3w distance off the fairway

[Radeon962]

230 carry. 240 overall

[pinestreetgolf]

I love how much people get bent out of shape on these threads. Even more love how the PGA tour gets referenced as the "gold" standard for distance. Newsflash it's not, I know good highschool golfers who can blow those PGA averages out of the water, albeit in a much smaller sample size.

 

The PGA tour IS the gold standard for knowing how to play golf not hit it far.

 

ANY distance thread or claim on Golfwrx always incites a riot. Lol

 

I obviously can't prove anything, but I don't believe that you know multiple high schoolers that can "blow PGA averages out of the water" off the deck. Tee? Maybe a 1% chance. But not off the deck. There is WAY more to speed to carry distance off the deck. Post some videos or some names of these high schools so we can look out for them at the US Amateur this year. This is a nonsense claim. Please note the discussion IS NOT "can this guy hit it further than 243" its can that guy (or highschooler, in your case) do it on average. And the answer is no. Or we would know them, because that would be an unbelievable accomplishment. Note its "Average" not duff 3, hook 2 off the range, then bust 1. That isn't impressive.

 

What should we use as the gold standard instead of PGA Tour pros?

 

There's 12 handicappers in this thread hitting their 4 woods further than PGA pros 3 woods. LOL

 

Yup. Its absolutely ridiculous.

 

I live in Colorado therefore the air is a bit thinner up here at 6400 ft. but i have a 16.5 alpha 816 and from the deck its 265-280 same from the tee. Im sure it would be closer to about 255 or so at sea level.

 

Are you saying you carry the ball 266-280 on AVERAGE (not max, average) off the deck with a 16.5 degree club? Could you link/post to a video of your swing? Altitude or not, that is incredible. Day hits his really strong 3 wood about 278 and your right there with him three to three and a half degrees higher lofted!

 

I would say I average about 250-260 off the deck, and 260-270 off the tee. There is a 540-550 yard par 5 at my home course that you can't take driver on because there is a hazard that is about 300 out, Now, it's not that I hit my drives 300 every time, but about 20 yards short of the hazard is a down slope, and this puts you in real danger if you catch this thing with any real heat. On dry day's, I've still managed to get to it with my 3w, but it's a lot of roll. I pretty much go 3w-3w to the front of the green or to within 20 yards of it every time I play. Barring mis-hits, of course. I play my 3w at 16 degree, FWIW.

 

3 woods aren't that far off from drivers any more.

 

You are correct here, and its being lost. 3 woods arn't all that much different from drivers technology wise. However, hitting a ball of the ground versus a tee from a mechanical perspective is night and day in terms of skill required. Then you throw in we are discussing the average (not the max or the median or anything else, the average) and these claims are somewhat absurd.

 

It is 10x easier to match a very good player through pure speed off a tee than off the ground. You can't mix them. They are absolutely worlds apart in terms of skill and what matters to the shot. As I said earlier, I believe that there are high schoolers and WRX'ers who can match the pros with the driver off a high tee, who can match them with 3 wood off the tee, and who have the same headroom for the best shots with 3 wood off the deck.

 

I believe there is zero chance any of this is true with average strike off the deck.

[ryuartz]

I would say between 220-230 with a wind behind me. lol.

[Z4Par]

I love how much people get bent out of shape on these threads. Even more love how the PGA tour gets referenced as the "gold" standard for distance. Newsflash it's not, I know good highschool golfers who can blow those PGA averages out of the water, albeit in a much smaller sample size.

 

The PGA tour IS the gold standard for knowing how to play golf not hit it far.

 

ANY distance thread or claim on Golfwrx always incites a riot. Lol

 

I obviously can't prove anything, but I don't believe that you know multiple high schoolers that can "blow PGA averages out of the water" off the deck. Tee? Maybe a 1% chance. But not off the deck. There is WAY more to speed to carry distance off the deck. Post some videos or some names of these high schools so we can look out for them at the US Amateur this year. This is a nonsense claim. Please note the discussion IS NOT "can this guy hit it further than 243" its can that guy (or highschooler, in your case) do it on average. And the answer is no. Or we would know them, because that would be an unbelievable accomplishment. Note its "Average" not duff 3, hook 2 off the range, then bust 1. That isn't impressive.

 

What should we use as the gold standard instead of PGA Tour pros?

 

There's 12 handicappers in this thread hitting their 4 woods further than PGA pros 3 woods. LOL

 

Yup. Its absolutely ridiculous.

 

I live in Colorado therefore the air is a bit thinner up here at 6400 ft. but i have a 16.5 alpha 816 and from the deck its 265-280 same from the tee. Im sure it would be closer to about 255 or so at sea level.

 

Are you saying you carry the ball 266-280 on AVERAGE (not max, average) off the deck with a 16.5 degree club? Could you link/post to a video of your swing? Altitude or not, that is incredible. Day hits his really strong 3 wood about 278 and your right there with him three to three and a half degrees higher lofted!

 

I would say I average about 250-260 off the deck, and 260-270 off the tee. There is a 540-550 yard par 5 at my home course that you can't take driver on because there is a hazard that is about 300 out, Now, it's not that I hit my drives 300 every time, but about 20 yards short of the hazard is a down slope, and this puts you in real danger if you catch this thing with any real heat. On dry day's, I've still managed to get to it with my 3w, but it's a lot of roll. I pretty much go 3w-3w to the front of the green or to within 20 yards of it every time I play. Barring mis-hits, of course. I play my 3w at 16 degree, FWIW.

