Club distances

[drawboy]

In the past, we have only been able to measure our drives by reference to the markers on the Driving range or by pacing out on the course.

The markers could be inaccurate and you cant really estimate how far past the 200 yard marker you have gone from that distance.

also your average pace will be less than 1 yard so you could easily add 20 paces over a 230 yard drive.which leads to inaccuracy.

These GPS machines are very accurate. Accept the fact that you dont drive as long as you thought and use the information to plan your shots, work with the GPS make it your friend and trust it.

You need to know how long your drives are to make sure you can get over that bunker or ditch

I know pretty well how far I normally hit each club in my bag, so if the GPS says 135 yards to the middle, I know that that is my 7 iron. if it is a head wind i will take a 6, likewise a tailwind an 8.

If I was estimating i could guess 150 instead of the 135, take a 5 into a headwind and play through.

The most important thing to know in this game is how long you hit each club

Go to a field with your GPS, hit 12 balls with each club and mark the distance to the center of each ball spread.

Enjoy

Fragger

I have been thinking about getting a GPS for a while. Which 1 do you use ? Our practice ground is just a big open field are they accurate for use on there or are they best just for on course use

most have a practice facility where you hit a few balls and mark where they landed on the gps, it then works out he average distance. Well my Caddy lite does anyway.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I use a Bushnell Tour V2 laser. Just point it at the flag from wherever you are and you have a distance. Granted if it's a hilly course and you can't see the flag you have a problem but most of the time it's great. I am lost without it now. It does have a scan function so you can get distances to bunkers etc but I haven't mastered that bit yet

 

[golfinger]

I play mostly nomadic golf, and have been playing with various friends / family for a good 15 years.

Although my playing partners are usually the same people, I have been paired up a great many times. Very (very) occasionaly I will be paired up with, or play in front of someone who can match my drive distance, but this happens only a handful of times in a season.

I was totally convinced that I was hitting the ball 300 yards (Sunday best) by taking into account the scorecards / tee markers yardage and my remaining distance to hole or the on course markers.

I was gobsmacked to discover that my SG5 actually tells me that sort of drive is only around the 260 mark, and my average is much closer to 240.

In some ways it's helped me move on from my obsession with nailing a "300 yard drive". In other ways, I now feel like a big useless pussy.

 

[Putting_Green_Pro]

I reckon i carry the ball about 250 and would consider my self an average hitter

The 188th ranked player by driving distance on the PGA Tour (Craig Bowden) has an average total driving distance of 255.7 yards. Hitting it 250 on the fly probably puts you in the same league as the likes of Justin Leonard, Chris DiMarco and Jim Furyk. I wouldn't call that 'average hitting' for an amateur. The average for amateurs is probably closer to 200 yards than 250.

Not all the pros are long hitters. Kevin Na hit a hybrid 194yards on the 5th day of the API. I think i could do the same with ease (depends on his loft obviously) but i doubt it is 21 as he is likely to be able to hit a 3 iron 19/20 times.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Same here, I measured a creamed drive on my GPS (no roll it was only 2 yards from it's pitch mark) at 215. I'd have sworn it would have been up at 240-250 looking from the tee. Reality check time.

I played quite often a couple of years ago with a guy (in his 50's) who still played off 1 after being on the pro tour 10+ years in the past. OK he never "made it" but he still knows the game at the top level. He said that a carry of 200 yards is something very few amateurs can do consistently. I couldn't agree more. I've seen some of the claims on here and frankly most just do not add up. I play off 5, I'm not short compared with all the guys I play with regularly and reckon if I absolutely cremate a drive downwind on a bone hard fairway I may touch the 300 yard mark....well I think I did this once!! The normal would be around 200 carry + run out which as I hit it fairly low could mean 40-50 yards - and that's for a good one.

 

[RGDave]

I don't use my GPS to measure driving distance, but I might once the ground is harder (dryer) and I hit a centred one which seems about average. I expect it to be about the same as I've averaged for years.

I have used it to measure other clubs though (like when I've been through the back and wondered just how far I've suddenly hit a 7 iron or something).

I think to measure this time of year is just a negative/depressing plan. I know that some of my drives haven't even reached 200 yards, but as it's been really cold, often windy and some drives are 1/2 buried in the mud, I'm not beating myself up.

I tested my two 3 woods yesterday into a little wind on the range (club range, proper balls). I guessed at the average distance but more interestingly, out of using a square 3 wood and a regular 3 wood, I was intrigued to find out the square one is definitely shorter.

