Pro's are not the only ones that drive it 300 +

[mbrodeur86]

The guy who owns the golf simulators where we play in our winter league hits it almost consistently 300 or more yards. He doesn't even carry a 3 wood as he hits his hybrid 270. His ball speed off his driver hovers anywhere from 170-185mph so yeah the pros aren't the only ones to do it. 

 

My goal for me is to carry 250-260 consistently and hope to get it around 270-280. I've hit 300 a few times but with downhill and wind in my back. I find I don't need to hit it that far to get a good score. I'd rather be a better ball striker than anything when it comes to my irons and wedges and I putting is key for me. 

[Fireinthehole]

300 doesn't seem so far fetched. Right know with the warmer weather here in beautiful Oregon I am averaging 307yds. Longest hit was yesterday 338yds- on a course that begs for a draw about every hole. Before the weather got so warm avg was about 289. I prefer to play a fade, but do like to see some curve to the ball. I keep stats by quarter (season) so i know if the weather is effecting performance (or its just me lol).

 

Like others have said attack angle, contact on the face, elevation, fairway firmness all play into it. Also helps to be 5'10" 200lb former sprinter/ soccer player who works out and maintains flexibility- so you can get faster hip/ muscle firing.

 

Personally I don't care about how other's hit- im still trying to find consistency. Did run into a guy who was very pompous about telling me no way you can carry over 280 blah blah blah. Hit that 338 yard drive and seem to shut him up.

I recently switched to the Taylormade tour preferred X. Irons on full shots- i try to go 45* not to parallel, I don't get a lot of roll on Irons, but with 7I- 60* I want hop and stop, not hop and run with approach shots.

5i-198

6i-187

7i-174

8i-166

9i-157

pw-144

52*- 127

56*- 109

60*- 96

Thats why when people ask, "what did you hit" on par 3's etc, I ask what they use to hit that yardage- obviously we all use something different.

 

There is a guy who works at a Pro shop at one of the clubs I go to who is 6'4 300lbs was suppose to play QB at University of Kentucky before blowing out his knee. who can fly it 350yds+- best advice he gave me is spend 80% of practice on short game. He is also playing at scratch.

[Baseballfrk8998]

300 doesn't seem so far fetched. Right know with the warmer weather here in beautiful Oregon I am averaging 307yds. Longest hit was yesterday 338yds- on a course that begs for a draw about every hole. Before the weather got so warm avg was about 289. I prefer to play a fade, but do like to see some curve to the ball. I keep stats by quarter (season) so i know if the weather is effecting performance (or its just me lol).

 

Like others have said attack angle, contact on the face, elevation, fairway firmness all play into it. Also helps to be 5'10" 200lb former sprinter/ soccer player who works out and maintains flexibility- so you can get faster hip/ muscle firing.

 

Personally I don't care about how other's hit- im still trying to find consistency. Did run into a guy who was very pompous about telling me no way you can carry over 280 blah blah blah. Hit that 338 yard drive and seem to shut him up.

I recently switched to the Taylormade tour preferred X. Irons on full shots- i try to go 45* not to parallel, I don't get a lot of roll on Irons, but with 7I- 60* I want hop and stop, not hop and run with approach shots.

5i-198

6i-187

7i-174

8i-166

9i-157

pw-144

52*- 127

56*- 109

60*- 96

Thats why when people ask, "what did you hit" on par 3's etc, I ask what they use to hit that yardage- obviously we all use something different.

 

There is a guy who works at a Pro shop at one of the clubs I go to who is 6'4 300lbs was suppose to play QB at University of Kentucky before blowing out his knee. who can fly it 350yds+- best advice he gave me is spend 80% of practice on short game. He is also playing at scratch.

Flying it 350 would require a SS of 140 or so. I'd have to believe that to see it, especially if he's using a normal length driver. That sounds like a bit of a stretch to me..

[Fireinthehole]

Flying it 350 would require a SS of 140 or so. I'd have to believe that to see it, especially if he's using a normal length driver. That sounds like a bit of a stretch to me..

