how far is your long game?

[NM Golf]

I'd be willing to bet that out of the 19 guys who claim they'll get on the green, 1-2 actually would.

Now I know why there is going to be test for performance enhancing drugs

So You don't believe I can get to a 540 yard par 5 in two?

As the 100th voter in this poll, I have the right to some analysis. Freakin' 78% of golfers here need just a wedge a putter after two. I find that very believable. Me..8 iron most likely. How many can actually cream a three wood?.

Not only can I cream a 3 wood but at 540 I wouldn't even need to. It would be driver 4 iron. Just for this thread I went out to the 539 yard par 5 at my home course. I dropped 4 balls and I got 3 out of the 4 on in two. The one I missed was the right distance I just pushed it 5 yards right of the green. And I hit driver, 4 iron and 3 iron into the green.

Its not that hard to get onto a 540 yard par 5 in two.

[Terrier]

So You don't believe I can get to a 540 yard par 5 in two?

I believe you.

It depends on where in the world and at what altitude/conditions one is playing (read: sea level). You'll lose 30 yards on your drive here in Myrtle Beach and one club on your standard iron shot. Soft fairways with no roll. It gets cold? Add more yardage. I see it happen all the time with tourists and newcomers to this town. Respectfully...

[crazy_horst]

So You don't believe I can get to a 540 yard par 5 in two?

At 5,310 feet above sea level (where Albuquerque is), I could do it, too, 4 iron and all. Wanna have a crack at that at sea level, pardner?

[crazy_horst]

I believe you.

I mean if it takes Steve driver-3 wood for 571... granted, that was into the wind, right?

Are you drunk again, Simon?

[cbe_golfer]

So You don't believe I can get to a 540 yard par 5 in two?

I absolutely believe you. I think I also kind of know who to believe.

But a large percentage of that 78% probably have some real estate on the moon to sell. As a 15 capper, I think I'll be real happy to be on a 540 yard par 5 in regulation. I cant believe 75% of the people on this forum are actually pitching or playing half shots as their third..

[Terrier]

I mean if it takes Steve driver-3 wood for 571... granted, that was into the wind, right?

Correction: 581. Into a 20 MPH ocean wind. At sea level. What's 10 yards, eh?

Posting while intoxicated is SOP when the weather is foul. I could be drinking Merlot or Miller Lite. But I'm going with MD 20/20 at this juncture in time due to socialistic protest.

[Miney]

I agree, me. Im usually looking at a 8 or 9 Iron. Maybe even a 7 depending on my second shot..

[crazy_horst]

Here's how it probably really is:

on the green 1
a chip away (5-20 yards from green) 1
almost there (21-50 yards from green) 2
kind of close (51-80 yards from green) 5
i can clearly see the pin (81-120 yards from green) 6
pw,9 or 8 hmmmm (121-145) 90
is that the flag or a tree? (146-more yards from green) 800

I'll leave the percentages to you fellas.

[Elsfan]

Here's how it probably really is:

I love guys like you. Guys who can't do it so no one can. I am in the category of being there or around the green in two just a chip or little pitch away. Unfortunately because my short game is not even close where in needs to be I play around a 15. I have to hit greens to score well, I don't get up and down much.

[powerfade]

Here's how it probably really is:

Do you really think 540 is that long?

Give me some perspective here...how far does your well struck drive go? Not your career drive, just a nice one. How far does your nicely struck 3 wood go assuming that's the second longest club in your bag. Now, if the yardage was 575, you might see some numbers like you said above. Regarding the sea level thing...is there a difference between East Coast and West Coast? Relative humidity and all?

[Terrier]

Regarding the sea level thing...is there a difference between East Coast and West Coast? Relative humidity and all?

Yes.

[powerfade]

Yes.

Bummer (well, not for us out here I guess). I'm a big sissy when it comes to humidity. I'll take the dry heat out west anytime. I know the heat + humidity can be grueling but you guys probably only have it from May to Sept? I would think "the other" SC has some beautiful golf weather right about this time of year?

[Terrier]

Bummer

Right on. Fer sure. It's a different game here in the Golf Capital of the World.

Growing up playing the game in the mountains where the balls fly off the clubface and land on bent grass, I'm not quite sure how to answer your specific inquiry. As far as the weather? It's fair. :)

[powerfade]

Right on. Fer sure. It's a different game here in the Golf Capital of the World.

Dude...only Valley Girls talk like that

(hmmm...I wonder if we still have Valley Girls out here?). Yes, heavy air and soft/slow courses are different than light air and hard/fast courses. Distance wise? Probably no comparison but they both present a comparable challenge.

