How far do you bomb it off the tee?

[Javs]

10 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... Nit to get off topic but for me those kinds of tests don't tell me very much other than tendencies or potential, and sure both of those can be valuable. I don't know how many swings you took at each speed or if you alternated but it seems like a relatively competent golfer can dial their swing in with multiple swings. It is the same issue I have with players not being able to take their range swing to the course. You only get one chance to swing a driver on the course and you are under pressure to hit a good shot that doesn't exist on the range and that is a massive difference.

... I can swing faster than my normal tempo on the range but it will take me several swings to dial it in. After walking and playing a par 5, hitting a hybrid, a wedge, putter and then a par 3 with a 6 iron and a hopefully putter or maybe a wedge out of a bunker, the next hole calls for a driver and I haven't swung a driver in close to 30 minutes. I get one chance to hug the dogleg and miss the trees/water/deep rough and that is a radically different circumstance than standing in one spot at the range or hitting multiple shots in a test that don't count. 

Understand your logic. Yes, I see many players that can’t take the range swing to the course. However, on the drive that counts. I believe the key is controlled high percentage aggression. Not just a blind bomb and hope. Hope is not a strategy! You have to take the shot that gives you the best chance of executing and achieving your goal to start that hole. That’s where course management and aggression have to meet. There are plenty of holes I hit a 3 wood because it’s the better play or I can work the ball even easier into position. However, my swing with that 3 wood is still an aggressive committed shot. 

[chisag]

22 minutes ago, Javs said:

The same transfers over into how one attacks each hole. Play to your strengths. In that case I am assuming you will take the controlled percentage approach. I would take the highest percentage aggressive approach. We can both meet our goal coming from the two different paths.

 

... One thing you learn playing QB is every play is different. Yea, there are the percentages, risk reward and everything in-between. My approach to any given hole is based on many factors like how am I swinging that day? Do I like that pin placement? What is the wind doing? Where must I make my error? So same hole, same pin, same yardage but different day my approach may be different. Really, it's what I love so much about this game. Every single shot we make is different, so choosing the right one for that shot on that day is the inner chess match of good players. 

[Javs]

3 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... One thing you learn playing QB is every play is different. Yea, there are the percentages, risk reward and everything in-between. My approach to any given hole is based on many factors like how am I swinging that day? Do I like that pin placement? What is the wind doing? Where must I make my error? So same hole, same pin, same yardage but different day my approach may be different. Really, it's what I love so much about this game. Every single shot we make is different, so choosing the right one for that shot on that day is the inner chess match of good players. 

Oh exactly! It can be a QB or it can be someone in another high intensity field. In the military I learned how to multi-task and assess the situation on the fly. Being successful was key to winning and life or death. A little extreme for this conversation; however, key to how just how some of us have a different perspective to the game. What makes the game of golf great is that each day is different. Each shot is different. The environment, course and situation change every day. I think those of us that had another life that really demanded the most of our thinking and physical execution can still find great joy or escape in the game of golf. Golf is a great game. There are those that play as a hobby or fun. There are those that play to escape the week. There are those that play for the challenge and to push each time to reach our best. No matter what the reason it’s a great game.

[cnosil]

8 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... Nit to get off topic but for me those kinds of tests don't tell me very much other than tendencies or potential, and sure both of those can be valuable. I don't know how many swings you took at each speed or if you alternated but it seems like a relatively competent golfer can dial their swing in with multiple swings. 

I think it goes back to what you said in the post about couples above.   We hear generic advice like you need to swing 80 or 90% or just make a fairway finder swing.  Those throw off the natural tempo and timing of your swing.  It also gets into how people interpret those statements.  

I don’t remember the orotocols for the test, but you always hit a few shots and then switch to the next club/shot and then go through a few times,  while you can dial in after a few swings what I see time another time is that tendencies and patterns persist as you rotate through the protocol.   
 

IMO, what the tests show is that you need to figure out what works for you and not to blindly take generic advice.  i did the test so it was relevant to me but overall I think the message shouldn’t be swing 100% but in line with what you posted above about finding what works for you individually and that swinging faster doesn’t mean you will get worse results; sometimes that “fairway  finder” swing is detrimental. 

[cksurfdude]

How far do I bomb it off the tee? 

NOT FAR ENOUGH! 

..and (expletive deleted) what the USGA and R&A think on that subject.

Anyway... MGS newsletters have highlighted similar data from Shot Scope, which are .. probably close, I'd guess .. #s.

Me .. also like others seem to punch above my (current?) handicap and age levels. Which is kinda nice as for years I didn't even carry a driver, I was so so so bad with it! 

And .. like others .. there are other areas of shortcomings in my game that I need to keep working on; eg approaches and short game.

Interesting to read all the different responses!

[TJ Hall]

Not as far as I think I do!

[Kaden_Marcell]

I feel like a better way they could've done this data would not do it by handicap, but then group it into ages. I'm 20, go the gym and PT as well, and have played golf for 17 years now and hit the ball 290+ (don't ask about the wedge game please). I fall under the +.1 to 2 handicap range; however I get that I am an outlier and wouldn't skew the data that much, there are more seniors out there that play I call it dink golf, that are absolute sticks and hit the ball dead straight 220 every time (very annoying to play against lmao). I also would like to know how arrcos got this data and how accurate it would be compared to an actual simulator. I got a photo below of me pushing my ball speed on the range one day, ignore the club path 

[jolter1]

Unfortunately not as far as I used to.