Have far does your choosen Golf ball really go

[colintrav]

Over the years i have seen adverts in the Mags which companies claim there Ball gives you increased Distance , Yet hitting off wit the wind at your back is going to give a longer driver that you would dream off . Yet under Normal Conditions have you really measured how long you can hit a ball .

 

[mono217]

Around 220

 

[mono217]

Also you are definetley bored out of your head tonight slow down on the threads.

 

[Basher]

3 words, Pot, Kettle and Black!!!!

 

[mono217]

I cant believe you have had 8 threads in one night theres no prize you know

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think 240 is a bit excessive even at your age. Maybe once in a while downwind but I reckon most peoples estimates if measured with a GP would be much shorter. I always use to think my AVERAGE was about 235 until I used SC5. It is actually around the 220 mark. I creamed one downwind today and thought it must be around 250 and was only 238

Keep the estimates real. Its not a macho I drive further post!

 

[medwayjon]

Hit a couple of "real" balls that were scuffed to bits on the range today and they were carrying 230 or so.

 

[Cernunnos]

I think some modern balls do go further, but as to how much further is another matter.

With the advent of the new groove regulations, balls advances may well not concentrate upon distance, but upon controlability. I think with the likes of the new really soft Z-Star, its the start of this new direction.

 

[CliveW]

Distance also alters with temperature. When I was abroad the ball would normally travel around 10% further through the air. It would also run further on the dryer fairways.
As said, using a GPS to measure your driving distances can be an eye opener!

 

[Imurg]

When I first got my SC2.5 I was very wary of measuring as some guys on here warned that we over estimate our shots.

If i hit a reasonable average drive it will carry 240 - measured. I know the distance because the ball plugged. I do hit the ball a long way, distance has never been a problem - its the accuracy I fall down on!!

 

[theeaglehunter]

I used to think my good drives (with no wind assistance / hindrance) travelled around the 270-280 mark before I got my skycaddie. It occurs however that this is not so and my longest drives are only just verging on the 260 mark! My average driving distance is 235 yards (I would have probably placed this at 250 previously).

On the ball note however I am a firm believer that the flight characteristics some people claim modern technology balls have are ridiculous. I agree entirely that around the green the way balls behave is very different but I struggle to see (and so do low handicappers I have discussed this with) how people can come to the conclusion (without being a professional / having a ball fitting) on what ball gives them the best carry / direction. On another thread I read how someone was hitting the ball straight with one type of ball and slicing majorly with a different ball, to me there is not enoguh difference in a ball to effect this. The claims of some balls giving a higher ball flight than others are also mysterious to me, yes spin rates may allow certain balls to climb higher but how can anyone actually claim this without a trackman etc measuring the height two different balls fly with IDENTICAL strikes. When us amateurs strike so inconsistently, and purely with the human eye to measure, I don't think there are any differences in say the height a ball flies that we could notice. I was hitting my driver today on the practice ground (very well as it happens) with identical balls and even though hitting all quite solidly some were flying higher than others / straighter than others and this was purely because I was striking it differently most of the time, with even a slight variance in launch angle / club face angle affecting the flight. Us amateurs are therefore in no position to make a judgement on the effect different balls have off the tee for example.

I know this is probably as clear as mud but essentially the point I am trying to make is that when us amateurs strike the ball as inconsistently as we do(I think this goes for most on here, maybe not the category 1 / pro players) it is impossible to determine whether ball 'x' gives a higher flight / straighter flight than ball 'y' when they are hit consecutively / in the same round, as each swing will be ever so slightly different at the very least. (The way it responds around the green / feels off the face I do agree we can all make a judgement on.)

Also whilst some balls have reduced spin off the driver face than others I from my experience believe that whilst the left to right effect may be reduced, if I come over the top and drastically cut across the ball it doesn't matter what I am using I will slice it. This is why I judge my balls performance on how it reacts when landing on the green / around the green (and how it feels off the club face) not on how it supposedly flies in the air. If I put a good swing on it any ball will travel straight. I for one haven't found a ball that lets me hit the ball noticeably more consistently than another in terms of ball flight produced. It is all dependent on the way I hit the blummin' thing! I would definitely be interested to see, in terms of yards of right to left movement, the difference between an identical 'draw' swing (they could perhaps use one of those testing robot things) put on a soft cover premium ball and a harder cover ball. I'm not to convinced that the results would be too noticeable. (at a guess the premium ball would move an extra 5 yards or so, although this really is a guess and would of course be dependent on other factors as well) I also think it would be hard to tell the difference between the height that can be achieved with two different balls from two identical swings for us amateurs anyway. I do believe that for tour professionals the difference would be worth considering, but many of us amateurs over play the role of the ball when not in relation to its on green control.

(Sorry this is slightly off topic but its something that I am very interested to get peoples opinions on, it is a theory I have worked out in my head fairly recently so please correct me if any of what I believe to be the case is wrong!)

 

[CrapHacker]

I used to think my good drives (with no wind assistance / hindrance) travelled around the 270-280 mark before I got my skycaddie. It occurs however that this is not so and my longest drives are only just verging on the 260 mark! My average driving distance is 235 yards (I would have probably placed this at 250 previously).

On the ball note however I am a firm believer that the flight characteristics some people claim modern technology balls have are ridiculous. I agree entirely that around the green the way balls behave is very different but I struggle to see (and so do low handicappers I have discussed this with) how people can come to the conclusion (without being a professional / having a ball fitting) on what ball gives them the best carry / direction. On another thread I read how someone was hitting the ball straight with one type of ball and slicing majorly with a different ball, to me there is not enoguh difference in a ball to effect this. The claims of some balls giving a higher ball flight than others are also mysterious to me, yes spin rates may allow certain balls to climb higher but how can anyone actually claim this without a trackman etc measuring the height two different balls fly with IDENTICAL strikes. When us amateurs strike so inconsistently, and purely with the human eye to measure, I don't think there are any differences in say the height a ball flies that we could notice. I was hitting my driver today on the practice ground (very well as it happens) with identical balls and even though hitting all quite solidly some were flying higher than others / straighter than others and this was purely because I was striking it differently most of the time, with even a slight variance in launch angle / club face angle affecting the flight. Us amateurs are therefore in no position to make a judgement on the effect different balls have off the tee for example.

