How far do the pros really hit it?

[Sluggo42]

So I picked up with this young guy today, he was maybe 30, about 6-5.

First hole I crushed my drive, maybe 275. This guy gets up and knocks it about 320.

Few holes later he he hits a 3- wood about even with my drive

Few holes later, with the wind, I get one close to 300. He out drives me by 50 yards.

He was easy 2-3 clubs on irons longer.

 

Damn kids...

[apprenti23]

There are plenty of people who hit it further than tour players- difference is they know EXACTLY how far they hit it and can control distances extremely well.

 

Some of these college kids absolutely MURDER the ball these days. I wish they'd be a little more creative in the way they play the game though. I feel that's what's holding some of these kids back. They're like robots out there!

[ms1195]

One of the major differences I see between pros and the rest of us, besides distance, is putting. Plenty of people swing fast enough to bomb it 300+, I think there are some online forums full of them .

 

It seems to me like if someone is really good at putting they still have a shot, even if they aren't particularly long. I think Corey Pavin fits that mold?

[Sluggo42]

Well, I did beat him, his short game was definitely not equal to his drives.

But I have to admit, watching those drives from point blank was awesome. I actually had trouble seeing them as they got further away.

It's also humbling. I'm a long hitter in my crowd. This guy was in a totally different league than I've seen close up for a very long time.

[dru_]

good lord, 300yards ? I'll never see that number, and I'm totally fine with that. If I can drive it 240-260 in the fairway with a controlled left or right movement I am thrilled. To me control has far more value than distance.

[wbealsd]

good lord, 300yards ? I'll never see that number, and I'm totally fine with that. If I can drive it 240-260 in the fairway with a controlled left or right movement I am thrilled. To me control has far more value than distance.

I've been thrilled having my driver and 4 wood provide me with "200+" and, at least from the standard tees, I have the "potential" to par or birdie on the courses in my area. If I don't actually score that well, it's more likely because of my short game, not my distance.

 

I've seen articles that mention the "average golfer" actually drives around the 175-180 range and most golfers never break 90.

[sai-jin]

In my opinion, being able to control the ball is much more important than just bombing it.

I'm able to drive up to 328yds, but I noticed that when I do that, not only do I get tired very quickly, but I hit MUCH less fairways and I get out of control

 

at 275-285yds drive, as long as I can hit fairways I'm happy, then again control into the green and on the green.

 

I have a friend who is bigger than me (he is a little of a jock) and he can drive the ball, but his chips, putts and pitches aren't nearly as good as mine.

 

I honestly think that control over distance is the way to go.

[wbealsd]

I honestly think that control over distance is the way to go.

+1

[RookieBlue7]

There is an article in a Golf Digest from a few months back about players from the 70's. lots of good content in there. Talks about how every player today is longer than them but the people today are robots with no imagination. That's what separates the golden age from today's players, grit and imagination. If you have me Seve in his prime against anyone on tour today with the exception of Tiger (he's the last true shot maker out there, I guess Bubba sort of qualifies), I'm taking Seve every time. Anyone can make par from the fairway, Seve made birdies from the course next door.

[The Artful Duffer]

Ok, there are a few observations that I've made over the years and it comes from playin the game for a while and playin it at a decently high level for an Am with a real job. First, most golfers are full of sh*t!! Plain and simple. People throw numbers around like a "280 yard average" and "300 yard plus 'bombs'" as though they can actually hit these drives. I've often wanted to say, "Dude, do you realize how f*ckin stupid you sound throwin these knda numbers around? No seriously, do you?" It's just that while I have the potential to be a jerk-off and I'm known for calling out the pink elephant in the room, I've really tried to curb my jerk-off tendacies for the benefit of those around me

 

 

RP, I love your rants and a lot of the time including now, I agree with ya. My only thing is you typed jerk-off instead of jag-off. Lol. Only foolin with ya. Hope this finds you well.

[Sluggo42]

good lord, 300yards ? I'll never see that number, and I'm totally fine with that. If I can drive it 240-260 in the fairway with a controlled left or right movement I am thrilled. To me control has far more value than distance.

