Why do people lie so much about their distance?

[Dloy]

Being an engineering oriented guy (Land Surveyor), Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible resonated with me. And, in my excitement I went to a park & GC a couple times and worked with several clubs measuring (with a survey tape) total distance on full shots, 10:30 swings, 9:00 swings and 7:30 swings. I noticed a pretty much unwavering formula for determining what the lesser swings will produce with each club by carefully measuring the average of the full swing. I then made a business card with yardages plotted and each swing and club selection, and finally I plastic laminated 6 of them. I generally hit within a yard or two of that graphic. Anal retentive? Certainly. But it helps quite a bit, standing at say 78 yards, looking at the lie and the card to determine my best option to get it close.

I don't lie about yardage because it serves no one, and because surveyors are ridiculously honest about these things. But, in all honesty I'm not sure exactly how far I hit my driver right now. I'm sure it has the most variation.

[Spyder]

I really only see the inflation of yardages online. Occasionally, I'll hear someone in the clubhouse at the turn or before my round talking about how far they've been hitting the ball lately. It's human nature to kind of roll your eyes when you hear people say they're hitting 300 yard drives and what not. It's kind of like a fisherman estimating how big that large mouth was that they caught on their lunch break. "That thing had to be 15 pounds!". By the end of the day and by the 20th time telling that story, the fish is now magically 21 pounds and just ounces shy of a state record. I don't think it's intentional sometimes when golfers state their distances. I think it's more or less a case of them hitting a few shots much farther than what they're used to on average and they relate to those quickly when asked "How far do you hit your X club?". I think it's human nature to refer to these stand-out memories, more so than a more appropriate response of "I don't know..", or "Well, I usually play my 7i from 150-160 out.. it depends".

I have had several occasions where I heard people claim they're averaging 300 yard drives before teeing off though, only to duff their tee shot or hit a wicked slice OB. Last year, I remember showing up to a local course at 7:45 AM and there were literally 10 carts lined up on the first tee (I counted 10). A very flashy guy was in the clubhouse talking loudly and proudly about his new set of clubs and talking about how much distance he gained. Subtly, you could hear other gentlemen kind of mumbling under their breath and we were all making eye contact with each other kind of smirking because this guy was going to be in the first group out. We had the fortunate pleasure of watching him top the drive so badly that the ball literally left a divot inches in front of his tee and bounced straight up to eye-level with this guy and land a few yards in front of him. He let his other buddies tee up and he attempted another shot while saying "I'm playing 3 guys! I'll be better off up and down for bogey..". His next shot was sliced so badly, that his immediate reaction was to jog off the box to his bag so that he could pull out his wrench and start making changes to his driver. He hopped in his cart and drove off while we just shook our heads.

I just don't get it, to be honest. No one is ever going to stop you mid-sentence to shake your hand when you tell them how far you hit the ball. I'll never even ask because I really do not care. If I'm asked, I'll answer with no problem. But, to me, talking about your distances with me is like talking about your fantasy baseball team. I really, really don't care.

[hacker101]

I really only see the inflation of yardages online. Occasionally, I'll hear someone in the clubhouse at the turn or before my round talking about how far they've been hitting the ball lately. It's human nature to kind of roll your eyes when you hear people say they're hitting 300 yard drives and what not. It's kind of like a fisherman estimating how big that large mouth was that they caught on their lunch break. "That thing had to be 15 pounds!". By the end of the day and by the 20th time telling that story, the fish is now magically 21 pounds and just ounces shy of a state record. I don't think it's intentional sometimes when golfers state their distances. I think it's more or less a case of them hitting a few shots much farther than what they're used to on average and they relate to those quickly when asked "How far do you hit your X club?". I think it's human nature to refer to these stand-out memories, more so than a more appropriate response of "I don't know..", or "Well, I usually play my 7i from 150-160 out.. it depends".