Obviously not carry and with a positive attack angle and ideal spin rate (SS 120+, AOA +5 for instance) and a dry firm fairway, 140 minimum wouldn't be all that is required. I've seen him do it, not saying it always ended up in the fairway (He will do it for the spectacle).

 

I didn't ask him for his specs, but all of his stuff was custom made by Nike ( who is his sponsor). Regardless he swings at about 75-80% and is still getting around 300 off the tee. 

[Baseballfrk8998]

Obviously not carry and with a positive attack angle and ideal spin rate (SS 120+, AOA +5 for instance) and a dry firm fairway, 140 minimum wouldn't be all that is required. I've seen him do it, not saying it always ended up in the fairway (He will do it for the spectacle).

 

I didn't ask him for his specs, but all of his stuff was custom made by Nike ( who is his sponsor). Regardless he swings at about 75-80% and is still getting around 300 off the tee.

Ah my bad. I thought you meant he flew it 350! I was gonna say.. That takes a poke!

[Blade]

He said carry 350+-. Hard to take it any any other way.

[Undershooter]

300 doesn't seem so far fetched. Right know with the warmer weather here in beautiful Oregon I am averaging 307yds. Longest hit was yesterday 338yds- on a course that begs for a draw about every hole. Before the weather got so warm avg was about 289. I prefer to play a fade, but do like to see some curve to the ball. I keep stats by quarter (season) so i know if the weather is effecting performance (or its just me lol).

 

Like others have said attack angle, contact on the face, elevation, fairway firmness all play into it. Also helps to be 5'10" 200lb former sprinter/ soccer player who works out and maintains flexibility- so you can get faster hip/ muscle firing.

 

Personally I don't care about how other's hit- im still trying to find consistency. Did run into a guy who was very pompous about telling me no way you can carry over 280 blah blah blah. Hit that 338 yard drive and seem to shut him up.

I recently switched to the Taylormade tour preferred X. Irons on full shots- i try to go 45* not to parallel, I don't get a lot of roll on Irons, but with 7I- 60* I want hop and stop, not hop and run with approach shots.

5i-198

6i-187

7i-174

8i-166

9i-157

pw-144

52*- 127

56*- 109

60*- 96

Thats why when people ask, "what did you hit" on par 3's etc, I ask what they use to hit that yardage- obviously we all use something different.

 

There is a guy who works at a Pro shop at one of the clubs I go to who is 6'4 300lbs was suppose to play QB at University of Kentucky before blowing out his knee. who can fly it 350yds+- best advice he gave me is spend 80% of practice on short game. He is also playing at scratch.

If he is flying it 350 then He should try the long drive tour. How do you get your yardage averages btw?

[Fireinthehole]

Yes should have explicitly stated he doesn't carry it that far. The point stands none-the-less; it's not unbelievable.

 

I get my yardage avgs from game golf. Also use golf pad on my phone- currently testing arccos. I use a rangefinder. Have recorded over 200+ rounds to try and nail them down. Duffed/ missed shots aren't counted because I don't plan on doing that the majority of the time.

[sp0rtsfan86]

Think there's a few things at play. Number one a lot of golfers overestimate their drives. Me included. I thought I was hitting solid ones 280... game golf laughed and put my longest at 283, but the majority of my smashes only go 250.

 

That being said, I've had probably a dozen drives go 300+ yards including one the GPS had at 380 in Vegas. Winds, downhill and hitting the downslope of a bunker all helped. I almost outdrove the green on that one hole. But that's a once in a lifetime shot.

 

A person hitting a few 300 is different than a guy averaging 3 bills. One person I played with averaged probably 290 but half of his were easily over 300. If someone told me that they averaged 300 I'd be skeptical even on the range, but after a few holes you can easily tell who can average 300 and who gets one or two over 300 yards.

[BRDGOLFING]

.

[BRDGOLFING]

These two were with my Taylormade burner with stiff shaft but 1.5 inches longer.

[BRDGOLFING]

This is with the RBZ with standard stiff shaft.