 

"With the wind on an elevated tee mate... Certainly not the norm. Closer to 260, and those occasional pured hits can get up to the 270-280 mark.

R.P. is right on the mark, not many hit the ball 300. That's why this kid (shows my age, he was close to 30) was so awesome. But he was also really big with a major power swing.

My point was that these big kids can really crush the rock, and many of the pros are now 6-2 , and have fast swings too.

 

I have always been known as a pretty long hitter, and this guy was in a completely different world. I didn't say he was a good scorer, just stupid long.

[apprenti23]

Hahahaha ha size matters

 

Awesome post Richard!

[JMiller]

There are plenty of people who hit it further than tour players- difference is they know EXACTLY how far they hit it and can control distances extremely well.

 

Some of these college kids absolutely MURDER the ball these days. I wish they'd be a little more creative in the way they play the game though. I feel that's what's holding some of these kids back. They're like robots out there!

 

great post, I agree completely.

 

 

Just to sort of add to it with general comments:

I think part of that is technology with golf equipment everything is geared to hit straighter. People don't try to work the ball much anymore, reduced spin = reduced workability.

[dru_]

I think most of us would agree RP.

 

The other bit here, is that being able to 'bomb' it, but not doing so on command, or consistently has little to no value. At the end of the day, being able to consistantly put the ball where you want it is the key. That said, if you CAN bomb it AND control it, then you need to be hitting the tour :-).

 

(FWIW, GPS tracking my own drives over the last year, I know that my long is 290, my short is 15, and my average is 228, right of center, with about 45% of them being out of the fairway, needless to say, control is something I wish I had)

[JBones]

Since Richard dropped my name, I'll tell a funny story about distance vs accuracy. #6 at my home course is 331yds with OB all the way up the left and a ravine with trees to the right, with the widest part of the fairway between 240-270yds. I hit a hybrid to stay "safe" and hit the widest part of the fairway..........I ended up hitting the biggest pull hook of my life and ended up OB. So I go to the bag and pull the driver for my 3rd off the tee and I hit it to 12' and make par. Moral of the story.......if you're a bomber, screw safe, pull the driver and rip it.

 

I will say though, with my new driver, I'm still hitting it long, with accuracy. I can put it where I want in the fairway and I very rarely miss outside the first cut.

[Sluggo42]

Since Richard dropped my name, I'll tell a funny story about distance vs accuracy. #6 at my home course is 331yds with OB all the way up the left and a ravine with trees to the right, with the widest part of the fairway between 240-270yds. I hit a hybrid to stay "safe" and hit the widest part of the fairway..........I ended up hitting the biggest pull hook of my life and ended up OB. So I go to the bag and pull the driver for my 3rd off the tee and I hit it to 12' and make par. Moral of the story.......if you're a bomber, screw safe, pull the driver and rip it.

 

I will say though, with my new driver, I'm still hitting it long, with accuracy. I can put it where I want in the fairway and I very rarely miss outside the first cut.

 

 

This is funny to me, as I score better by NOT going hard every hole. I used to be fearless but now,I tee off quite often with my 3-W, or 4-iron on the shorter or skinny holes. I'll even skip the driver on a long par 5 if its really skinny in the landing zone. Why try for a 50 yard slot between water and woods instead of a 75 yard wide without the water on one side? As long as I'm within a 150-100, I'm thinking better safe than sorry.

I guess I'm not so daring in my old age, and probably why I don't lose may balls. I mean they look like dirt clods after a few games.

[finalist]

A few years ago I was at the Pebble beach Pro-Am on a wet day - no roll at sea level. A few holes are very straight and you can pace off drives pretty well. Because the fairways were soaked the pros weren't getting any roll - just one hop of about a yard. I paced off two drives that day. One for DL3 and one for Phil M. Each carried their drives 275, no roll.

Add in the typical ROCK hard PGA fairways and the 300 yarders come into play with roll. Fwiw.

