Why do people lie so much about their distance?

[ay33660]

The way the current irons are lofted now I have no idea what a standard distance should be for any iron.

When I switched out from my old Hogan Apex irons to a new set of TaylorMade irons about 10 years ago I thought I had magically gained 10 yards on my irons.

I then realized that the TaylorMade irons were almost 1 club stronger than my Hogans.

So I was fooling myself when I thought that my new 8 iron was going as far as my old 7 iron!

[scorpion12]

I guess it's because we don't want to admit that we aren't as good as we say we are... I used to think that I hit my driver about 200 yards or so. After visiting Golfsmith, I find that such is not the case. 170 is lucky and 150 is closer to my average. Oh well. As long as it goes straight I'll be happy. (Still working on that)

[Maddog10]

There are very few people that can hit 300 yard drives on flat holes with no wind. I know a lot of single digit and plus handicap players, and I only know one that can hit the ball a legitimate 300 yards consistently if he wants to. You know it when you see someone hit the ball 300 yards, because there are not many people at all that can do it without help.

[Ernest Jones]

I lie about my distances because when I tell the super-sonic-truth people think I'm bragging.

[jgreen85]

I think another reason is that the question "how far DO you hit your driver" is translated in our minds to "how far CAN you hit your driver." Very different questions.

Given absolutely perfect circumstances (land it and keep it on the cart path), I CAN hit my driver just shy of 400 :). I actually blocked my 3w over a wall bordering the hole, bounced on the street and then bounced back over the wall on to the course. 380 yard hole and I was 60 out. So, 320 3w for me, which is about 350-60 driver :).

How far DO I hit my driver: ~220-270 depending on contact/tempo. I try to identify fairway targets that require a 220 yard carry off the tee.

[NJpatbee]

I have to agree with the above statement that some people answer how far they can hit the ball as opposed to how far is your normal distance.  I have learned to take at least one club, and sometimes two clubs, stronger on my approach shots than my pure swing distance, which rarely happens.

[Golfingdad]

Given absolutely perfect circumstances (land it and keep it on the cart path), I CAN hit my driver just shy of 400 :)

I consistently do this practicing at the range every Tuesday and Thursday.  I slice a few (or push) over the net on the right side of the range and there is a service road that goes slightly downhill and curves away from the range in the direction that ball travels.  I've hit several where I've seen at least 3 or 4 bounces on that road.

[Motley01]

I consistently do this practicing at the range every Tuesday and Thursday.  I slice a few (or push) over the net on the right side of the range and there is a service road that goes slightly downhill and curves away from the range in the direction that ball travels.  I've hit several where I've seen at least 3 or 4 bounces on that road.

Didn't Roy McAvoy do that too?

[MS256]

Didn't Roy McAvoy do that too?

David Simms did. Cup got the short end of that bet.

I hooked one off of a cliff on the side of the mountain at Canyon Ridge one time. Must have went at least 1,000 yards. Does that count?

[Hoganwoods]

Until you get a launch monitor and can hit each club multiple times to see your real CARRY distances, you just can't really know.   Assuming we are talking about carry distances, and we should be, I think most people think they are about 1 to 1.5 club longer with irons because of the bounces they get.  The driver is a really weird one, people are WAY off with their distances on this one.

[Golfingdad]

Didn't Roy McAvoy do that too?

David Simms did. Cup got the short end of that bet.

Yeah, he also did it on purpose.  Mine ... not so much.

[Paiste]

The reason why I started this thread was because it always confused me as to why guys are so caught up on distance over accuracy and distance control. For instance, I have a friend of mine who is a decent player, better than the average hack, that always claims he can hit his PW 160 yards. To me, that's crazy long for a PW. I hit mine 115 to 120 yards, on a pure strike. The problem is that whenever he's 160 yards out, he always pulls out his 7 iron, never his PW, so he's exposed for stretching the truth a bit.

I don't care if he can hit his PW 200 yards but why lie about it when you golf with me at least once a week? We're friends and neither of us should care about how far one another hits a ball with whatever club. If he dials in his PW from 110 yards and knocks it stiff every time, then that's something I would brag about because I can showcase that talent. I don't know, I'm just babbling now.

Basically, he always lies about his distance and he never hits the yardage with the corresponding club that he claims to hit. I'm not a long ball hitter by any means. My average drive is 250-260 yards and I'm thrilled about those distances but I don't brag about them because as soon as I do, I end up have poor drives that day and I look like a bullshitter.

I'll take accuracy over distance any day.