[gortyl]

i have to agree with those that say these poll numbers don't really make much sense, especially when looking at these handicaps associated with them. i've played over 80 rounds this year and have seen a lot of golfers from a lot of handicap ranges and i can't believe how many guys say they can reach 540 in two "easily" or "without any problem". and yes, it obviously depends on the set up of the hole (i.e. not many folks are going to whip out the fairway wood if the second shot requires a 230 yard carry over water) and many other factors.

but if the question is 'what's the best you've ever been after two shots on a par 5', then sure, i'd expect more of the answers we got here. but if a 15 handicap can "easily" reach a 540 par 5 in two shots, what the hell is he doing with a 15 handicap? putting with a wet newspaper?

if i pure, and i mean pure my driver, which probably happens 2, maybe 3 times a round, i can put it out there 300+ (again how hard is the fairway? wind? elevation?) but my average drive is probably 280-285. so with an average drive, i'm 255 out. assuming i'm in the middle of the fairway and the green isn't around a dogleg and i have a flat lie and there are no hazards in front of the green to allow for the final 20-25 yards to be roll AND i pure my 4-wood, i could probably reach it. but here again, how often do i pure my 4-wood? not often at all. this is a club that fades a bit on me when i hit it well and slices on me when i miss it, so my average is about 230-240.

so i actually put 21-50 yards out. if i hit my averages, i'm about 15 yards out, chipping in. but even if i pured both driver and 4-wood, the odds of me being on the green from 240+ yards out is slim, so i'd probably be chipping from the left or right.

yep, i'm probably reading too much into the question as well, but jesus, that's what the forum is for fellas. if everyone answered "10 yards" or "on the green", what fun would that be? i love this game!

[NM Golf]

At 5,310 feet above sea level (where Albuquerque is), I could do it, too, 4 iron and all. Wanna have a crack at that at sea level, pardner?

I have played and competed a great deal at sea level and I gotta tell you, sea level doesn't affect well struck golf shots to the degree you think it does. I see maybe a 1/2 club difference. When I played in Hilton head I hit the same clubs I do here. The only thing I did different is I hit more 75% irons instead of going all out at the shorter club. In california I see even less of a difference. And none coastal areas at see level I hit the ball just as far as I do here.

Don't kid yourself, sure we are at altitude here in Albuquerque, but I certainly don't hit it 25% farther. That is a ridiculous statement.

You'll lose 30 yards on your drive here in Myrtle Beach and one club on your standard iron shot. Soft fairways with no roll.

Umm no I don't. We get no roll here as well and its not a whole club difference either. Plus how would you know? Have you ever played with me? Don't generalize when it comes to individual golfers.

[crazy_horst]

I love guys like you. Guys who can't do it so no one can. I am in the category of being there or around the green in two just a chip or little pitch away. Unfortunately because my short game is not even close where in needs to be I play around a 15.

I've heard that story before.

[crazy_horst]

Do you really think 540 is that long?

For your average handicap golfer? Heck yeah. Think about it this way: if you hit a 300 yard drive, you still have 240 yards left. How many handicap golfers can hit a green consistently from 240 yards (much less a 300 yard drive)? C'mon...

You have to bear in mind, your average golfer pumps it out there at 220-230, I don't care what they say. Most golfers take their all-time career drive and claim that's how far they hit it. If a guy hits one drive in forty 290 yards, that's what he'll claim he hits it. Most guys hit it 30-40 yards less than they claim - and then when you play with them, it's "Didn't catch that one" when they hit it 240. The other thing is, most guys pay little or no attention to the wind. I was the same until I got down here in the ocean breezes. In New York, my 8 iron is 145-150. In Myrtle, it can be anywhere from 130 to 185, depending on the wind. So it's just as likely that a guy's career drive was downwind, and they either don't realize it or don't care to acknowledge it. If this poll were to be believed, 3 in 10 of us here would be within 20 yards of the green, and nearly 50% within 50 yards. I'd put every cent in my bank account on the line on that bet any day. I have a 548 yard hole at my home course in New York. I've played it probably 200 times. I've been on once in two shots. Most guys would say, "Yeah, I can get there." How intellectually honest is that statement, though? Can I get there? Yeah, I did once . Am I going to? Pretty damn unlikely.

Give me some perspective here...how far does your well struck drive go? Not your career drive, just a nice one.

Career drive: 315. Avg.

well-struck drive: 270-280. I can hit a well-struck 3 wood 250.