Is Distance Really That Important for Amateurs?

[Dave2512]

I know that I hinder myself for a variety of reasons. On FlightScope days if I am slow my instructor will have me do drills and then hit more balls and boom there it is 4-6 mph. Some days I feel like am am fighting against moving fluidly. I see it on the course too.

[JonMA1]

There are some really talented older golfers that said you don't really start losing distance until you are in your mid to late 70s. Some might lose it sooner due to various injuries, but for the most part you can expect to continue to increase your distance until you are a lot older.

That would be nice. It's encouraging that it's a possibility. I know there are folks much older than me that have very impressive power.

I'd love to be wrong about not gaining much distance. Certainly my swing is a long way from being mechanically correct. As I become more aware of weight shift, lag, swing path and hitting the sweet spot of the face, I see the possibility of gaining another club in distance. More than that....????

At some point though, I have to be satisfied that I have a full swing that can get me to the level I want to be. If I spend all my practice time chasing unobtainable power, I'll never work on accuracy or some of the lower SV skills that are costing me strokes.

[DrvFrShow]

I know that I hinder myself for a variety of reasons. On FlightScope days if I am slow my instructor will have me do drills and then hit more balls and boom there it is 4-6 mph. Some days I feel like am am fighting against moving fluidly. I see it on the course too.

I've been noticing this with the weather changes this winter. Some days I can really pound the balls out there and they go straight and I get solid contact. Other days I'm struggling. I stretch out, and it takes about 20 balls of sheer agony just to hit a decent knock down because joint pain won' let me get my tempo right - then the heaters finally warm up the stall at the range and the blood gets flowing and I'm okay. Hopefully I didn't do any damage.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

There are some really talented older golfers that said you don't really start losing distance until you are in your mid to late 70s. Some might lose it sooner due to various injuries, but for the most part you can expect to continue to increase your distance until you are a lot older.

That would be nice. It's encouraging that it's a possibility. I know there are folks much older than me that have very impressive power.

I'd love to be wrong about not gaining much distance. Certainly my swing is a long way from being mechanically correct. As I become more aware of weight shift, lag, swing path and hitting the sweet spot of the face, I see the possibility of gaining another club in distance. More than that....????

At some point though, I have to be satisfied that I have a full swing that can get me to the level I want to be. If I spend all my practice time chasing unobtainable power, I'll never work on accuracy or some of the lower SV skills that are costing me strokes.

Sure, I just played two holes with two older golfers in their early 70s who still hit pretty far. One of them drove 240 yards while the other one drove 220. It was curious that they don't hit their irons as far though. They reached for hybrids from 160 to 170 yard approaches, which for me is a 7i/6i.

However, I do know a few who still hit irons pretty far. It's like watching pure skill. Almost no contact sound but the ball just goes a long way.

[Dave2512]

My step-dad is 66 and in good shape he can hit it pretty far. We play the same tees most days, he's good to about 6500 until par 4's get over the 420 range. He plays 15ish golf and his reason for being stuck there is he doesn't practice and has horrific mechanics. He changes things about a dozen times a year because someone gives him a tip. Everything from his setup to putting alignment is whacked but he stills plays half decent most days. If he spent just a little time with an instructor and did more than randomly beat balls on the range he'd be a single digit golfer. He was never what I consider a gifted athlete or even middle of the road just takes care of himself.

[onthehunt526]

If you're a 220 yard driver... do you have trouble reaching long par-3s? I typically won't play all the way back anymore if the course is around 7,000 yards.... there is a course I played that has a 247-yard par 3 that I had to hit a perfect I mean perfect 4-wood to reach... is distance important yes.. especially with the occasional very long par-3 holes we play...

[JonMA1]

If you're a 220 yard driver... do you have trouble reaching long par-3s? I typically won't play all the way back anymore if the course is around 7,000 yards.... there is a course I played that has a 247-yard par 3 that I had to hit a perfect I mean perfect 4-wood to reach... is distance important yes.. especially with the occasional very long par-3 holes we play...

A 247 yd par 3 is a beast in my world. The longest par 3 I play is at 200. The tee is elevated slightly and the green has a lot of room around it which means I have a good chance of getting an nGIR with the 5 wood. From the tips this hole plays something like 220.

Anything beyond 6500 yards and I'm playing for bogies on the long par 4's.

[Dave2512]

Really a different thread and OT here but I only play one course with a 248 yard par 3. That is the very back tees at 7435 yards. The course recommends a handicap of 4 or less to play back there. But distance would be of great importance through the entire course. It's rare to find a course with just long par 3's. The rest of the course would be unplayable for anyone but those that enjoy torture. At any rate the thread isn't about what tees to play but most should play where they have a reasonable chance to make pars. Regardless how well and often you achieve that would be determined by how often you get close enough to the green from the tee to stand a chance without having to hit a miracle shot.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by onthehunt526

If you're a 220 yard driver... do you have trouble reaching long par-3s? I typically won't play all the way back anymore if the course is around 7,000 yards.... there is a course I played that has a 247-yard par 3 that I had to hit a perfect I mean perfect 4-wood to reach... is distance important yes.. especially with the occasional very long par-3 holes we play...

