Are most people exagerating their long drive exploits

[SubPar]

I'll buy that. My problem is this site constantly has these long drive threads where no one believes each other but on the other hand everyone believes the handicapps. The handicapps are just as likely to be skewed as the length of drives. These long drive threads just seem to be conflict driven.

I hardly believe anything anyone says about their own game. Most people hit one 280 yard drive and think they drive the ball 280 "on average". If they say they usually shoot 80 it means they shoot 80 twice a year... without any witnesses.

It is just like poker. I know poker players who always have a story to tell about their big win, but seem to have amnesia regarding losses. It is well known that most poker players are losing money but believe they are "slightly ahead" over all. In poker and golf you don't know how you are doing unless you keep accurate records. It is too easy to fool yourself. When I was a 15 handicap I decided I will never be any good golf unless I kept score honestly and kept records. When I play I keep track of fairways hit, greens hit and putts. Fortunately I play a lot of skins games with a regular group on Saturday mornings where we play "by the book". SubPar

[Golf Yokel]

I don't know about drives, but I've noticed that over half the golfers out there try to make their play seem better. They may lie about their driving distance, average score, etc... but the first time you play with them you can tell whether they are blowing smoke up your arse or not. Besides, they are only hurting themselves.

And yes, I consider it definitely "lying" when someone knows perfectly well that they are exaggerating their game.

I play with people that will play 3 different ball drops and then keep their best shots as their "score".

It kind of aggrevates me when, after the round, we are all comparing our scores and stats...

It never fails... I get asked what I shot over 9-holes, and when I say "48" I hear it for 2 minutes straight.

But when I ask what he shot (and I've been keeping track of his first balls), I get the inescapable "37" answer. When in actuality, counting all the 10-foot chunk shots, missing the 1-foot tap-ins that he still counts, and ignoring the other countless balls hit on the hole... he actually scores around a 51.

I've actually been thinking about this lately, and I think that it's half the reason the last two rounds I've played have been by myself. I love the company when golfing, but I really don't want to golf with someone who just doesn't want to play correctly, and then try to throw around a fake score.

Might be time to find a new golfing group

[JonnyGolf]

If you think I'm coming to San Jose for 100 dollars a hole you're crazy. Of course we would have to up the ante.

Name your game or shut up.

JG

[Rearden]

As a relatively new golfer this is an interesting topic, as the 3-4 regular golf buddies I have all drive the ball over 275yds with roll. This has skewed my perception of what an average distance is for driver, so this thread is kind of surprising to me -

I get avg. 250 yds of carry with my 3W, and generally roll out between 260-265. I have driven the ball over 350 yards at least 6 - 7 times during rounds (yes, in the fairway), which would hardly count as the "I hit it 280 once" These distances verified with GPS both hand held on on cart.

On the monitor my avg swing speed is 113 - 115, with a high of 119 when I rip it. Been playing around 9 months now, live in Houston and would meet with any seasoned players from the board who live in this area for a round if you would like to validate my claims. Nancy Ballard is an instructor at Memorial Park Golf Course, and is who I have been workign with since picking up the game. Do some exagerate? Sure, but don't discredit those who do not have the limitations that some here have. Swing speed is a gift, much like the ability to run a 4.2 40 sprint. You might go from a 4.35 to a 4.2, but never from a 4.6 to a 4.2 regardless of training, lifting, practice, etc. Not that swing speed = actual golf talent mind you, but it does determine how far, genetically, you can hit the ball. There are many VERY gifted golfers on this board that will never drive a ball 275 yards regardless of how flexible, or strong they get.

But the long ball is an intersting topic, and one that is all the more interesting for the simple fact that I can sharpen my short game and always make incremental improvement. you can focus on and lower puts per round throughout your career, having "softer hands" around the greens, or having a laser focused 120yd approach shot but you can only make small initial improvements to swing speed. As it were, you got what god gave you in that department...

Some have distance, some don't.

MJ

[SubPar]

...I get avg. 250 yds of carry with my 3W, and generally roll out between 260-265. I have driven the ball over 350 yards at least 6 - 7 times during rounds (yes, in the fairway), which would hardly count as the "I hit it 280 once" These distances verified with GPS both hand held on on cart.

There are a few other factors that figure into ball speed and carry, like crispness of ball striking, acceleration through impact, angle of descent and so forth. Some people have tremendous clubhead speed, but most of us don't. If you have it enjoy it. I agree that some of it, probably most of it, is "a gift".

I started playing when I was 45 and I had about 97mph with the driver. Over the past 5 years that has dropped to about 88. Getting older, losing flexibility and strength happens to everyone and, if we are lucky, we compensate with a better short game. It was interesting when they had the three tour event and there was a launch monitor on some of the tees. You could clearly see the relationship between clubhead speed, ball speed and carry, and the relative decline from the PGA to the Champions to the LPGA players. SubPar

[Elsfan]

Name your game or shut up.

LOl. Jonny you talk a mean game but I bet I believe your handicap as much as you believe my driving distance.

[SubPar]

LOl. Jonny you talk a mean game but I bet I believe your handicap as much as you believe my driving distance.

Souldn't you guys take this little spat to MySpace?

[Fourputt]

Souldn't you guys take this little spat to MySpace?

Good suggestion... that's also what PM's are for.

[Craig Mac]

Off topic:

Souldn't you guys take this little spat to MySpace?

Now that was funny!

On topic: I think it is an ego thing just like lying about your score. The only person it effects is the person lying. I usually just worry about my game and try to improve, and the best way to do that is by being honest with myself and others. Trust me I want to be a single digit handicap, but lying to get there is not the way I want to go about it. And driving the ball a certain distance doesn't help the handicap at all, for me at least.

[JonnyGolf]

I agree on the spat. Sorry.

It's interesting that according to the "Pope of Slope" that 1% or so are sandbaggers, but 10% are vanity handicaps. It really speaks to the topic.

[907golfer12]

I believe that most people do exaggerate their average driving distance, my swing speed is about 96 mph and I max out at 240 yards, and then some people here are 32 handicaps, with 9.5 stiff shaft drivers, and can drive the ball 250 yards, give me a break. I know that some people just have amazing natural skill and they can have a high handicap but bomb it, but my bet about this would be about 1 in 10,000 20+ handicaps can actually hit the ball 250 yards. Also on the driver loft and shaft stiffness I play a 9.5* driver and a stiff shaft, but at my swing speed I am at the bottom for stiff shafts, but the reason I play stiff shafts is because I have a very fast tempo, and for the loft, that is because I have a pretty vertical swing. Basically what I am trying to say is that most high handicaps would be better off with an 11* driver or even up to 13*, and a regular shaft.