I have had several occasions where I heard people claim they're averaging 300 yard drives before teeing off though, only to duff their tee shot or hit a wicked slice OB. Last year, I remember showing up to a local course at 7:45 AM and there were literally 10 carts lined up on the first tee (I counted 10). A very flashy guy was in the clubhouse talking loudly and proudly about his new set of clubs and talking about how much distance he gained. Subtly, you could hear other gentlemen kind of mumbling under their breath and we were all making eye contact with each other kind of smirking because this guy was going to be in the first group out. We had the fortunate pleasure of watching him top the drive so badly that the ball literally left a divot inches in front of his tee and bounced straight up to eye-level with this guy and land a few yards in front of him. He let his other buddies tee up and he attempted another shot while saying "I'm playing 3 guys! I'll be better off up and down for bogey..". His next shot was sliced so badly, that his immediate reaction was to jog off the box to his bag so that he could pull out his wrench and start making changes to his driver. He hopped in his cart and drove off while we just shook our heads.

I just don't get it, to be honest. No one is ever going to stop you mid-sentence to shake your hand when you tell them how far you hit the ball. I'll never even ask because I really do not care. If I'm asked, I'll answer with no problem. But, to me, talking about your distances with me is like talking about your fantasy baseball team. I really, really don't care.

Like in movies the camera adds 20lb to a person, the internet addes 20 yards to a drive.

[Dave2512]

Track stats and be honest with yourself. It usually leads to better golf. And it makes participation in these threads more believable when you can say I have hit some big drives but it was followed by one that didn't clear the red tees on a par 5. Something that actually happened to me last Sun. On the 4 holes I can use a driver on the front 9 I duffed one that grounded out quick and came to rest against the wall of ties that elevates the red tees. I could have hit a PW further and the hero shot I tried to follow it with led to a lost ball on the way to an 8. On the next par 4 I hit a good one and was left with an 88 yd approach on a 378 yd hole. With the assist of a hole that plays downhill and has a big mound that will help the ball funnel towards the green I hit a mediocre drive, low and hooking a bit but caught the side of the mound because I started it well right and rolled down leaving me 58 yds to the green on a 363 yd hole. It was a shit shot that turned out great. Still didn't matter because I blew the pitch and 3 putted despite hitting the green. The following par 5 I hit 2 balls into a lake from the tee, the water no more that a half decent 7i would usually carry. When you hack your way to a 45 like I did that day who cares about two "good" drives. Neither were indicative of how I played nearly every other shot.

[mmoan2]

For the same reason six inches isn't enough...

This thread should be renamed "Why do men..."

[Hammer 4]

For the same reason six inches isn't enough...

This thread should be renamed "Why do men..."

And how would you know this..????

[Lihu]

Track stats and be honest with yourself. It usually leads to better golf. And it makes participation in these threads more believable when you can say I have hit some big drives but it was followed by one that didn't clear the red tees on a par 5. Something that actually happened to me last Sun. On the 4 holes I can use a driver on the front 9 I duffed one that grounded out quick and came to rest against the wall of ties that elevates the red tees. I could have hit a PW further and the hero shot I tried to follow it with led to a lost ball on the way to an 8. On the next par 4 I hit a good one and was left with an 88 yd approach on a 378 yd hole. With the assist of a hole that plays downhill and has a big mound that will help the ball funnel towards the green I hit a mediocre drive, low and hooking a bit but caught the side of the mound because I started it well right and rolled down leaving me 58 yds to the green on a 363 yd hole. It was a shit shot that turned out great. Still didn't matter because I blew the pitch and 3 putted despite hitting the green. The following par 5 I hit 2 balls into a lake from the tee, the water no more that a half decent 7i would usually carry. When you hack your way to a 45 like I did that day who cares about two "good" drives. Neither were indicative of how I played nearly every other shot.

Agreed, and I thought everyone else here hit good shots every time off the tee to keep their average shot close to their peak shot. ;-) The shots that are duffed but end up okay are par (bogey) for the course. So, do we count the 80 yard roll? Being able to capitalize on good shots is another thing. I hit a few drives, yesterday, within 30 to 80 yards yesterday, and because of my inability to gauge the distance with my 52 degree wedge half swing and I flew a few greens. Even my son was yelling at me to stop using the 52 degree wedge inside 80.