[silver & black]

Ok, there are a few observations that I've made over the years and it comes from playin the game for a while and playin it at a decently high level for an Am with a real job. First, most golfers are full of sh*t!! Plain and simple. People throw numbers around like a "280 yard average" and "300 yard plus 'bombs'" as though they can actually hit these drives. I've often wanted to say, "Dude, do you realize how f*ckin stupid you sound throwin these knda numbers around? No seriously, do you?" It's just that while I have the potential to be a jerk-off and I'm known for calling out the pink elephant in the room, I've really tried to curb my jerk-off tendacies for the benefit of those around me

 

First, last year, which was my best year swingwise, score wise & competitively in about 3-4 years, and my SS was 107mph, and my average drive from May-July was 262 yards. From mid August through the end of September, with the same SS basically, my average was 268 yards. My longest measured was on a LD hole that I happened to win, though in actuality I had the fifth longest drive, however I was the only one in the FW, and that drive was 284yds. HaHa, my Bro, who is one of those ridiculously long guys that you're referring to, was longest @ 312yds and he was a foot into the first cut. LMAO cuz I felt badly for him, though not that bad as to not accept the driver that I won, lol.

 

Ok, so I've got that offa my chest. Most of you are full of sh*t!!!!!!!!

 

Next up is when someone says, "well, I'll take accuracy over distance any day," as though one is exclusive of the other. Then ya assume that 220yds in the FW beats 315yds into the trees and across the fairways. Well, not only are ya full of sh*t, but you're a dumbass. That's like the guy with a 5" dick saying that size isn't everything. Daaaahhh ...

 

Usually the guys who say this are the guys who can't hit it out of their own shadows. I hate to tell ya somethin, however if you got the swing that can land a ball past 280yds, spend a couple of hours with Apprenti or PGA and they'll have your simple ass in the short hair, lol. Seriously, c'mon

 

Distance on a golf course is like speed on a football field. Ya can't coach it, ya can't train it and it's a b*tch to compete against. I can't tell ya the number of ex-HS jerk-offs that have told me that they ran 4.6+(I love how they throw the "+" in there as though that gives it some validity, LMFAO) 40's in HS, meanwhile, they only letterd cuz they were seniors, LMAO. I played four years of DI football as an ILB, starting 3 of em, & I never, ever ran below a 4.84 fourty. And that was as a freshman. And I cheated offa the start, lol. Four knee surgeries later, as a senior, I guarantee ya that I'da been lucky to break 5.0, yet I was quick enough to collect 3 sacks against Purdue. 2 1/2 more against Oklahoma State. My point is a number sorta becomes the "standard." Whether it's in a 40 yard dash or yardage on a golf course.

 

My point also is that if you've got the swing that can propel a golf ball 280+ yards, then you've got the swing that can be worked with and taught to keep it in the short hair. And distances are overstated as are swing speeds. The average swing speed on the Tour is 113mph, not 110, as I so often hear thrown around. Luke Donald swings it @ 110mph, and he ranks 136th in distance @ 277 yards.

 

A few of the Big Guys, their SSs,distances & ranks:

 

Bubba.........123mph.....310yds(was ranked #1)

Tiger.........119mph.....298yds(2009rank/numbers)

Phil..........118mh......297yds(ranked 15)

Rickie........115mph.....293yds(ranked 45th)

S. Stricker...111mph.....283yds(ranked 119)

Luke..........110mph.....277yds(ranked 136th)

B. Faxson.....106mph.....271yds(ranked 185th)

Craig Bowden..103mph.....270yds(ranked last @ 192)

 

 

And the REALLY BIG Guys(2011 REMAX LD Champios):

 

J. Sadlowski..146mph.....418yds(217mph ball speed)

J. Montgomery.140mph.....351yds(209mph ball speed)

B. Wilson.....140mph.....374yds(209mph ball speed)

-Wilson won the Seniors(over 45) & the Super Seniors(over 53yo)

 

Oh yea, Jamie's smash factor? 1.488

 

How bout distance and accuracy, haha?

 

So, if you're one of the "forum phenoms" that pound it at 280-300yds+, the next time you're on the course, from the tee, laser a landmark at 300yds, be it a tree, bush or whatever. Seriously, do it. Then walk out and drop a ball at this point. Then turn around and look back at the tee. See haw far you are? Seriously, do ya see how frickin far 300yds is? Now, do ya understand why I think that you're a f*ckin idiot?

