Do you drive 250+ yards and have a 20+ handicap?

[Jodastra]

If you live to drive you can do it...Bobby Boucher! (boo-shay). I got myself into driving for competition training. I went to the driving range every other day and drove 75 balls for like 2 months back in 2009. Your muscle memory gets into motion and a 300 yd drive is possible. I was hitting a Cleveland Hi-bore xl 10.5 w/ fujikara stiff flex and a Nike dymo2  Str8 w an adilla VooDoo XS 7Rs(broomstick) I went through a glove every two outings. On the course though I still sucked, For long drives you have to use a high compression ball, basically the only two I could find were the Titleist Pro-V1x and the bridgestone e7...which was like flushing money on a bad shot. To save my gameI couldn't get and up and down or sand save, and probably putted 2.5 - 3.0 and my handicap was at 18.5. I was a favorite at drunken golf outings, with other drunks and never won any. I now hit a Titleist 910 d2 10.5 w/ the illama shaft stiff...about 200-220 & a Nike lady machspeed HL w/ fujikara W flex about 180-200 but straight....if I am in the fairway I am happy. I lost both long drive competitions I entered at a local club, which were sidebars for a course sponsored  outing. Then just quit golfing for two years....but the bug got me so..i am golfing again..and I still suck!

[Lihu]

Did you ever think that was why our two groups were last? They all knew we could not hit them with our drives..ha-ha.

Even Kaili out drove us. :-)

[joekelly]

I would not have thought that the Titleist ProV1x be considered a 'high compression' ball. They always sold that ball as 'high spin'. Anyone know the compression strength of this ball?  Maybe something about the surface of the ball on the clubface, or deformation of ball roundness, and increased distance that i know nothing about.  I had thought that the 'rocks'  not the 'spinners', went the farthest, given the same head speed.

[Wally]

Okay, so I had been in various threads, where people doubt the distances you can drive because you have a high handicap. This is not surprising, because for a low handicapper to drive 300 yards on average they need almost perfect swing mechanics. My normal drive is only about 220 carry, which usually translates to about 230 to 240 drive distances. So, I don't quite fall into this category. However, from most of the standard male tees on a par 4, I generally take my second shot somewhere in between the red and the white tees. This is not really a thread about distance, but it is about having the ability to be close to the red stakes after every drive on your appropriate tees and still get an average of 5 or more strokes on a par 4. What happened? So, my question to each of you is what makes your approach shot so bad? or is it the ability to 4 putt? or is it chipping poorly? or is it OB? or something else? The ground rules are to post only one fault at a time, so we might get some specific answers. When and if a specific problem has been addressed and fixed, please post the results. It could be in the form of a dialog about a specific round or even a hole that went really well because of the fix made. It would be interesting if we can get some low handicappers to chime in and fix some of these problems.

My average drive is usually about 250 yards when I strike it well and am in playing form, and I don't consider myself to be a low handicapper. I have skill but inconsistensy is my problem, so I'm not always hitting fairways. When I hit a drive really well, it is closer to 300 yards. As for the approach shots you mention, again my inconsistency comes into play. I am not always very accurate and so I hit few GIR. But, recently my putting has been on fire. On a semi-random note, my farthest drive ever I hit earlier this summer on a course. It went 354 yards right down the middle of the fairway. There was no tailwind and needless to say myself and the three others I was playing with were like, "Damn!"

[BostonBrew]

Originally Posted by joekelly

I would not have thought that the Titleist ProV1x be considered a 'high compression' ball. They always sold that ball as 'high spin'. Anyone know the compression strength of this ball?  Maybe something about the surface of the ball on the clubface, or deformation of ball roundness, and increased distance that i know nothing about.  I had thought that the 'rocks'  not the 'spinners', went the farthest, given the same head speed.

The ProV1x isn't a "high spin" ball. It spins less than the ProV1. ProV1x is for higher ball speed players.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by BostonBrew

The ProV1x isn't a "high spin" ball. It spins less than the ProV1. ProV1x is for higher ball speed players.

If I could get to the point where I didn't lose a couple balls a round I'd like to try some of those. But they are so expensive that it's just not justifiable.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

If I could get to the point where I didn't lose a couple balls a round I'd like to try some of those. But they are so expensive that it's just not justifiable.

Go online and buy the used ones. You can get them for like half price.

I used to hate regular Pro V1s because they spin so much, but since my drive has straightened out, I love them because they're just so easy to control around the green.

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

If I could get to the point where I didn't lose a couple balls a round I'd like to try some of those. But they are so expensive that it's just not justifiable.

Sounds crazy but try Craigslist. I found a guy in my area selling "one hit wonders" that are basically mint for $7 to $10 per dozen depending on how many you buy. Craigslist is kind of shady though, so just make sure you're careful. I was prepared if you know what I mean...but he turned out to be a nice guy who no longer golfs but pays guys to find balls for him and he resells them.

[Jeremie Boop]

I'll give that a shot, I looked at ebay but that wasn't much better than the store really.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

I'll give that a shot, I looked at ebay but that wasn't much better than the store really.

http://www.lostgolfballs.com/product-p/ti-prov1x12-50pack-0001.htm

Save over $1 a ball. And those are practically brand new.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

http://www.lostgolfballs.com/product-p/ti-prov1x12-50pack-0001.htm

Save over $1 a ball. And those are practically brand new.

