Average club distance

As a 12 h/cap'r I was just wondering what distance should I be looking for from my 7 iron(140 yards for me) and driver(230 yards). It's just seems that everybody can out drive me or I have to take an extra club compared to others.

So? make your point caller,

Dont get obsessed with length, Phil,

Try lighter shafts for the irons and try a different ball both can help.

Try and find a driver that's right for you I know a lot of mid handicappers that have gained a lot but getting exactly the right stick. There are lots of options out there so take your time, remember more expensive dont mean more distance I have an old orlimar driver in my house that I can still hit 270+ and it cost me £17!!!!

A final thought: From 160 yards, a 5 iron to 10 feet is just as impressive as a 9 iron to 25 feet but I know what putt I would want for the bird....

all the very best to you

D

Distance depends on the user. There is no distance you should be hitting. That being said, an average golfer will hit a 7 iron 150 yrds.

If you are concerned about your distance, work on conditioning (strength and flexability) and get your swing path correct. If you are already coming in on the right path, work on delaying your release.

Whats the problem with distance? You could do with more length, it is easier to hit a 8-iron close than a 6-iron close BUT ... distance is not everything. I'll prove it you.

I was a scratch player at the age of 15. My average driving distance was 210 yards. I hit a 5-iron from 165yards ... I went undefeated for 3 years in amateur matchplay events and in 10 years won 19 titles. But, I hardly ever missed a fairway and almost never hit a bad shot. My focus was on quality strikes ...

Now my driving distance is around 260yards and I still break par with no problem. Between 2000 and 2003 when I played the tours and taught to pay the bills I won 4 times in Europe and America. With 260 yards off the tee? Yep.

Sure, I can also crank it up and pound my Strata's close to 300 yards but why? I'd rather hit 6-iron from the fairway than 8-iron from the rough.

Don't worry about distance ... hit the fairway, hit the green and chip and putt if you miss.

__________________
Golf is easy ... once you know how.
Graham Arnott, teaching professional
Kelrosa Golf Studios
www.kelrosagolf.com
Class 'A' PGA Member
Full Member: World Golf Teachers Federation (GB&I)

Averages?

Here they are, according to a hundred thousand websites (all in yards)

1W 230+
3W 220
5W 180

3i 170
4i 160
5i 150
6i 140
7i 130
8i 120
9i 110
PW 100
GW 90
SW 75
LW <60

I have no idea what they're basing these averages on, but these seem to be the generally agreed upon yardages.

More important than what you SHOULD be hitting for distances is what you ARE hitting for distances.

Granted, using a 5i for an approach shot is a touch more difficult than using a 9i for an approach shot, but all you really need to know is what club to use to put you on the green from however far out you are.

For me, my PW was good from 115-120 yds out. Now, this spring, rather than saying that I should be hitting my PW from 115 or 120, I need to know how far it goes. Whether I've gained or lost distance is irrelevant to shooting a good score - knowing what distance it flies and rolls is what I need to know.

I see the points being made about distance not being a necesity and i hugely agree straight before long. But, its still an advantage to hit the ball a long way. Some golf courses more than others and maybe my views biased as i play a short golf course. But if you hit the ball 240 average at my course you have no problems distance wise. If you hit the ball around 300 average (which im sure some people around here would claim) then you would be putting on your 2nd shot on around 5 holes. Or if its offline, you would be chippin n puttin for birdies.

But yea not all courses are as easy as mine.

I dont think ive seen a golfer hit the ball with a decent ball flight/contact (eg a divot; delofting; compression) and not hit 7 iron 150 atleast. Also i know when i slice the ball i struggle to hit 240. When i get a draw going, can easily go 40 yards on that (or jus a normal fade for that matter).

__________________
B.I.G

I agree - even with my slightly outside-in path I used to have I could hit a 5i 190 yards with a fade and my PW averaged 145 yards. My distance has increased even more with my inside-square path - another 5 yards per club.

The problem I have is hitting my driver too far (I am usually end up 40 - 70 yard range from the pin on a 350 - 380 yard par 4.) I end up hitting 5 wood off the tee because and I would much rather leave myself 125yrds for a SW or 95 yrds for a LW to the green.

__________________
Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall

Don't sweat you distance. show off with your score. 12 handicap is out of reach to most people who go to the course. I have played with a guy who only drive his ball 240 yards and plays off 1.

I have also played with a guy who drives the ball 310 yards and has a 15 handicap. I drive my ball 250 yards and play off 18.

I am very surprised that most people judge a player buy how they hit a full swing shot. Every time I play with a new person and they see my first shot of the round they call me a cheater with my handicap. What they don't know is I am a new golfer who has only played 20 months and the first 15 months was just practicing my full swing, Yes I hit my irons like a very low handicaper and hit 8 greens in reg on a round, but I don't always par them, I average only 1 birdie 5 pars a round, and 12 bogeys and others. my putting average is 39 putts.

I'll admit it; this is me (well almost). I make people go WOW when I connect with a good drive, and on a good day I can get 150-160 with an 8i, but my consistency and accuracy stink. I'd trade my long ball for more consistency in a second. The only reason I get that distance is because of good upper body strength and not good technique. I plan on working to reverse this in '05.

6 years ago, when I first started to take golf seriously, I was a 22 handicap and hit the ball 300 yards. As you can bet, I was the most popular guy in the club house when it came to Texas Scambles!

Since then I developed my short game - that is how I dropped my handicap 13 points. Putting and chipping are the most important part of the game. Even if you only drive the ball 200 yards, but are a master at putting and chipping, you should be able to come in at par. Obviously, my short game still needs some work....

__________________
Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall

Thanks for the feed back. I think from now on i will just hit the club that i Know will get be there instead of trying to hit a club harder to get there. who knows this might get me in to single figures that i desperatly want. yet again thanks. Theres the saying " it's better to be short and straight than long and lost".

Amen to that.......

D.

Plus, Phil, unless your partner is standing right beside you, they'll never know what you hit unless you say something.

My mantra for 2005 is going to be, “I’d rather to be short and in the fairway, than long and in the woods”.