A 247 yd par 3 is a beast in my world. The longest par 3 I play is at 200. The tee is elevated slightly and the green has a lot of room around it which means I have a good chance of getting an nGIR with the 5 wood. From the tips this hole plays something like 220.

Anything beyond 6500 yards and I'm playing for bogies on the long par 4's.

Really a different thread and OT here but I only play one course with a 248 yard par 3. That is the very back tees at 7435 yards. The course recommends a handicap of 4 or less to play back there.

That is a long way to hit a green!

[Crim]

Really a different thread and OT here but I only play one course with a 248 yard par 3.

i'd love to play that and imagine myself as Rory on a par 4. Drive & a wedge baby.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave2512

Really a different thread and OT here but I only play one course with a 248 yard par 3.

i'd love to play that and imagine myself as Rory on a par 4. Drive & a wedge baby.

There are lots of 250 to 300 yard par 4s. . .

[DrvFrShow]

248 par 3? I can't reach that with my driver even if I hit it perfectly. I'd be hitting a lob wedge for a second shot for a u&d; and I'd have to hit it perfectly. That would be a par 4.

[onthehunt526]

Really a different thread and OT here but I only play one course with a 248 yard par 3. That is the very back tees at 7435 yards. The course recommends a handicap of 4 or less to play back there. But distance would be of great importance through the entire course. It's rare to find a course with just long par 3's. The rest of the course would be unplayable for anyone but those that enjoy torture. At any rate the thread isn't about what tees to play but most should play where they have a reasonable chance to make pars. Regardless how well and often you achieve that would be determined by how often you get close enough to the green from the tee to stand a chance without having to hit a miracle shot.

Typically courses don't have all the par 3s being very long, it is a little off the topic but it's kinda on the lines of the topic... A 220 hitter shouldn't be playing those tees anyway... This is more on topic... if you want to improve your scoring, getting the most distance you can Will help that, but remember it's only one ability of several, because let's face it, on a typical par-72 course you probably will only need your Driver 14 times (unless you have an oddball very long par-3) But I guess driver distance effects your other clubs too... I read somewhere that your PW carry distance is usually around half your Driver carry distance...

[Lihu]

But I guess driver distance effects your other clubs too... I read somewhere that your PW carry distance is usually around half your Driver carry distance...

This is exactly the case for me, with a PW distance of 127 yards and a drive carry of roughly 248 yards***.

It seems to be the same proportion regardless of my swing speed, for instance, even on days where I only drive 200 yards my PW distance would be 100. These two clubs seem to track each other pretty well. . .

BTW, to reach a green 247 yards away at sea level, there is only 1 scenario where it might play as a par 3 for me.

1. Level ground with no obstructions probably hit a 3W which could go as little as 190 or as much as 250?+++.
2. Bunker down the middle, 3i and LW or 8i/52 or some combination of two clubs.
3. Bunker near the green 8i and 52.
4. Forced carry of 200 yards: 3W or Hybrid and possibly wet.

***Note that this is my current phone GPS tracked average of 53 decent drives minus 10 yards taken during the last two weeks which includes only well hit shots in >65F temperatures, and does not include duffs, crowns, hitting trees and other obstacles, hooks, duck hooks, etc. I don't really duff my PW so I figured it was only fair to include well hit shots for this figure.

+++My 3W could carry 180 or 230, it all depends upon how I strike the ball. This is an off the deck estimate as I have only hit it off the deck recently on a driving range with the stalls moved up 30 yards with a fence normally 252 yards away (Altadena golf course driving range). I hit low on the fence some of the time and short some of the time. I never use the club, but figure it's better to have that than a driving iron as I don't drive the ball 300 yards.

[saevel25]

But I guess driver distance effects your other clubs too... I read somewhere that your PW carry distance is usually around half your Driver carry distance...

That sounds about right for me give or take 5-10 yards or so on the driver carry distance if I double my PW distance.

Though that depends also on the set up of your irons. Not all PW have the same dynamic loft profile at impact.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by onthehunt526

But I guess driver distance effects your other clubs too... I read somewhere that your PW carry distance is usually around half your Driver carry distance...

That sounds about right for me give or take 5-10 yards or so on the driver carry distance if I double my PW distance.

Though that depends also on the set up of your irons. Not all PW have the same dynamic loft profile at impact.

I was thinking about this a bit. If you hit an ancient blade club and steel shafted driver, it seems like they track better.

Some of the GI irons like the BB really go far. The numbers could be really skewed.

[Golfingdad]

But I guess driver distance effects your other clubs too... I read somewhere that your PW carry distance is usually around half your Driver carry distance...

That sounds about right for me give or take 5-10 yards or so on the driver carry distance if I double my PW distance.

I've never heard that one before, but that actually works for me as well.

[Aflighter]

Works for me too.My typical driver goes 210-220 and my pw seems to only go 100-110.