I know this is probably as clear as mud but essentially the point I am trying to make is that when us amateurs strike the ball as inconsistently as we do(I think this goes for most on here, maybe not the category 1 / pro players) it is impossible to determine whether ball 'x' gives a higher flight / straighter flight than ball 'y' when they are hit consecutively / in the same round, as each swing will be ever so slightly different at the very least. (The way it responds around the green / feels off the face I do agree we can all make a judgement on.)

Also whilst some balls have reduced spin off the driver face than others I from my experience believe that whilst the left to right effect may be reduced, if I come over the top and drastically cut across the ball it doesn't matter what I am using I will slice it. This is why I judge my balls performance on how it reacts when landing on the green / around the green (and how it feels off the club face) not on how it supposedly flies in the air. If I put a good swing on it any ball will travel straight. I for one haven't found a ball that lets me hit the ball noticeably more consistently than another in terms of ball flight produced. It is all dependent on the way I hit the blummin' thing! I would definitely be interested to see, in terms of yards of right to left movement, the difference between an identical 'draw' swing (they could perhaps use one of those testing robot things) put on a soft cover premium ball and a harder cover ball. I'm not to convinced that the results would be too noticeable. (at a guess the premium ball would move an extra 5 yards or so, although this really is a guess and would of course be dependent on other factors as well) I also think it would be hard to tell the difference between the height that can be achieved with two different balls from two identical swings for us amateurs anyway. I do believe that for tour professionals the difference would be worth considering, but many of us amateurs over play the role of the ball when not in relation to its on green control.

(Sorry this is slightly off topic but its something that I am very interested to get peoples opinions on, it is a theory I have worked out in my head fairly recently so please correct me if any of what I believe to be the case is wrong!)

Yes

 

[Herbie]

My chosen golf ball goes as far as I hit it in answer to the post Question.

In answer to the additional question 'Have I really measured'?
Yes I have!

 

[Cernunnos]

I'm more interested these days in how much control & feel I can get into, around & on the greens than all out driving distance. As long as I've gotten on or near the fairway, or in a position I can make a shot I'm normally happy. As I intimated earlier this will become more & more important to many.

 

[Parmo]

If I use a Srixon Z-URS I get an extra 10-15 yards on my drives due to the lack of driver spin that I get on softer balls. I do prefer the softer balls as its where you score the points, there is no point in driving 270 yards and being left with a shot that comes of the iron face like a brick, rather drive 250-260 and know I don't need to over swing to get the ball airborne.

 

[Macster]

Using a ProV1, my average carry was 249, which at present, actually gives me 270ish off the Tee. Summer roll, back wind, hard fairways,....looking forward to that.

All measured for me at Titleist during my 909 fitting.

 

[Dodger]

Just a query how do you know what you carry? Do you have a friend stand down the fairway and mark the point it hits the ground?ChrisMc has a valid carry as it was done by during fitting (although I for one wouldn't trust what guys that are trying to make sure you buy from them tell you with regards to distance)but how does anyone who just hits a drive from a tee know how far they carry? I could tell you har far I hit it but not what my carry is!

 

[ColinR]

265 Yards, I know this as I measured it yesterday with my Rangefinder.

My 15 year old son then out drove me by 10 yards !!!

 

[SimonC]

Using a ProV1, my average carry was 249, which at present, actually gives me 270ish off the Tee. Summer roll, back wind, hard fairways,....looking forward to that.

All measured for me at Titleist during my 909 fitting.

Sorry for going off topic here. My carry distance is shown below so it's not that far off

Where did you go for your Titleist fitting?

I've recently bought an off the shelf 909D2 with a stiff voodoo which I have found isn't the right spec for me. I had a ball fitting the other day using a Vector Pro launch monitor. My club head speed was 110mph, ball speed 160mph, spin rate was 3,000rpm (using a pro-v1x) , launch angle was only around 10 degrees which is too low and the total carry was only 255ish. I was told I should be using a 10.5 or even an 11.5 degree driver with an extra stiff shaft. The fitter played around with the launch angle and spin rate parameters which showed I was losing approx 15 yards of carry distance which is huge. I was hoping to go for one of these fittings with Titleist to get the correct spec for me.

 

[Macster]

Simon : The Titleist fitting centre is at Brampton Park GC, near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.
But I would think you will have to call Acushnet/Titleist on 01480 301114 if you wanted to make an appointment perhaps .

I was down there courtesy of Golf Monthly themselves, as part of a 909 Driver fitting feature, and was very interesting. I certainly wouldnt ever buy a Driver off the peg anymore, as the difference in shafts was considerable, and the Graphite Design YSQ I ended up with was chosen more for its tighter dispersion pattern than length.

I dont recall all the stats, but my Clubhead speed was a consistent 100mph, and the back & sidespin varied quite a lot with different shafts too.

Go with an open mind tho, you may find that the DComp suite you better if you need to get the ball higher, - one of the other chaps there with us was a scratch golfer and was sure a 9.5* D3 was the Club for him.
Ended up with a DComp in 8.5*, giving him an average carry of 280yds.

I would make an appointment, Titleist will definitely want to help you find the shaft that suits you, and one thing is for sure, if you find the right shaft, the 909 flies !! I'm loving it.