What do you consider a good drive?

[TexasFloyd]

A drive where you say "man I would give my left *** to be able to do that all the time." Within 5 yards off center line? 15? 

What is "Wish I would have done better but it's down there and I can recover" 15  - 25 yards off center?

[Headhammer]

250+ anywhere in the short stuff!

[GolfSpy_BNG]

A great drive= 280-300 in the fairway

A good drive= 280-300 just into the rough

A bad drive= 280-300 in the trees(this happens more than the great drive lol)

A shot that I would give my left *** for would be the ability to eliminate one side of the course. Been working on it and have made progress but that push, push/fade creeps back every now and then. 

[cnosil]

I realize that all shots have a dispersion pattern that could be left, right, long, or short of my target.  Therefore,  as long as my tee shot is within that pattern and I can advance the ball toward the green I consider it a good tee shot. 

[PMookie]

As long as my second shot is unimpeded to the green, or a second shot play on a par 5, I’m ok. Granted, I don’t mean in three foot high fescue, as that shot is impeded.... 

[RickyBobby_PR]

That finishes near my intended target. 

[goaliedad30]

Solidly hit, within reasonable dispersion of my target, and the ability to relatively easily advance the ball onto the green on the next shot (or near it, if it's a par 5).

[SlowNLow]

Good drive is when I can hit the 2nd shot unencumbered by trees, bushes, or a bad lie like thick and/or long grass.  This would include being able to use a fairway wood or hybrid if necessary on a par 5.   

With at least 80% of my potential distance for the club used from the tee.

And of course, no penalty stroke has been incurred.  

 

[OxfordJeff]

For me, +250 yds anywhere in the fairway... no complaints. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

I'm normally in the fairway with my driver and can place it on the left or right side when necessary. So no complaints about my accuracy. But I could use a little more distance. Currently about 230  / 240 so an extra 20 yards would be nice.  Then I would consider that a good drive for me. 

[LeftyMatt89]

For me anything over 280 with a look at a shot at the green us a good drive. Great drive is anything over 300 with a shot in the green. My Arccos smart distance is 289 right now. Hoping to get it over 300 as it warms up. 

[Buffly]

For me, on a par 4 would be 7i or less for a second shot. On a par 5, ability to go for it in 2 with my 5w. 

Super simple because if those conditions are met then it doesn't matter the lie.

[pulledabill]

260ish..in the fairway..with no obstructions and a clean  2nd shot. 

[MattF]

In the fairway with an unimpeded second shot is what I'd consider a good drive for me. I don't care too much about the distance, it's the dispersion.

[DiscipleofPenick]

Anything at my normal distance (260+) with an unobstructed second shot. I'm not playing tour level rough on my local courses so fairway is indifferent. I hit about 30% of fairways, but almost 80% of my drives are good by this standard.

Take Dead Aim

[Middler]

Any drive that leaves me with an unobstructed second shot in short grass. I’m left with that about 60% of the time. I average about 245, longest drive in 2020 was 276 yds, not counting my 303 yd drive that landed on a cart path on the fly even though it finished in the fairway (dogleg left).

[MNUte]

Early in the year, i got to see what my ideal drive was: about 255 to 265 carry, about 275 to 285 total and dead straight with little shape. 

Unfortunately, getting that to a consistent point has been the issue. Especially since this past year I've put more focus on my wedges and short irons than my driver. 

[Micah T]

Any tee shot where I execute the shot I saw in my head: the start line, the shot shape, and me able to hold my finish...


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[zrumble]

Predictable shape, predictable carry, and correct side of the fairway for an easy approach shot it a great drive. A good drive is either predictable carry and one of the other two. An ok drive is just one of the above, and a bad drive is where none are executed. 

[DubiousPro]

As a perfectionist 5 hcp, "Good Drive" means within 5 yards of my aim point and desired landing zone. "Great Drive" is exactly as intended. "That'll Play" means preferably in the short grass with line of flight to the hole with no need for any tricky on custom stance, trajectory, purposeful hook/slice, or some miraculous striping the ball through some made up hole in the branches of ill placed trees. 

[Jackal]

I'm gonna say 265 consistently.

Sometimes I can reach a little more, but not to be greedy.

[Rchang]

Good  drive is 250 in fairway or before the trees start. 

[BNewton51]

As many have said, a good drive is a predictable flight, predictable "distance" within norms and unencumbering my second shot.  I typically am in or right around the fairway.  However, the sometimes too frequent miss directionally drives me insane.  I definitely need to work this upcoming season on taking one side of the course out of play to increase my consistency there.  Thankfully, my shortgame saves me each and every time when something goes wrong.  

[RollingGreens]

250, anywhere that I’m not blocked from the green with a general golf shot, although the fairway and first cut are preferable!. No more trick shots for this guy, I’ve learned to take the medicine in those lies. No harm in taking one stroke vs three

[golferguy27]

15 hours ago, Micah T said:

Any tee shot where I execute the shot I saw in my head: the start line, the shot shape, and me able to hold my finish...


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

I'm with Micah - when it happens more or less like I planned its a success.  If it flies 240-250 in still air on level ground, even better.

 

My driving goals this year are

1) have a plan, stick to the plan, hit the plan ....

2) swing for the fences ONLY when the risk of lost shots is low, very low

3) swing on control with a focus on balance and solid strike

 

If I do this then my answer next year to this question will be 

 

1) I had a plan and executed it

2) I reduced my number of lost stroke due to unnecessary risk off the tee

3) I hit the ball well while I was in control

[TBT]

A predictable shot shape and carry.....knowing that my ball at worst will travel “x” number of yards and will go right to left at a predictable rate.


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[DaveP043]

A good drive is moderately well struck, and moderately on the line towards my target.  Fairway is a secondary consideration, sometimes I'm aiming near an edge, and a very minor miss ends up in the rough, but its still a good drive.  I hit a lot of good drives, that's been part of becoming a reasonably decent player.  A few shots will really go right at my intended target, those are great, but a great drive is still only a first step.  I try not to let a drive get me too "up" or too "down".

[azstu324]

IMO a good drive doesn't necessarily have a distance attached to it. It's all about the individual's ability both physically and mechanically. 

Example: I golf a lot with my pops who probably is in the 20's for HCP. He's almost 70. With his physical ability paired with sound mechanics, he's capable of hitting 220 - 240 yds. For him, 220+ in the fairway is a solid drive. Whenever he's hitting those numbers I'm probably more excited for him than I am when I hit 280-300. 

For me individually, with my physical ability and mechanics, hitting a 280+ yd carry with a left or right shape, avoiding certain hazards, high or low trajectory depending on wind and with good fairway placement is what "I" would call a good drive for me. 

 

[BNewton51]

21 hours ago, azstu324 said:

IMO a good drive doesn't necessarily have a distance attached to it. It's all about the individual's ability both physically and mechanically. 

Example: I golf a lot with my pops who probably is in the 20's for HCP. He's almost 70. With his physical ability paired with sound mechanics, he's capable of hitting 220 - 240 yds. For him, 220+ in the fairway is a solid drive. Whenever he's hitting those numbers I'm probably more excited for him than I am when I hit 280-300. 

For me individually, with my physical ability and mechanics, hitting a 280+ yd carry with a left or right shape, avoiding certain hazards, high or low trajectory depending on wind and with good fairway placement is what "I" would call a good drive for me. 

 

70 and still hitting it 220-240 is pretty great IMO!  I'd cheer that on every day of the week and twice on Sunday!  Cheers. 

[Kenny B]

Simple.  A good drive is anything that doesn't feel like a mishit and is in the fairway.