 

3 woods aren't that far off from drivers any more.

 

You are correct here, and its being lost. 3 woods arn't all that much different from drivers technology wise. However, hitting a ball of the ground versus a tee from a mechanical perspective is night and day in terms of skill required. Then you throw in we are discussing the average (not the max or the median or anything else, the average) and these claims are somewhat absurd.

 

It is 10x easier to match a very good player through pure speed off a tee than off the ground. You can't mix them. They are absolutely worlds apart in terms of skill and what matters to the shot. As I said earlier, I believe that there are high schoolers and WRX'ers who can match the pros with the driver off a high tee, who can match them with 3 wood off the tee, and who have the same headroom for the best shots with 3 wood off the deck.

 

I believe there is zero chance any of this is true with average strike off the deck.

 

I agree with 99% of what Pinestreetgolf says. Generally if there is a distance argument on WRX (from what I've read) he calls people out and I personally have no issue with it. For those of you that say let people believe what they want to believe that's fine, your opinion as it is Pinestreets that he doesn't buy the large distances people hit a golf ball on an internet forum, ESPECIALLY on average.

 

For those of you who say, ''you call people out and claim they don't hit it as far because you yourself don't hit it that far.'' That's monkey business and I've been called out on this before. I myself can hit a golf ball on almost every tee shot 230-290 yards off the tee in a round of 18 holes in almost any condition. 230-290 off the tee is a spectacular drive and don't try to tell me any different. You mix and match any drives between 230 and 290 yards off the tee and as long as you can strike the golf ball off the grass with a decent ability you can play with 90% of the golf population. I hit arguably the most forgiving driver on the market right now (Callaway Fusion) and can hit it terribly on the face with a bad swing and it still goes 240-250 yards on a cool day. There is so much that plays into averages though let alone outside of a bad strike/swing that people don't consider in their ''average''; duck hooks, a sliced driver into the other fairway, wind behind, into the wind, undulation, humidity, elevation, temperature, etc..etc.. Instead some of the claimed to be long knockers remember that 360 yard drive they hit but average 310-320 generally off the tee *rolling my eyes*. Back to hitting it an average. If I was to tell you that my average is 270-280 yards (on the high side of what I hit a golf ball with a driver tee'd up) I would be lieing to you. My average is 250 possibly 255 yards on given days off the tee hitting all drivers and taking into consideration all of my tee shots; that's my sliced driver into the other fairway and my driver caught thin as well as my 280 yard wind behind bomb and some very nice drives of 255-270. My 3 wood distance ranges from 200-240 yards pending all of the above (id say I average 215 off the deck with my 3 wood, keep in mind that's average; the good, the bad, the ugly). This thread in regards to hitting a 3 wood on average in relation to my own game is crazy to me since I myself sometimes never get the chance to hit a 3 wood in a round or but once or twice. So to sit here and dwell upon a club that much that I don't hit seems like a waste. I hit a 3 wood 245 yards last year with wind behind (it was only 45-50 degrees out) off the deck but it was the best 3 wood I ever hit in my life. I don't even pretend to tell others that I hit my 3 wood 245 because it has not happened but once. I play to my averages and if something better comes along then that's great. It's no different then when my friend is always concerned about the pond that is 300 yards away and the five 300 yard drives he hit all summer long might end up being one of the five that end up in the pond. Sometimes people can only remember the great shots and WRX distance posters remind me of this same concept.

[klebs01]

Z4par, how old are you? I'm curious what type of golfers you play with. I'm the high cap in my group at 4.9 (didn't play for a couple years and just got back into it this past march) and am in my early 30s. We are all around the same age and are reasonably athletic with a couple playing college sports. With the guys I play with, a 300yrd drive isn't anything special. If we talk special, it's 340+. I'm legitimately curious if the disbelief in distance is an age thing, or who you play with, or what.

[DrizZzY22]

An off the deck fw for me is 250 carry. Off the tee is about 265. But i generally dont use off the fairway. I feel that if im that far away hitting 3w, especially if i mishit it, puts me in a worst position than if lay up with a 3/4 iron.

[pinestreetgolf]

Z4par, how old are you? I'm curious what type of golfers you play with. I'm the high cap in my group at 4.9 (didn't play for a couple years and just got back into it this past march) and am in my early 30s. We are all around the same age and are reasonably athletic with a couple playing college sports. With the guys I play with, a 300yrd drive isn't anything special. If we talk special, it's 340+. I'm legitimately curious if the disbelief in distance is an age thing, or who you play with, or what.

 

I've said at least 10 times that I have no issue with distance claims with the driver. Its up on a peg. Swing speed translates into distance much more when its up on a peg. This thread is about three wood of the deck on average. Hitting a club that is tee'd up to whatever height you'd like with a 460cc modern face is not in the same universe as compressing a ball off of the variable lies you encounter in a round.

[Swisstrader98]

I always recall a guy who was on one of these forums doing the humblebrag thing about his length off the tee at 310 average and how he's so terrific with his iron play. As it turns out, I hear this guy talking on the range, we strike up a conversation and I realize it's THAT guy! Watched him hit a few irons and he was lucky to get 110 w a PW. Pulled out driver and he was 230-240.