[Golfingdad]

The reason why I started this thread was because it always confused me as to why guys are so caught up on distance over accuracy and distance control. For instance, I have a friend of mine who is a decent player, better than the average hack, that always claims he can hit his PW 160 yards. To me, that's crazy long for a PW. I hit mine 115 to 120 yards, on a pure strike. The problem is that whenever he's 160 yards out, he always pulls out his 7 iron, never his PW, so he's exposed for stretching the truth a bit.

I don't care if he can hit his PW 200 yards but why lie about it when you golf with me at least once a week? We're friends and neither of us should care about how far one another hits a ball with whatever club. If he dials in his PW from 110 yards and knocks it stiff every time, then that's something I would brag about because I can showcase that talent. I don't know, I'm just babbling now.

Basically, he always lies about his distance and he never hits the yardage with the corresponding club that he claims to hit. I'm not a long ball hitter by any means. My average drive is 250-260 yards and I'm thrilled about those distances but I don't brag about them because as soon as I do, I end up have poor drives that day and I look like a bullshitter.

I'll take accuracy over distance any day.

Why don't you just ask him about it?

[Crim]

The reason why I started this thread was because it always confused me as to why guys are so caught up on distance over accuracy and distance control. For instance, I have a friend of mine who is a decent player, better than the average hack, that always claims he can hit his PW 160 yards. To me, that's crazy long for a PW. I hit mine 115 to 120 yards, on a pure strike. The problem is that whenever he's 160 yards out, he always pulls out his 7 iron, never his PW, so he's exposed for stretching the truth a bit.

I don't care if he can hit his PW 200 yards but why lie about it when you golf with me at least once a week? We're friends and neither of us should care about how far one another hits a ball with whatever club. If he dials in his PW from 110 yards and knocks it stiff every time, then that's something I would brag about because I can showcase that talent. I don't know, I'm just babbling now.

Basically, he always lies about his distance and he never hits the yardage with the corresponding club that he claims to hit. I'm not a long ball hitter by any means. My average drive is 250-260 yards and I'm thrilled about those distances but I don't brag about them because as soon as I do, I end up have poor drives that day and I look like a bullshitter.

I'll take accuracy over distance any day.

Next time he's 160 to the middle of the green just be like, "Hmmm...160....So this is pitching wedge for you right?"

[bkuehn1952]

Many of us, including me, don't really care how far someone claims to hit a certain club.  Post away on the internet about your prowess.  Talk all you want in the bar about how you can really smoke the driver.  Go out on the course with me and shoot a great score; that will impress me.  The rest is all hot air and most likely empty boasts.

[newtogolf]

Many of us, including me, don't really care how far someone claims to hit a certain club.  Post away on the internet about your prowess.  Talk all you want in the bar about how you can really smoke the driver.  Go out on the course with me and shoot a great score; that will impress me.  The rest is all hot air and most likely empty boasts.

I agree, I'm impressed when I see a guy that can really hit a 300+ yard drive that lands on the fairway but to date I've only seen one guy able to do it.  I've played rounds with many that claimed to be able to do it, but due to various excuses they didn't get close to 300 yards on those days.

I couldn't care less when someone tells me or writes on a internet forum how far they hit the ball.

[nevets88]

I don't have to lie about my distance. People already do it for me. I lost count of how many times people say I drove it so and so. You drove that X yards! No, more like X - 40. But I don't wanna burst their bubble.

[midnightbui]

People lie because it makes them feel better.  I had a guy that always looks for his ball 100 yds further than where we located every time.  I dont feel the need to tell people what club i am hitting.  I just refer to the shots by yardages, for example hit your 165 yd club, rather than tell them i hit an 8 iron and yes i do hit my 8 iron that distance.  I have the below  laminated in my back pocket to remind me of my yardages on the course.  Yardages are measured with my GX 3i.  Last weeks mens tournament i average 291 with the driver.  anyways telling my playing partners to hit a certain yardage rather than what club i hit because there are times when i do say i hit an 8 iron at that distance, it would mess up the guy asking because then he would second guess the club he originally pulled out thinking it was to much, but then come up short.  My friend actually hits further distance wise than i do, he de-lofts his club like crazy though but i am more consistent with my shots.

Yardage	Club	Notes
50 & below	56°	chip
65 & below Over Bunker	60°	1/2 to 3/4 swing pitch
60-65	56°	1/2 swing pitch
70	60°	3/4 swing pitch
90	60°	Full
110	56°
125	50°
140	P
150	9i
160	8i
170	7i
180	6i
190	5i
200	4i
230	H
260	3w
285	D