Why do people lie so much about their distance?

[Lihu]

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.

The difference is the "distance you hit a ball" is different for different people.

For example, I hit roughly the same distances as you do. If I take my range distances, I carry a drive about 240 yards. On a municipal course I might drive a bit more or less depending upon the conditions. If it's cold 220 to 230 if it's hot then 250 to 260. On a course like "Hidden Valley Golf", I hit some drives 300 (~120 foot downhill drop) some 150 (uphill duck hooks plowing though desert foliage caused by an over exaggerating a draw setup)

People who drive these distances can quote it many different ways:

1) 240 yards (reasonable)

2) 225 yards (because that is the shortest I expect a drive under normal conditions) (not reasonable)

3) 300 because that is the longest I expect to drive and maybe I can hit my maximum most of the time with practice (not reasonable)

4) 255 because in the summer months that is my average drive on the range and on the flat courses (not reasonable)

There are many purists who look at all conditions and average them to derive their drive distance, the optimists who take their "potential" distance and the rest of us in between.

I do tend to agree that 160 PW is long, but I currently know at least 6 people who probably can do that under normal play conditions in the summer. So, it is not impossible that your friend can do it on a flat lie in perfect wind free conditions at 90 degrees.

[Hammer 4]

I don't get this distance stuff, is there a world wide contest or something..? If you need your golf ball to go farther, club up. Ego's can sometimes really be your downfall in this game.

Monday night I was at the range, and there was this nice small, older Korean lady in the next stall, she was all of maybe 5' tall, and might tip the scales at 100lbs. She obviously had been playing for some time. Anyway, she was hitting these awesome 75 yd shots with a slight fade, hit them in the same spot, same distance every time. Wish I could do that is what I was thinking.

20 mins later she pulls out her driver, tees a ball up and Wham, she hits out there about 200 yds, and I'm thinking, how cool is this.

I commented to her how nice she was hitting her driver. To see her do that, and I'm guessing she had to be in her 60's at least, was just amazing. I for sure would NOT want to play her for money..lol

Crumb, now I  forgot where I was going with this.. Anyway, as long as you can hit a ball far enough to get around a course in reasonable time, who cares how far you hit your PW, or any other club..?

Just my 3 cents...

[Lihu]

I don't get this distance stuff, is there a world wide contest or something..? If you need your golf ball to go farther, club up. Ego's can sometimes really be your downfall in this game.

Monday night I was at the range, and there was this nice small, older Korean lady in the next stall, she was all of maybe 5' tall, and might tip the scales at 100lbs. She obviously had been playing for some time. Anyway, she was hitting these awesome 75 yd shots with a slight fade, hit them in the same spot, same distance every time. Wish I could do that is what I was thinking.

20 mins later she pulls out her driver, tees a ball up and Wham, she hits out there about 200 yds, and I'm thinking, how cool is this.

I commented to her how nice she was hitting her driver. To see her do that, and I'm guessing she had to be in her 60's at least, was just amazing. I for sure would NOT want to play her for money..lol

Crumb, now I  forgot where I was going with this..  Anyway, as long as you can hit a ball far enough to get around a course in reasonable time, who cares how far you hit your PW, or any other club..?

Just my 3 cents...

Impressive distances and accuracy, did you ask her handicap?

Most of us don't care, but if you want to go to high school or collegiate championship level play you need to hit those distances. 300 is not an uncommon driver number.

[midnightbui]

Just play your own game, not sure why people are worried about anything else.  If they want to "claim" they hit 300+ sure ok, whatever doesnt mess with my game.  Oh this thread reminded me of something.  I play with this guy who has a rule.  Dumb to me but he said regardless the distance on a par 3 he will never ever use a driver.  Ok get this, he hits his driver about 200 yards fairly straight, but when we go to say a 220 yard par 3 or anything over 200 he always pulls out another club rather than his driver. His reasoning is no man should be hitting driver off a par 3.  Seriously if you are a real man, you wouldnt be hitting a 200 yd driver IMO haha jk.  we all give him crap every time he is faced with this situation.

[Hammer 4]

Impressive distances and accuracy, did you ask her handicap?

Most of us don't care, but if you want to go to high school or collegiate championship level play you need to hit those distances. 300 is not an uncommon driver number.

No I didn't, I really wanted to ask her age, but I thought, better not..lol  But it would surprise me if she was a low double, or high single digit HC.

Agree on your statement re: high school, and college, and aspiring pro players. My comment was directed to us normal players..lol

[Lihu]

Just play your own game, not sure why people are worried about anything else.  If they want to "claim" they hit 300+ sure ok, whatever doesnt mess with my game.  Oh this thread reminded me of something.  I play with this guy who has a rule.  Dumb to me but he said regardless the distance on a par 3 he will never ever use a driver.  Ok get this, he hits his driver about 200 yards fairly straight, but when we go to say a 220 yard par 3 or anything over 200 he always pulls out another club rather than his driver. His reasoning is no man should be hitting driver off a par 3.  Seriously if you are a real man, you wouldnt be hitting a 200 yd driver IMO haha jk.  we all give him crap every time he is faced with this situation.

This is probably why many people lie about their distances.

[rehmwa]

OK - I admit it.  It's all my fault.

These guys are not lying on purpose.  It's me.

When a co-player hits a shot only 200 or 200 or so, I yell in delight and tell them it went 280.......they are so much more cheerful to play with that way

mea culpa

[Lihu]

OK - I admit it.  It's all my fault.

These guys are not lying on purpose.  It's me.