 

Whole lotta delusional golfers out there

[pinestreetgolf]

 

I agree with 99% of what Pinestreetgolf says. Generally if there is a distance argument on WRX (from what I've read) he calls people out and I personally have no issue with it. For those of you that say let people believe what they want to believe that's fine, your opinion as it is Pinestreets that he doesn't buy the large distances people hit a golf ball on an internet forum, ESPECIALLY on average.

 

For those of you who say, ''you call people out and claim they don't hit it as far because you yourself don't hit it that far.'' That's monkey business and I've been called out on this before. I myself can hit a golf ball on almost every tee shot 230-290 yards off the tee in a round of 18 holes in almost any condition. 230-290 off the tee is a spectacular drive and don't try to tell me any different. You mix and match any drives between 230 and 290 yards off the tee and as long as you can strike the golf ball off the grass with a decent ability you can play with 90% of the golf population. I hit arguably the most forgiving driver on the market right now (Callaway Fusion) and can hit it terribly on the face with a bad swing and it still goes 240-250 yards on a cool day. There is so much that plays into averages though let alone outside of a bad strike/swing that people don't consider in their ''average''; duck hooks, a sliced driver into the other fairway, wind behind, into the wind, undulation, humidity, elevation, temperature, etc..etc.. Instead some of the claimed to be long knockers remember that 360 yard drive they hit but average 310-320 generally off the tee *rolling my eyes*. Back to hitting it an average. If I was to tell you that my average is 270-280 yards (on the high side of what I hit a golf ball with a driver tee'd up) I would be lieing to you. My average is 250 possibly 255 yards on given days off the tee hitting all drivers and taking into consideration all of my tee shots; that's my sliced driver into the other fairway and my driver caught thin as well as my 280 yard wind behind bomb and some very nice drives of 255-270. My 3 wood distance ranges from 200-240 yards pending all of the above (id say I average 215 off the deck with my 3 wood, keep in mind that's average; the good, the bad, the ugly). This thread in regards to hitting a 3 wood on average in relation to my own game is crazy to me since I myself sometimes never get the chance to hit a 3 wood in a round or but once or twice. So to sit here and dwell upon a club that much that I don't hit seems like a waste. I hit a 3 wood 245 yards last year with wind behind (it was only 45-50 degrees out) off the deck but it was the best 3 wood I ever hit in my life. I don't even pretend to tell others that I hit my 3 wood 245 because it has not happened but once. I play to my averages and if something better comes along then that's great. It's no different then when my friend is always concerned about the pond that is 300 yards away and the five 300 yard drives he hit all summer long might end up being one of the five that end up in the pond. Sometimes people can only remember the great shots and WRX distance posters remind me of this same concept.

 

Yeah, its the word "average" that people don't understand. I track virtually all my rounds using a GPS app. Since last February my average driver is 268.21. My average 3 wood off the deck (Carry plus roll, app can't distinguish) is around 238. During a round two weeks ago, with the wind behind me and some hard fairways I drove 316 on #16 and 322 on #17. But I don't "drive it 310". I drive it 50 yards shorter (on average). My longest 3 wood since I started tracking was 288. I remember the shot - i hit a wild drive into an adjoining tee box which was slightly overgrown so the 3 wood "off the deck" was basically tee'd up and I absolutely crushed it.

 

Both of my longest shots from the past 12 months were a full 50 yards longer than my average. And I consider myself a decent player who is pretty long. I think y'all would be really surprised if you actually measured.

 

More importantly, I think actually measuring would lead to better course management decisions.

 

Its the same reason people can tell you the best meal they've ever eaten, but they can't tell you what they had for dinner seven Tuesdays ago. We don't remember average, mundane drives. We remember bombs. And then we think we do it all the time.

 

You don't.

[Z4Par]

Z4par, how old are you? I'm curious what type of golfers you play with. I'm the high cap in my group at 4.9 (didn't play for a couple years and just got back into it this past march) and am in my early 30s. We are all around the same age and are reasonably athletic with a couple playing college sports. With the guys I play with, a 300yrd drive isn't anything special. If we talk special, it's 340+. I'm legitimately curious if the disbelief in distance is an age thing, or who you play with, or what.

 

Just turned 28 yesterday. I'm 5'7.5 and 190 lbs. I am active and go for long distance runs. Played golf (since I was 15ish), wrestled and ran XC in high school. Wasn't good enough in any to think about college by any means. I belong to a semi-private country club and there is not many golfers my age. Generally 35-60 is the bulk of the memberships and that is who I play with. I've played with scratch to the max and I know what a 300 yard drive looks like. I have a friend who hits a few over 300 yards in a round (he is the longest in town) and we averaged him out at 290-295 yards one day (that was with a 310 yard drive and it was a very good driving day for him). I'm kind of a distance nerd and measure off a lot of my shots with any club in the bag and understand if it was purely my fault or due to a condition on the course why the club didn't go its distance (generally swing related and it's my fault).