I hit a dozen with each club (after warming up with a few) 12 yellow and 12 white (all Donnay ti) and then the opposite. On both occasions, the longest were off the regular shaped wood, the shortest off the square. As I'm playing well a.t.m. the square 3 wood is now on the sub's bench.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have always said on here I consider myself a short hitter and 240 is about my tops with a Sunday best on a dry day with minimal roll. If the fairways are wet and the ball stops I'm only about 220 and maybe only about 210 carry. I'm not fussed. I'd rather worry about being playable for the second than reloading or chipping out. In the summer with dry conditions and run I can get about 260 on a flat fairway. More than enough for me.

 

[HRC99]

I think a lot of people have overestimated their driving distances by looking at the length of the hole and then subtracting the distance to the green after their drive to get their driving distance.

This ignores any bend in the hole which again can make a massive difference.

The GPS devices bring much more reality and honesty into this process which is nothing but good.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

I play mostly nomadic golf, and have been playing with various friends / family for a good 15 years.


I was totally convinced that I was hitting the ball 300 yards (Sunday best) by taking into account the scorecards / tee markers yardage and my remaining distance to hole or the on course markers.

I was gobsmacked to discover that my SG5 actually tells me that sort of drive is only around the 260 mark, and my average is much closer to 240.

In some ways it's helped me move on from my obsession with nailing a "300 yard drive". In other ways, I now feel like a big useless pussy.

OK if it helps, You are a big useless pussy.

I would love to have an average drive of 240
nay I would kill.

Fragger

 

[Owen_Thomas_14]

So your saying i dont average 500 yards with my driver?..............you learn something new everyday

 

[kid2]

I couldn't be arsed how far i hit my driver and thats why iv been playing with a 3 wood off the tee the last 3 rounds.....Im much more consistent and straighter for it....
If im honest im more concerned with my iron distances and trying to master these properly.....

I think that too many players are intent on trying to outdrive there partners......
Iv a younger brother who's always at it...he's always trying to knock the name off the ball.....And then what happens he goes and duffs his 2nd with a wedge......Priceless

 

[USER1999]

I hit 293 only yesterday. Measured on SG5, so true as. Smug? Me? Never.

Wait til I get home. Back to 220 carry, and naff all roll.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Following this post and by virtue of the fairways this morning being soaked so not getting any run I decided to measure my drives. I think I was carrying between 220 & 230 on average, maybe there was few yards roll on some, I smoked one closer to 240 but that was onto a plateu fairway so i expect it got a bit of roll. A couple of times I surprised myself how far up I got it but those were the 230 carries. I know there are guys at our place who hit it past me but I am generally the longest in my group in comps. I would be surprised if many guys can carry 250 on a regular basis. Maybe in warmer weather I'll carry another 10 yards but it's pretty difficult to judge on firmer fairways and I really don't know how much difference the temparature makes to carry distances but even then I would think a 250 carry is something of a rarity.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I do know HTL can bomb them out there as Smiffy and I have seen it happen. A 280 drive is a 280 drive with him. The problem is there can be the same 280 drive but 30 yards right. Its about control as well as distance. As has been quoted often on here and is still apt "the woods are full of long hitters"

 

[JustOne]

I do know HTL can bomb them out there as Smiffy and I have seen it happen. A 280 drive is a 280 drive with him. The problem is there can be the same 280 drive but 30 yards right. Its about control as well as distance. As has been quoted often on here and is still apt "the woods are full of long hitters"

...a typical response from a shorter hitter

 

[Robobum]

I'm not short but I would still love an extra 10yds [and more].

Id rather have a wedge from the rough, than a 5 iron from the middle of the fairway.

 

[JustOne]

I hit 293 only yesterday.

Driver then 5-iron?

 

[AuburnWarrior]

It doesn't matter how far you hit your drive - it's the number you write on the card that matters!!!

Yesterday I was driving well - straightish and a good distance (I don't know how far as I don't own a DMD). Unfortunately my approach shots, chipping and putting were all over the place so a par was a rare treat. I shot a 92.

So, a good drive is only a quarter or a fifth of the work required.

How does that old saying go - you drive for show.....

 

[Leftie]

You normally only have about 14 drives per round. Isn't it more important and easier to try to reduce the other 55 - 90 shots ??

 

[Basher]

I don't class myself as a big hitter but when I hit it pure I get that great feeling we all get from a cracking drive.

I don't particularly know what my average drive is! Hearing your mate say "Bloody hell, you beasted that one!" is good enough for me.