[Kor.A.Door]

Couple questions, what is your Swing speed? and what were the course conditions that you played?

The conditions will play a lot into the total distance.

[Undershooter]

Swing speed, ball speed, and spin rate average would all be useful

[Fireinthehole]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this, but...

Don't most pro's swing about 75-80% of their max speed for control anyways? I'm sure they could get more out, but why would they, when they can play from the short grass?

Only took me two years to figure that out lol.

[revkev]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this, but...

Don't most pro's swing about 75-80% of their max speed for control anyways? I'm sure they could get more out, but why would they, when they can play from the short grass?

Only took me two years to figure that out lol.

All things being equal Pro's would rather play a wedge out of the rough but with a good angle to the pin than a 7 iron from the fairway. If you haven't read Every Shot Counts yet you should. There are holes or course conditions that are exceptions but in general those guys don't mind bombing and gouging it.

[Sluggo42]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this, but...

Don't most pro's swing about 75-80% of their max speed for control anyways? I'm sure they could get more out, but why would they, when they can play from the short grass?

Only took me two years to figure that out lol.

Only 2 years?

[BRDGOLFING]

I forgot to tell what ball I was hitting both days. I started hitting the Bridgestone B330 RX. By far the best ball for more roll. I have not been in front of a screen or measured for speed since I was 16. 14 years ago! My swing speed then was 128.

 

The conditions were sunny about 90 degrees and the course stays moist. I usually get 5 yards of roll unless I hit it on the bottom of the face and then I might get 10 to 15 yards of roll. Most of the time I can see my ball mark just a few feet away from my ball after my t shot.

[BRDGOLFING]

I was still happy with the rbz. I just need to change the shaft to make it longer. The shorter shaft had me feeling different. Even at just a inch and a half.

[Kor.A.Door]

I have a nephew that has a swing speed up in the 130's so carrying the ball out to 290-295 is not unreasonable, and with a bit of roll getting to 310-320 is also realistic. It's difficult to control the ball when swinging that way all the time though, as your charts above clearly show. I bet if you slow that some you will still be around 3 bills but also be more consistent.

[BRDGOLFING]

I hit the older taylormade pretty consistent. The fairway was not missed as much. I think the shaft was the reason why the rbz was going everywhere.

 

I appreciate the information. I also have a self taught swing that I believe with some work with a pro would help out also.

[Undershooter]

I was still happy with the rbz. I just need to change the shaft to make it longer. The shorter shaft had me feeling different. Even at just a inch and a half.

An inch and a half is a lot of difference In a driver shaft. Also a shorter shaft should make it more controllable unless the shaft profile doesn't fit you. At 128 you should be in a something on the upper end of extra stiff.

[Fireinthehole]

Only 2 years?

 

Fast learner- what can i say? 

[Fireinthehole]

All things being equal Pro's would rather play a wedge out of the rough but with a good angle to the pin than a 7 iron from the fairway. If you haven't read Every Shot Counts yet you should. There are holes or course conditions that are exceptions but in general those guys don't mind bombing and gouging it.

Irons and par3's seem to be the time to play 75-80%. But like you said they don't mind hitting out of the rough if it means a wedge into a green. As you can see from Fowler's performance Sunway where he hit that 320+ drive on 18 and only had 110 or something along that for his approach.

 

Before the groove change it made Pro's far more cavalier. Use to have a non conforming Callway X forged mack daddy wedge- That thing would spin and would tear the cover off even the hardest of top flites, velocity's. Regardless of lie.

[Undershooter]

Irons and par3's seem to be the time to play 75-80%. But like you said they don't mind hitting out of the rough if it means a wedge into a green. As you can see from Fowler's performance Sunway where he hit that 320+ drive on 18 and only had 110 or something along that for his approach.

 

Before the groove change it made Pro's far more cavalier. Use to have a non conforming Callway X forged mack daddy wedge- That thing would spin and would tear the cover off even the hardest of top flites, velocity's. Regardless of lie.

