Long Drive guys

[jamielaing]

I played in a Texas Scramble comp at the Fairmont in St Andrews at the weekend which was in conjunction with a Long Drive competition.

I went down and watched these guys for a while and saw the distances they were hitting. Basically the get 2.5 minutes to hit 7 or 8 balls each. The best drive won (had to be in bounds).

Looking at the gear they had they were using 50 inch shafts (super super stiff I imagine) and Volvik golf balls which I would assume were illegal in golf. Add in to this a 25 mph wind straight behind.

Distances hit ranged from 303 yards to 362 yards. One guy did manage to get it out to 404 yards though.

Ignoring the 404 yards, is 300-360 impressive? Considering the gear they are using and the following wind that to me isn't that huge. Although 404 was a sight to see. As is the swings they are hitting!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Weather is cold where I am and you are 100 miles + north from that. It would not be impressive in summer or Arizona but in current temps it seems pretty decent. I suppose you need to hit one alongside them to get a comparison. A base line drive in effect.

 

[super hans]

I played in a Texas Scramble comp at the Fairmont in St Andrews at the weekend which was in conjunction with a Long Drive competition.

I went down and watched these guys for a while and saw the distances they were hitting. Basically the get 2.5 minutes to hit 7 or 8 balls each. The best drive won (had to be in bounds).

Looking at the gear they had they were using 50 inch shafts (super super stiff I imagine) and Volvik golf balls which I would assume were illegal in golf. Add in to this a 25 mph wind straight behind.

Distances hit ranged from 303 yards to 362 yards. One guy did manage to get it out to 404 yards though.

Ignoring the 404 yards, is 300-360 impressive? Considering the gear they are using and the following wind that to me isn't that huge. Although 404 was a sight to see. As is the swings they are hitting!

I think it is - maybe you need to ask yourself the same question....do you think hitting a golf ball 300-360 yards impressive???

there's your answer...

 

[Capella]

Lexi Thompson hit a 359 yard drive into a par 5 yesterday. Left her with a 9iron into the green and a nice putt for eagle (which she made). But that was on Hawaii, so higher temperatures, plus wind and slope might have helped her. Still ... I really thought I heard it wrong when they first said the distance. I mean, she is the longest hitter on the LPGA tour, but almost 360 yards is really absolutely huge for a woman. So, compared to that the Scottish long drive guys sound less impressive. But Tyrion has a point here, you can't really compare this.

 

[freddielong]

I remember when I was on the long drive tour, this time of year in the UK anything over 350 gave you a chance obviously down wind you would expect a little more.

But do not ask me about it as I am too busy to waste my time.

 

[MendieGK]

I don't think its that impressive given that it was 25mph downwind at all. (especially considering these guys are apparently competing Long Driver)

 

[USER1999]

I remember when I was on the long drive tour, this time of year in the UK anything over 350 gave you a chance obviously down wind you would expect a little more.

But do not ask me about it as I am too busy to waste my time.

OK, I won't.

 

[jamielaing]

Didn't consider the temperature. During the round I played with guys hitting it 300+ with the wind behind. Longer shaft and extreme distance balls added into the mix, they would have been challenging. Over 350 yards is impressive don't get me wrong but I just wonder how much better they are than some good amateurs that hit it a long way.

Does anyone know how much those balls would add?

 

[Region3]

It's impressive to me that anyone gets a ball airborne with a 50" XX shaft and 5° of loft.

 

[Vardon11LDN]

Not that impressive, myself and my PP both had 330 and 325 yard drives with the wind behind us on a recent trip to Portugal. I would have thought with that wind it would be further. Do you knoe thier swing speeds?

 

[WWG]

I played in a Texas Scramble comp at the Fairmont in St Andrews at the weekend which was in conjunction with a Long Drive competition.

I went down and watched these guys for a while and saw the distances they were hitting. Basically the get 2.5 minutes to hit 7 or 8 balls each. The best drive won (had to be in bounds).

Looking at the gear they had they were using 50 inch shafts (super super stiff I imagine) and Volvik golf balls which I would assume were illegal in golf. Add in to this a 25 mph wind straight behind.

Distances hit ranged from 303 yards to 362 yards. One guy did manage to get it out to 404 yards though.

Ignoring the 404 yards, is 300-360 impressive? Considering the gear they are using and the following wind that to me isn't that huge. Although 404 was a sight to see. As is the swings they are hitting!

The fact is people claim to hit drives all sorts of distances. When ever I read about somebody's drive, I always take off 25%. I have only ever seen one 300 yard drive in the flesh, and I was amazed.

