How Far?

hi to you lady golfers out there. I wonder if you can help. I only get to play with male golfers so I have no idea on average distances for ladies. I am 5' 5" tall and of slim build, how far should I be looking to hit the ball?

Whilst I am not a Lady Golfer, I will offer this, golf is more often than not about you v you v you v the course & conditions of the day, so (IMHO) it matters precious little how far you hit each club.

As a for instance, I play off 17 at the moment and am generally considered one of the longer hitters at my club at the moment. Our club low marker plays off 2 and hits it similar distances to me, though often very much straighter. The next in line is a 6 marker and having played with him a few times now, I can say I am on average between 10m & 20m per club longer that he is......

That said, clearly he is much straighter than I am and also has a far superior short game to me. Also, I have never seen this guy 3 putt, and I do mean never...... I'm sure he may well have, though, I repeat I have never seen it.

Bottom line, a 2 foot putt counts exactly the same on your scorecard as does a 250m drive into the trees.

Whoever said golf was a game for gorilla's didn't know what they were talking about.

I now consider golf to be an elaborate and far more fun (and challenging) form of chess...... Without the violence..

Cheers

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Look at the Target, Look at the Ball, Swing... Dr Bob Rotella...

Hi, thanks for your replies. I agree that hitting the ball down the middle is far more important than distance, this is where ladies have a slight advantage as they dont have the male macho thing!!! One of the replies said that golf is FUN. having taken part in lots of other sports I can say that golfers are by far more miserable, bad tempered,and wish upon their collegues more misfortune than I have ever seen.

Can I just add one thing to this. When I started playing golf and reached what I thought was a pretty good standard, there was a guy at our club who was in his eighties (even late eighties, I think). It was a pleasure to watch him play because, although, at that age, he had naturally lost a fair bit of distance, he hit dead straight. So, when I was in form, it's quite possible that I could drive the ball 100 yards further than he could. But, and this is the point, over 18 holes, he would have whipped me anytime!

I just discovered this golf forum and was hoping there was some helpful information for woman about golfing and the differences between Men and Women golfers. First thing I read had my head shaking. The lady asked about distance, she didn't ask for the usual rhetoric regarding how much better it is to be straight than long! Come on guys - give her the information asked for, not the silly canned answer that is very grating on the nerves.
We know it's better to hit it straight than into the bushes - that wasn't the question.

Wha????

How is anybody here supposed to know how far she should hit it...That's why they have women's tee's.........Please

O.K. that's a typical answer from a male, and a really silly one.
If you can't understand that a forum is only as good as its posts, then obviously I can't help you.

Someone on the forum gave her an answer that made sense, (gave her the site which gives average distances for both men and women) the rest posted junk. If I go to my club pro and ask for help in improving my distance and he gave me the answers some of you posted on here, I'd have him canned.

If you want to see women participate in this forum then don't treat them like imbeciles. Women have specific issues regarding their strength, stature, anatomical make-up etc. It would be nice if someone addressed the differences and gave helpful tips on how to "hit it long" - the same as men search for.

saucer of milk?

You demand alot for one who is not asking the question.

P.S........I didn't see anybody treating anybody wrong except from your 2 post's...

*EDIT* In fairness, I think Cmays did answer this at the top of this thread **

Actually, golfer woman, I thought what you said was a fair cop.

I think if I asked as a chap how far am I supposed to hit it, I would get the same answers as all of the above. There is no implied sexism here - it just varies. Yesterday, I played matchplay against a 9 HC and he played a shot from 165 downhill and went through the green. For him it was a nine iron, for me it was a six.

So - I'm not sure the question it TOTALLY legimate - but if you'll allow me to rephrase it slightly.

I'm 33 (keep writing 32 and forgetting ), 5'10", fairly slim and athletic, new to golf, and deliberately not swinging that hard.

My 150 yard club is a 5I, and I go down in 10's from there, so my 9I is 110.

Accordingly, if the OP read my post and said, "Yeah, I guess that sounds a little like me-ish - so what should I be AIMING to achieve as a target start point?", I might suggest you knock 10 yards off and say, "Here you are - see if you can get it 100 with a 9I - not that that's a requirement - just a target/starting point."