Biggest difference with the old grooves was out of the rough. In the fairway I don't see a huge difference. Good contact assumed anyway.

[BRDGOLFING]

An inch and a half is a lot of difference In a driver shaft. Also a shorter shaft should make it more controllable unless the shaft profile doesn't fit you. At 128 you should be in a something on the upper end of extra stiff.

[BRDGOLFING]

I believe the in accurate drives are from me being 6'4 and my posture being different. I will get a better and longer shaft when I get the money. Thank you for the info.

[DaveP043]

You guys are a bunch of old farts. I'm not like you or Sluggo at all. I won't be 59 for at least another 4 months.

 

My index right now is actually 4.8. It sounds as if we could take the two of you, myself, Big Stu or Plaid Jacket we'd have a really well matched foursome.

I just now realized that we're being sandbagged.  revkev claims that his index is 4.8, but his profile says he plays to a 3.  Seems like some creative negotiations are underway!

 

And lest anyone think I'm serious here, this is completely in jest.  

[revkev]

The last revision wasn't so kind either Dave - strokes, more strokes that's what I say!!!!   Last two rounds were 82,85.  Oh well range work today, tee times tomorrow, Sunday (afternoon) and Monday will help to take care f that plus school ends Friday so I'll be into the playing twice a week pattern for a while.  I'll be back soon.

 

To BRDGolfing's original concern I had the classic this week.  I was at Dick's to pick up a box of ZStars (last iteration on sale for $28.99).  I ran into a kid that I've played with a few times who is working there.  Good enough kid, okay but not great player, he was telling me that he's hitting the ball 20 yards farther than he used to.  So now he's popular for scrambles because he hits it 300 he said.  I didn't even comment -  If he gained 20 yards - great - but honestly we hit the ball the same distance which means his top end used to be 250 -so the top end now would be ......... not 300 and that would be top end no average.

 

There's your issue BRDGolfing - tons of people claim to average 300 yards of the tee and very few do.  All of us know way more people who were full of it making the claim than people who actually hit it that far.  Most of us are civil enough to not attack an individual on a board about their reported distance because we can't know.  I'm glad you're here where that's the case.  Keep bombing it and I hope to play with you sometime.  You didn't answer before but where do you live in Georgia?

 

My son is stationed in Kingsbay and was just assigned there again for the next 3 years. 

[BRDGOLFING]

The last revision wasn't so kind either Dave - strokes, more strokes that's what I say!!!!   Last two rounds were 82,85.  Oh well range work today, tee times tomorrow, Sunday (afternoon) and Monday will help to take care f that plus school ends Friday so I'll be into the playing twice a week pattern for a while.  I'll be back soon.

 

To BRDGolfing's original concern I had the classic this week.  I was at Dick's to pick up a box of ZStars (last iteration on sale for $28.99).  I ran into a kid that I've played with a few times who is working there.  Good enough kid, okay but not great player, he was telling me that he's hitting the ball 20 yards farther than he used to.  So now he's popular for scrambles because he hits it 300 he said.  I didn't even comment -  If he gained 20 yards - great - but honestly we hit the ball the same distance which means his top end used to be 250 -so the top end now would be ......... not 300 and that would be top end no average.

 

There's your issue BRDGolfing - tons of people claim to average 300 yards of the tee and very few do.  All of us know way more people who were full of it making the claim than people who actually hit it that far.  Most of us are civil enough to not attack an individual on a board about their reported distance because we can't know.  I'm glad you're here where that's the case.  Keep bombing it and I hope to play with you sometime.  You didn't answer before but where do you live in Georgia?

 

My son is stationed in Kingsbay and was just assigned there again for the next 3 years. 

 I understand where you are coming from! Thank you for the positive attitude for sure.

 

I am sorry about not answering where I live in Georgia. I thought I did mention it. I live in Lowndes County. We have 5 courses. Four are public and one is Private. My regular course is Stone Creek. The nicest course around is Kinderlou. They are all under 50 dollars to play on the weekend. The last time I checked. (About 3 months ago)