Are most people exagerating their long drive exploits

[HytrewQasdfg]

You have to ask?

As someone said, people take their handfull of best drives. How far you drive is how far you drive CONSISTENTLY, not 1 out of every 20 shots.

The other part of the problem is not everyone is talking the same language. There is how far your ball travels in the air, and how far it rolls after it lands. If you are hittin on a down hill slope your drives go a lot farther, but did you really hit it farther?

If you were standing on the side of a lake (and you have to buy everyone a round of drinks each time you lose a ball in the lake), what is the widest lake you would attempt to drive the ball over? That's how far you actually drive the ball.

[MrKadash]

My club pro about three years ago talked a kid into standing out in the middle of a fairway and flag where exactly his tee shots landed, and took the average out of twenty or so. I guess that's the only way to know for sure....

[Lost Ball]

Lost Ball does not lie

[marpr]

the best news i ever heard from a PGA Coach:
"If your consistantly accurate. Distance will follow."

[Shindig]

I'm not a gym expert, but Shindig going to the gym 7 days a week will do more harm than good, your muscles need time to recover, your running the risk of injury at the moment.

If it's weight lifting, you're right. When I was going 7 days/week, it was cardio every morning, and only 3 of those days also included strength.

I don't think cardio 7 days/week is harmful. If it is, let me know, because that time of year where I might do that again is coming up.

[golf_junkie27]

I consider my driving to be the strongest part of my game yet every time I read some post on the net I feel like I'm only half the man I thought I was. I've had my swing measured in 2 pro shops at 104 - 5 mph. I have got custom fitted with my driver, Cleveland HiBore XL, gold shaft, stiff, 10.5 Deg ( As the average pro plays with a loft of just short of 9.5 Deg and I figured as I swing 5 - 10 mph slower than the average pro I need at least 10 Deg loft so I have never bought into the amatuer with a 9 Deg driver lark )

Since you were fitted, how come the fitter left it up to you to decide the degree of the club? Additionally, swing speed, while important, is not the only factor that determines distance. Launch angle, ball speed, the amount of spin all factor in the actual distance. Also, the kick point and torque of your shaft play a prominent role. It's not just "Regular, Stiff or X Stiff" that is important. When I was fitted, using Hogan Hawk and Titleist DT Solo balls, my distance was 258 yards, carry. These are not top of the line balls, however, they were balls that I was able to compress and generate serious ball speed. The average was 148MPH and my swing speed, on average, was a little over 100MPH.

Case in point, look at Anthony Anderson, the actor. His swing speed was 115MPH, yet, his carry distance was 253 yards. He was 2MPH faster than Nick Faldo but almost 30 yards shorter. Like I said, so many variables.

[Ben]

I'd imagine people fib on their distances a little bit. But I think it can be a good thing to do so. Point in case. I always thought of myself as a great putter from 5 feet and in, but never a great putter from outside that. That was until a playing partner of mine started saying that I make pretty much everything I look at and would brag to others we play with saying out loud "Ben, you make putts. That's what you do." Well, I started believing that, and low and behold, I make long putts now because I truly believe I can. To the point of lying about distance. I don't consider myself a long ball hitter (at least compared to the level of competition I play against.) But perhaps that is my set-back, if I tell myself, and start saying it to others that I hit a long ball, maybe that'll get my belief system working in my favor with distance like it did with my putting? I say, fib away!

[Dave]

Just watch events with the launch monitor set-up, the pro's are flying it 250-260 and picking-up 20-30 yards of roll. Just use your own experience how many times have you played with a guy hitting it 270+ ... not very often (if ever).

99% of us would be lucky to hit it as far as the pro gals.

[rrassoc]

I definitely think people exaggerate.

Also, there's a huge difference between carry and total distance. People talk about how far they carry it, but who really keeps track of carry unless they're paying attention at the range?

Where a ball ends up has a lot to do with how it hit and where it hit. Can it roll for 30 or 50 yards? I watched a lot of long drives this year at the Mercedes Championship where the ball seemed to roll down the hill for a mile!

Here's the link to the PGA Tour driving distance stats.

Check out Fred Funk!

[Ben]

Interesting link. A few big timers down near the bottom Furyk and Sabbatini to name a few

[hawkeye]

it's not just drives - i love when a golfer takes out a 6 iron from 175 to the front - stuggles to get on the green - and i hit a 4 iron & if it's not on the green it's pin high. I see it in young guys especially who think that they need to hit the highest club possible. Take what club will get it there without the effort of a rushed swing.

The same guys are trying to bust a drive down there 280 - it's only on the fairway once a round. It only goes 260 twice a round. And that's downhill and downwind.

The way i see it - if it matters so much how far they hit it - it'll only annoy them when it doesn't work - because it doesn't always work - it can only be to my advantage because i just stand up and hit the ball. I don't worry where it ends up - once it leaves the clubface it's beyond our control!

[extremeld]

i would say about the comment above, i was once one of those young guys who tried to bust it with the least club possible, the thing is if that is how you choose to play and you practice constructivly you can become a VERY long hitter in time

k

[golfchief]

I play with a guy who can hit the bal 270. he only hits the fairway maybe once a round, second shots are out of the rough and or behind trees and scores around 45-53. My 230-240 yard tee shots are usually in the fairway or first cut and I normally shoot 34-38. When I'm the starter and the guys tell me how far they hit the ball I tell them to move to the back tee then they only hit the ball about 190-200 yards and they think they killed it.

[extremeld]

how can you hit a driver 190 and think you killed it? man some people are deluded

[JaY_B]

how can you hit a driver 190 and think you killed it? man some people are deluded

How is he deluded? If 190's a good drive for him fair play to him.

[geezer]

How is he deluded? If 190's a good drive for him fair play to him.

Too right!

[blkdiamond]

How is he deluded? If 190's a good drive for him fair play to him.

Agreed. I would be more impressed with someone that truthfully said that they hit their driver 190 then someone who exaggerates and say they hit 300.

[golf_junkie27]

Fred Funk is listed last. His average drive is almost 260 yards. That's nothing to sneeze at. The majority of the guys on this list are between 285 and 295 yards.

I don't doubt, for a second, that many single digit and low double digit handicappers are getting 260 off the tee. Many of these players are using custom made equipment that only improves your play. I keep hearing about buying "game improvement" irons. The only irons that improve your game are ones that are fitted exactly to your swing and type of game.