Driving distances and handicap- be honest now!

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Before you measured on GE, did you have a distance in your head that you'd be happy trying to take on on the course.

Example, you play an away match and on a tee your opponent tells you it's x yards to carry a particular bunker, or ditch across the fairway.
How do you decide whether or not to go for it?

Good question. Only hole on my course (don't play away very often these days) where I really think this sort of thought i.e. too much distance could get me into trouble - is a short par 4 where the fairway runs out into rough a shortish pitch from the green and trees easily come into play on the right and cause problems with a misdirected driver. I always ping up a 5 wood or 3 iron - all that's needed. Plenty others go for it - but I know I get pretty close to the rough with my 5 wood so know I'd be in it with my driver. But to be honest I don't know the yardage to the rough - though checking now Google Earth tells me it's 235yds to the end of the fairway - so now I do know. My normal tee shot leaves me about 90yds to centre of the green (so about 225yds off tee with my 5 wood)

 

[Hooper]

9/220 yards if I am hitting it well

 

[louise_a]

that google earth tool is great and confirms my 180, I wil lbe interesed to see how much I can add in the summer when there is run to be added.

 

[patricks148]

28/320.... with a 5 iron.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

Well only that (whether you believe me or not) I actually didn't know whether or not I regularly hit the ball 240yds off the tee or 280yds so I don't really think about it too much - I think about how far I have to go (I'm not really interested in folk who big up about how far they hit the ball blah, blah, blah).

I guessed I didn't hit it 280 - I hoped I hit it 240 so I spilt the difference. And oddly the difference is about how far I hit it. And confirmed with another few holes. Now I know. Not sure it makes a lot of difference to me though

With you now mate :thup:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

that google earth tool is great and confirms my 180, I wil lbe interesed to see how much I can add in the summer when there is run to be added.

I'm liking it a lot as well

 

[jammydodger]

Carry about 245 with a good one so add whatever you want on for roll depending on conditions (anywhere between nothing and 100 yards i'd say). Oh and handicap is an inactive 4.

 

[dufferman]

Very interesting, just downloaded Google Earth and measured the drive on the par 5 I birdied Saturday. Looks like I hit about 240 for the drive and then another 200 / 210 to reach the green in 2 (bearing in mind we were off the winter tees). Good to see my 235 estimate was good!

 

[JustOne]

Example, you play an away match and on a tee your opponent tells you it's x yards to carry a particular bunker, or ditch across the fairway.
How do you decide whether or not to go for it?

245 to carry the ditch and it's game on so I'm probably happy that I can carry 255.

255 to carry the ditch and I'm laying up with a 4-wood, but that may be on the basis that I know I can keep it short of the ditch.

Funny old game.

 

[fundy]

HCap 7, my genuine average on par 4s/5s currently is prob in the 230s, mainly as Im hitting anything from 3 wood to 4 iron off most tees. The 3 wood carries somewhere in the 250-260 range on a calm day, the driver goes further but is on the naughty step for a reason!

 

[duncan mackie]

Not sure about air quality, but more a change in density because of the temperature. I think I lose ~20yds carry in winter with my driver, but it's only a guess I've never measured it.

about 0.5% per 1C temperature reduction at sea level seems a reasonable working quide; taking into account the combination of temperature (on the balls performance directly) and temperature (on air density) plus humidity increases generally associated with our winters.

if you take 22C as a good summers day (when you can get it!) and the average forum 7 iron of 150 this would equate to 135 on bitterly cold day, and 142 on a mild winter day like last weekend.

not hitting a 7 iron that far it affects me less

 

[Toad]

28/320.... with a 5 iron.

Short ass, I'm that with my 7

 

[Fraz]

18 Handicap and 241 Carry / 265 Total going by my Foresight session on Friday.

 

[gripitripit]

28 and around the 230-240 mark.

 

[sawtooth]

Very interesting, just downloaded Google Earth and measured the drive on the par 5 I birdied Saturday. Looks like I hit about 240 for the drive and then another 200 / 210 to reach the green in 2 (bearing in mind we were off the winter tees). Good to see my 235 estimate was good!

Liking Google earth as well. I just found a descrepancy on our course scorecard!!

 

[Toad]

9 and 250+ no idea of average on the course as I don't measure my drives, only number that matters is what's left to the green. I have been tested on a trackman for my club distances at St Andrews during a lesson and averaged 280 with the longest at 289yards. Have video proof for any doubters lol.

 

[JustOne]

Liking Google earth as well. I just found a descrepancy on our course scorecard!!

That par4 you are driving is only 190yds?

 

[golfsaint]

16/250

 

[Val]

I also did the google earth thing, very interesting at my place.

Average 255 off 15,

 

[Siren]

According to Google Earth I average 235 24 HC.

Quite different to how far I thought I drove the ball lol