 

As for the vast long distances claimed on WRX it's crazy. I would love to see a group of Amateurs play a round of golf hitting the ball consistently over 300 yards. There is 3 guys at our club that are all around 35 and hit it legitimately 270 up to 300 on any tee ball. That is something to watch. Can't imagine watching your group. Is your group the longest players at your home course or is there several other golfers at the same course that consistently hit it 300+ no problem? Its not rare in ones golfing "career" to get to know 3 other golfers that hit 250 to even 275 yard drives consistently and simply gain a friendship and always play together. But I'd say awfully rare that they all consistently hit it 3 bills which is WRX standards and frankly I don't believe. Is it possible? Sure is, join a country club in Colorado and I'm sure you'll find it. I simply don't buy a large amount of the claims on WRX. Nothing personal, people believe and hear what they want to and I've accepted that. I just state opinions :)

 

EDIT:

 

If it's any credibility I've shot 1 round under par (easy track) and even par on a very difficult course to what I play now. I was a 4-5 handicap at that time (21 years old at the time) and currently hold a course handicap of 10 on a difficult course. This thing called growing up and working eventually got in the way :)

[mahonie]

It's quite funny reading this type of thread from the other side of the pond. I just don't see this obsession with distance with the guys I play with. I would love to play with guys who hit it 340 yards off the tee...they would be through the green on 6 of the par 4s at my home course. I've played there for six years and never seen one of those holes driven and I've played with the best in the club and some visiting low cappers as well.

 

Perhaps the reason is that the ball flies less far over here because of the climate...perhaps the courses are tighter and there is more focus on accuracy and keeping the ball in play...I honestly don't know but it does give me a chuckle that the distance a ball can be propelled by a club, be it a driver off a tee or a 3-wood off the deck, is given such importance and people get so worked up by it.

 

Slightly off topic and perhaps it's a British thing, but when the GBB Epic comes up in conversation, the first reaction is usually a sardonic laugh followed by the words: 'They called it 'Epic?' You're having a laugh aren't you?'

[Exactice808]

Z4par, how old are you? I'm curious what type of golfers you play with. I'm the high cap in my group at 4.9 (didn't play for a couple years and just got back into it this past march) and am in my early 30s. We are all around the same age and are reasonably athletic with a couple playing college sports. With the guys I play with, a 300yrd drive isn't anything special. If we talk special, it's 340+. I'm legitimately curious if the disbelief in distance is an age thing, or who you play with, or what.

 

Zpar and Pinestreet, you guys are troopers I gave up on the madness, but it keeps showing this topic coming up, I read through the additional 4 pages, can I respond to this post?

 

 

You ask why its so unbelievable? Ill give you a specific example,

 

8 pages, NOT one person has shown us a swing video, stats showing their ball speed, Trackman, GC2, Launch Monitor, hell Ill take an Ernest Sport swing speed calculator,

 

This is why its hard to believe, I can say what ever I want on the internet and everyone is true to that, they do. 90% of the post in the equipment forums that show trackman and numbers/GC2 whatevers are misunderstood and shows some outrageous swing speed to ball speed numbers. Shows 30+ yards of Roll, the last one was 300 yard drives with a 100mph swing speed and 140mph ball speed, THIS IS impossible without 30+mph downwind, downhill, Its just not going to happen.

 

 

So when someone says why is it hard to believe, Becuase no one has really shown any proof, The only proof I see is daily on the Golf Channel, where tour pros that are the pinnacle of the bar that potentially can hit 300+ drives, 260 3 woods etc.

 

but to say amateurs are doing it on demand or as a stock shot.... yeah no...

 

 

Part 2, the trend of this thread moved.... if you read from page 4, you will notice how the responses have changed, in comparison to the first 4 pages. Before it was 250+ carry, 270+ carry 290+ carry Then it started to go from MAX 250, MAX260, people started to evaluate what was their best 3 wood versus their go to shot.

 

 

Part 3, Highshchoolers sure are young flexible and more than capable of hitting these crazy shots, BUT they do not have the mental fortitude yet to hold their nerves in a round of golf to do it on demand, how do I know this, because I have been there watching these kids. yes Maybe 1 out 10 has it, but the bunch/group... less likely.

 

 

With this BS rant, we can say what ever we want, we can post whatever we want, we can argue, what ever we want, But I feel if Pinestreet and I, can shake the tree a little and allow someone to really evaluate, what they are capable of doing, they might improve their game.

 

 

again 8 pages.... NOT one Screen shot of a Trackman, not one screen shot of a BS GPS, measurement, NOTHING, not even a fake youtube video of someone swing. How can we believe anyone in this thread is capable of hitting a 250+ carry 15* 3 wood, with nothing other than a random internet post saying they can do it, and on the PGA tour the pinnacle seeing them doing this carry is rare in itself.......

[Exactice808]

110-115 SS with driver... around 107 w/ 3 wood... average carry is 235-240

 

data from my club pros GC2 (no HMT)

 

 

I stand Corrected, This is real at least, someone showed something.......

 

 

107 swing speed, with a potential max of 1.45 smash factor, 155.15 ball speed, 243 carry, 260 total....... averages..... even if we tweeked the spin launch, I would say 155ball speed and 250carry max....with a 107mph swing speed....

 

 

270+ carry....... if you are so sure of yourself people... Post UP... this guy did and I am sure he is happy with his game......

[fredstar]

Meh 340 yard drives haha. Busting it out there like DJ!

 

"Golfwrx....these guys are good"

[pinestreetgolf]

It's quite funny reading this type of thread from the other side of the pond. I just don't see this obsession with distance with the guys I play with. I would love to play with guys who hit it 340 yards off the tee...they would be through the green on 6 of the par 4s at my home course. I've played there for six years and never seen one of those holes driven and I've played with the best in the club and some visiting low cappers as well.

 

Perhaps the reason is that the ball flies less far over here because of the climate...perhaps the courses are tighter and there is more focus on accuracy and keeping the ball in play...I honestly don't know but it does give me a chuckle that the distance a ball can be propelled by a club, be it a driver off a tee or a 3-wood off the deck, is given such importance and people get so worked up by it.