[anthony]

I think it all comes down to some sort of ego associated with how far one can hit the ball. As mentioned, the lofts are all over the place, so one guys 8 iron could be another person's PW. I think most of us realize that know how far each club actually goes is what's important. Also, how different conditions affect those distances. 150 yds in 45 degree weather with 88% humidity is a hell of a lot different than 150 yds on an 85 degree, low humidity day.

Also, for the record, I've hit plenty of 160 yd pitching wedges. 20 feet off the ground, and straight over the green onto the next tee box.

[14ledo81]

I think it all comes down to some sort of ego associated with how far one can hit the ball. As mentioned, the lofts are all over the place, so one guys 8 iron could be another person's PW. I think most of us realize that know how far each club actually goes is what's important. Also, how different conditions affect those distances. 150 yds in 45 degree weather with 88% humidity is a hell of a lot different than 150 yds on an 85 degree, low humidity day. Also, for the record, I've hit plenty of 160 yd pitching wedges. 20 feet off the ground, and straight over the green onto the next tee box.:whistle:

Humidity actually makes the ball carry further.

[MS256]

Agreed, and I thought everyone else here hit good shots every time off the tee to keep their average shot close to their peak shot.

The shots that are duffed but end up okay are par (bogey) for the course. So, do we count the 80 yard roll?

Being able to capitalize on good shots is another thing. I hit a few drives, yesterday, within 30 to 80 yards yesterday, and because of my inability to gauge the distance with my 52 degree wedge half swing and I flew a few greens. Even my son was yelling at me to stop using the 52 degree wedge inside 80.

FWIW. I know some people have good luck going by the "clock positions" of their front arm and using things like 1/2 and 3/4 swings but that technique doesn't work very reliably at all for me.

A "half swing" for me is simply swinging half as fast (or any other fraction I think I need for the shot). It truly doesn't make any difference in my ability to hit the ball a certain distance inside of 100 yards with any of my short irons, and wouldn't make very much difference with any iron. The only difference would be the trajectory of the shots, and therefore the rollout.

I just feel the club, gage the distance I want to hit the ball, and hit it as hard as it takes to get there. I use a PW for 80 yard shots many, many times and that's certainly not my stock full PW distance.

[rkim291968]

I don't care how long or short my shots are.   If they go straight (plus or minus a club length difference), I will be crying with joy.

[tmac20]

Humidity actually makes the ball carry further.

Yup. I have a to play a club down on every shot when it's a hot, humid day. The ball stays in the air for a long time.

[Lihu]

I don't care how long or short my shots are.   If they go straight (plus or minus a club length difference), I will be crying with joy.

Not when the greens are about a little less than a club different from front to back and there's a bunker on the front or back. I just can't get all my drives straight where I want them and at least half the time I end up either trying to hit over a bunker or short to avoid one.

[Lihu]

. . .150 yds in 45 degree weather with 88% humidity is a hell of a lot different than 150 yds on an 85 degree, low humidity day.

Humidity actually makes the ball carry further.

Yup. I have a to play a club down on every shot when it's a hot, humid day. The ball stays in the air for a long time.

Cold makes the ball less compressible and probably goes less by 4% from 85F down to 48F?

Warm humidity makes the ball go farther because the air density is lower, but is the density lower in cold damp conditions?

Somehow, I feel that the cold damp air would give you shorter shots than hot low humid conditions. That might have to do with roll more than carry as dry conditions will give you a firmer fairway and thus more roll. It could also be because you are warmer and hit more efficiently.

Lots of factors here, including mental, which could make you swing stiffer (more slowly) in cold damp weather?

[MS256]

Not when the greens are about a little less than a club different from front to back and there's a bunker on the front or back. I just can't get all my drives straight where I want them and at least half the time I end up either trying to hit over a bunker or short to avoid one.

Or everybody's favorite, the small island green.

When I'm mowing I rarely pay any attention to the shots that players are hitting into greens but I just can't resist watching most of them hit the ball in the water on that hole. One on the green out of a foursome is about typical.

Cold makes the ball less compressible and probably goes less by 4% from 85F down to 48F?

Warm humidity makes the ball go farther because the air density is lower, but is the density lower in cold damp conditions?

