In_The_Rough
Tour Winner
Go to a forum meet then, you will see it loads of times.
Average driver distance now and then - R&A
- Thread starter Kellfire
- Start date
Go to a forum meet then, you will see it loads of times.
Does it matter? I am one of those that will be bringing the number down and I reckon 230 yard is about my average. I would rather that and say 50% FIR than 260 yards and 30% FIR. As long as I can keep the ball playable as often as possible with my shots I am still capable of making a reasonable score
Sweep
Journeyman Pro
Interesting. I think the fact that this relates to the "average" player says a lot. According to a program on Sky today, 53 year old Fred Couples out drives the Fred Couples of 30 years ago when he was 23 by 16 yards.
For me the most interesting aspect of the R&A report was the fact that beginners or at least high handicappers progress to using a driver much more quickly. I remember when I started, amongst all the guys that started playing around the same time, it was the better players that advanced to using a driver the soonest. Until you had advanced to a certain level, you were advised never to hit driver and it was a good while before I even bought one. It seems to me that the advancement of technology in clubs as far as the "average" player is concerned has benefitted us more through making the club more forgiving and much easier to hit.
For me the most interesting aspect of the R&A report was the fact that beginners or at least high handicappers progress to using a driver much more quickly. I remember when I started, amongst all the guys that started playing around the same time, it was the better players that advanced to using a driver the soonest. Until you had advanced to a certain level, you were advised never to hit driver and it was a good while before I even bought one. It seems to me that the advancement of technology in clubs as far as the "average" player is concerned has benefitted us more through making the club more forgiving and much easier to hit.
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
Good observation sweep.
The 1.62 ball would travel further as well.
No watered fairways, mainly links and heathland courses and a much better standard of average golfer are also factored in.
MadAdey
Money List Winner
I would agree with what people are saying with regards to how far people actually hit the driver. I just used the old google earth and it's measuring stick method to get a rough idea of what I averaged the other day. The fairways where wet and long about 1 or 2 clubs of wind. I averaged roughly 265 from 9 drivers I hit and that is having the wind with, against and across. I have played with people before that believe they hit the ball 300 from the tee in summer, but never get within 20 yards of my tee shots that roughly average 280ish when the fairways are shorter and running better.
MashieNiblick
Tour Winner
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
It would be easy for all of us interested in this to measure all of our 'driver' tee shots over a couple or three rounds - and I mean all and not just those that end up on the correct fairway. I guess many can already do very easily using their DMD. Then take an average of the lot.
I'd suggest a sample size of at least 22 tee shots - that's probably two rounds for most folks I'm guessing - my normal game sees me taking driver on 11 holes. If I play this weekend I'll note where all my tee shorts finish and get measurements using Google Maps/Earth and see what it tells me.
I'd suggest a sample size of at least 22 tee shots - that's probably two rounds for most folks I'm guessing - my normal game sees me taking driver on 11 holes. If I play this weekend I'll note where all my tee shorts finish and get measurements using Google Maps/Earth and see what it tells me.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Hmm, not if it was a Commando
Commando - a distance ball compared with a Price's Everlasting - boing!
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Don't know how the aerodynamics of the small ball compare with the current ball - but the greater surface area of the large ball will certainly give greater and more prolonged 'lift'. Bigger ball = More drag, but that is partly what today's clever dimples and dimple patterns are designed to reduce - as well as increasing further 'lift'. But on size alone and everything else being equal - I would guess the large ball could actually go further.
AyrshireGolfer
Club Champion
Average drive distances just now are out the window down my course.
Depending on the wind direction you could be a driver and a 9 iron to the green on a par 5, and a driver, 3 wood, 6 iron and then a pitch onto the green on a short par 4.
Depending on the wind direction you could be a driver and a 9 iron to the green on a par 5, and a driver, 3 wood, 6 iron and then a pitch onto the green on a short par 4.
MadAdey
Money List Winner
I think this time of the year can be a good time to get average driver distances. Soft wet fairways with long grass so you are not getting a massive run out like summer. I think if you can get out on a day when it is not too windy then you can get a really good idea on what your sort of carry distance is.
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
I have a measure shot function on my GPS but have never used it. I assume it is easy so if I remember and the course isn't frozen tomorrow, I will try to measure all my drives.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
And with that perhaps you hit the nail on the head - do we only 'count' drives that are hit in 'fair' conditions rather than across all conditions in which we play. If I hit a short or poor drive I will often seek excuses - and weather and ground conditions are oft fallen back on in my head - as are 'I was going for it - I wouldn't normally have done that
' when playing in a fourball etc.
Region3
Ryder Cup Winner
Ditto. I've had the intention of doing it before but always forget. I'll tie a knot in something!
It will be a good day to do it for me as well. Normally I hit driver on 8 or 9 holes, but it's our 3 club tomorrow so it will be 15 times.
Not sure why you waould want to try and work out your distances this time of year.
Cold temps and air pressure means the ball will just not fly as far as in summer.
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
Well clearly but it will still be interesting to see and will also give something to compare summer yardages to.
AyrshireGolfer
Club Champion
And with that perhaps you hit the nail on the head - do we only 'count' drives that are hit in 'fair' conditions rather than across all conditions in which we play. If I hit a short or poor drive I will often seek excuses - and weather and ground conditions are oft fallen back on in my head - as are 'I was going for it - I wouldn't normally have done that
You will not hear a moan out my mouth If I crack a drive off down the fairway nearing 300 yards downwind.
Different story when my drive is barely making the fairway when it's coming the opposite direction!
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Seems like we all have a defined set of conditions under which we measure our OK drives. Interesting - as our 'best' OK/good drives in summer when conditions are 'perfect' are perhaps as anomalous as our 'worst' OK/good drives that we hit in 'winter' conditions - they should cancel each other out. Maybe conditions at this time of year are not far from 'average' UK golfing weather conditions - so we take out the weather variable from the equation.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Both very true and why we should really take averages over as large a sample as possible. But I think if you have a howling wind behind you on a couple of holes, there will be other tee shots when that same howling wind will be a mighty big distraction as you stand there - never mind what it might do to your ball after you have hot it
Region3
Ryder Cup Winner
It's not to work my distances out, I'm quite happy that I know them.
I just thought it might be interesting to work out an average distance based on a real round rather than saying my average distance is <insert guess here>.
