Driving distance

Our season just started up here in NY - luckily it's pretty dry for April but the fairways are still very thick and soft. I've been charting my driving distance (I'm 15 yrs. - will be 16 in a month) - have been averaging 260 yards. This is up from about 250-255 at the end of last season last year. Seems like the returns are diminishing each year - I used to get 25-30 extra yards each year. If I stay on the same path, what should I be averaging in two years ?

depends how much u work in the gym,

how good your technique,timing etc are

and also if you care about scoring instead of hitting it a mile!

you are definitely not going to increase your distance as much each year. Exactly as you stated: diminishing marginal returns. I wouldn't worry about it but just keep fit, working out, practicing your swing/technique etc. I went through a big swing change over the winter.. went from averaging about 225 in the fall to about 240+ right now. I'm definitely still increasing though and I think by summertime I'll average over 250.

yeah, you start to slow down (in increasing distances) i just changed my swing a few weeks ago and now i smoke the ball (about 260) and i am only 13. I have been steadily gaining distance but changing your swing will increase it a little more steadily. I get a big lower body turn and big shoulder turn and i can release w/ some power.

Well, the obvious with the math is 290-300, but I don't have that happening for you.

what kind of driver and shaft do you play????

Another thing to keep in mind is that you're still growing. As you get taller, those longer arms should help generate a bit more swing speed. It's all about leverage and angles.

yeah, you start to slow down (in increasing distances) i just changed my swing a few weeks ago and now i smoke the ball (about 260) and i am only 13. I have been steadily gaining distance but changing your swing will increase it a little more steadily. I get a big lower body turn and big shoulder turn and i can release w/ some power.

no offense, but do you find a way to say that in every single post you make?

You are already hitting the ball far enough in order to play to scratch, if you have the technical and mental abilities. In other words your length is not holding you back. I may be corrected, but I think that guys on tour only average 280 yards. Loads of guys claim to be able to hit 300 yards but when you play with them you'll see that it's largely hogwash, unless they are playing on very hard ground. So do not develop a complex about distance.

However, I will make a generalisation and say that most amateur golfers could drive at least twenty yards further if (a) They took lessons and made several technical improvements to their swing, and (b) Purchased an expertly made custom driver. Time spent in the gym, working on flexibility and power, becomes increasingly important the older one gets. In order to gain just a few yards takes a lot of hard work, practice, and application. Such potentially can set your game back by 6-12 months. After re-building my swing and practising daily, things are only just starting to come good after 7 months! Are you that determined? Is distance really that important? I only did it because I play Long Drive, not golf.

I will give you a few power tips which may help:

1. Try a wider power stance, hands well behind the ball, with 80% of your weight on your right foot. Keep your hands, wrists, arms and shoulders as loose and relaxed as possible. Only loose muscles work fast and efficiently.

2. When commencing your backswing push the driver head away from your body into an inch or so wider arc, without swaying your hips or massively lifting your left foot, being conscious of turning your body into an inside line at the same time.

3. Use as long a driver as you can handle (48" max. allowed for golf) and have a full back swing. Stop yourself at the top of your back swing and look where your club is. The shaft should be parallel or thereabouts.

3. Try to work on releasing your hands as late as possible. Think of hitting down vertically rather than in an arc. Sounds daft, but that is how I do it.

4. Hit into a solid left braced leg, but allow it to twist. Long Drive competitors will often bounce BACKWARDS against a properly braced left leg, never collapse forwards. You must always stay behind the ball when driving.

5. Follow through fully by (at least) lifting, or - even better - bringing your right foot forwards.

These are guidance points, not hard and fast rules as every player is different.

Hope that helps.

the Viper

I've found you level out after a while - and have the occassional spurt here and there. I'm 16, turning 17 in a month or so, and average around 270-275yds or so (from the vector at work), and I have increased about 20yds in the last couple of months with some better ball-striking, spin and a more efficient swing. But before that I hadn't increased my distance considerably in almost a year and I haven't been working out, much lol. I'd say this time next year you'll be around the 270-275 mark, and probably peak at around 280-290 if you're hitting that far now. Good luck and hope you have a good season

I'm 18 and I'm hitting it like 265-275 off the tee

I play in big events like the one im at right now (FCWT National Championship) on courses upwards of 7200 yards and I have absolutly no problem scoring on courses of that length. Its all about your short game, if you spent more time on your short game instead of worring about how far you can hit it then you'll become a better golfer.

FOR INSTANCE:

Lets say a guy that only cares about distance and spents all his time at the range, he has developed a fairly good ball striking game and goes and playes a course rated at lets say 75.7. a very tough course. He bombs it down there 300 yards every time and only misses 6 greens. of the 6 he misses he makes 5 bogies because his short game sucks. on the holes he hits the green on he makes 1 bogey and 3 birdies. shoots 3 over.

now the guy that spends all of his time on short game practice that only hits it 260 goes out and playes the same course. He only hits 9 greens but because he can get up and down out of a trash can he only makes one bogey. On the greens he hits he makes 3 birdies also and no bogies because his putting is better. he shoots 2 down and beets the manly man (a mod from another site ;) )by 5 strokes

thats my $.02

yeah, you start to slow down (in increasing distances) i just changed my swing a few weeks ago and now i smoke the ball (about 260) and i am only 13. I have been steadily gaining distance but changing your swing will increase it a little more steadily. I get a big lower body turn and big shoulder turn and i can release w/ some power.

no offense, but do you find a way to say that in every single post you make?

seriously,! every post of yours is about your swing or a picture of it its perfectly fine to make one or two about it, but please dont flood the jr section with it, it gets tiresome fast...

driving distance does not make u a scratch golfer i dont care what anyone says.

driving distance does not make u a scratch golfer i dont care what anyone says.

so true, now if you have a solid swing and an overall solid game of course distance is going to help, but personally i think ball striking is wayy more important than driving distance.

not sure what my driving distance is but my swingspeed is 110-113.

if i want to i can pump out 300 sometimes i worked out a lot over the winter tho. it helps a lot and i was about 4 inches shorter last year. most of the time i hit it 280 tho

Do you guys realize the distance you say you guys are averaging puts you in the top 100 on the pga tour. Not saying you are but alot of people exaggerate how far they hit it, or get there numbers from dogleg holes that they have cut the corner on. Plus an average is alot different than a couple shots. My driver ss is about 108 and I probably dont average but maybe 255- 260. You have got to rip at it to average 280. Jmo Drive for show and putt for doe.