Appreciated, though I can't see spending over 100 on golf balls haha. I haven't even spent 30 for all that I have this year!

[Lihu]

I would not have thought that the Titleist ProV1x be considered a 'high compression' ball. They always sold that ball as 'high spin'. Anyone know the compression strength of this ball?  Maybe something about the surface of the ball on the clubface, or deformation of ball roundness, and increased distance that i know nothing about.  I had thought that the 'rocks'  not the 'spinners', went the farthest, given the same head speed.

This is a good point to add to the topic. Is it a good idea to have more spin or less spin on the ball? For a decent, but short, ball striker it seems that a ball with a harder core and softer shell would provide more distance and the spin needed for short shots around the green. For a longer but wilder ball striker is it better to have more backspin on the ball for more direction control? If we tend to strike downward on the ball it will have more back spin, it seems that there would be less side spin. Is this one way to fix wild slices and hooks off the tee?

[bluecollar01]

I don't keep an official handicap but I'd guess that I'm in the 18 - 22 range.  During a round I flush 3 or 4 drives that get out to 270+ according to the GPS on my phone but I'd say I average around 230 - 240.  My FIR are decent and when I miss it's usually not "in the woods" or OB but within 10 yards of the fairway.  My perception of why I don't play better is as follows:

- Poor pitching / chipping (regularly stub several of these a round - I think I decelerate on less than full swings)

- Poor putting (usually two putt with a few three putts but rarely one putt during a round)

- Poor GIR (I make solid contact with my irons but usually miss short 20% / long 50% / left 20% / right 10%)

I've been working on my short game and have improved but still have a long way to go.

[saturday]

I haven't updated my handicap yet but I'm at a 21 handicap at the moment. Regardless, I don't care at all how far I drive it. I average roughly between 220-250. Rarely do I hit it longer and its simply because I prefer a slower steady swing. Hitting fairways is my focus. That being said lately I've been playing around with different grips to prevent opening up the face of the club causing slices and it's been difficult lately. I feel comfortable with my irons, putting and chipping but it's my drives I really want to work on. Drives me batty watching people golf and all they care about is how far their drives go... then their second shot is from the other fairway...

[reedf]

I'm playing to about a 22 right now. I've been measuring all of my drives on my SkyCaddie so I know pretty well how far I drive. Total drive, not carry. My shorter drives are around 230 with my longer ones out to 280. I'm "averaging" around 240ish. My trouble is still off the tee! I have been taking around 10 penalty strokes per round recently. I either slice one OB, lost or in the water or I smoke one 250 down the middle. So my "average" tee shot is 2 out of 3 are great (either in the fairway or within a few yds), the other 1 is gone, hitting 3 off the tee.

[TJBam]

With wet conditions limiting roll yesterday I was only around the 215 avg range.  But didn't miss a fairway.  And didn't score terribly (on the front at least) at 40-46 on a 6600yd course.

I use a HT (high trajectory) driver.  Once I get a regular lofted stick I'm sure I will get distance.  It's often "WOW nice shot!" As the ball soars off the tee down the fairway but the high trajectory rob me of a lot of distance.  People are surprised when it is only 220 or so but I am very happy with it.  Won't be trading up drivers any time soon.

[RayG]

I'm playing to about a 22 right now. I've been measuring all of my drives on my SkyCaddie so I know pretty well how far I drive. Total drive, not carry. My shorter drives are around 230 with my longer ones out to 280. I'm "averaging" around 240ish. My trouble is still off the tee! I have been taking around 10 penalty strokes per round recently. I either slice one OB, lost or in the water or I smoke one 250 down the middle. So my "average" tee shot is 2 out of 3 are great (either in the fairway or within a few yds), the other 1 is gone, hitting 3 off the tee.

This come up a lot. "Average Drive" length ISN'T all of your drives averaged out. it is the drives IN the fairway that count. That's what the tour uses for it's stats. Not picking you out personally, but just a reminder that average drive lengths are measured for those in the fairways. They have a stat for accuracy as well. Check the guys that bomb it. Their accuracy stat is usually well down the list. I think on tour they have only one or two holes at each event that are used for measuring drive distances. IF they get lucky on those one or two, then all's well. But if they miss the fairway, those aren't put in the spreadsheet, as it were.

[Lihu]

This come up a lot. "Average Drive" length ISN'T all of your drives averaged out. it is the drives IN the fairway that count. That's what the tour uses for it's stats. Not picking you out personally, but just a reminder that average drive lengths are measured for those in the fairways. They have a stat for accuracy as well. Check the guys that bomb it. Their accuracy stat is usually well down the list. I think on tour they have only one or two holes at each event that are used for measuring drive distances. IF they get lucky on those one or two, then all's well. But if they miss the fairway, those aren't put in the spreadsheet, as it were.

Just wondering if the reason the long hitters are not on the fairway might be due to terrain. For instance, a dogleg at 270 yards?