 

[MendieGK]

The fact is people claim to hit drives all sorts of distances. When ever I read about somebody's drive, I always take off 25%. I have only ever seen one 300 yard drive in the flesh, and I was amazed.

Only one drive.... thats silly.

 

[351DRIVER]

The problem with European Longdrive is there are a lot of guys that like to act like a pro but they are significantly shorter than the true contenders.

That guy Gorilla James is the perfect example of the LDers mentality, for a long long time he thought he was huge, smashed it past everyone he had ever met and did a lot of videos, to nearly every golfer that found his channel they were WOW you are huge, how? But if you follow LD you know that despite him being very long, he is not long enough to compete, YES he can enter, but he wont be winning

Distance is down to conditions, 360 on a cold day in scotland with zero altitude can become 420 on a firmer fairway in denver pretty easily.

Its easy to pluck out a PGA tour number, the one that springs to mind is Jason Day, he hit it 390 recently, it was significantly downhill, significantly downwind and ran at least 70 yards, hitting a 320 carry down a big hill with a tailwind is not hard.

These drivers were measured, all the I HIT 320 and my buddy hit 305 is mostly innacurate, when you find out you hit 290 then adding 70 yards or over 100 yards in the case of the 404, is that impressive? How do you pick up 100 yards?

The golf balls do not add anything, they are crap

There is a misconception that the clubs add huge distances, they do not, these competitors can swing them and make them work, most cannot, it is simply taking your own driver and maximising for distance, you do it, so do they, but on average they swing harder than you and can make these clubs work nowadays they are only 2 or 3 inches at most longer than normal clubs.

Scratch golfers on GAME GOLF average 250 yards
If they were hitting around 350 yards in Scotland in April, is that good?

Well same event in July that 400 yards.

LDers are not different to regular golfers, they over estimate their ability, most of the guys you see are 10 to 15mph clubhead speed short of being actual contenders at the big events, many will swing around 130mph, which is DAMN fast just not fast enough to make money.

Had a quick scan
there seemed to about around 10 balls in the 370s, one 380 and a 404
Ground looks pretty soft with mud in front of the tee
I would say its mighty impressive based on that, plus if they are on the range, it is slightly uphill

 

[MendieGK]

The problem with European Longdrive is there are a lot of guys that like to act like a pro but they are significantly shorter than the true contenders.

That guy Gorilla James is the perfect example of the LDers mentality, for a long long time he thought he was huge, smashed it past everyone he had ever met and did a lot of videos, to nearly every golfer that found his channel they were WOW you are huge, how? But if you follow LD you know that despite him being very long, he is not long enough to compete, YES he can enter, but he wont be winning

Distance is down to conditions, 360 on a cold day in scotland with zero altitude can become 420 on a firmer fairway in denver pretty easily.

Its easy to pluck out a PGA tour number, the one that springs to mind is Jason Day, he hit it 390 recently, it was significantly downhill, significantly downwind and ran at least 70 yards, hitting a 320 carry down a big hill with a tailwind is not hard.

These drivers were measured, all the I HIT 320 and my buddy hit 305 is mostly innacurate, when you find out you hit 290 then adding 70 yards or over 100 yards in the case of the 404, is that impressive? How do you pick up 100 yards?

The golf balls do not add anything, they are crap

There is a misconception that the clubs add huge distances, they do not, these competitors can swing them and make them work, most cannot, it is simply taking your own driver and maximising for distance, you do it, so do they, but on average they swing harder than you and can make these clubs work nowadays they are only 2 or 3 inches at most longer than normal clubs.

Scratch golfers on GAME GOLF average 250 yards
If they were hitting around 350 yards in Scotland in April, is that good?

Well same event in July that 400 yards.

LDers are not different to regular golfers, they over estimate their ability, most of the guys you see are 10 to 15mph clubhead speed short of being actual contenders at the big events, many will swing around 130mph, which is DAMN fast just not fast enough to make money.

Had a quick scan
there seemed to about around 10 balls in the 370s, one 380 and a 404
Ground looks pretty soft with mud in front of the tee
I would say its mighty impressive based on that, plus if they are on the range, it is slightly uphill

2-3 inches is a hell of lot if used properly.

#thatswhatshesaid

 

[FairwayDodger]

Lexi Thompson hit a 359 yard drive into a par 5 yesterday. Left her with a 9iron into the green and a nice putt for eagle (which she made). But that was on Hawaii, so higher temperatures, plus wind and slope might have helped her. Still ... I really thought I heard it wrong when they first said the distance. I mean, she is the longest hitter on the LPGA tour, but almost 360 yards is really absolutely huge for a woman. So, compared to that the Scottish long drive guys sound less impressive. But Tyrion has a point here, you can't really compare this.