 

Slightly off topic and perhaps it's a British thing, but when the GBB Epic comes up in conversation, the first reaction is usually a sardonic laugh followed by the words: 'They called it 'Epic?' You're having a laugh aren't you?'

 

I agree with you. *Most* distance threads I stay out of, because i know what to expect - some dude who hit it 330 once off a hardpan fairway downhill telling us he does it all the time. I have a ball I hit 369. It was around 2010. I had the pro come out and sign it because it was so long I didn't think people would believe me. I hit it on the cart path on #9 on my home course with a wind behind me a few days prior to a gulf hurricane. It was a monster. Its in my office in a case "369 - with my playing partners' initials and local pros signature".

 

I average about 268 though. Not 369.

 

This thread started because the OP asked if 230-270 off the deck with a 3 wood was "normal" (<- not sure of the exact wording).

 

I don't want the OP out there swinging out of his shoes because these jokers don't know what average means. High school kids "blowing by" PGA Tour pros off the ground. What planet do you live on?

[pinestreetgolf]

110-115 SS with driver... around 107 w/ 3 wood... average carry is 235-240

 

data from my club pros GC2 (no HMT)

 

 

I stand Corrected, This is real at least, someone showed something.......

 

 

107 swing speed, with a potential max of 1.45 smash factor, 155.15 ball speed, 243 carry, 260 total....... averages..... even if we tweeked the spin launch, I would say 155ball speed and 250carry max....with a 107mph swing speed....

 

 

270+ carry....... if you are so sure of yourself people... Post UP... this guy did and I am sure he is happy with his game......

 

You are correct. He showed something, at least. However, I've hit some obscene statistics in a trackman bay with no penalty for missing and a picture perfect lie. We also have no way of knowing what he was hitting off of. If it was a grass mat, fair enough. If its a rubber mat you can hit it fat by a significant amount and not feel it or have it show up.

[Exactice808]

110-115 SS with driver... around 107 w/ 3 wood... average carry is 235-240

 

data from my club pros GC2 (no HMT)

 

 

I stand Corrected, This is real at least, someone showed something.......

 

 

107 swing speed, with a potential max of 1.45 smash factor, 155.15 ball speed, 243 carry, 260 total....... averages..... even if we tweeked the spin launch, I would say 155ball speed and 250carry max....with a 107mph swing speed....

 

 

270+ carry....... if you are so sure of yourself people... Post UP... this guy did and I am sure he is happy with his game......

 

You are correct. He showed something, at least. However, I've hit some obscene statistics in a trackman bay with no penalty for missing and a picture perfect lie. We also have no way of knowing what he was hitting off of. If it was a grass mat, fair enough. If its a rubber mat you can hit it fat by a significant amount and not feel it or have it show up.

 

 

 

Its funny though, Those number match up to what "other" statistic shows. So it not out of the ordinary, not a humble brag, and not misconstrued, LIke I said the poor guy that was getting 100mph swing speed, 145mph ballspeed, and 270 carry 299 total with a driver average...... common.......... something not wrong there?.......

 

 

 

 

and I think this is where plenty people are led astray, not purposefully, just ignorance... pure ignorance and that is not a derogatory statement either.

[WeekendWarrior1]

I love how much people get bent out of shape on these threads. Even more love how the PGA tour gets referenced as the "gold" standard for distance. Newsflash it's not, I know good highschool golfers who can blow those PGA averages out of the water, albeit in a much smaller sample size.

 

The PGA tour IS the gold standard for knowing how to play golf not hit it far.

 

ANY distance thread or claim on Golfwrx always incites a riot. Lol

 

I obviously can't prove anything, but I don't believe that you know multiple high schoolers that can "blow PGA averages out of the water" off the deck. Tee? Maybe a 1% chance. But not off the deck. There is WAY more to speed to carry distance off the deck. Post some videos or some names of these high schools so we can look out for them at the US Amateur this year. This is a nonsense claim. Please note the discussion IS NOT "can this guy hit it further than 243" its can that guy (or highschooler, in your case) do it on average. And the answer is no. Or we would know them, because that would be an unbelievable accomplishment. Note its "Average" not duff 3, hook 2 off the range, then bust 1. That isn't impressive.

 

What should we use as the gold standard instead of PGA Tour pros?

 

There's 12 handicappers in this thread hitting their 4 woods further than PGA pros 3 woods. LOL

 

Yup. Its absolutely ridiculous.

 

I live in Colorado therefore the air is a bit thinner up here at 6400 ft. but i have a 16.5 alpha 816 and from the deck its 265-280 same from the tee. Im sure it would be closer to about 255 or so at sea level.

 

Are you saying you carry the ball 266-280 on AVERAGE (not max, average) off the deck with a 16.5 degree club? Could you link/post to a video of your swing? Altitude or not, that is incredible. Day hits his really strong 3 wood about 278 and your right there with him three to three and a half degrees higher lofted!

 

I would say I average about 250-260 off the deck, and 260-270 off the tee. There is a 540-550 yard par 5 at my home course that you can't take driver on because there is a hazard that is about 300 out, Now, it's not that I hit my drives 300 every time, but about 20 yards short of the hazard is a down slope, and this puts you in real danger if you catch this thing with any real heat. On dry day's, I've still managed to get to it with my 3w, but it's a lot of roll. I pretty much go 3w-3w to the front of the green or to within 20 yards of it every time I play. Barring mis-hits, of course. I play my 3w at 16 degree, FWIW.