 

Cuz, less than 2% of ALL the guys who step on the tees like that one, all across the country, can hit a ball to where you are standing. Think about that for a minute. Ok, now do ya realize why, just because someone doesn't say,"Dude, STFU, you're an *sshole," when you start spoutin off about your "bombs," doesn't mean that they believe you, cuz if they've gotta IQ north of 100 & know the game, they know that you're full of sh*t. Ya think I'm kiddin? Look back at the tee again. C'mon, take a look.

 

And the next time you're gonna say, "oh, I'd take accuracy over distance any day," PLEASE, don't say it. Cuz framed like you stated it, so would most people, however, the two are not mutually exclusive. My Bro qualified for the Pinacle Regional LD with a drive of 387yds. He routinely hits it 300+ with a SS of 122mph. Bonesy(JBones) routinely hits it 300+yds, with a SS around my Bro's.

 

So, unless you've gotta SS north of 115mph, you ain't hittin it 300yds. I'm not talkin bout some cow pasture/landing strip in TX, NV or AZ or downhill or with a gust behing ya.

 

Just play your game. Pick a target and swing for the target.

 

Sorry bout the rant. I just overheard ya talkin the other day while I was at the club, and since I didn't say anything to ya, I figured that I'd vent here

 

Have a good one Gents

 

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever

Awsome f***in' post!

 

I used to think I could reach around 260 on most drives. I did what you said and measured it off when

[silver & black]

Ok, there are a few observations that I've made over the years and it comes from playin the game for a while and playin it at a decently high level for an Am with a real job. First, most golfers are full of sh*t!! Plain and simple. People throw numbers around like a "280 yard average" and "300 yard plus 'bombs'" as though they can actually hit these drives. I've often wanted to say, "Dude, do you realize how f*ckin stupid you sound throwin these knda numbers around? No seriously, do you?" It's just that while I have the potential to be a jerk-off and I'm known for calling out the pink elephant in the room, I've really tried to curb my jerk-off tendacies for the benefit of those around me

 

First, last year, which was my best year swingwise, score wise & competitively in about 3-4 years, and my SS was 107mph, and my average drive from May-July was 262 yards. From mid August through the end of September, with the same SS basically, my average was 268 yards. My longest measured was on a LD hole that I happened to win, though in actuality I had the fifth longest drive, however I was the only one in the FW, and that drive was 284yds. HaHa, my Bro, who is one of those ridiculously long guys that you're referring to, was longest @ 312yds and he was a foot into the first cut. LMAO cuz I felt badly for him, though not that bad as to not accept the driver that I won, lol.

 

Ok, so I've got that offa my chest. Most of you are full of sh*t!!!!!!!!

 

Next up is when someone says, "well, I'll take accuracy over distance any day," as though one is exclusive of the other. Then ya assume that 220yds in the FW beats 315yds into the trees and across the fairways. Well, not only are ya full of sh*t, but you're a dumbass. That's like the guy with a 5" dick saying that size isn't everything. Daaaahhh ...

 

Usually the guys who say this are the guys who can't hit it out of their own shadows. I hate to tell ya somethin, however if you got the swing that can land a ball past 280yds, spend a couple of hours with Apprenti or PGA and they'll have your simple ass in the short hair, lol. Seriously, c'mon

 

Distance on a golf course is like speed on a football field. Ya can't coach it, ya can't train it and it's a b*tch to compete against. I can't tell ya the number of ex-HS jerk-offs that have told me that they ran 4.6+(I love how they throw the "+" in there as though that gives it some validity, LMFAO) 40's in HS, meanwhile, they only letterd cuz they were seniors, LMAO. I played four years of DI football as an ILB, starting 3 of em, & I never, ever ran below a 4.84 fourty. And that was as a freshman. And I cheated offa the start, lol. Four knee surgeries later, as a senior, I guarantee ya that I'da been lucky to break 5.0, yet I was quick enough to collect 3 sacks against Purdue. 2 1/2 more against Oklahoma State. My point is a number sorta becomes the "standard." Whether it's in a 40 yard dash or yardage on a golf course.

