So How Far Do Average Golfers Really Hit the Ball?

[Sean2]

I tried to cut and paste the article, but was unsuccessful. Here is the link:

 

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/how-far-do-average-golfers-really-hit-it-new-distance-data-will-surprise-you

[DavePelz4]

Haven't read the OP but have guessed the article. Yesterday in a 25 MPH wind, I hit a 56 degree wedge 137 yards.

 

Why the obsession with distance? It makes no difference. I don't care if you hit it farther than me, shorter than me or exactly the same as me. It's irrelevant. Play your own game, don't listen to what Sam Snead is purported to say.

 

Have fun, keep on pace and respect the other golfers and the course.

[ZBigStick]

I read it before. The mode would make more sense. The averages are all low. How are <5 hdcp avg 250? Not the ones I play with.

We should all be fine playing on <6000 yard courses. The ball should be rolled forward and the limits on drivers lifted.

[DivinDave]

I'll admit it, I'm a short knocker. If I strike my driver really well, I get about a 230 carry and if Im lucky, I'll get 10 extra yards rollout on it. If I were a lot younger, I could probably hit it farther. But no use in crying over spilled milk.

[DavePelz4]

I'll admit it, I'm a short knocker. If I strike my driver really well, I get about a 230 carry and if Im lucky, I'll get 10 extra yards rollout on it. If I were a lot younger, I could probably hit it farther. But no use in crying over spilled milk.

 

Actually Dave, you are above average if you believe some of the technology that actually tracks how far drives are hit. But just have fun, play the tees you want, don't listen to Sam's mouthpiece and enjoy the awesome game!

[BillyZ2]

Have fun, keep on pace and respect the other golfers and the course.

How much better golf would be if people would adhere to the words of this sentence!

[buckeyefl]

Listen to this short knocker talking about his 145yd 9 iron.

 

http://golfweek.com/2017/03/10/video-phil-mickelson-gives-cool-in-depth-look-at-his-approach-to-golf-shots/

[DavePelz4]

Have fun, keep on pace and respect the other golfers and the course.

How much better golf would be if people would adhere to the words of this sentence!

 

Thank you...you are very kind!

 

For some reason, for years, the OP has been obsessed with other's distance, telling them what tees to play, what Sam Snead says about what tees you should play and so much more. I'm sure he's a nice guy but who really cares? I'm blessed to play with some young bucks in Chicago who actually hit the ball 300+. Respect their talent and ability but the game is still about the fewest strokes...and oh by the way, having fun.

 

I'm not worried about the tees you play...the shorts you wear...what Sam Snead says, etc. Have fun...play the tees you want and be respectful of the course and the other golfers and quit worrying about how far everyone hit clubs.

[Qqq123xx]

So regular as opposed to GWXers? And for moi regular would be 250-270 and xer 350+ baby fade into a stiff breeze brah.

[aliikane]

Haven't read the OP but have guessed the article. Yesterday in a 25 MPH wind, I hit a 56 degree wedge 137 yards.

 

Why the obsession with distance? It makes no difference. I don't care if you hit it farther than me, shorter than me or exactly the same as me. It's irrelevant. Play your own game, don't listen to what Sam Snead is purported to say.

 

Have fun, keep on pace and respect the other golfers and the course.

 

Yeah agreed, you have to play your own game because it is the only one you got. You can't be overly focused on what you don't have but be more focused on what you got and how to improve it. However, it just shows how distance is directly related to better scoring and handicap. The longer you are the more chance you have to be a better scoring golfer. Distance is an advantage.

 

 

 

[xmanhockey7]

Distance is certainly an advantage. I think much of why we see better players hitting it further is because they have better swing and make better contact. Still, many golfers would benefit from an extra 20 yards. Every Stroke Count by Mark Broadie goes into more depth about it. I'm in the 5 or better range. Carry wise I'm in the 230-240 range. I'm not a great ball striker either. I definitely shoot better scores when I play the shorter tees. Distance matters, but people certainly shouldn't become obsessed with it. There's way more to golf than hitting it as far as you can.

[JRS]

population averages aside. how do they measure each golfers average distance? if you put them on a monitor hitting 10 balls, the handicap golfer hits so many flubs that their "average" distance is not really a true reflection of the expected distance output from their swing.