 

3 woods aren't that far off from drivers any more.

 

You are correct here, and its being lost. 3 woods arn't all that much different from drivers technology wise. However, hitting a ball of the ground versus a tee from a mechanical perspective is night and day in terms of skill required. Then you throw in we are discussing the average (not the max or the median or anything else, the average) and these claims are somewhat absurd.

 

It is 10x easier to match a very good player through pure speed off a tee than off the ground. You can't mix them. They are absolutely worlds apart in terms of skill and what matters to the shot. As I said earlier, I believe that there are high schoolers and WRX'ers who can match the pros with the driver off a high tee, who can match them with 3 wood off the tee, and who have the same headroom for the best shots with 3 wood off the deck.

 

I believe there is zero chance any of this is true with average strike off the deck.

Like i said Pinestreetgolf I live at 6400ft. in Colorado. The air is much thinner and the ball carries a good bit further than at sea level. Its absolutely a big difference in the longer shots. I was in San Antonio in the past year with 90 degree temps and 90 or more percent humidity and was hitting it about 260 off the tee with this club, but i was easily hitting 1-2 clubs more than i would here in Colorado at the same yardage. That being experienced personally I can tell you that the ball does go a SIGNIFICANT amount further at 6400 ft and low humidity! Yes I do hit this club roughly 275. 3 iron is my 250 club. If i am not more than 275 yards out on the par 5's where i play i wait until the green clears and end up right around that yardage.

[WeekendWarrior1]

Z4par, how old are you? I'm curious what type of golfers you play with. I'm the high cap in my group at 4.9 (didn't play for a couple years and just got back into it this past march) and am in my early 30s. We are all around the same age and are reasonably athletic with a couple playing college sports. With the guys I play with, a 300yrd drive isn't anything special. If we talk special, it's 340+. I'm legitimately curious if the disbelief in distance is an age thing, or who you play with, or what.

 

I agree with you 100%. You took the words right out of my mouth. I mean i sure hope my mis-hits never end up to be 60 yards difference in length. I couldn't even navigate some of these courses. Either way its pretty irrelevant what some of these people believe or don't believe. I have played golf for 24 years and am 26 years old. There is par 4's up here that they play at 300yds. and I play with two guys that hit their fwy wood to the green. Multiple rounds, multiple tourneys. I saw it with my eyes and know that i put my fwy wood inside of 35 yards 85% of the time i play the hole. Its all non sense. I mean

[klebs01]

Z4par, how old are you? I'm curious what type of golfers you play with. I'm the high cap in my group at 4.9 (didn't play for a couple years and just got back into it this past march) and am in my early 30s. We are all around the same age and are reasonably athletic with a couple playing college sports. With the guys I play with, a 300yrd drive isn't anything special. If we talk special, it's 340+. I'm legitimately curious if the disbelief in distance is an age thing, or who you play with, or what.

 

Just turned 28 yesterday. I'm 5'7.5 and 190 lbs. I am active and go for long distance runs. Played golf (since I was 15ish), wrestled and ran XC in high school. Wasn't good enough in any to think about college by any means. I belong to a semi-private country club and there is not many golfers my age. Generally 35-60 is the bulk of the memberships and that is who I play with. I've played with scratch to the max and I know what a 300 yard drive looks like. I have a friend who hits a few over 300 yards in a round (he is the longest in town) and we averaged him out at 290-295 yards one day (that was with a 310 yard drive and it was a very good driving day for him). I'm kind of a distance nerd and measure off a lot of my shots with any club in the bag and understand if it was purely my fault or due to a condition on the course why the club didn't go its distance (generally swing related and it's my fault).

 

As for the vast long distances claimed on WRX it's crazy. I would love to see a group of Amateurs play a round of golf hitting the ball consistently over 300 yards. There is 3 guys at our club that are all around 35 and hit it legitimately 270 up to 300 on any tee ball. That is something to watch. Can't imagine watching your group. Is your group the longest players at your home course or is there several other golfers at the same course that consistently hit it 300+ no problem? Its not rare in ones golfing "career" to get to know 3 other golfers that hit 250 to even 275 yard drives consistently and simply gain a friendship and always play together. But I'd say awfully rare that they all consistently hit it 3 bills which is WRX standards and frankly I don't believe. Is it possible? Sure is, join a country club in Colorado and I'm sure you'll find it. I simply don't buy a large amount of the claims on WRX. Nothing personal, people believe and hear what they want to and I've accepted that. I just state opinions :)

 

EDIT:

 

If it's any credibility I've shot 1 round under par (easy track) and even par on a very difficult course to what I play now. I was a 4-5 handicap at that time (21 years old at the time) and currently hold a course handicap of 10 on a difficult course. This thing called growing up and working eventually got in the way :)

 

Thanks for the response.

 

How often is consistently 300? A few times a round? We are among the longest and youngest at the club. A couple are plus caps. We are in Wisconsin so it's not an elevation deal.

 

I would say I average 280 off the tee. I don't log all my shots, but am generally in the range of 250-310. Most around the 280 mark. Then you get the real outliers. 350 when things all work out, and 210 when someone cracks a joke during a swing. I exclude both those because they are irrelevant when planning a future shot.