 

My point also is that if you've got the swing that can propel a golf ball 280+ yards, then you've got the swing that can be worked with and taught to keep it in the short hair. And distances are overstated as are swing speeds. The average swing speed on the Tour is 113mph, not 110, as I so often hear thrown around. Luke Donald swings it @ 110mph, and he ranks 136th in distance @ 277 yards.

 

A few of the Big Guys, their SSs,distances & ranks:

 

Bubba.........123mph.....310yds(was ranked #1)

Tiger.........119mph.....298yds(2009rank/numbers)

Phil..........118mh......297yds(ranked 15)

Rickie........115mph.....293yds(ranked 45th)

S. Stricker...111mph.....283yds(ranked 119)

Luke..........110mph.....277yds(ranked 136th)

B. Faxson.....106mph.....271yds(ranked 185th)

Craig Bowden..103mph.....270yds(ranked last @ 192)

 

 

And the REALLY BIG Guys(2011 REMAX LD Champios):

 

J. Sadlowski..146mph.....418yds(217mph ball speed)

J. Montgomery.140mph.....351yds(209mph ball speed)

B. Wilson.....140mph.....374yds(209mph ball speed)

-Wilson won the Seniors(over 45) & the Super Seniors(over 53yo)

 

Oh yea, Jamie's smash factor? 1.488

 

How bout distance and accuracy, haha?

 

So, if you're one of the "forum phenoms" that pound it at 280-300yds+, the next time you're on the course, from the tee, laser a landmark at 300yds, be it a tree, bush or whatever. Seriously, do it. Then walk out and drop a ball at this point. Then turn around and look back at the tee. See haw far you are? Seriously, do ya see how frickin far 300yds is? Now, do ya understand why I think that you're a f*ckin idiot?

 

Cuz, less than 2% of ALL the guys who step on the tees like that one, all across the country, can hit a ball to where you are standing. Think about that for a minute. Ok, now do ya realize why, just because someone doesn't say,"Dude, STFU, you're an *sshole," when you start spoutin off about your "bombs," doesn't mean that they believe you, cuz if they've gotta IQ north of 100 & know the game, they know that you're full of sh*t. Ya think I'm kiddin? Look back at the tee again. C'mon, take a look.

 

And the next time you're gonna say, "oh, I'd take accuracy over distance any day," PLEASE, don't say it. Cuz framed like you stated it, so would most people, however, the two are not mutually exclusive. My Bro qualified for the Pinacle Regional LD with a drive of 387yds. He routinely hits it 300+ with a SS of 122mph. Bonesy(JBones) routinely hits it 300+yds, with a SS around my Bro's.

 

So, unless you've gotta SS north of 115mph, you ain't hittin it 300yds. I'm not talkin bout some cow pasture/landing strip in TX, NV or AZ or downhill or with a gust behing ya.

 

Just play your game. Pick a target and swing for the target.

 

Sorry bout the rant. I just overheard ya talkin the other day while I was at the club, and since I didn't say anything to ya, I figured that I'd vent here

 

Have a good one Gents

 

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever

Awsome f***in' post!

 

I used to think I could reach around 260 on most drives. I did what you said and measured it off when

[silver & black]

Ok, there are a few observations that I've made over the years and it comes from playin the game for a while and playin it at a decently high level for an Am with a real job. First, most golfers are full of sh*t!! Plain and simple. People throw numbers around like a "280 yard average" and "300 yard plus 'bombs'" as though they can actually hit these drives. I've often wanted to say, "Dude, do you realize how f*ckin stupid you sound throwin these knda numbers around? No seriously, do you?" It's just that while I have the potential to be a jerk-off and I'm known for calling out the pink elephant in the room, I've really tried to curb my jerk-off tendacies for the benefit of those around me

 

First, last year, which was my best year swingwise, score wise & competitively in about 3-4 years, and my SS was 107mph, and my average drive from May-July was 262 yards. From mid August through the end of September, with the same SS basically, my average was 268 yards. My longest measured was on a LD hole that I happened to win, though in actuality I had the fifth longest drive, however I was the only one in the FW, and that drive was 284yds. HaHa, my Bro, who is one of those ridiculously long guys that you're referring to, was longest @ 312yds and he was a foot into the first cut. LMAO cuz I felt badly for him, though not that bad as to not accept the driver that I won, lol.