[Hilts1969]

population averages aside. how do they measure each golfers average distance? if you put them on a monitor hitting 10 balls, the handicap golfer hits so many flubs that their "average" distance is not really a true reflection of the expected distance output from their swing.

 

Well if you hit 10 shots on a monitor and lots are miss hits when you go on the course you will do the same. The average distance has to take these things into account.

[RBImGuy]

I tried to cut and paste the article, but was unsuccessful. Here is the link:

 

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/how-far-do-average-golfers-really-hit-it-new-distance-data-will-surprise-you

 

80% has a handicap between 18-36.

they hit on average 195 yards.

I also played with kids that can hit it long but also loose the ball really often due to some wild hook or some other thing.

normal over the top young kid, 220 or so yards on average.

on a good swing.

 

yea thats golf instruction median value all over the world.

it shows how good your pga instructors are.

[bullie76]

I'm 62 and I certainly hit the ball further than 196.40. Even factoring in all my bad one's my average would be closer to 220. Summertime when it's hot and dry it would be closer to 235-240 on average. Cold dead of winter.......who knows. Don't play much then.

[Gamble Gamble]

Why the obsession with distance?

 

The same reason people worry about... um "shoe size"

 

Insecurities. I know there are guys out there with longer drives, but how many shots does it take them to get in the hole. That's what matters. #winning

[SNIPERBBB]

I read it before. The mode would make more sense. The averages are all low. How are <5 hdcp avg 250? Not the ones I play with.

We should all be fine playing on <6000 yard courses. The ball should be rolled forward and the limits on drivers lifted.

 

Most of the 5 caps here are at that level or better at my club. Not many that are much shorter, and those guys aren't in the rough or off the green much.

 

Course is soft yet, I was inside my 48* yardage on all but one par 4.

[300_Straight]

I use the Game Golf app (not live, just the phone app) and it's great....BUT...I forget to log every single shot exactly where I hit it. I've had rounds where I've "hit my Driver 500+," but in reality it's because I didn't log my 2nd shot until I got to the green. Or I forget to log where the tee is and "I hit my Driver 104 yards." I don't know how the Live version works, though...assuming because you wear it, it's a bit more techy. My score always end up being right, but I do forget to log each shot at its exact spot on a few holes pretty much every round.

[RichieHunt]

Haven't read the OP but have guessed the article. Yesterday in a 25 MPH wind, I hit a 56 degree wedge 137 yards.

 

Why the obsession with distance? It makes no difference. I don't care if you hit it farther than me, shorter than me or exactly the same as me. It's irrelevant. Play your own game, don't listen to what Sam Snead is purported to say.

 

Have fun, keep on pace and respect the other golfers and the course.

 

Distance is very important. There is a strong mathematical correlation between handicap and club speed/distance.

 

What's irrelevant is people who don't understand how short they hit it. If they have a disillusioned idea of how far they hit the ball it will take them longer to improve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

RH

[DavePelz4]

Haven't read the OP but have guessed the article. Yesterday in a 25 MPH wind, I hit a 56 degree wedge 137 yards.

 

Why the obsession with distance? It makes no difference. I don't care if you hit it farther than me, shorter than me or exactly the same as me. It's irrelevant. Play your own game, don't listen to what Sam Snead is purported to say.

 

Have fun, keep on pace and respect the other golfers and the course.

 

Distance is very important. There is a strong mathematical correlation between handicap and club speed/distance.

 

What's irrelevant is people who don't understand how short they hit it. If they have a disillusioned idea of how far they hit the ball it will take them longer to improve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

RH

 

I should have qualified my comment a bit. Why obsess with how far "others" hit the ball? Worry about yourself and improve your distance as you can't control what the other players do.

[naval2006]

Distance is a real advantage in a good golfer. If you're a short hitter you'll have to accept it in a world where longer is better. You'll get used to it and then you no longer care about the bomber playing with you. You play your fairways and greens game, which is nerve wrecking for your rival.

[PowderedToastMan]

Why the obsession with distance?

