makes the ball travel farther as humid air is less dense.  It is is a really minor effect compared to altitude and temperature.

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

My experience playing in Scottsdale is that there is an adjustment due to the lack of humidity, increase in temperature and higher elevations (isn't this similar to Nevada?). It wasn't uncommon to be hitting decent drives approaching 300 and then having to dial down the irons. Contrast that to sea level in South Florida on a humid day (85%) and you can't tell me that there is not a difference.

[TourSpoon]

Originally Posted by x129

Humidity makes the ball travel farther as humid air is less dense.  It is is a really minor effect compared to altitude and temperature.

Correct! I fell into a most common golf misconception. So the Arizona thing is about heat and elevation.