 

Ok, so I've got that offa my chest. Most of you are full of sh*t!!!!!!!!

 

Next up is when someone says, "well, I'll take accuracy over distance any day," as though one is exclusive of the other. Then ya assume that 220yds in the FW beats 315yds into the trees and across the fairways. Well, not only are ya full of sh*t, but you're a dumbass. That's like the guy with a 5" dick saying that size isn't everything. Daaaahhh ...

 

Usually the guys who say this are the guys who can't hit it out of their own shadows. I hate to tell ya somethin, however if you got the swing that can land a ball past 280yds, spend a couple of hours with Apprenti or PGA and they'll have your simple ass in the short hair, lol. Seriously, c'mon

 

Distance on a golf course is like speed on a football field. Ya can't coach it, ya can't train it and it's a b*tch to compete against. I can't tell ya the number of ex-HS jerk-offs that have told me that they ran 4.6+(I love how they throw the "+" in there as though that gives it some validity, LMFAO) 40's in HS, meanwhile, they only letterd cuz they were seniors, LMAO. I played four years of DI football as an ILB, starting 3 of em, & I never, ever ran below a 4.84 fourty. And that was as a freshman. And I cheated offa the start, lol. Four knee surgeries later, as a senior, I guarantee ya that I'da been lucky to break 5.0, yet I was quick enough to collect 3 sacks against Purdue. 2 1/2 more against Oklahoma State. My point is a number sorta becomes the "standard." Whether it's in a 40 yard dash or yardage on a golf course.

 

My point also is that if you've got the swing that can propel a golf ball 280+ yards, then you've got the swing that can be worked with and taught to keep it in the short hair. And distances are overstated as are swing speeds. The average swing speed on the Tour is 113mph, not 110, as I so often hear thrown around. Luke Donald swings it @ 110mph, and he ranks 136th in distance @ 277 yards.

 

A few of the Big Guys, their SSs,distances & ranks:

 

Bubba.........123mph.....310yds(was ranked #1)

Tiger.........119mph.....298yds(2009rank/numbers)

Phil..........118mh......297yds(ranked 15)

Rickie........115mph.....293yds(ranked 45th)

S. Stricker...111mph.....283yds(ranked 119)

Luke..........110mph.....277yds(ranked 136th)

B. Faxson.....106mph.....271yds(ranked 185th)

Craig Bowden..103mph.....270yds(ranked last @ 192)

 

 

And the REALLY BIG Guys(2011 REMAX LD Champios):

 

J. Sadlowski..146mph.....418yds(217mph ball speed)

J. Montgomery.140mph.....351yds(209mph ball speed)

B. Wilson.....140mph.....374yds(209mph ball speed)

-Wilson won the Seniors(over 45) & the Super Seniors(over 53yo)

 

Oh yea, Jamie's smash factor? 1.488

 

How bout distance and accuracy, haha?

 

So, if you're one of the "forum phenoms" that pound it at 280-300yds+, the next time you're on the course, from the tee, laser a landmark at 300yds, be it a tree, bush or whatever. Seriously, do it. Then walk out and drop a ball at this point. Then turn around and look back at the tee. See haw far you are? Seriously, do ya see how frickin far 300yds is? Now, do ya understand why I think that you're a f*ckin idiot?

 

Cuz, less than 2% of ALL the guys who step on the tees like that one, all across the country, can hit a ball to where you are standing. Think about that for a minute. Ok, now do ya realize why, just because someone doesn't say,"Dude, STFU, you're an *sshole," when you start spoutin off about your "bombs," doesn't mean that they believe you, cuz if they've gotta IQ north of 100 & know the game, they know that you're full of sh*t. Ya think I'm kiddin? Look back at the tee again. C'mon, take a look.

 

And the next time you're gonna say, "oh, I'd take accuracy over distance any day," PLEASE, don't say it. Cuz framed like you stated it, so would most people, however, the two are not mutually exclusive. My Bro qualified for the Pinacle Regional LD with a drive of 387yds. He routinely hits it 300+ with a SS of 122mph. Bonesy(JBones) routinely hits it 300+yds, with a SS around my Bro's.