 

As for the stock shot comments. I think someone mentioned hitting it inside 10 ft 9/10 times or something crazy like that. I think I was the first one to mention that term in this thread. My definition is my normal distance with my normal swing for that club, nothing special, nothing extra. Is that a true average? Nope. I don't think a true average would be useful for me in planning shots. Too many variables and too many shots hit not using a normal swing.

 

Is my claimed 250 off the deck my true average? Definitely not. I didn't claim it was. I probably hit 3w off the deck less than .25 times per round. Then factor in that some of those are punch runner recovery shots out of rough, it's definitely not. However, when I do pull it out, it's going to be a perfect lie to a green without too much trouble, and 250 is more likely than not. That is total distance, though not much roll on my course, I never claimed it was all carry.

 

I find the request for video or launch monitor data funny. I've never found monitor very accurate to the real world. Many have very generous assumptions. Haven't been on one in 5 years. And what's a video going to show you? Do you guys film every shot of every round to prove a point?

 

Edit: I have a 14*ping g stretch. Seems a few people are fixated on 3w being 15*

[pinestreetgolf]

Unless you are hitting at those par 4s with three woods off the ground, it has no bearing here. I've said at least eleven times that hitting off a tee is a totally different world than off the ground in terms of carry average. Strike average off the ground is much much harder. I hit a 3 wood 288 off a tee in the last week. Its not that hard. Carrying it off the deck is extremely difficult. Everyone is using "carry", "hit" and teed interchangably.

 

We're talking about carry off the deck.

 

Like i said Pinestreetgolf I live at 6400ft. in Colorado. The air is much thinner and the ball carries a good bit further than at sea level. Its absolutely a big difference in the longer shots. I was in San Antonio in the past year with 90 degree temps and 90 or more percent humidity and was hitting it about 260 off the tee with this club, but i was easily hitting 1-2 clubs more than i would here in Colorado at the same yardage. That being experienced personally I can tell you that the ball does go a SIGNIFICANT amount further at 6400 ft and low humidity! Yes I do hit this club roughly 275. 3 iron is my 250 club. If i am not more than 275 yards out on the par 5's where i play i wait until the green clears and end up right around that yardage.

 

I wanted to see a swing video because I was impressed. I have my doubts about your ability to hit a 16.5 degree club 280 yards in the air off the ground, but I'd love to see what you are doing to generate that much speed. You have nothing to prove to anyone.

 

Z4par, how old are you? I'm curious what type of golfers you play with. I'm the high cap in my group at 4.9 (didn't play for a couple years and just got back into it this past march) and am in my early 30s. We are all around the same age and are reasonably athletic with a couple playing college sports. With the guys I play with, a 300yrd drive isn't anything special. If we talk special, it's 340+. I'm legitimately curious if the disbelief in distance is an age thing, or who you play with, or what.

 

I agree with you 100%. You took the words right out of my mouth. I mean i sure hope my mis-hits never end up to be 60 yards difference in length. I couldn't even navigate some of these courses. Either way its pretty irrelevant what some of these people believe or don't believe. I have played golf for 24 years and am 26 years old. There is par 4's up here that they play at 300yds. and I play with two guys that hit their fwy wood to the green. Multiple rounds, multiple tourneys. I saw it with my eyes and know that i put my fwy wood inside of 35 yards 85% of the time i play the hole. Its all non sense. I mean

 

It was a 60 yard difference between my best hit ever and my average, not my "hits and mishits". And like i said, if your hitting at those par 4s off a tee its much much easier (and is irrelevant to) 3 wood off the deck. Off the tee is easy. Off the deck is much harder. Its not impressive for a good golfer to hit a strong 3 wood 280 off the tee and average 270ish with it. Those numbers are incredible off the deck.

 

Thanks for the response.

 

How often is consistently 300? A few times a round? We are among the longest and youngest at the club. A couple are plus caps. We are in Wisconsin so it's not an elevation deal.

 

I would say I average 280 off the tee. I don't log all my shots, but am generally in the range of 250-310. Most around the 280 mark. Then you get the real outliers. 350 when things all work out, and 210 when someone cracks a joke during a swing. I exclude both those because they are irrelevant when planning a future shot.

 

As for the stock shot comments. I think someone mentioned hitting it inside 10 ft 9/10 times or something crazy like that. I think I was the first one to mention that term in this thread. My definition is my normal distance with my normal swing for that club, nothing special, nothing extra. Is that a true average? Nope. I don't think a true average would be useful for me in planning shots. Too many variables and too many shots hit not using a normal swing.

 

Is my claimed 250 off the deck my true average? Definitely not. I didn't claim it was. I probably hit 3w off the deck less than .25 times per round. Then factor in that some of those are punch runner recovery shots out of rough, it's definitely not. However, when I do pull it out, it's going to be a perfect lie to a green without too much trouble, and 250 is more likely than not. That is total distance, though not much roll on my course, I never claimed it was all carry.

 

I find the request for video or launch monitor data funny. I've never found monitor very accurate to the real world. Many have very generous assumptions. Haven't been on one in 5 years. And what's a video going to show you? Do you guys film every shot of every round to prove a point?

 

Edit: I have a 14*ping g stretch. Seems a few people are fixated on 3w being 15*

 

Its almost impossible for a golfer to eyeball his average. Our brains don't work that way. They remember outliers, both good and bad. Its why you can remember a $300 meal at a wonderful fine dining resteraunt on your last vacation in 2012 but you have no idea what you had for dinner two weeks ago. That isn't how our brains and memories work. It is incredibly, incredibly unlikely you average in casual rounds 6 yards further than PGA pros average in competition. Is it impossible? No, it isn't. Its just ridiculously unlikely, and when you couple that with the fact that your basically shrugging and saying "280 i guess, i dunno" it makes it ridiculous.

