How far do you REALLY hit it?

[shanker]

Yesterday I was playing on a local course for only the second time and checking the yardages. Found that a couple of my best hits were about 250/260 yards.
Today, I'm following the Spanish Open on the net and see that Monty is about 295, Miguel Angel Jimenez 274 and Robert Rock (long hitter) between the two.
Now, I'm certainly not a long hitter and saw Jimenez play recently and I know he hits it MILES further than I do.
Recently, a poster asked about the others' driving distances and I was a wee bit sceptical about some of the replies. I wonder? If we were to measure our next 25 drives (with the driver, of course) and then calculate an average? What would be your REAL driving distance?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I guess it depends on how you are measuring it. Are you pacing it or using something like a Sky Caddy. I use one and it tells me I'm averaging about 210 at the moment but a real Sunday best is out at 240

I've lost a lot of weight recently which has had a real impact. I wasn't long to start with but now I'm really struggling

 

[brendy]

Driver distances can vary though as you can be hitting uphill, downhill, fading a particular hole or hoing straight/draw.
I try not to comment as there can be as much as a 100 yd variance depending on the hole, so averaging doesnt give the full picture I believe.

Homer, its about timing, not bulk matey. I know a few young lads who can lash a ball and they are built like pull throughs on rifles.

 

[birdieman]

Homer - look at Lorena Ochoa, hits it 290+ off a body weight that looks no more than 140 lbs to me. It's technique rather than weight that gets her results.

The weight shouldn't be a huge issue, if you get your insulin/tablets regime right you needn't nescessarily keep losing weight. You can still keep strong and flexible despite losing weight.

 

[Nico]

In reality we mostly dont hit it as far as we think.

I hit it roughly as far as our assistants and they get it out to about 250/260 on the fly.

I would put myself about there or slightly shorter,can get it out there further but only if I nut one.

 

[benny]

Erm.....I've driven the 243 yard par 4 at my club with my driver before and my 3 wood on a still day, but to be fair, my Driver is not very long at all really compared with some folk I've played with lately. I'd say I'm at around the 220-230 average which is ok for me, I do hit alot of fairways so I don't complain. I can catch a good one now and again and bomb it but my stock drive is a nice fade with the compromise on distance in favour of accuracy.

 

[Tommo21]

On the launch monitor I was only hitting my driver 220….But that is carry only, and this is where it gets confusing as it can run another 30 odd yards easy. Down wind we’re talking another 20 odd yards it all depends.

My average can only be about 240 or so………I’m not complaining and I think lots of people exaggerate.

I’m just looking for a good strike.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

When I bought my FT5 I did so at the Belfry using the launch technology stuff.

According to that I was carrying 240-250.

On the course it normally seems to vary depending on the accuracy of the yardages: for example on wed I played a new course 9th hole is 366yds on the flat. Yet I managed to play it driver, 60deg wedge. As such I supposedly hit my drive about 310 carry.

I don't think so!!


Possibly in summer I can hit the odd 290-300 with loads of run and nice dry/light air to fly it into.

 

[Nico]

Listen,anything out there around 230-250 is plenty.

There wont be many holes you cant reach in regulation.

The longest par 4 at my place is about 435,in the summer I can be hitting a 9 iron,in the winter 3 wood but it is still gettable.

Have no doubt 220/230 is well respectable.

 

[madandra]

Shanker, this topic usually goes off on a tangent similar to the Custom Fit thread of last year. Pewople usually end up battered and bruised when challenging their driving.

If I had to 'AVERAGE' it would be about 220-240 . . . due to the fact I am always going to chop one or two left or right. People tend to get blinkered by their longest drive of a round and that sends their number up to 280ish.

I played in the Wednesday medal and drove into the ditch at 11 which was 285 yards from the tee (caddy lite) and I drove the 17th 295 to the centre of the green (288yds on the Caddy Lite) but heres where my stats got T**S up. I used a 5 iron at the par 4 2nd and hit it 180 yards, I duffed my drive at 15 which scuttled 150 yards so my average was in tatters. So in between my worst =150 and my best =288 I get the 220 average.

 

[shanker]

I think some of you have missed the point. If we calculate our driving distances, do we take into account the horrible mis-hit into the wind that goes less than 200 yards ( I had one this morning)?

 

[shanker]

I was posting at the same time as Madandra and he made the same point. Thanks.

 

[Nico]

Mad,by anyones standard 288 is dirty long!

Respect is due!

How are you finding the Caddy Lite.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I don't think you should include your terrible shots just like you shouldn't include the absolute monsters you may on occassion hit.

Take the average of the decent / reasonable ones.
Not the tops, right angle hooks & slices or skyed ones.

Doing that (once again assuming my courses yardages are reasonable) I'm averaging about 250-260 IMHO.

If only they were always straight down the middle.

 

[madandra]

The only thing I don't like about the CL is that it doesn't hit the ball for you. I am teetering on being bloody awful or bloody brilliant . . . I just don't know which one is going to turn up for the medal.

 

[haplesshacker]

I've noticed that course yardage books can be very inaccuate.

On my local course I can hit a PW 170 yards!! Yeah right, well according to the book. Measured it on Google Earth and it was 120 yards. Go figure??

I guess what I'm saying is that you may think that you hit it (whatever distance)and the reality is somewhat different.

So don't get hung up on the distance claims on here guys as we might not all be using the same constant.

BTW on my first point it meant that I would drive 300 yards plus!!!! No chance.

 

[Timberbonce]

It seems true to me that a lot of poeple think they are driving further than what they are. I am quite a new member at my club, and quite new to golf, usually when i play with the other members of the club (the long time members especially) they claim to drive the ball 250, so when i hit mine 50 yards further they tell me i'm averaging 300, but when i measure my shots wether on the range or with the range book i don't hit much past 250 myself.

 

[medwayjon]

260 yards for me.

 

[shanker]

Interesting comments from Haplesshacker and Timberbonce.
I've also wondered about driving ranges. If I owned one, I might be tempted to move the 200, 250 and 300 markers just a ''wee bit'' nearer the bays. After all, if the punter goes home thinking he's been smashing it 280 yards, then he'll go home happy, won't he. And he's more likely to come back..with his money.

 

[TonyN]

When i was being fitted out for my FT-5 i was knocking the ball around the 250 mark (with range balls)

I have only had my new driver a month or so and have only really had 3 decent games with it. I wreckon when i am driving well i am prob around the 230 mark (with soft feel srixons) with AD333's i wreckon i get about 250.

All the above though is just a guess and the last 3 games my drives have been plugging.

My mate is a pro and drives roughly 260 and i'm normally about 10 paces behind him.