What are your average distances (carry) ?

[RGDave]

It never ceases to amaze me how many golfers who clearly can't break 80 (or even 90) can mysteriously hit it further than my pro, and our club champ, and Luke.

Mathematically, to carry the ball 265 would require minimum 115.8 mph club-head speed.

 

[brendy]

We really have to get a weiner day organised.

 

[richy]

I think a lot of people get confused between carry and total distance!

 

[john0]

I think a lot of people get confused between carry and total distance!

I think a lot of people get confused with fiction and reality!

 

[bladeplayer]

I think alota people get too hung up on carry's & distances etc . the same with loft n lies & what shafts etc . we are all different sizes , shapes , strenght etc so comparing any of these with each other is pointless at our level of golf , from an improvement point of view ,, myself & the guys i play with all hit the ball differently . distance wise & shot shapes etc , we nearly always shoot in or around the same ,say 120 out il hit high p/w one guy will punch a wedge & the other guy would go down the shaft & fizz a 9 iron, i hit my drives high with a slight fade , one guy drills them like an arrow , other plays a draw ,, on good drives we b in or around the same distance ,, all different clubs , strenghts , & build. nearly same results .. Mad game realy

 

[SimonC]

It never ceases to amaze me how many golfers who clearly can't break 80 (or even 90) can mysteriously hit it further than my pro, and our club champ, and Luke.

Mathematically, to carry the ball 265 would require minimum 115.8 mph club-head speed.

Depends on the angle of attack though, with a positive AoA you can carry it further than 265 yards with the right launch angle and spin rate.

 

[USER1999]

I don't have an average golf shot. I have a few exceptional ones, and the rest could be anything. I can hit an 8i in still conditions anywhere between 165 and 120 with what I think is exactly the same swing. It can also cover a spread of 100 yards left to right (or should that be right to left with a bit of draw?).

 

[USER1999]

It never ceases to amaze me how many golfers who clearly can't break 80 (or even 90) can mysteriously hit it further than my pro, and our club champ, and Luke.

Mathematically, to carry the ball 265 would require minimum 115.8 mph club-head speed.

Depends on the angle of attack though, with a positive AoA you can carry it further than 265 yards with the right launch angle and spin rate.

I doubt it. Most of that sort of number comes from optimised launch and spin angles off the computer. It's what the club fitters use.

 

[SimonC]

It never ceases to amaze me how many golfers who clearly can't break 80 (or even 90) can mysteriously hit it further than my pro, and our club champ, and Luke.

Mathematically, to carry the ball 265 would require minimum 115.8 mph club-head speed.

Depends on the angle of attack though, with a positive AoA you can carry it further than 265 yards with the right launch angle and spin rate.

I doubt it. Most of that sort of number comes from optimised launch and spin angles off the computer. It's what the club fitters use.

Trust me I've been on trackman and angle of attack has a huge impact on carry distance. Look at page 13 on the link below. I've hit a 280 yard carry on trackman with a clubhead speed of 110mph this what at Ping Gainsborough (i'm not saying this is my norm though.)

http://www.trackman.dk/download/newsletter/newsletter5.pdf

 

[TheJezster]

Personally I dont see what it matters what everyone else hits, it's what I hit that matters.

As I said above, I dont know my averages. It's good to know a rough idea what a club should hit in length but it doesnt mean I will always use that club.

I have no idea if I am short, medium or long, and I dont actually care, as long as I can hit a shot that i like, i dont really mind what club it is.

Since starting playing regularly, in mid Jan, I have found that for our par 3 16th (134 yards ish) I have come from starting with a 7 iron to using an 8 iron, and on occassion a 9 iron, but I try to really hit it with that, so feel more comfortable with an 8i. Some use a PW but thats up to them.

The club averages are good to know which range of clubs you could use for any given shot. Some others have said, it depends on many things.

Our 8th is a 229 yard par 3 (SI8) and on Sunday I hit a lovely 3 wood straight down the middle. It was a really really nice swing and strike, but it was a good 20-30 yards short of the green. Other times it would have been through maybe. I dont think I would have hit a driver though, but could have gone with a 4 iron to keep straight and leave a short chip in, but I was more than happy with my 3 wood shot. So, no "average" shot would have got there.

Reading this back, i dont even know if this makes any sense or if theres a point to it...but i'll post it anyway!

 

[Piece]

Those that exaggerate their carry distances are either deliberately lying to impress, or have no idea about their distances. They'll certainly learn quickly when faced with a 220y carry and end up sploshing in the drink!

The better player you are the more proficient you are with distances and distance control, irrespective of weather conditions.

I'm totally convinced that all golfers must honestly know what their average distances/distance window are (on a normal day) for each club in order to score better.

