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Driver Stats for Average Male Golfer

Golf Ghost said:
Wait, so people are lying on the internet?
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Not me. I poke them out there 340, down the pipe all the time. (wink wink nod nod)....
 
arydolphin said:
How are the numbers different? Genuinely curious here.

Also, people should read the article I linked in the initial post. Higher swing speed gives you more potential to have a lower handicap, but the article also stated that technique was very important. It just doesn't say you should be scratch if you swing 110 with the driver.
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Thank you for updating,,,
 
arydolphin said:
How are the numbers different? Genuinely curious here.

Also, people should read the article I linked in the initial post. Higher swing speed gives you more potential to have a lower handicap, but the article also stated that technique was very important. It just doesn't say you should be scratch if you swing 110 with the driver.
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To the bold print, I say both yes and no. Because one can also imo state the oposite too. Can also say "that the lower the cap gives you the more potential to obtain a faster ss.." The better and more consistent we become at ball striking would mean a lower cap for the most part and then may allow a person to dial up their ss because they can better manage the whole thing.

In another thread about ss. I said I was about 106 over a year ago but recently on a monitor on three separate occasions was doing 112 to 114 but I have also been struggling and after some recent new lessons I have tamed my tempo and swing to be more successful again and I don't have the latest numbers to prove it but I feel like I know I am back down nearer that 106 area. Point being is that I needed to slow it down some in order to gain the control back. Once "if" I were to become "very consistently good" with the driver that means I would be a better player and also means I then "might" be able to control the faster swing or at least some more of it.

So I think its fair to say that having a faster ss can offer more potential as I am better off with 106 vs a 96 ss but I also can say that one being much better at golf overall (lower cap) offers the potential for one to swing faster while still staying in control. I would also be better off with the 113 ss vs 106 but only if I can control it to be successful. So I think it can work both ways. But just my view and I am no instructor and far from it.
 
arydolphin said:
The average driver data for that handicap level per Trackman is the following:
93.4 mph swing speed
192 yards carry
214 yards total
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I saw these numbers, too and thought wtc? Sadly, my hdcp does match up to the chart pretty well. The yardage, though is not close.

Doesn't a lot of what you're swing speed can do depend on launch angles and ball speed and such? I just was on a monitor for my 3W and my avg. SS over 50 shots was just shy of 94. This particular monitor showed me hitting 3W 211 carry/231 total. I measured one off a tee box the other day at a nice 247.
And fwiw, I pull a 4 or 5 iron for 192 yard carry. Way off!
 
T0AD said:
I saw these numbers, too and thought wtc? Sadly, my hdcp does match up to the chart pretty well. The yardage, though is not close.

Doesn't a lot of what you're swing speed can do depend on launch angles and ball speed and such? I just was on a monitor for my 3W and my avg. SS over 50 shots was just shy of 94. This particular monitor showed me hitting 3W 211 carry/231 total. I measured one off a tee box the other day at a nice 247.
And fwiw, I pull a 4 or 5 iron for 192 yard carry. Way off!
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And sweet spot contact, swing path, ball position, smash factor, spin, how high, how much lateral flight movement etc, etc... This is why too many people often question ones swing speed when they don't see them hitting it 290 yards or whatever. They'll say "oh yea right, your swinging 114 but yet your driving 230". But the doubters don't realize that it very well could be that the person is not hitting it correctly enough and that's what explains the 230..
 
rollin said:
And sweet spot contact, swing path, ball position, smash factor, spin, how high, how much lateral flight movement etc, etc... This is why too many people often question ones swing speed when they don't see them hitting it 290 yards or whatever. They'll say "oh yea right, your swinging 114 but yet your driving 230". But the doubters don't realize that it very well could be that the person is not hitting it correctly enough and that's what explains the 230..
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annnnd that would be me. Driver swing speed between 100-105, but I'm a 23 handicap, and while i do sometimes connect where people are impressed with my distance, more often than not I'm nowhere near the distance my swing speed would suggest.
 
rollin said:
And sweet spot contact, swing path, ball position, smash factor, spin, how high, how much lateral flight movement etc, etc... This is why too many people often question ones swing speed when they don't see them hitting it 290 yards or whatever. They'll say "oh yea right, your swinging 114 but yet your driving 230". But the doubters don't realize that it very well could be that the person is not hitting it correctly enough and that's what explains the 230..
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You sir are correct 105ss avg LA 17* and spin 3000 rpm do not equal long bombs from the tee. I'm playing off a 28 right now but that will change.
 
2 things stand out to me. According to your chart I am underperforming badly with the swing speed HC ratio.

If the avg golfer only carries the ball 214 yards how are they a 14 HC?
 
My driver speed is typically 101-104 and I'm decently accurate with it, I don't putt great but I'm not worlds worst at it either. However with cookie and texashacker as my witnesses you put a wedge in my hands from anything under 100 yards and it's 50/50 on missing the green entirely and those odds only decrease the closer I get until I'm in range to putt from off the green
 
I should be somewhere between scratch and -2. Seems about right ;)

My shortgame sucks I guess. Oh wait, I'm not really accurate either, that really isn't helping. So eh yeah I don't feel it truly represents GolfWRX members :)
 
Interesting....guess I got work to do.
 
