What is your average Driver yardage?

[TCCcaddie]

Im in the middle of the ranges. Im usually 280-290, when it catch its a triple.

[Feetup]

261-285 here, that includes roll. Learn to swing easy was the best advice I have been given, 300 yds and OB isnt any good to anyone

[mikelz]

National Average of 200 yards for zero to scratch? No way, they suck that bad. 200 yards is a bunt with a driver for a player that low.

Where did that guy's numbers come from? I don't see how anyone could play to a real index of 10 hitting the ball 200 yards. Well I do see how. 18 putts per round. That leaves the other 64 shots needed to get to the greens.

I think the courses I play average two par 4s under 400 yards. Even if they were all 390, that's 10 holes you can't reach in regulation. Hitting it 200 yards isn't hard enough to squash a grape. How could that swing reach any green? Oh, well. Most of the people I play with don't understand yardage either.

[Sherpat]

Hi Mike.

Glad you asked!

I was reading the results of a study published in "The Sports Journal" journal last year. (It was really interesting, you might like it. The topic was actually regarding skill levels as a function of gender among NCAA Division 1 golfers, and can be found here .

Early in the body of the report they wrote this:

"That gender-specific skill differences exist in the game of golf is explicitly recognized by the United States Golf Association (USGA), which is the governing body for the rules of golf. For example, in its rating system of golf courses, the USGA specifically defines a bogey golfer and a scratch golfer according to the golfer’s gender, as noted below (United States Golf Association, 2005).

Bogey Golfer:
“A male bogey golfer is a player who has a Course Handicap© of approximately 20 on a course of standard difficulty. He can hit tee shots an average of 200 yards and can reach a 370-yard hole in two shots at sea level.

A female bogey golfer is a player who has a Course Handicap© of approximately 24 on a course of standard difficulty. She can hit tee shots an average of 150 yards and can reach a 280-yard hole in two shots at sea level.”

Scratch Golfer:
“A male scratch golfer is a player who can play to a Course Handicap© of zero on any and all rated golf courses. A male scratch golfer, for rating purposes, can hit tee shots an average of 250 yards and can reach a 470-yard hole in two shots at sea level.

A female scratch golfer is a player who can play to a Course Handicap© of zero on any and all rated golf courses. A female scratch golfer, for rating purposes, can hit tee shots an average of 210 yards and can reach a 400-yard hole in two shots at sea level. ”

So that's where I got my numbers. The USGA, which compiles data constantly, says that the average male Scratch golfer hits his driver 250 yards on average. A bogey golfer averages 200. ( Looking back on my original post, I see I mangled the language a bit and misconstrued the findings as a result. Sorry 'bout that .)

We have a LOT of bogey golfers here.

We have a LOT of bogey golfers here who claim to average OVER 250 off the tee.

And the single-digit-to-scratch members here all seem to report longer distance with driver than the USGA says single-digit-to-scratch players have.

So, you're right: most people don't understand yardage.

Either that, or we really ARE just serendipitously blessed with a group of amatures here who drive like a Tour Pro, but who one and all have the short game of my Welsh Corgi (no opposable thumbs is his excuse).

I tend to believe the former.

(BTW, you may be interested in this month's Golf Magazine test of 6 new drivers. They got a bunch of amatures with handicaps ranging from 3 to 20, FITTED THEM at HotStix, and recorded the results. The distance chart that resulted is found here online . You'll see that drives averaged out to just over 200 yards for the group on each club.)

[lamebums]

Several possibilities to explain this (I will keep this as short as possible).

1 - of the average bogey golfer? Granted, that's a pretty decent chunk of the golfing population, but it's not necessarily representative of the golfers as a whole (someone who cares enough about the game to join a forum may focus on other parts of his game. Or it could just be plain exaggeration.)

2 - "average distance" - Does that count the 15 foot dribbler off the first tee?

Or does that take into account steady players versus wild ones? (As in, do they drive the ball only 150, but keep it in the short grass and have a good short game, or do they hit it 320 and the ball ends up in places the designer never even imagined a golf ball could be hit to?)

I for one can say I'm usually in the latter, for example. I've been measured on a launch monitor at 110 miles an hour swing speed before (average 100-105). I've pretty much always been able to hit a long ball, but it usually ends up where I can't find it, and even if I do, I'm probably having to punch out to get it back in play.

Conversely, I've had the hell kicked out of me by 70+ year old guys who couldn't hit the ball nearly as far, but they didn't lose balls, and they killed me around the greens.

Driving distance is a statistic that comes with such immense variability that we will never know for sure unless we get everyone a GPS tracker and actually tell exactly how far the ball goes. The weather, the course, the club, the golfer, and the ball are all so varied that...well. I'll agree that some people on here are exaggerating their distance (it's an ego thing, I do it at times, too.)

