# Summer vs Winter distances.



## EaseNgrace (Jan 25, 2010)

How much distance do you actually lose on drives in the winter, taking into account the temperature, air pressure, wearing lots of clothes and just generally feeling less relaxed.
My brother just got a skycaddie and measured some of my better drives the other day at around 260 yards, in the summer I would average at least 280+. My 3 wood was measured at 240 and is usually 260+. 
Do you find the difference is usually this much?


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## pokerjoke (Jan 25, 2010)

I would say more than 20 yrds due to the roll in the summer on woods and driver,but on irons i would say 2 irons more in winter than summer.I.M.O.


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## Parmo (Jan 25, 2010)

350 yards? lol


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## kid2 (Jan 25, 2010)

My god Easengrace your getting 70yards of roll after a 280 carry....is it all downhill


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## EaseNgrace (Jan 25, 2010)

Oh yeah, I meant to say carry. The drives I measured didn't roll more than 5 yards. My summer ones can roll from a 280 carry to 350yards total, can't wait for the summer.


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## EaseNgrace (Jan 25, 2010)

350 yards? lol
		
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I will just say, I'm not blowing my own trumpet and claiming I drive that far all the time, but I have done a handful of times.


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## Dodger (Jan 25, 2010)

Are you Bubba Watson?

I play with a lot of low fella's that are no pea shooters and they can count 350 yard drives on 1 hand in a whole season.


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## HomerJSimpson (Jan 25, 2010)

Come on guys lets not start the I can hit xx vs oh no you can't debate again. The context of the OP is intersting and I'd say I lose at least 10% on all my clubs in the winter due to less carry, restricted swing etc. As I'm short anyway it is all bad times!


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## EaseNgrace (Jan 25, 2010)

I had a few I recall from last summer. The one that springs to mind was at Bawburgh GC, The first par 5 was playing down wind during that very dry spell we had. I played a wedge into the green. If I played that hole tomorrow it would probably measure around 250 yards and I probably couldn't even reach in 2. Thats what im saying about how it can make so much difference. What I wouldn't give for year round sun.


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## Screwback (Jan 25, 2010)

Come on guys lets not start the I can hit xx vs oh no you can't debate again.
		
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I was hoping I could avoid it at the time of the OP, how wrong I was 

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But if you put a post like that up surely thats the way it will go as its fair to say there are no many pros far less amatuers the carry it 280+.


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## EaseNgrace (Jan 25, 2010)

Come on guys lets not start the I can hit xx vs oh no you can't debate again.
		
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I was hoping I could avoid it at the time of the OP, how wrong I was


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## Imurg (Jan 25, 2010)

A golf ball is designed to work best at 70 degrees farenheit. Above that temperature there is no discernable improvement in performance.
For every 3 degrees below 70 you will lose 1 yard of carry purely down to temperature.
So at 32F (0C) you will lose 12.67 yards compared to exactly the same shot at 70F.


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## leewestrudd1 (Jan 25, 2010)

i had the bushnell out yesterday and after nailing a great 3wood straight down the middle of the fairway i thought i'd check the distance back to the tee box, it was 210yrds, i'm a fairly longish hitter with irons and woods and i was quite suprised, ithought i would have been a further 20 yrds.


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## Imurg (Jan 25, 2010)

Take into account the extra layers of clothing, the possibly stronger wind as well, its no wonder they shorten the courses in winter.


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## CliveW (Jan 25, 2010)

Isn't it strange how most men exagerate, especially when talking about length?


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## Canfordhacker (Jan 25, 2010)

A golf ball is designed to work best at 70 degrees farenheit. Above that temperature there is no discernable improvement in performance.
For every 3 degrees below 70 you will lose 1 yard of carry purely down to temperature.
So at 32F (0C) you will lose 12.67 yards compared to exactly the same shot at 70F.
		
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No wonder I'm leaving those wedges short..


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## Canfordhacker (Jan 25, 2010)

Sorry, meant to add that I certainly factor at least one extra club for the iron approaches and par 3's this time of year. Hint of wind against may make that two.