Somehow, I feel that the cold damp air would give you shorter shots than hot low humid conditions. That might have to do with roll more than carry as dry conditions will give you a firmer fairway and thus more roll. It could also be because you are warmer and hit more efficiently.

Lots of factors here, including mental, which could make you swing stiffer (more slowly) in cold damp weather?

The ball doesn't go as far in the cold. The ball goes farther in high humidity.

So on a cold but humid day those factors would somewhat mitigate each other.

Best day for distance is a hot humid day. Worse day for distance is a cold day with very little humidity.

[Lihu]

Or everybody's favorite, the small island green.

When I'm mowing I rarely pay any attention to the shots that players are hitting into greens but I just can't resist watching most of them hit the ball in the water on that hole. One on the green out of a foursome is about typical.

Would it be too much to ask you to leave a 2 foot border of rough along any water?

[M2R]

I would be hard pressed to think anyone I play with lies about their distance. I could be easily convinced that they are delusional. However I regard lying and being self deluded as separate.  I conclude deluded as some of my golf partners consistently hit 10-20 yards short on virtually every approach shot, week after week, year after year (except by accident). They must really believe X club goes X yards ... or they are insane ... or both.

A few years ago as ~15 index I set about measuring my average drive (any club). Over a full season and when practical, any drive that ended in the fairway on par 4 or 5 holes got measured and recorded. Practical meaning not delaying play and with line of sight. The end result was an average drive of 197 yards total (carry and roll).

However, to manipulate and twist that data a bit: best ever single day driving average in "normal" conditions was 259 yards total based on 11 measured drives (nine driver, a 3W, and a 5W) from 212 to 298 yards (212 was driver). Best ever single day average, driver only, 288 yards total based on three drives. The wind was blowing crazy hard that day (but it was cold and raining) and everything missed except those three drives on almost perfectly straight downwind holes.

If some stranger I get paired with asks how far I hit driver what would I answer? Irrelevant now anyway as I took the driver out two years ago, issue totally averted. In those two years only one person ever commented that I do not carry a driver and not once has anyone asked how far I hit any club. They only ask "What club did you hit?", that I can handle. I find it much more common for others to measure a drive and tell me.

[Lihu]

I would be hard pressed to think anyone I play with lies about their distance. I could be easily convinced that they are delusional. However I regard lying and being self deluded as separate.  I conclude deluded as some of my golf partners consistently hit 10-20 yards short on virtually every approach shot, week after week, year after year (except by accident). They must really believe X club goes X yards ... or they are insane ... or both. A few years ago as ~15 index I set about measuring my average drive (any club). Over a full season and when practical, any drive that ended in the fairway on par 4 or 5 holes got measured and recorded. Practical meaning not delaying play and with line of sight. The end result was an average drive of 197 yards total (carry and roll). However, to manipulate and twist that data a bit: best ever single day driving average in "normal" conditions was 259 yards total based on 11 measured drives (nine driver, a 3W, and a 5W) from 212 to 298 yards (212 was driver). Best ever single day average, driver only, 288 yards total based on three drives. The wind was blowing crazy hard that day (but it was cold and raining) and everything missed except those three drives on almost perfectly straight downwind holes. If some stranger I get paired with asks how far I hit driver what would I answer? Irrelevant now anyway as I took the driver out two years ago, issue totally averted. In those two years only one person ever commented that I do not carry a driver and not once has anyone asked how far I hit any club. They only ask "What club did you hit?", that I can handle. I find it much more common for others to measure a drive and tell me.

The only thing that sticks out is your claim to have an average drive of 197 yards. I don't think it makes any sense to say that would be your average drive like it would be your "typical". When someone asks "How far do you drive?", most people think with a driver. Yes, I could claim that my average drive distance is 197 yards as well, but the next time I hit into a group at 260 yards away I'll just tell them that some guy on the Internet told me that my average drive is only 197 yards. And I can say that my average drive is just shy of 200 yards, because sometimes I use my PW off the tee which cuts my 240 yard drive down to 197. It just doesn't make sense to quote such a number.