[mgolfer]

220/230+ average straight but I have suddenly got my driver slice back :@

[tm22721]

Where did that guy's numbers come from? I don't see how anyone could play to a real index of 10 hitting the ball 200 yards. Well I do see how. 18 putts per round. That leaves the other 64 shots needed to get to the greens.

I did it twice last summer on my 6500 yard home course, in a 3 day period using nothing longer than a 5 iron which I can hit 180 yards. I scored par on all of the par 3s and 5s, and bogied all of the par 4s.

What I learned is to play within my limitations and keep it in the fairway. Since I don't play with anybody, I don't need to show off. Now the driver stays in the bag. If I can occasionally get to 82 (with my swing), anybody can.

[mikelz]

I did it twice last summer on my 6500 yard home course, in a 3 day period using nothing longer than a 5 iron which I can hit 180 yards. I scored par on all of the par 3s and 5s, and bogied all of the par 4s.

You just agreed with me.

If you can hit a 5-iron 180, you have a golf swing. If you can only hit your Driver 200, you don't have a swing. With your 5-iron, you are going to put it on target most of the time. You can get within sand wedge in the fairway after two shots on Par 4s. The other guy is going to hit a Driver, a 3 wood and will hit his 3rd from somewhere. I had a very bad stretch with the driver once. It lasted about three years and extended to every club longer than a 5 iron. So, I had about 10 clubs in my bag and carried a 14 at my club. This is sort of off-topic. After 3 years of standing over every long shot knowing I was going to put it in the fairway - things changed. I somehow took that easy 5 iron swing and put it on my 3 wood. My handicap went down to 10 hitting it about 220 off the tee. Now, I agreed with you. Keep it in play first. Distance is a luxury and doesn't come close in value to what you can do around the green.

[mikelz]

220/230+ average straight but I have suddenly got my driver slice back :@

Lighten up your grip and keep it that way. In my brief experience with golf (47 years), 90% of they guys who sliced only their driver were re-gripping it hard at the top. I know, I was once one of the 90%. Swing everything like a wedge.

[naples golf18]

im about 290-300 of the tee with the big stick.

[deakanutz]

Yep, if you can hit your 5 iron 180 I am guessing your driver problem is not distance but accuracy and O.B. HOw about you learn to hit every club in ya bag including the driver and enjoy the game even more. Yeah I too tried your schtick and played a tourney with all 7 irons off the tee in the fairway at 180 yards all day. I made the 1st day cut but hated myself and did not enjoy the day. I felt like a non golfer. Day 2 hit driver and got in trouble but hit some great bombs that felt awesome and I felt real again.

I did it twice last summer on my 6500 yard home course, in a 3 day period using nothing longer than a 5 iron which I can hit 180 yards. I scored par on all of the par 3s and 5s, and bogied all of the par 4s.

[mutadayen]

On the ranges, I usually carry them around 275 on average (which is the measurement at the fence). I usually play two ranges and I tend to carry them around that distance or further 6 out 10 times on average right now. My swing speed's measured at 114mph so it's pretty fast...

[mikelz]

On the ranges, I usually carry them around 275 on average (which is the measurement at the fence). I usually play two ranges and I tend to carry them around that distance or further 6 out 10 times on average right now. My swing speed's measured at 114mph so it's pretty fast...

114? Join the tour.

[Hmbre97]

230-240 with my current driver. Having a lite flex shaft probably isn't helping that any (swing speed of 96-98). I'm afraid to upgrade though as I'm extremely consistant with it.

[mutadayen]

I wish. I just started playing three years ago and went from 140 to mid 80's cuz I got hooked. I took a few lessons and got taped at Golfsmith using thier Golftec technology capture and analysis stuff. I can crank them, but I need to learn control. I wish I would have taken this sport up at 18 instead of 3 years ago at 25. Who knows...

[mikelz]

230-240 with my current driver. Having a lite flex shaft probably isn't helping that any (swing speed of 96-98). I'm afraid to upgrade though as I'm extremely consistant with it.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[extremeld]

hi my first post and it will no doubt spawn a reaction.


i reckon that many many ams can hit a golf ball the same as pga tour pros -

you dont have to hit it straight as an am and you probably obsess over distance - why would a low handicap golfer who didnt make the tour be any shorter than a tour golfer - just lacking the ability to finish - i havent read all the posts as i would most likely get fired but, why assume that someone you have never met cannot hit the ball 300yards, i reckon you are far more likely to post if you can than if you cant

anyhow i am in central scotland and i am one of the 4 (currently) who is in the 321+ bracket.

usually at a loose end on fridays during day so if anybody around looking for a knock or driving range near edinburgh drop me a message

i tend to like the lightest shaft available at 255cpm

i played golf 3 times last year trying to play 4 this year!!

k

[Hmbre97]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I just couldn't resist. I went to the local GolfSmith last night and hit a Cleveland HiBore XL. Luckily I hit it just as consistant as my old driver but with the added advantage of about 15 yards on average. Guess what has a new home in my bag