What is your average Driver yardage?

[Sherpat]

Good question, Jason.

Quoting a site I found: " PGA officials have a protocol for determining a player's average driving distance. At each tournament, they select two holes where most players hit drivers. Typically, the holes are fairly flat and oriented in opposite directions to minimize wind effects. Officials record the length of each player's drive on each hole, and the average of the two distances is considered a player's average driving distance ."

BTW if you're interested in these sorts of things, there are folks out there who are unhappy with measuring overall driving performance based on just two drives per round. The US Sports Academy proposed this method a few years ago as an alternative. Although it hasn't been taken up (yet), I thought it was a good argument.

[SubPar]

Good question, Jason.

I wonder if they still do it this way, now that they have the shot-link technology to actually get the numbers for every aspect of the round on every hole.

Do they count it for average driving distance if the player tees off with an iron or some other club? SubPar

[eyedoc]

I come right in about 265-270. Once in a while I will smoke one a give it a ride....

[804golfer]

probably average about 220-240

[bigphil]

my average carry distance is about 260-270 with the occasional 290 carry

[gortyl]

Hard to say what I average since I don't keep track. But my average drive, when I hit it well on level ground with no wind, is a 260-275 carry (I know that's a wide margin, but it's really hard to narrow it more than that). My misses are either a pull, which will be about the same carry as if I hit it straight, or a slice, which will be more like a 235-250 carry (not a huge banana, but definitely more than what would be considered a fade). Nothing worse than knowing that slice is coming as the ball leaves the clubface. At my club, that's almost a guaranteed bogey....

[mkrolewski]

I am averaging 200-220, with an occasional 240-250 in there and more sadly a few 150's

I am using a GPS to measure with rather than estimating from markers. Estimating is hard if you are off line or do not walk at least 2 sides of the triangle to get yardage.

It is often amusing listening to what various people think the "actual" distance is. I see a lot of 170-190 off the tee reading the GPS.

If one is hitting over 250, you would be holding an 8i or less in your hands for an approach for most the par 4's around here. On the short ones, maybe half a PW. I would guess maybe a handful of times for me.

[RX Phoenix]

I use a GPS to measure drives and other shots and I come in at 240 most times. In measuring other player's shots and asking them what they think they have driven, they tend to believe their shot is 20 yds or more longer than it really is.

If someone says they usually hit it 280, it's probably 260. The longer hitters can get it out there 280, but not many get it past that. If you have a firm downhill fairway, that's where you get the 300 yd drives.

[$2 Nassau]

Should have made this a public poll. I'd love to see the 79 people that "average" between 286 and 321+. LOL

[cvlngineer]

My average drive is around 275.

[DJYoshi]

DON'T USE YARDAGE MARKS PPL! hahaha. i'm sure there are long bombers on this forum. But I've also played with a lot of people that see the hole's 450 from the whites and then claim they knocked a 300 yard drive...even though the whites were playing up by the reds where the rest are only 415 away. do the math if you're 5 yards behind the reds which are playing 415..and you hit it to the 150 mark, that's NOT a 300 yard drive

[extremeld]

Should have made this a public poll. I'd love to see the 79 people that "average" between 286 and 321+. LOL

i am one of them - just 78 to go!

[dave s]

If my Skycaddie is correct, my 'bombs' off the tee onto a relatively flat fairway go about 230. It's been interesting to get 'better information' about club distances from the Skycaddie.

Now, I know how far most of the 'money shot' clubs go. Couple that with having accurate data BEFORE I hit the shot and I'm seeing improvement.

Now, if I could just put about 30-40 on that driver, I'd be shooting 70s rather than 90s!

dave

[nevets88]

Under normal conditions, a good drive is 270ish. Throw in those duck hooks, those stopped by trees, those push fades and those thin hits and I'd guess my average is 240.

I max out at 290-300, all carry - once every 2 rounds or so, the timing is perfect and I hit the ball near the top center of the clubface and whammo, start the stopwatch and count the hang time.

I suppose the best way to improve my average driving distance is not to swing harder, but to focus on accuracy and solid contact. I could also set up right with a strong grip or hood the face a tad and hit a big hook, but that could turn out really bad in terms of accuracy.

[extremeld]

Under normal conditions, a good drive is 270ish. Throw in those duck hooks, those stopped by trees, those push fades and those thin hits and I'd guess my average is 240.

if you need to hit a hook, strengthen your grip or hood the face then your technique and equipment are not suited to you,

the longest drives are hit straight or with just a hair of draw.

[billie]

Well I've read this whole post and wonder how the author wants the answers. They can be skewed any way you like.

I would suggest that the question is actually "If you teed up and drove a reasonably straight ball, what would you expect to reach out?" No mid to high hcp could possibly calculate the average of duffs, tops or out-of-state shots (they always look like they went 500 yds! :)!). Also, wind, dry fairways and down hill rolls should be ignored. Besides, who really wants to know that a guy who can reasonably hit 250 yds but states a true 'average' of 180? or less! Wouldn't mean much to me. I am interested in comparing what guys reasonably expect to do when they take out their drivers.

Given that, I expect to land out about 250-260 including roll. It doesn't seem reasonable to consider carry since a high shot won't roll like a low trajectory. Where the ball eventually stops is all that is pertinent, unless you are carrying a hazard. And marking the carry point from 200+ yds away at the tee box is also inconsistent at best.

I've been told I hit quite long but know lots that out drive me. Not by 50 yds very often, but 20-30 ocasionally.

Many years ago, my wife's boss took me out golfing. A scratch who considered going pro but decided to stay in something more secure. Anyway, we came to a 320 yd par 4 and he stated "never do this". He then drove the green and lost his ball to the water hazard behind. He was capable of the distance, but his advice had to do with smart play. Just last year, a work associate who was on the jr circuit a few years ago drove the green on a 340 yd par 4 with a slight leg left. If the fairway was straight, he was screwed. These guys could make those distances but did not play that way when serious, it's usually a bad play.

I lose a few drives but have raised my average to 80% or more, playable, not necessarily in the fairway. I track a lost or rough as -1, playable/1st cut as 0 and fairway as +1. I have one round wih 11 +1's and a 0 and average score about 8 +1's, 3 0's and a -1. (my home course is 6 x par 5, 6 x par 4 and 6 x par 3) Last year was my 'driver' year, this year is woods and irons. My putting and short gme is quite good but mid range sucks! Good drive, several to the green, a chip and a putt :(.

My story is done.

Cya

[SulfurAcid]

Id say that my carry is around 190 to 200, with a good 15 yards of roll. This is on average. Longest drives are usually around 260. I prefer accuracy and workability on my driver, rather then force. Rather be on the fairway and have my awesome iron play, then be 275 yards out in the forest.:D

[pat8]

About 285-295, but I do live a mile above sea level.