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## JustOne (Jan 26, 2010)

I'd say that I am losing a minimum 50+ yards off every drive.  Today I scorched one up a par5 and was 100 yards back of where I hit it to in the Summer.... still got it on the dancefloor with a 3-wood though 

Irons wise I don't think there is a huge amount of difference if you're landing the ball on the green, maybe a club extra. The only thing being that your drive has already left you a long way back so you're already going in with more club... and cold fingers


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## HRC99 (Jan 26, 2010)

It's pretty much two clubs for me at this time of year.  The greens at my course are pretty difficult to hold so you tend to play for the front and let it kick on.

With it being damp, you can go for the green/pin so that's one club and another one for the colder conditions and lack of roll.

As far as the driver goes, its probably about 20-30 yards less which can be a good thing on my home course as you can easily run out of fairway on a couple and end up right in the crap.  At the moment, you can blast away knowing that you won't run out.


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## EaseNgrace (Jan 26, 2010)

Come on guys lets not start the I can hit xx vs oh no you can't debate again.
		
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I was hoping I could avoid it at the time of the OP, how wrong I was 

Click to expand...

But if you put a post like that up surely thats the way it will go as its fair to say there are no many pros far less amatuers the carry it 280+.
		
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Well thats that then, If you apply the theory of Occam's razor I must be lying.


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## DCB (Jan 26, 2010)

I would have thought that the inherent dangers of willy waying in winter would have been obvious. Frostbite can be a real problem in winters such as this one


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## SharkAttack (Jan 26, 2010)

I know a couple of guys who loose 100% distance over the winter, but we just call them wimps!!


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## mjsw13 (Jan 26, 2010)

I don't really understand the restricted swing thing.  If it's not raining, what's wrong with a good base layer and your polo on top?  Zero restriction, maximum warmth


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## Sam (Jan 26, 2010)

For every 3 degrees below 70 you will lose 1 yard of carry purely down to temperature.
So at 32F (0C) you will lose 12.67 yards compared to exactly the same shot at 70F.
		
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That somehow doesn't ring true in that I would have expected it to be a percentage of distance not an absolute amount.

12.67 yards loss whether pitching wedge or drive??


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## USER1999 (Jan 26, 2010)

I am assuming we are talking driver here.

I am finding no difference at all from 8i and down. The big difference is obviously with the driver. It is all carry, no run, and I am compounding this by hitting it badly (can't even blame the clothes thing, just putting a poor swing on it).

I don't get base layers? They do nothing for me, except hold the beer gut in.


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## Robobum (Jan 26, 2010)

I can get it out there about 250yds if I knock one out my boots in the winter. Then again I am one of those "peashooters" as I'm about 270yds in the summer.

With everything else it's usually between a half and a full club difference during the bleak mid winter.


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## pokerjoke (Jan 26, 2010)

I don't get base layers? They do nothing for me, except hold the beer gut in. 

[/QUOTE]

  Thats because a beer gut is your base layer.


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## funkyfred (Jan 26, 2010)

I'm with Homer and Murphthemog on this one about 10% less down to the 7i and then not much difference from the 8i.

Played with a guy on Sunday (6h/c) who we roughly measured his drives in the 265 yards to 275 yard region, and that was with a run of about 4 foot.


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## didsbury_duffer (Jan 26, 2010)

As I'm short anyway it is all bad times!
		
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You look quite tall in the pic in this month's mag.


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## Society_Fan (Jan 26, 2010)

I don't really play in the winter, but at the driving range I have not lost too much on the distance front. The driver still hits the green at 220 (when it goes straight). I'd love to have a carry of 280, but the road at the back is about 280, so I have to scale back!!!


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## Screwback (Jan 26, 2010)

Come on guys lets not start the I can hit xx vs oh no you can't debate again.
		
Click to expand...

I was hoping I could avoid it at the time of the OP, how wrong I was 

Click to expand...

But if you put a post like that up surely thats the way it will go as its fair to say there are no many pros far less amatuers the carry it 280+.
		
Click to expand...

Well thats that then, If you apply the theory of Occam's razor I must be lying.
		
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Occams what???

I am Not saying your lying but you have to admitt that is a long way for anyone to be hitting it


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## AuburnWarrior (Jan 26, 2010)

A golf ball is designed to work best at 70 degrees farenheit. Above that temperature there is no discernable improvement in performance.
For every 3 degrees below 70 you will lose 1 yard of carry purely down to temperature.
So at 32F (0C) you will lose 12.67 yards compared to exactly the same shot at 70F.
		