When a co-player hits a shot only 200 or 200 or so, I yell in delight and tell them it went 280.......they are so much more cheerful to play with that way

mea culpa

Yes, they are.

[phan52]

I don't volunteer distances and when asked, I simply say that I don't know. Besides, being a double digit handicap, there is little consistency in my yardages anyway, particularly with the longer clubs. From the 6-iron on down the distance is more predictable for me.

We have a 238 yard par 3 on our course and I always hit driver. I occasionally get my ball pin high (not always on the green, of course), sometimes even get it over the green when the course is playing hard and fast. Other times I am left with a 25-30 yard shot, more or less. So, how far do I hit my driver? I frankly don't know from tee to tee.

[MS256]

Just play your own game, not sure why people are worried about anything else.  If they want to "claim" they hit 300+ sure ok, whatever doesnt mess with my game.  Oh this thread reminded me of something.  I play with this guy who has a rule.  Dumb to me but he said regardless the distance on a par 3 he will never ever use a driver.  Ok get this, he hits his driver about 200 yards fairly straight, but when we go to say a 220 yard par 3 or anything over 200 he always pulls out another club rather than his driver. His reasoning is no man should be hitting driver off a par 3.  Seriously if you are a real man, you wouldnt be hitting a 200 yd driver IMO haha jk.  we all give him crap every time he is faced with this situation.

I would say your friend is right and wrong.

Right to not be hitting a driver on par 3s and wrong to be playing tees that have par 3s he can't reach with a driver.

[boogielicious]

I don't volunteer distances and when asked, I simply say that I don't know. Besides, being a double digit handicap, there is little consistency in my yardages anyway, particularly with the longer clubs. From the 6-iron on down the distance is more predictable for me.

We have a 238 yard par 3 on our course and I always hit driver. I occasionally get my ball pin high (not always on the green, of course) and other times I am left with a 25-30 yard shot, more or less. So, how far do I hit my driver? I frankly don't know from tee to tee.

Umm, @phan52 , isn't 8.4 considered single digit handicap?

[Lihu]

I don't volunteer distances and when asked, I simply say that I don't know. Besides, being a double digit handicap, there is little consistency in my yardages anyway, particularly with the longer clubs. From the 6-iron on down the distance is more predictable for me.

We have a 238 yard par 3 on our course and I always hit driver. I occasionally get my ball pin high (not always on the green, of course), sometimes even get it over the green when the course is playing hard and fast. Other times I am left with a 25-30 yard shot, more or less. So, how far do I hit my driver? I frankly don't know from tee to tee.

Your current listed handicap is 8.4. Did you mean a "high single digit"?

EDIT: I posted too late @boogielicious

[phan52]

Originally Posted by phan52

I don't volunteer distances and when asked, I simply say that I don't know. Besides, being a double digit handicap, there is little consistency in my yardages anyway, particularly with the longer clubs. From the 6-iron on down the distance is more predictable for me.

We have a 238 yard par 3 on our course and I always hit driver. I occasionally get my ball pin high (not always on the green, of course), sometimes even get it over the green when the course is playing hard and fast. Other times I am left with a 25-30 yard shot, more or less. So, how far do I hit my driver? I frankly don't know from tee to tee.

Originally Posted by boogielicious

Umm, @phan52 , isn't 8.4 considered single digit handicap?

oops, gotta change that. I'm now a 9.2, but even the 8.4 translates to a 10 on most courses. My 9.2 makes me an 11 at my course now.

[pumaAttack]

I play in the rarefied air of Denver, CO so a lot of my distances are off...  It doesn't really make sense to compare my driver to somebody at sea level.

If I had to hit a 230 yard par 3, I would more than likely use my 3 hybrid.

I also just got new irons so I am not sure of my exact distances...  Is a simulator at golf retail shop a good measure of actual distant?

[midnightbui]

I would say your friend is right and wrong.

Right to not be hitting a driver on par 3s and wrong to be playing tees that have par 3s he can't reach with a driver.

He's actually pretty good, we usually play back tees or second to the backs.  We all shoot in the 80's

[David in FL]

Just play your own game, not sure why people are worried about anything else.  If they want to "claim" they hit 300+ sure ok, whatever doesnt mess with my game.  Oh this thread reminded me of something.  I play with this guy who has a rule.  Dumb to me but he said regardless the distance on a par 3 he will never ever use a driver.  Ok get this, he hits his driver about 200 yards fairly straight, but when we go to say a 220 yard par 3 or anything over 200 he always pulls out another club rather than his driver. His reasoning is no man should be hitting driver off a par 3.  Seriously if you are a real man, you wouldnt be hitting a 200 yd driver IMO haha jk.  we all give him crap every time he is faced with this situation.

Your friend has an interesting outlook.  For your sake, I hope he plays for money!

I hit driver on a par-3 last week.  209 dead into a big wind.  Hit it to 8 feet.  Missed the putt......

[whatwoodtigerdo]

I usually round up. So if my drive ends up 240, I figure most shots I have wind in my face even if it is too high for me to feel it is affecting my ball and it may look downhill from the tee box but when I got to my ball the ground was clearly slanted slightly up hill. Then I factor in that I don't think I hit it as solid as I can and I easily drive the ball 300+.

[rkim291968]

It's a guy thing (mine is longer than yours syndrome ).

I measured my driver distance recently for one round.   With good & bad ones combined, it averaged just over 210.   The "long" hitters I've seen hit about 250 on average.   I rarely see someone who averages > 270 yards.