Another way of looking at it would be to say there's nothing phsyically about any female golfer I know or play with that couldn't achieve 90 yards with a 9I, and another way still would be to suggest that it doesn't matter how far you hit them, just that you know.

Accordingly, go and find some flat playing fields sometime quiet, with some clubs, 25 balls and a four pack - the last isn't essential but works for me.

Mark your start point and hit balls with your 9I. Reject the obvious nonsensical ones, put a marker as best you can in the centre of the group, and pace back.

Write this number down - it's important. Now take two clubs up - that is, a 7I, and move your forward marker 20 yards forward.

Now do it again.

Do you naturally play to the forward marker, or do you ave to swing harder (or softer) to achieve it? Try another 20 forward with your 5I. Your accuracy by now will be suffering a little, but that doesn't matter as long as you reject the REALLY wild ones. Still on target or do the numbers change?

Like I said, the numbers themselves don't matter, what matters is when you find yourself between the 100 and 150 yard markers, you know reasonably accurately what to take.

*one last thought* It's kind of common that for newbies, their distances don't change that much the longer the irons get.

Any help?

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~_~_~_~_~
Personal bests 2007;
Best 18: 78 (+12)
Best 9: 37 (+4)
Best Stableford: 45 pts
Best total putts: 28
Best total length sunk putts (ft): 54

Club tourney history this year: Captain's Day - 1st; Club foursomes - 2nd; Dimex Stableford - 2nd; Club Championship - 13/28 gross, joint 5/28 nett; Ferebee Shield - 2nd; Sept Medal 2nd; Autumn Stableford - 1st

**Sigh**

While golfer_woman makes a good point (how ladies are generally dismissed by gents), the truthful answer to the OP's question is: "It depends".

It depends on the loft of the club. To a much lesser extent, it depends on the length of the club. Also, club weight and swingweight/MOI change how you hit the ball. All the swingspeed in the world doesn't make up for not hitting the sweetspot.

This is true for any golfer of any age, shape, or form.

FWIW, when I started out, I took a 6 iron from 150 (to get 140 carry and 10 roll, so really, I carried a 5 iron 150). With better swing mechanics, I now take an 8 or 9 iron to carry 150 (depending on temp and ball).

So unless folks are admiring your swing, peave, then you probably have more distance in you.

But the main point is: It's now how far you're suposed to hit it. It's how far do you hit it? Knowing your yardages (how far you hit each club) is more important than trying to be Tour long.

__________________
True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

Hi, to everyone who replied to my post and thankyou. I was looking to get a target to work to, and found the average distance table very useful. However readind the last post I need to take into consideration the loft, club length, club weight, swing weight, MOI, and swing speed. That all sounds a bit much to me and I am SURE if I asked any of my golfing friends {some of whom have been playing over thirty years} about the above they would think I had lost the plot.

Cheers to all the lady golfers out there!

Not if any of them are clubmakers.

All I'm getting at is that for any given club, loft is the first determiner of distance. But you missed the main point (I probably bolded the wrong part )

How far you *should* hit the ball is how far you *do* hit the ball. I like the idea of wanting something to work towards, but increased distance is a byproduct of better mechanics.

If you're truly interested in knowiing how far you *could* hit the ball, find an LPGA player close to your build. That's how far you *could* hit the ball.

__________________
True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

:P

90 yards Pace it out up the playing fields and see how close you get. Doesn't matter if you don't. Just enjoy yourself Don't forget the four pack

Most important advice EVER courtesy of Monsieur le Scraggre - "SWING EASY!" Let us know how you get on.

If you read the original thread she asks for help from Lady golfers, the guys here tried their best to assist but nothing was forthcoming from the ladies. Maybe you have some suggestions?

For tips on how to hit it long then you can only make the best out of what you have, the dynamics of long distance hitting are not sex specific. When it comes to addressing "differences" then in general men are not particularly qualified to comment. Although we are very aware and interested that the anatomical make-up differs we don't have a lot of experience in how it affects the golf swing.

Vivie le difference

NB: There is a new forum specifically for Ladies, see the advert (Golflass in pink) at the top of the main page.

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Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!