Amateur long drive anyone?

[Casualgolfer]

Been thinking about possibly entering an amateur long drive event but I'm not too sure yet. Have had a feeling my club speed etc was pretty decent and I confirmed that today on one of our local pros launch monitor. Numbers matched up pretty spot on to some of my recent drives on the course. I'm no professional and shoot low to mid 80's generally but I think it would be fun. At the amateur level though I'm wondering how far would you have to hit it to even be competitive?

[iacas]

What's your clubhead speed?

Do you have a 6° to 7° driver?

[Buckeyebowman]

I live in Youngstown, OH, and there is a long drive comp every year the day before the "Greatest Golfer in the Valley" tournament kicks off. If you can't hit it 300+, forget it!

I went out to watch it last year, and a lot of these guys just flat killed the ball! I think the winner last year went 334! Slightly uphill and into a breeze! I don't know that any trophies are involved, but they cut a "hole" 3 feet wide exactly at 300 yards dead center between the lines. If you hit in the "cup" you win a $10,000 gift certificate to a local jewelry store.

[Casualgolfer]

Club speed topped out at 133.7 if I remember correctly. Averaged around 128-129 mostly. Spin rates were killing me though. Current driver has a 5 degree head. Ball speed I think topped at 197. I know I could get faster if I started working out like  I did in college. 

[fishgolf]

Sounds like it could be fun if you have the numbers to be competitive (I do not).  A question I have is whether one runs the risk of hosing up their normal swing mechanics by using specialized drivers for LD competition?  I'm presuming that longer length shafts, different swing weight, and lower lofts than one would normally use is common? 

[Casualgolfer]

3 hours ago, fishgolf said:

Sounds like it could be fun if you have the numbers to be competitive (I do not).  A question I have is whether one runs the risk of hosing up their normal swing mechanics by using specialized drivers for LD competition?  I'm presuming that longer length shafts, different swing weight, and lower lofts than one would normally use is common? 

Well the driver I would use is the driver I am currently using during my play. I put in my introduction thread that I was gaming a 48" house of forged xx shaft with a mutant golf 5* head that I got on eBay recently as my previous driver I I suspected was killing my distance with too much spin. So I basically ordered this club on a whim because the price was good and i thought it would be better and it drastically was. Shaft is a bit long i admit for normal play but i choke down on it a bit usually.  I didn't really want to say what my numbers were because when I mentioned I averaged over 320 one of my last outings I don't think there was too much belief. I'm not near the level of actual long drivers but at an amateur level I may have fun competing.

[fishgolf]

8 minutes ago, Casualgolfer said:

Well the driver I would use is the driver I am currently using during my play. I put in my introduction thread that I was gaming a 48" house of forged xx shaft with a mutant golf 5* head that I got on eBay recently as my previous driver I I suspected was killing my distance with too much spin. So I basically ordered this club on a whim because the price was good and i thought it would be better and it drastically was. Shaft is a bit long i admit for normal play but i choke down on it a bit usually.  I didn't really want to say what my numbers were because when I mentioned I averaged over 320 one of my last outings I don't think there was too much belief. I'm not near the level of actual long drivers but at an amateur level I may have fun competing.

320's nothing.  I routinely get that distance on the cart path and I particularly like the ones with curbs on both sides . No doubt you'll have fun competing; go for it.

[Casualgolfer]

4 hours ago, fishgolf said:

320's nothing.  I routinely get that distance on the cart path and I particularly like the ones with curbs on both sides . No doubt you'll have fun competing; go for it.

I like the old cart path boost, especially when it's cart path only lol. 

[Lihu]

On 6/5/2018 at 6:27 PM, Casualgolfer said:

Club speed topped out at 133.7 if I remember correctly. Averaged around 128-129 mostly. Spin rates were killing me though. Current driver has a 5 degree head. Ball speed I think topped at 197. I know I could get faster if I started working out like  I did in college. 

Those numbers should be fine.

One of my partners has your swing speed, and has participated in long drive.

Look up Drive 400, and you’ll find some great information on getting even more speed.

[Casualgolfer]

7 hours ago, Lihu said:

Those numbers should be fine.

One of my partners has your swing speed, and has participated in long drive.

Look up Drive 400, and you’ll find some great information on getting even more speed.

Thanks I will check that out.

[phillyk]

If you are sticking to amateur stuff, I'd think 130 should be fine so long as you can maintain good launch conditions.  But, if you want to go further, you'll need to dip to low 140's at least.  Talk to your local pro to see if he knows someone who either runs LD comp's or trains them.  It'd be the best way to get your foot in the door and to see where you'd need to get, speed wise, to be competitive. 

[Casualgolfer]

18 hours ago, phillyk said:

If you are sticking to amateur stuff, I'd think 130 should be fine so long as you can maintain good launch conditions.  But, if you want to go further, you'll need to dip to low 140's at least.  Talk to your local pro to see if he knows someone who either runs LD comp's or trains them.  It'd be the best way to get your foot in the door and to see where you'd need to get, speed wise, to be competitive. 

I think I could get into the 140's fairly easy if I worked out like I did in college. I used to hammer the weight room. I haven't worked out like that in 7 years so I have lost strength and flexibility no doubt. Also I have only really been golfing for a couple years so my swing I'm sure has some ability waiting to be unlocked with proper mechanics. I'm not looking to go on the WLD tour but I have been looking at regional amateur events that I may enter. Maybe if I start wearing really tight polos and start screaming at the ball if I could get it in the 140's lol.