Again..I have 109 swing speed.. And I carry it 258/259 in the air. We have a incredible practice facility, and when I hit it well.. The 255 green is like a par 3 for me. Our courses are always wet and moist.,so that is all I hit it. But, when a dry summer comes,,and I get the slight pull going.,,than watch out. My irons and hybrids now carry a huge distance, but doesn't match up as well with the driver. If I could fly the ball 290ish..for a 42 year old.. I wouldn't even bother with online forum golf anymore. I would practice my butt off on 100 yards in,,and join every event I could find.
 
Based on this chart I have fallen way short. I hope to catch up to those numbers though.
 
JollyGrnBucket said:
I think I read it differently. I read the chart as, there is a correlation between having a higher swing speed and a higher likelihood of a lower handicap. It stands to reason, because you will on average have a shorter club into the green. Shorter club equals more scoring opportunities.
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This is exactly how I interpreted it as well Jolly. It's an average potential.

One thing I think it DOES speak to is the philosophy that a beginning golfer should learn to hit it as far as they can and then learn to control it. :thumb:
 
That graph is very interesting. It has me pegged almost perfectly.
I am a 3.3 ghin and the last time my swing speed was measured it was 104 mph with the driver.
 
Hi all, first post so go easy :)

Seem like we are talking about correlation and not causation here. Lower handicap players have learned better golf swing technique which results, on average, in higher swing speeds. I.e., the higher swing speed in and of itself is not what is driving the lower handicap, indeed it is likely just the opposite.
 
:welcome: jints07 nice 1st post.
 
It looks like I am the epitome of the average golfer. All of those stats describe my game to a tee.
 
arydolphin said:
How are the numbers different? Genuinely curious here.

Also, people should read the article I linked in the initial post. Higher swing speed gives you more potential to have a lower handicap, but the article also stated that technique was very important. It just doesn't say you should be scratch if you swing 110 with the driver.
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Good post.
 
jints07 said:
Seem like we are talking about correlation and not causation here. Lower handicap players have learned better golf swing technique which results, on average, in higher swing speeds. I.e., the higher swing speed in and of itself is not what is driving the lower handicap, indeed it is likely just the opposite.
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Good points, and a light at the end of the tunnel for me! As a beginning golfer (< 1 year) my swing speed hovers around 80-85-90 (depending on the day and the tides seemingly), and I'm an extremely high handicap player. I kept particular track of my drive lengths this weekend and I'm in the 190 range, with a high of ~225 yards. I haven't yet had a lesson on proper use of my driver (just trying to keep the elbow tucked in at the moment in the hopes of keeping the slice in check) but I imagine that once I do, and consistently practice, both speed and increased distance will come ... and I will see a concurrent drop in my handicap.
 
This a very comforting thread.....I'm not alone.....And it's not surprising. I tried very hard to explain to a young guy who played high school and swore he knew tons of guys who averaged 280-300. I just know its more perception than reality. Studies like this confirm what I know. Most guys aren't near as long as they assume off the tee.
 
gatoreric said:
This a very comforting thread.....I'm not alone.....And it's not surprising. I tried very hard to explain to a young guy who played high school and swore he knew tons of guys who averaged 280-300. I just know its more perception than reality. Studies like this confirm what I know. Most guys aren't near as long as they assume off the tee.
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That's what she said last night :bulgy-eyes:
 
gatoreric said:
This a very comforting thread.....I'm not alone.....And it's not surprising. I tried very hard to explain to a young guy who played high school and swore he knew tons of guys who averaged 280-300. I just know its more perception than reality. Studies like this confirm what I know. Most guys aren't near as long as they assume off the tee.
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A lot of people I'm grouped with think I'm driving everything over 300. When I tell them I rarely ever hit a 300 drive they think I'm not being truthful. So I show them my drive distance on the GPS. I had a guy get angry and argue with me when I showed him my drive was only 250. He was positive my GPS was broke because I was 50 yards ahead of him and he said he hits it 250+ (He was barely 200 all day)

Oh well. I know how far I hit it. Knowing real distances makes trying to carry a bunker a lot easier. 250 to carry something is about my max.
 
The avg golfer is a 14 handicap? Isn't there some statistic saying that the avg golfer doesn't break 100?

The avg carry and distance is pretty surprising, only 192 yards carry is quite short. I would NEVER call myself a long hitter and would always connsider myself avg off the tee but apparently I am above avg. Gives some perspective on people so focused on trying to be a long hitter rather than just playing your own personal game.
 
I highly doubt the average golfer is a 15 hcp. I've seen enough golfers who take 4+ mulligans a round and lie about their scores to know otherwise. Most golfers don't break 100 and it's a rarity when I play with someone who breaks a 90 most of the time. Not to say there aren't some really good amateurs, but your average Sunday hacker just isn't good.
 
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