Didn't see any of this but some of the courses there have big elevation changes. It's a huge hit though, but Lexi is a particularly big hitter.

 

[351DRIVER]

Stick 2 inches on your driver, on average you may not hit it further, on average you may well hit it shorter.

It is quite easy to say
downwind, magic clubs, those balls are illegal, jason day hit it 390 one time... but the reality is, although they are not all worldclass they smash the snot out of the ball and with your driver, the yardages would not be far short. The extra couple of inches on the club is to squeeze out 3mph extra clubspeed, but its heavier and harder to middle.

I have a longdrive club for sale, you want it? 150 quid, xx shaft, 48inch, 5 degrees.. you can hit it 375 if you get volvik balls to (No guarantee though) OR you might just not hit it any further.

Corey Pavin has hit 400 yard drives
Joe Miller hit one 300 yards

Corey Pavin is longer than Joe Miller.


GAME GOLF AVERAGE DRIVE FOR A SCRATCH GOLFER IS 250 YARDS
SCOTLAND IN APRIL is not exactly the place for distance and they were needing 360s to win knockout rounds with many 370s too
Context is everything
404 is flat out ridiculous

Taking a yardage from one place and saying LOOK AT THIS, v a totally different place is entirely pointless.

 

[jamielaing]

Stick 2 inches on your driver, on average you may not hit it further, on average you may well hit it shorter.

It is quite easy to say
downwind, magic clubs, those balls are illegal, jason day hit it 390 one time... but the reality is, although they are not all worldclass they smash the snot out of the ball and with your driver, the yardages would not be far short. The extra couple of inches on the club is to squeeze out 3mph extra clubspeed, but its heavier and harder to middle.

I have a longdrive club for sale, you want it? 150 quid, xx shaft, 48inch, 5 degrees.. you can hit it 375 if you get volvik balls to (No guarantee though) OR you might just not hit it any further.

Corey Pavin has hit 400 yard drives
Joe Miller hit one 300 yards

Corey Pavin is longer than Joe Miller.


GAME GOLF AVERAGE DRIVE FOR A SCRATCH GOLFER IS 250 YARDS
SCOTLAND IN APRIL is not exactly the place for distance and they were needing 360s to win knockout rounds with many 370s too
Context is everything
404 is flat out ridiculous

Taking a yardage from one place and saying LOOK AT THIS, v a totally different place is entirely pointless.

404 is ridiculous I agree. So is 360 in a normal round, keeping it on the fairway with legal/ normal equipment. I saw a 320 drive during the scramble by an amateur. I saw a longest drive marker on one of the holes which was at least 350. Same day, same conditions. Probably using pro v1s. Alternatively these guys were giving it everything they had with tricked up drivers and extreme distance balls. That's gotta be worth an extra 30 yards and with the tail wind too.

They were impressive, I'm just not sure how impressive against us average joes.

 

[guest100718]

The hawaiin open produces crazy distances . Long downhill down wind par 5 . I've seen 400 plus on that course.

 

[351DRIVER]

404 is ridiculous I agree. So is 360 in a normal round, keeping it on the fairway with legal/ normal equipment. I saw a 320 drive during the scramble by an amateur. I saw a longest drive marker on one of the holes which was at least 350. Same day, same conditions. Probably using pro v1s. Alternatively these guys were giving it everything they had with tricked up drivers and extreme distance balls. That's gotta be worth an extra 30 yards and with the tail wind too.

They were impressive, I'm just not sure how impressive against us average joes.

PROV1S go just as far

You are thinking there is some magical bit of equipment, there isnt

Drivers are not tricked up, they are legal for golf and as i said already they are heavier, so harder to swing a couple of inches makes perhaps 3mph clubhead speed total or 5mph ballspeed or 9 yards.

btw an amateur golfer hitting it 320 is great, most of the guys you see are amateurs, just longer than the guy that hits it 320 when he tries to kill it.

This is internet theory
so i do this, the ball goes further and those magical shafts, well that 320 guy would hit 370
just does not work that way, the equipment makes a small difference, they use volvik balls as they are cheap, not because they go miles

 

[woody69]

Guy at our place has been to the world long drive comp over in vegas last 2 years and can hit it rather a long way... http://www.europeanlongdrivers.com/players/scott-beaven-eng/ His longest was 417 yds or something, but that was in Vegas. 404 in Scotland in this weather is seriously impressive