Distance and equipment

[Soup Fan]

I know that with the huge improvements in equipment technology, club fitting and swing analysis that the distances people can hit the ball with a given club have gone up. I am one of the longer hitters in my group, but nowhere near the big boys. I am trying to figure out how much of a person's yardage is their equipment and how much of it is their swing. If Tiger took my 3 iron and one of my golf balls, would he still be able to hit it 220 yards or however long they claim he hits it?

I guess I am just trying to determine how much yardage the recreational golfer can gain with better clubs. My Dad uses a dreadfully outdated set of Northwesterns and I suspect it is costing him yardage. His swing has slowed down with time, but not to the point where he should be taking out his 5 iron when I am taking out my 8 iron.

I'm not trying to hit it as far as the tour pros...I know that is not realistic. Just wondering if there is any hope for someone whose swing is not fast enough to crush it.

[GITrDONE]

Note: I am a beginner

But I think that here are your basics as far as how far the ball goes:

1) The speed at which your club hits the ball
2) The force at which you hit the ball

The rest has to be there as well like hitting the ball at the right horizontal/vertical position

The club itself may be 10% or so in my opinion

Now again, I am a beginner, but yesterday I was hitting my no-name 7 iron 200 yards. Now granted I also hit a ton of crappy shots but if a beginner like me can do it it makes me think that my being in good shape and strong is most of what it's all about

[c_mack9]

i think you have to match your equipment to your swing. you can gain distance on your driver with the correct launch angle, spin, and club head speed. all can be tweaked by equipment or your swing. i wish i had big money to have my equipment matched to my swing, but i dont so i just make due.

[lamebums]

Clubhead speed and launch angle is what determines distance. If you're able to generate the same of both with different clubs, regardless of how old they are, you'll get just about the same distance. I've always said Tiger Woods could go out there with hickory clubs and a featherie and still shoot par.

The newer clubs are more forgiving (especially cavity backs) which means on average you'll get more distance out of your mishits, but the sweet spot on a 1960's outdated blade will probably mean the same distance on a modern club's sweet spot, if the loft is the same (which it isn't, actually - modern clubs are stronger).

GitrDone - If you're hitting your 7 iron 200 yards then you're up there with Jason Zuback and the other long drive guys. I have to call B.S. on this one.

Back to topic, though, yeah, your dad on average would get better distance with newer clubs. Modern ones are more forgiving on mishits, and the lofts are stronger than they were 30 years ago.

My own father uses an outdated set of Wilson Aggressors - I am really on him to get some new sticks, but he likes the old one - nevermind he can loft a ball with his 4 iron higher than I can get a pitching wedge, but he's hitting 6 iron when I am hitting 9. And we're both on the green. Unless I had to get over a tree, in which case I need two or three more shots to get there.

[iacas]

1) The speed at which your club hits the ball

What's the difference between the force and the speed????

My list:

• Clubhead speed
• Quality of contact
• Shaft lean and load
• Backspin (for drivers in particular, not so much with the 5-iron)

Now again, I am a beginner, but yesterday I was hitting my no-name 7 iron 200 yards.

Yeah you were...

[GITrDONE]

Lotsa naysayers here

If someone can fix my broken JVC miniDV camcorder I'll take video of me hitting balls. Or I could use my digital camera which has horrible quality but might still get the job done

[iacas]

Lotsa naysayers here

You don't know your handicap and you supposedly hit the ball farther than, oh, every PGA Tour player, including Tiger Woods, who just hit a 7-iron from 160 yards (admittedly a gripped-down little cut). So yeah, you're gonna get naysayers.

Let's get back to topic. If and when you want to bother to try to convince us all, please start a new thread.

[P3R3]

Of course he hit is 200 yards, bladed on a dry summer fairways :P

[BluesMan]

anyone can hit a 200 yard 7 iron... off a cliff

[iacas]

anyone can hit a 200 yard 7 iron... off a cliff

Didn't the 6-iron on the moon travel about 200 yards? And he caught it fat!

Guys, back to topic, ok?