 

So, unless you've gotta SS north of 115mph, you ain't hittin it 300yds. I'm not talkin bout some cow pasture/landing strip in TX, NV or AZ or downhill or with a gust behing ya.

 

Just play your game. Pick a target and swing for the target.

 

Sorry bout the rant. I just overheard ya talkin the other day while I was at the club, and since I didn't say anything to ya, I figured that I'd vent here

 

Have a good one Gents

 

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever

Awsome f***in' post!

 

I used to think I could reach around 260 on most drives. I did what you said and measured it off when I thought I was hitting good. It ends up that my "average" drive is about 240 - 250. Like you said, most golfers really need to get their heads out of the clouds... and their asses.

[whiskey golf]

I agree with RP, the whole "distance isn't everything" is BS. I've played with guys who hit it around 240-250 maybe a little more, and they can hit it in the trees and in crappy spots but they still have a good chance of hitting a good shot and making par because of that extra yardage. Then you take me, my longer drives are like 230 but on average it's like 215-220, and I'm in the fairway most of the time but I struggle to make a par on these holes that are 400+ (par 4's). My drives can be beneficial on narrow holes but usually my lack of distance causes big issues and no matter how accurate I am off the tee, some holes can only be conquered by distance, mainly the longer par 4's.

[GolfSpy WD]

When my game is on I can hit it about 250-260. I love it when I outdrive those people who say they hit it 280. They ask how far I hit it, I tell them, and they shut up

 

Distance is everything though. I know I have more yards in me, I just need to hit it better.

[rickkimbrell]

My 17 year old son absolutely murders the ball. You could build a Super Walmart between my ball and his on our drives. I can still beat him. Maybe not for long but for now. So, I know about long hitters. He hits it 300+ most of the time. His problem, he still hasn't figured out how to hit the in between distances with his irons. And, he needs practice around the greens.

On the other hand, I play with a couple of guys who have had professional status and given it up because they could not make a living to feed their families by playing golf. Yet, those guys are so much better than I ever hope to be. Besides hitting the ball 280 to 290 yards (not 300), their misses are never as bad as mine. Their ability to get up and down from just about anywhere. When they get in trouble, they rarely make worse than bogey. It is really fun to play with someone who is that good. But then you realize...they could not make it on tour.

There is a lot more to golf than hitting it long but it sure makes the rest of the game easier if you are coming into greens with wedges instead of 6 irons.

I have been to enough PGA events to know those guys can hit the ball a long long way. For the holes that are used to measure their drives, you can get a feel for how far they actually can hit it. 300+ drives are pretty common place on tour. But, look at the length of the golf courses they are playing today. Firm up the fairways, keep them a little dry...watch the ball run out.

It is a little tougher to get 300+ drives when the fairways are now well manicured and mown closely. The ball carry is the same but the run out is not.

[Jmikecpa]

Since about my freshman year in high school until today I have been considered well above average off of the tee and can still move it out past the 300 yard mark on occasion. It has been interesting in reading some of the posts and I agree with the idea that I would rather hit wedge from trouble than 5 iron from the middle of most fairways. One interesting thing about my game is that I learned to play the game from my grandpop and he is for lack of a better term a short game wizard. Growing up I learned to play so many different shots from the same yardage that it taught me how to be creative and imaginative on the golf course and that is definitely something that is lacking in kids that are playing now in high school and college. If someone asks me what I would hit from 175 yards the answer could be 4 or 5 clubs for me depending on the shot that is required. I played yesterday and after a few holes my caddy stopped trying to give me clubs and started giving me just yardages and what he wanted the shot to do and let me pull the club and hit the shot. As he told me after the round he has never carried for someone that can hit the ball long and is as creative on the course as I was and I truly took that as a compliment.

[rickkimbrell]

 

But he still had to put it in the hole. Did he have an advantage? Absolutely. But he still hadda hit appraoch shots & he still had to putt and put it in the hole.

 

Until they change that, we gotta chance!!