 

The same reason people worry about... um "shoe size"

 

Insecurities. I know there are guys out there with longer drives, but how many shots does it take them to get in the hole. That's what matters. #winning

My shoe size is 300 yards.

[dbleag]

Haven't read the OP but have guessed the article. Yesterday in a 25 MPH wind, I hit a 56 degree wedge 137 yards.

 

Why the obsession with distance? It makes no difference. I don't care if you hit it farther than me, shorter than me or exactly the same as me. It's irrelevant. Play your own game, don't listen to what Sam Snead is purported to say.

 

Have fun, keep on pace and respect the other golfers and the course.

 

Distance is very important. There is a strong mathematical correlation between handicap and club speed/distance.

 

 

RH

 

Which would make you think that "Long Drive" competitors would be better players.

[DavePelz4]

Why the obsession with distance?

 

The same reason people worry about... um "shoe size"

 

Insecurities. I know there are guys out there with longer drives, but how many shots does it take them to get in the hole. That's what matters. #winning

My shoe size is 300 yards.

 

Is that in Canadian?

[JDFish]

I found the article interesting from a club marketing standpoint. For the average amateur, distance is what's marketed to sell clubs. When I first started playing as a youth in the late 70s and into my teen and in even through college years, distance was swing driven, not club driven. Some people had it, most didn't. This seems to have changed with the invention of the "metal" wood - when Aoki and Jack were playing the J driver, Taylormade came out with Pittsburgh Persimmon, followed a few years later by Callaway's Big Bertha. Since then, all you hear is about distance gains with each successive model.

[Man_O_War]

it's the illusion and hope...when folks use one of those range finders that does distance calcs..they are a little quiet....that 280 drive estimate is actually 240..and it's the longest of the day

[dlygrisse]

I found the article interesting from a club marketing standpoint. For the average amateur, distance is what's marketed to sell clubs. When I first started playing as a youth in the late 70s and into my teen and in even through college years, distance was swing driven, not club driven. Some people had it, most didn't. This seems to have changed with the invention of the "metal" wood - when Aoki and Jack were playing the J driver, Taylormade came out with Pittsburgh Persimmon, followed a few years later by Callaway's Big Bertha. Since then, all you hear is about distance gains with each successive model.

 

The metal Taylor Made clubs came first, they offered different lofts and graphite shafts, a new concept at the time for the most part. The J's driver came several years later and offered a lower spin deeper faced version of smaller metal head. High spin players picked up a lot of distance, but your average guy didn't see much gain with that club. The Big Bertha changed the world, distance was imporved some more but forgiveness improved a lot, and people started swinging for the fences. The Great Big bertha is when things really ramped up, all the sudden the face of the club started getting a bit more flexible.

[North Texas]

Out of 10 guys at my club that I play with, and who have a handicap under 5, maybe 3 of them will average less than 250.

[llewol007]

To me distance is based on handicap. You can have the strongest guy swinging for the fences but if he can't hit the baseball just perfect he wont hit it passed the in field. Same thing with a golf ball. Clubs are designed to be hit in the sweet spot or somewhere close to it to maximize their effectiveness. Plain and simple. If you want to hit the ball further hit the ball better.

[PJ72]

Haven't read the OP but have guessed the article. Yesterday in a 25 MPH wind, I hit a 56 degree wedge 137 yards.

 

Why the obsession with distance? It makes no difference. I don't care if you hit it farther than me, shorter than me or exactly the same as me. It's irrelevant. Play your own game, don't listen to what Sam Snead is purported to say.

 

Have fun, keep on pace and respect the other golfers and the course.

 

Distance is very important. There is a strong mathematical correlation between handicap and club speed/distance.

 

 

RH

 

Which would make you think that "Long Drive" competitors would be better players.

 

Yes, you would, and some of them are exceptional players (Monte, Sadlowski for example), and many more must be decent low ams.

 

However, hitting the ball miles JUST ONCE out of (is it?) 6 attempts, doesn't really translate to golf 'skill', and certainly not golf scores.

 

It's how these players 'turn down' their long drive swings to create a consistent 'normal' swing. Plus, they have to be practising their short games and partial wedges too, otherwise they wouldn't have a chance to score - how many of them actively practise their short games (in proportion to their long games)?