Why do the pros hit it so far? Here's my take

[Shindig]

... and you quit your job and work on that new swing every day.    For us amateurs, just think if you didn't have to get in your car and drive to work every day, an only get to play golf when you have a few spare hours every week.    Get up, hit the course or range for a full days work on that new swing.    Work on it tomorrow the same way.    For weeks, then months at a time.   Yeah, we'd all have tremendous golf game & length given that amount of practice time ... maybe not PGA caliber depending on inherent talent, but sick game nonetheless.

Reminds me of [i]Paper Tiger[/i]... he certainly improved, despite some obstacles along the way.

[Jodastra]

Okay back to the egg on this. Answer:  Pro's play golf for a living. If they don't hit the ball 300 +/- 15% their game is in jeopardy, hence they lose their card and have to get a real job..to support their self/family...just like you and me...who hit 220-250...

You would be surprised if you took a week off...golfed 2 rounds a day...how much things can improve.

[saevel25]

Okay back to the egg on this. Answer:  Pro's play golf for a living. If they don't hit the ball 300 +/- 15% their game is in jeopardy, hence they lose their card and have to get a real job..to support their self/family...just like you and me...who hit 220-250... You would be surprised if you took a week off...golfed 2 rounds a day...how much things can improve.

Average distance isn't over 300 yards for pros. Luke Donald makes millions a year and hits it less that 290 off the tee.

[Jodastra]

Yes..it was a 45 yd give or take by the way...15%

[Wally Fairway]

From a retweet of a Claude Harmon III tweet

[nevets88]

Talent. Talent. Talent. Not all practice like demons. And it's not like if any of us practices 24/7 we'd even approach these guys. Just accept that a tiny few are more gifted than everyone else. Not being defeatist. Aim high but within your abilities.

[cedrictheo]

Talent. Talent. Talent. Not all practice like demons. And it's not like if any of us practices 24/7 we'd even approach these guys. Just accept that a tiny few are more gifted than everyone else. Not being defeatist. Aim high but within your abilities.

How does one figure out how talented they are?

All you can do is take it 1 practice session at a time and focus on improving your game day in and day out. Where you are aiming has only a little effect on where you end up IMO. What's important is perseverance to get out there everyday and work on your game with all your energy.

[The Recreational Golfer]

I regard to Jack's time, I caddied at a local private club in the early 1960s. The ground fell away from the tee on the second hole to level out again at about 220 yards. Only the long hitters back then could reach the level fairway off the tee. I could caddy a lot of rounds without seeing it.

[saevel25]

I regard to Jack's time, I caddied at a local private club in the early 1960s. The ground fell away from the tee on the second hole to level out again at about 220 yards. Only the long hitters back then could reach the level fairway off the tee. I could caddy a lot of rounds without seeing it.

I don't know, Hogan hit a 213 yard 1 iron to an uphill green at Merion. That is pretty stout.

[jclark]

Why is he starting a thread asking a question he claims to know the answer to? Spend a few days away from the site and always miss the entertainment!

[Lihu]

Why is he starting a thread asking a question he claims to know the answer to? Spend a few days away from the site and always miss the entertainment!

I think he does not know this answer. He is reading a book that is 40 years outdated, and wanted some confirmation.

It took 131 posts to get a real hard answer.

[The Recreational Golfer]

I don't know, Hogan hit a 213 yard 1 iron to an uphill green at Merion. That is pretty stout.

Yes, but Hogan was not a country club golfer as were the men I caddied for.

[mtcmolloy]

Threads like this would be better if you could filter out the opinions of average joe. 
I'd like an expert opinion, not that of a 16 handicapper, like me. I came here through googling 'how do pros hit it so far'. Everything on this thread is utter conjecture and is really disappointing. I expected more from this site. 

[DaveP043]

2 minutes ago, mtcmolloy said:

Threads like this would be better if you could filter out the opinions of average joe. 
I'd like an expert opinion, not that of a 16 handicapper, like me. I came here through googling 'how do pros hit it so far'. Everything on this thread is utter conjecture and is really disappointing. I expected more from this site. 

Have you ever found a website in which only experts contributed?  This website is populated by a huge variety of people, with a wide range of experience, knowledge, and ability, and we're all encouraged to voice our opinions.  Including you, of course.  I think its a bit unrealistic to ask the rest of us to figuratively "shut up" so that you can hear only the opinions you prefer.

[paininthenuts]

On 2/27/2014 at 11:20 AM, xerex250 said:

Simply put, Jack Nicklaus said that he could carry about 260 swinging as hard as he could. He rarely hit over 300 unless he has a tailwind, downhill, and dry fairways. I'd say the same for pros nowadays. They don't carry 300 yards unless they're going downhill, downwind and on dry fairways. Most of them carry about 230 (estimate) and it rolls about 50 yards. These courses that  the pros play on are dried out hard and fast. No wonder they hit it so far! Also these courses have a lot of wind. If they have a headwind, they merely hit it lower. If they have a tailwind, look out there's going to be some bombs, especially if it's downhill and the fairways are hard. I hit my drives about 200 carry and if I had these conditions described here I could hit it 270 (maybe 250) No wonder it doesn't look like they're trying. They let the course take care of distance for them.

 

Also, Jack also said that a course he had a hand in designing called harbor town,  there was a hole in which there was a creek separating two fairways and he said that it carried about 230. But he also said that he couldn't carry that spot unless he hit his absolutely best shot. He said that if he hit it even just a bit thin, he wouldn't be able to carry, no matter how hard he swung. This makes sense because most of us only drive about 230 on average, but we play on slow courses and we don't swing very hard. I swing all out and I still can't get it past 220 on the range, but on a fast course I can get it to 280. So generally, this is my opinion on how the pros hit it so far.

 

Another factor though, is how strong these guys are; they swing so fast because of their strength. So if you want more distance, work out. Simple as that.

 

That's my opinion.

 

Sources: Jack Nicklaus' Book Golf My Way and my own logic

 

Comment freely. Thank you for your concern, and I appreciate your responses

 

Have a nice rest of your week,

 

Xerex250 (pastaman)

I think it's because they whack it harder

[iacas]

41 minutes ago, mtcmolloy said:

Threads like this would be better if you could filter out the opinions of average joe. 
I'd like an expert opinion, not that of a 16 handicapper, like me. I came here through googling 'how do pros hit it so far'. Everything on this thread is utter conjecture and is really disappointing. I expected more from this site. 

Here is my expert opinion.

They hit it further because they swing faster and make solid contact.

[GolfLug]

22 minutes ago, iacas said:

Here is my expert opinion.

They hit it further because they swing faster and make solid contact.

QFT

[Lihu]

58 minutes ago, mtcmolloy said:

Threads like this would be better if you could filter out the opinions of average joe. 
I'd like an expert opinion, not that of a 16 handicapper, like me. I came here through googling 'how do pros hit it so far'. Everything on this thread is utter conjecture and is really disappointing. I expected more from this site. 

What kind of answers do you expect from random golfers of all different abilities from all around the world to answer "Why do Pros hit so far? Here's my take."  ?

For sure the OP should have been a giveaway stating that the pros carry their drives only 230 yards?

 

On 3/1/2014 at 2:31 AM, Wally Fairway said:

From a retweet of a Claude Harmon III tweet

 

Looks like a pretty good answer to the OP anyway? I'd guess Jack Nicklaus would be carrying 300 yards if he were in his prime now?

 

16 minutes ago, iacas said:

Here is my expert opinion.

They hit it further because they swing faster and make solid contact.

And this is a pretty definitive answer from a non-"average joe" answering. . .