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How do you know this stuff??   

I've been playing for thirty years and all I know is get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.  

As a whole, I'm very impressed with the knowledge levels on this forum.


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## AuburnWarrior (Jan 26, 2010)

Come on guys lets not start the I can hit xx vs oh no you can't debate again.
		
Click to expand...

I was hoping I could avoid it at the time of the OP, how wrong I was 

Click to expand...

But if you put a post like that up surely thats the way it will go as its fair to say there are no many pros far less amatuers the carry it 280+.
		
Click to expand...

Well thats that then, If you apply the theory of Occam's razor I must be lying.
		
Click to expand...

Occams what???

I am Not saying your lying but you have to admitt that is a long way for anyone to be hitting it  

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I don't think it matters how far you hit a drive - it's what happens with the next shot that counts!!

I hit a good, long drive - my longest drive (measured) last year was 370 yards (it was very dry and I got miles of roll).  I then ballsed up the approach and took 5!!  So, someone who'd hit it 200 yards would have the same chance as me!!


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## Screwback (Jan 26, 2010)

I agree it does not matter how far you hit but it is an interesting debate.

I must hit it awfully short compared to some of the posters on here yet i can count on one hand how many people that i have every played with who can out drive me


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## viscount17 (Jan 26, 2010)

I have a simple measure, I can cross the lake in summer but chance losing it in winter. 

I reckon I'm down 30 - 40 yards with the driver and at least one iron to the 9, from there on in it doesn't seem a lot different.


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## EaseNgrace (Jan 26, 2010)

I don't really understand the restricted swing thing.  If it's not raining, what's wrong with a good base layer and your polo on top?  Zero restriction, maximum warmth
		
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I usually wear a base layer, t shirt, sweater and a light FJ jacket. I do feel a bit restricted when it comes to the top of the backswing compared with just the t shirt in summer. It may be down to the muscles feeling stiff more than anything though.


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## pokerjoke (Jan 26, 2010)

It surprising how much gear players start their round in but after half way they are down to two layers or maybe one layer,surely the key is to have a good warm up and be warm when you tee off the first.I see a lot of players turn up and tee off with no warm up layered as if there in the antartic then moan there not warm or feel restricted.Easy solution warm up first.


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## JohnDaly (Jan 26, 2010)

Hey guys, thars some of you boys can certainly knock it out thar. I'm getting averaged at just over 303 yards this year and I thought I was a big hitter  
Remind me not to play any of you for money in the sumer cause I think I might just be in trouble if you boys are catching it right on a nice warm dry summer course.

Mind you, you dont get many of those on your side of the pond now do ya


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## Hodgie (Jan 26, 2010)

Light until 5. The benefits of living down south still getting dark around 4 here in Newcastle.


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## HomerJSimpson (Jan 26, 2010)

Anyway why worry about Winter. Its light until nearly 5 now and so evening golf is just around the corner. At a push I reckon I could tee off about 1.00 and still get round


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## Dave3498 (Jan 26, 2010)

D=cor/(t+w)-tx4rootL/s metres.

That's how I work it out.


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## EaseNgrace (Jan 26, 2010)

D=cor/(t+w)-tx4rootL/s metres.

That's how I work it out.
		
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Of course...


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## Imurg (Jan 26, 2010)

A golf ball is designed to work best at 70 degrees farenheit. Above that temperature there is no discernable improvement in performance.
For every 3 degrees below 70 you will lose 1 yard of carry purely down to temperature.
So at 32F (0C) you will lose 12.67 yards compared to exactly the same shot at 70F.
		
Click to expand...

How do you know this stuff??   

I've been playing for thirty years and all I know is get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.  

As a whole, I'm very impressed with the knowledge levels on this forum.  

Click to expand...

A. Coz I'm a smartarse
B. Google's a wonderful thing Baby!!


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## brendy (Jan 26, 2010)

I tend to hit a fairly high ball and as a result dont get as much run out as most other folks, in fact My ball usually stops within a foot or so of the landing mark it made. I just need to make more fairways and i'll be happy.


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## Region3 (Jan 31, 2010)

I played last week and even the drives I caught well were about 40yds down on what I'd expect in the summer.

My short irons were about half a club down. Can't say on the long irons because I didn't hit one well.


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