 

When someone asks you what you average with the driver saying "I don't know" isn't illegal. You don't have to say the biggest plausible number.

[tscherm314]

Depending on the article it could be either one but the longer pros are capable of carrying it 270 of the deck. Personally I average around 225 carry of the deck.

[klebs01]

I've seen alot of articles where pros hit their 3w 240-270. Is this off the tee or deck? How far can you reach? I am sitting at 215-220. I don't swing for the fences and sometimes give up yards for more accuracy if needed.

 

This is the op. No where does it say carry or average. It does ask about tee and deck. I responded to both.

 

Honestly, average is completely useless for hitting a shot or planning a distance. I know distances that help me make decisions. If I pull pw from 95 and play a knock down shot should that lower my average? How does that new average hold me play another shot? I stated I don't track my shots and keep a true average. I do know what distances I can count on for decision making and 280 drive and 250 3w are two of them. Good for you if planning on mishaps and averaging in alternate shots works for you. That's not how I make decisions and my method works for me.

[forecast6236]

The elevation factor is bigger than most understand. I'm also in CO and I fly driver / 3W about 285 / 260 on average. When I play in southern cal move those averages down to about 265 / 240.

 

I roll a ball out over 300 yards frequently at altitude and in state tournies I'm easily outdriven. There's just not much friction to stop the ball at 6000 feet.

 

Nothing humbles me like traveling to sea level. Just need to keep in mind in these threads that people play at different elevations and under different conditions.

[Z4Par]

Z4par, how old are you? I'm curious what type of golfers you play with. I'm the high cap in my group at 4.9 (didn't play for a couple years and just got back into it this past march) and am in my early 30s. We are all around the same age and are reasonably athletic with a couple playing college sports. With the guys I play with, a 300yrd drive isn't anything special. If we talk special, it's 340+. I'm legitimately curious if the disbelief in distance is an age thing, or who you play with, or what.

 

I agree with you 100%. You took the words right out of my mouth. I mean i sure hope my mis-hits never end up to be 60 yards difference in length. I couldn't even navigate some of these courses. Either way its pretty irrelevant what some of these people believe or don't believe. I have played golf for 24 years and am 26 years old. There is par 4's up here that they play at 300yds. and I play with two guys that hit their fwy wood to the green. Multiple rounds, multiple tourneys. I saw it with my eyes and know that i put my fwy wood inside of 35 yards 85% of the time i play the hole. Its all non sense. I mean

 

I hit it 230-290 yards in a given round and navigate the course fine. To be fair I played 9 holes today and misses with the driver were within 15 yards in distance (232-245 yards). I think my worst miss was one left 25 yards today. We recently had 16 inches of snow melt and where your ball hit it stopped for the most part so didn't hit it as far as usual (250 +-10 is pretty stock for me). Walking in slop today so not good driving conditions AT ALL but wasn't going to pass up a 60 degree February day in South Dakota (days like this never happen). Didn't recall hitting one high on the face today either which is rare for me. To be fair and since we are talking averages I would say my average distance change with the driver is 20 yards give or take. When I said I hit it 230-290 any given round it's true. My average finishes at 250 in normal playing conditions. Scratch players can hit a ball high off the face and range 200-240 yards on a bad drive and thus would affect their average considerably. Am I consistently missing 60 yards with the driver? Certainly not, for the most part I know my ball off the tee is going to be in the vicinity of 250 yards +-10 yards and that's generally what I plan for. But early in the round or off the first couple holes it's not rare that I get ONE to travel 270-290 and hit a not very good drive of 230 in the same round, it happens thus a chance of driver distance change of 60 yards, comprende?

[Tony_Ireland]

230 carry. 240 overall

 

So honest people do exist on here :)

[Rob5589]

I guess I will use my first post to bring down the average :D I average somewhere around 190-200. I do not tee up my FW, just cannot seem to connect well. I am well short on my drives than most here with their FW.

[WeekendWarrior1]

The elevation factor is bigger than most understand. I'm also in CO and I fly driver / 3W about 285 / 260 on average. When I play in southern cal move those averages down to about 265 / 240.

 

I roll a ball out over 300 yards frequently at altitude and in state tournies I'm easily outdriven. There's just not much friction to stop the ball at 6000 feet.

 

Nothing humbles me like traveling to sea level. Just need to keep in mind in these threads that people play at different elevations and under different conditions.

 

Finally some common sense from someone with experience at the higher altitude. For everyone on here that says that altitude doesn't effect the ball carry/total distance either has no experience so therefore no argument against it, or just believe every thing a swing monitor tells them. I have actually traveled to sea level in multiple states and have witnessed the difference. Its science, so are the factors of humidity and temp.

[b.mattay]

I average 50 yards of carry for all shots off the fairway! Those greenside 3 wood chips really bring down the average!

[deadsolid...shank]

Some people put too much emphasis on the word average. There are far too many outliers that can skew an average enough to make it a worthless number. Outliers both high and low.

 

If you want true honesty, the question is, par five, second shot over a hazard, all carry. What is your "make or break" distance where you decide to lay up or go for it in two? That tells me how far you realistically believe you can carry it on a consistent basis.