 

 

 

Amen. Only reason I can beat my son. The older I have gotten, the more I have had to refine my short game. I just wish I had the touch I have today around the greens when I was 25 or 30 years younger.

[revkev]

I love being on a forum with Richard because I can count on him calling BS on the distance thing every time. For our newbies here I'd refer you back to a great blog on the front about true distance versus perceived distance - people over estimate how far they hit the ball by 40 yards on average. You may not think this applies to you and that's fine - no need to defend yourself here - but that's a fact - perhaps you're the exception.

 

Here are some other facts - Brittany Linsicome, whom I've seen on the range any number of times - averages more off the tee today than Jack Nicklaus did in 1980 when he won two majors - both of those courses were longer than any course the LPGA plays - its a combination of length and accuracy that matters not one or the others.

 

The average driving distance of all golfers is 210 and a lower single digit handicapper is 240 - that means that for every 5 that has an average of 260 there must another 5 that has an average of 220.

 

The pros are longer than their averages indicate because they often have an extra gear ready and rarin to go when needed.

 

Saying that Corey Pavin is short is like saying that Tom Glavin doesn't throw very hard - relative to whom? Relative to professional golfers Corey Pavin is short and Tom Glavin doesn't throw very hard - have you ever tried ot hit an 88 or 89 mph fastball? I can assure you its pretty fast.

 

There are of course some amateurs who hit the ball, when they catch it, as far as a touring pro - there aren't that many though - most of them are younger, most of them are athletic, having played or currently playing a college sport

 

Distance is a huge advantage - it can be overcome at most of our levels by accuracy and a short game but it is a huge advantage - statistically it is the greatest difference between the average guy on tour and the average guy here - putting is second - approach shot accuracy is next and I believe chipping is 4th but I might be mistaken.

 

Distance is very hard to overcome at the top levels of the game because guys who hit it long there have everything else going for them.

 

The pros hit it extremely long

[Sluggo42]

I used to think I averaged 280, until I got that dang GPS. For a while, I was positive the thing was broken.

Now I can't wait for the elevated tee boxes, with the wind, so I can have my one chance of the day for a +280 shot.

 

I would like to play on a dry shortcut fairway that would run though...

 

Just out of curiosity, what loft do you guys use? I hit a ping i20 9.5 on a stiff shaft. My longer drives are a tight little baby draw that doesn't float. A 10.5 goes very high for me and doesn't roll out much. I'm guessing that has a bit to do with distance too...

[Jmikecpa]

I used to think I averaged 280, until I got that dang GPS. For a while, I was positive the thing was broken.

Now I can't wait for the elevated tee boxes, with the wind, so I can have my one chance of the day for a +280 shot.

 

I would like to play on a dry shortcut fairway that would run though...

 

Just out of curiosity, what loft do you guys use? I hit a ping i20 9.5 on a stiff shaft. My longer drives are a tight little baby draw that doesn't float. A 10.5 goes very high for me and doesn't roll out much. I'm guessing that has a bit to do with distance too...

 

I play on R1 that I have set to 8.75*, 2* open with the weights set to draw bias. I have the stock RIP Phenom 65X shaft in it for now and it may give the Matrix Black Tie a go in this head next week.

[JBones]

I have the R1 set at 8*, 1 open, and draw weights, with a Fuji Motore Speeder Tour Spex 6.2X. I don't play on very tightly mown fairways, but this gives the best carry/roll combo. If I ever get a chance to play on fast gairways, I'm gonna hit it ridiculously long. I've played on fast fairways once and I hit my longest drive ever; a GPS measured, no elevation, no wind, dead straight, 392yd drive that ran at least 90yds.

[Mr_Theoo]

I have the R1 set at 8*, 1 open, and draw weights, with a Fuji Motore Speeder Tour Spex 6.2X. I don't play on very tightly mown fairways, but this gives the best carry/roll combo. If I ever get a chance to play on fast gairways, I'm gonna hit it ridiculously long. I've played on fast fairways once and I hit my longest drive ever; a GPS measured, no elevation, no wind, dead straight, 392yd drive that ran at least 90yds.

 

Only way I'd hit one that long is with the help of the cart path lol