I play the R7 Superquad with stock shaft - stiff flex , 65g. I am considering swapping out the shift to a ProForce V2. My swing speed is 100-103 as I try to keep a good tempo and never go past parallel. If I step on it, I can get another 10-15 yards but it does sacrifice accuracy and I usually draw it a bit more.

Dude,

The planets and the whole solar system would have to be in perfect alignment and the ground hard as a rock to average 260 yards with a 100 ss. Not saying that you dont hit some balls that far but not on average.

Well, I DO hit it that far on average - I had my SS measured ONCE in the last year - over the winter on an indoor monitor. Why everyone here so quick to call B.S. ? If it makes you feel better, then let me re-phrase - "my swing speed is adequate enough to drive the ball 260 yards on average". Oh, and let me add, IT'S ALL CARRY !!!!!

I'm just looking for a little guidance here on what I can expect in the future and what I should be working on.

I am not running you down. Do you a search for the top 100 on the pga tour in driving distance. Top 100 is getting down to around 280 last time I checked. I have been on numberous lauch monitors and play around scratch at courses around home. My swing speed is between 105- 110 and on a vector that barely averages over 260. Not to mention any bad shots that you MUST factor into an average. I am just stating that people blow distances out of porportion. 90 percent of the golfing world that says they can hit it 300 yards have never sniffed a 300 yard tee shot. It takes on a vector launch monitor about a 108 club head speed with roll with almost a perfect smash factor to hit a ball 300 yards. Key is to worry about your score,,,, not how far you hit it. I have a buddy that hits it 40 to 50 yards farther off the tee than I do and he is a pretty good player. But I cant remember the last time he beat me.

Fair enough - my swing speed must be higher than 100-103. In any event, I really try to focus on hitting fairways but with reasonable distance - I prefer hitting short irons - the mid/long irons are not a strength of my game. I really want to know where I will be if I simply continue on this path (and grow) or if I should make a concentrated effort to improve distance. I would really love to be able get to 280 (in 2 years) and be able to control the ball. I have played junior pro-ams with Nationwide Tour pros and I'm amazed at how effortlessly they hit the ball 290-300 yards (and into a breeze).

Also, I am also somewhat inconsistent with driver distance - can hit one 230 and then 290 on the next hole (no exaggerration - I had 240 left on a 537 yard par 5, wind not much of a factor on either hole). This happened yesterday as a matter of fact.

It is possible to get up around 300 on average but not many do it. Actually only the top 15 or so on the tour. Plenty of guys hit it that far but are not real good players. If you hit it 260 on average now then 280 should not be a problem. You cant go by a measurement of a hole to get your distance off the tee. The tees could be up or back,,,,, dogleg of a hole,,, distance is measureed directly down the center of fairway in straight lines to green. Dont worry about distance practice 130 yards in and putting. Phil last week they showed a stat. 18 of 18 on putts less than 10 feet. Thats why you win. When he putts bad he is not close. The flat stick wins tournements,,, bottom line.

With a SS of 100-103 you can average 250-260 carry, all it means is his launch angle and spin rates are really good. Don't change your shaft if ur hitting it like that buddy.

Yeah I guess you are right. I looked at a 100 mph swing speed on a vector launch monitor where it shows you the absolute perfect shot. ss of 100.1 with a launch angle of 16 and spin rate around 2500 goes 263. That is a perfect shot with roll. NO way you can average a 260 yard carry with a 100 mph swing speed. I am sorry shaitan,,,,, I just looked back it was a launch angle of 21 to hit the perfect shot that goes 263.

I am on a lm quite frequently with friends and a lot of them swing around 100mph. i have never seen one of them carry it 260 with that swing speed. to carry that you would have to hit the perfect strike with perfect spin, launch etc and then just about manage it. average? no way.

i have also noticed there is so many more threads on driving distance/increasing swing speed than short game. but its a popular trait within juniors to be obsessive about length ( and many adults).

Like I said before,,,,, people exaggerate on length. Most people who say they have hit a ball 300 yards have never carried it 260 or even close. I am not long but hit it as far as 90 precent of the people I play with. A good 5 iron for me is 180 to 185. People on here say they hit it 210 and crap. Give me a break guys. Some people do but not most of us. I was long in high school against the guys then and I hit it farther now and there are 13 year olds on here saying they hit it 280. Maybe so but I would have to see it to believe it. Maybe on a airport runway.

As long as you're hitting it I donno like 250 or so you're fine. It doesn't really matter how far, its about putting it in the fairway, especially in the higher level tournaments were you're penalized more for hitting into the rough. And like always its about SHORT GAME.

I actually played with another junior who is 14 - he easily hits it 280+ - oh, he's 6'2 and probably goes 170-180lbs. He is almost as long as the tour pros that I played with .....and beat me both days by 6-7 shots. Another example is a high school junor who hit his 4-Hybrid 240 yds. Believe me, these kids are for real ....hence, my question regarding distance.

there should never be a driving distance topic set up they just turn into arguments within about 5 posts