Just my 2 pence worth!

 

[pokerjoke]

10 inches

Is that average,normal or best?

 

[pokerjoke]

I would agree with all the posts that say it doesnt matter how far and with what club,not at our level anyway.After yesterday im coming around to the course management side even more,that to me is where lower scores come from.280 yards even in semi rough is a worse shot than 240 on the fairway with a clear shot to the green.Longest drive yesterday at beau was 290 with 50 yards roll out so obviously only 240 carry,so where are people getting 15yards roll out from,also winter less roll less carry.So forget willy waving and get into course managment,a much safer option.

 

[Losttheplot]

I would agree with all the posts that say it doesnt matter how far and with what club,not at our level anyway.After yesterday im coming around to the course management side even more,that to me is where lower scores come from.280 yards even in semi rough is a worse shot than 240 on the fairway with a clear shot to the green.Longest drive yesterday at beau was 290 with 50 yards roll out so obviously only 240 carry,so where are people getting 15yards roll out from,also winter less roll less carry.So forget willy waving and get into course managment,a much safer option.

+1.

Great shout mate.

I'm more than happy with my 250 off the tee and that's on a good days striking.

Don't get me wrong it's great to smash it 280 everytime but it's useless if your not in play. Rather be 220 in play everytime than 280 and in the fringes/rough half the time.

 

[EZprophet]

It never ceases to amaze me how many golfers who clearly can't break 80 (or even 90) can mysteriously hit it further than my pro, and our club champ, and Luke.

Mathematically, to carry the ball 265 would require minimum 115.8 mph club-head speed.

What amazes me is that people think that there are no amateur golfers who can hit the ball longer than the pros. Or that there are no crap golfers that are also long hitters.

I have a mate who used to be the best junior golfer in Bermuda when we played junior golf together. One of those kids who's just amazing at every sport. He plays golf now 3/4 times a year but still blows the ball 20/30 yards past me with the driver and hits 2 clubs less into every green (my avg driver swing speed is 118 so Im not a short knocker!) If he was on tour my guess is he would be top ten avg. driving distance but he cant even break 80 anymore because he doesnt have a short game...

My point is that just because someone is a hacker, doesn't mean they can't hit the ball a long way. Its less LIKELY that they do, but there are still lots of long hitting hackers in the universe.

 

[USER1999]

The true test of carry is when there is a whacking great pond in the way. It is amazing how from 150 there aren't many 7i being waved about if there is a 145 carry over the water.

 

[Piece]

It never ceases to amaze me how many golfers who clearly can't break 80 (or even 90) can mysteriously hit it further than my pro, and our club champ, and Luke.

Mathematically, to carry the ball 265 would require minimum 115.8 mph club-head speed.

What amazes me is that people think that there are no amateur golfers who can hit the ball longer than the pros. Or that there are no crap golfers that are also long hitters.

<snip>

My point is that just because someone is a hacker, doesn't mean they can't hit the ball a long way. Its less LIKELY that they do, but there are still lots of long hitting hackers in the universe.

Aaah, some sense...

 

[Mongoose]

Its only a long hit if its in play and really in the fairway. If the hackers were hitting it long and in the fairway they wouldnt be hackers, they'd be low handicappers. One drive at 280 and five in the crap isnt a long hitter. Six our of six 280 IS a long hitter, and bloody rare!

Next time you play measure all your drives, preferably using a Laser, or at least GPS, none of this estimating with distance markers. For every drive in the first cut deduct 50 yds, for every drive in the weeds deduct 100yds. Calculate the average. Now do this several times in differing conditions and courses throughout the year. If your average is over 240yds then you a long hitter and most likely a low handicapper.

 

[Region3]

What I think I carry, and what I use when deciding on which club to hit...

Driver 240
4 wood 230
3 200
4 190
5 180
6 170
7 160
8 150
9 140
PW 130
GW 115
SW 95
LW 80

I can squeeze a little more out if I need to by trying to hit harder, but generally I'll take a little too much and try to swing smooth.

 

[Piece]

Its only a long hit if its in play and really in the fairway. If the hackers were hitting it long and in the fairway they wouldnt be hackers, they'd be low handicappers. One drive at 280 and five in the crap isnt a long hitter. Six our of six 280 IS a long hitter, and bloody rare!

Next time you play measure all your drives, preferably using a Laser, or at least GPS, none of this estimating with distance markers. For every drive in the first cut deduct 50 yds, for every drive in the weeds deduct 100yds. Calculate the average. Now do this several times in differing conditions and courses throughout the year. If your average is over 240yds then you a long hitter and most likely a low handicapper.

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson will all be averaging under 200y under this rule!