How far do you hit driver?

[KenL]

This is the thing, on a fast running links like Dunbar in the summer it can roll out for miles, hitting it on the right trajectory and getting the right bounce can see it bounding down the fairway !

Those days may be gone with the new fairway irrigation.

 

[Hobbit]

Not very far these days. Once upon a time I’d comfortably contend longest drive on competition days. Now I’m one of the shortest. Carry is around 190-200 but, thankfully, pretty much always down the middle.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I've been outdriven by 14 handicappers before, golf is about control and 'guile' as you say. Great word! You sound like my Dad god bless him, he was a beast from 100 yards in.

Have to agree. I am a short hitter and my focus has been on hitting the fairway or worse case scenario the first cut. I often play with some big hitters in our roll ups and have a little chuckle inside when they get the driver out "and go for it" and it sails miles left or right. As a mid-handicapper, get it down towards the green in two and then focus all my practice on being better from 100 yards and in and using "guile" to knock it close and hopefully one putt for a par, net birdie. Whats that phrase - plenty of big hitters in the woods

 

[Barking_Mad]

All my shots are tracked.

Average last year (323 shots, 26 rounds) = 227yards

Longest = 293 yards

As with many players the average is brought down by too many poor drives, at about 190 yards.

 

[Slab]

Have to agree. I am a short hitter and my focus has been on hitting the fairway or worse case scenario the first cut. I often play with some big hitters in our roll ups and have a little chuckle inside when they get the driver out "and go for it" and it sails miles left or right. As a mid-handicapper, get it down towards the green in two and then focus all my practice on being better from 100 yards and in and using "guile" to knock it close and hopefully one putt for a par, net birdie. Whats that phrase - plenty of big hitters in the woods

As another short hitter I'm probably of the opposite view

I'd rather be a big hitter with an occasional dispersion problem to fix than on fairway most of the time but with a hefty lack of distance

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As another short hitter I'm probably of the opposite view

I'd rather be a big hitter with an occasional dispersion problem to fix than on fairway most of the time but with a hefty lack of distance

Of course. Who wouldn't want an extra 15-30 yards? However given the limitations of my body/health and advancing years I have become realistic as to what I can and can't do. I'm almost taking myself back to my 12-15 year old self when I simply didn't have the strength to get to the longer holes. I learned to get it round and was a great around the greens and putted well. That's where I need to get back to. Alternatively be like the real old boys who only hit it 150 yards flat out but are never in trouble, knock it down, knock it on and walk off with a bogey most times. A killer to play in a match when you have to give so many shots

 

[Slab]

Of course. Who wouldn't want an extra 15-30 yards? However given the limitations of my body/health and advancing years I have become realistic as to what I can and can't do. I'm almost taking myself back to my 12-15 year old self when I simply didn't have the strength to get to the longer holes. I learned to get it round and was a great around the greens and putted well. That's where I need to get back to. Alternatively be like the real old boys who only hit it 150 yards flat out but are never in trouble, knock it down, knock it on and walk off with a bogey most times. A killer to play in a match when you have to give so many shots

All too familiar

I was drawn with a single figure big hitter in a betterball social round up last week, his well meant comment after the draw came out; ‘that’s cool, Slab hasn’t missed a fairway in 6 months’ isn’t the accolade I’d choose for myself. I’d like to know what it feels to hit one 270 even if it is in the rough

 

[Deleted member 21258]

In the air 200-220 yard on the normal drive. Bad drives a lot shorter.

With run(as dont have a massive high ball flight with driver now), its normally 200-270 yards.

 

[timd77]

As another short hitter I'm probably of the opposite view

I'd rather be a big hitter with an occasional dispersion problem to fix than on fairway most of the time but with a hefty lack of distance

Occasional dispersion problem defo. I play with a chap who is tall, athletic and 10 years younger than me, he can hit his driver 280-300 in the air, it’s great to watch when he catches it. However, I’d say he’s on an adjacent fairway 80% of the time and so his second is usually from a similar distance to my 220-230 drive, but over trees (lots of them at our place, big uns). He’s off 19 odd, I’m off 18 odd.

I wouldn’t swap our game. We played gruesomes (like greensomes but the worst drive is chosen) the other week, inevitably I was mostly playing the second shot after his drive went wild. I was hitting pw or 9 iron at best just trying to get us back in play, it was a nightmare! Great fun though.

 

[HeftyHacker]

Occasional dispersion problem defo. I play with a chap who is tall, athletic and 10 years younger than me, he can hit his driver 280-300 in the air, it’s great to watch when he catches it. However, I’d say he’s on an adjacent fairway 80% of the time and so his second is usually from a similar distance to my 220-230 drive, but over trees (lots of them at our place, big uns). He’s off 19 odd, I’m off 18 odd.

I wouldn’t swap our game. We played gruesomes (like greensomes but the worst drive is chosen) the other week, inevitably I was mostly playing the second shot after his drive went wild. I was hitting pw or 9 iron at best just trying to get us back in play, it was a nightmare! Great fun though.

I've a mate like that, an absolute monster off the tee (second longest ever on Trafford Golf toptracer with 423yds - albeit with a massive tailwind he tells me) but because of the distances involved any mishits end up miles offline.

He plays off about 16 and when he's on it he's unplayable but his off days are shocking, particularly on tight courses with no adjacent fairways to bail out onto.

He's never actually played at my place yet which is fairly short, open and suits a hooky bad shot, I reckon he'd be going for the green on 7 of our 11 par 4s. If he was on form it would be seriously fun to watch.

 

[sunshine]

Have to agree. I am a short hitter and my focus has been on hitting the fairway or worse case scenario the first cut. I often play with some big hitters in our roll ups and have a little chuckle inside when they get the driver out "and go for it" and it sails miles left or right. As a mid-handicapper, get it down towards the green in two and then focus all my practice on being better from 100 yards and in and using "guile" to knock it close and hopefully one putt for a par, net birdie. Whats that phrase - plenty of big hitters in the woods

Bottom line. Chicks dig the long ball. You ain't ever getting laid tapping it down the fairway.

 

[patricks148]

I must have an OK short game !!

 

[Dando]

I must have an OK short game !!

I’ve seen worse mate!

 

[drdel]

250yds. BUT as I get older the flag, like my toenails, seems to get further and further away.

 

[Mel Smooth]

220 carry maybe, the lad, about 170 if he catches one nice - I know I couldn't hit it that far at 11 years old. He plays a few holes occasionaly with another kid in the academy at the local course, he's about 14, and hit's it miles - and it is always straight. Impresssive to watch and plays off 6 so is a solid golfer.

 

[Kennysarmy]

Not bad for a 52 year old.

 

[i*windows]

I average 210 meters (230 yards) .

 

[Bdill93]

Around 230 on my best strikes (carry) in summer but commonly operate between 200-220 in winter, its all wind dependant.

Our SI 1 requires a 200 yard carry over a brook off the tee and I tend to only fail to achieve that when ive sliced or hooked it - even in winter.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

At the moment with almost no run - about 220-230yds max.

 

[Robster59]

Looking at my ShotScope figures about 210-230 overall. I have some longer, some shorter, but that's what it's telling me.
Damned modern technology, it's so emasculating!