Figuring out your ranges?

[V14_Heels]

Ok so I have a basic dumb question. I don't get how folks are figuring out there various club ranges. My range like most I've been to has 50 yard gaps basically, so it's hard for me to tell if just carried the ball 110 vs 120 yards?

I've been told you should really understand this on your wedges, know your distances in 10 yard increments. Know that a 1/4 swing with your 56 is x amount yards, vs. 1/4 swing with your 60, but I don't really get how to accomplish this goal at a range. Say I shoot 10 balls at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 swings on my 3 wedges...how do I really know what the average is on those 10 balls without walking out there and truly measuring?

What am I missing?

 

[Et Tu Brute?]

What matters is how far you hit it on course. Get a laser rangefinder and whenever you hit a solid shot, note how far it went. Over time you're understand your club distances in actual playing conditions.

If you laser 143 to the flag and your 8-iron land five yards short of the flag then you know you hit that particular 8-iron 138. And so forth.

Some people can remember this sort of thing but if not you can carry a little notebook in your golf ball and write down the distances for several of you solid shots each round. After a few months you'll know your distances.

Probably best not to remember/write down shots that you don't hit solid. The first priority is know your stock distances on solid shots.

All this information is much more useful than distances from hitting 10 8-irons in a row with range balls. Or worse yet, off a mat!

 

[OLDPRO46]

Ok so I have a basic dumb question. I don't get how folks are figuring out there various club ranges. My range like most I've been to has 50 yard gaps basically, so it's hard for me to tell if just carried the ball 110 vs 120 yards?

I've been told you should really understand this on your wedges, know your distances in 10 yard increments. Know that a 1/4 swing with your 56 is x amount yards, vs. 1/4 swing with your 60, but I don't really get how to accomplish this goal at a range. Say I shoot 10 balls at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 swings on my 3 wedges...how do I really know what the average is on those 10 balls without walking out there and truly measuring?

What am I missing?

What you are trying to do is next to impossible at a range and more so if you don't have a laser or some measuring device. First off the range balls are different than what you play and usually don't go as far. 2. Most ranges change their hitting area regularly, so your 50yd gaps on the markers would change accordingly. Some ranges post the yardages to markers on a daily basis or when the hitting area has been moved up or back.

My suggestion is to find an open field where you can possibly measure out certain distances and set some sort of marker for reference. This will at least give you a way to step off yardages to average out the distances of each club to get you in the ballpark. No, this is not an absolute and can change as you progress.
Your wedges are your friend and learning to carry certain distances with each of them is a plus, but not something you will learn overnight.

You show your h'cp as 36, so consistency is what you should be working on to develop a repeatable swing that in turn will help you dial in club distances to a more exact yardage for each clubs carry distance. This again is a long process, but for now you will at least have a general idea of how far each club carries to give you more confidence when standing over a shot.

Hope this helps!

 

[mikeg_74]

So first range balls are usually limited flight balls as won’t go as far as your normal balls you use on the course. The numbers will be close but not a true 1:1 relationship in terms of distance. These are good for getting a baseline and comparing on the course.

On the range I usually find the flags at 120, 150 and 170 yards to test my irons and the 200yd flag to test my woods. Much of it is “eyeballing” where they land but it gives me a pretty good idea how far they are carrying.

On the course I get out during a twilight when traffic is lighter and hit a couple of shots from a distances I’m questioning and keep track that way.

 

[tahoebum]

How far you hit each club should be obvious over time by playing golf with a laser rangefinder. To accelerate the process, Hit an extra approach shot or two into the greens on a slow day at the course. Pick a bunker and laser the carry of the far lip. If you clear the bunker you will be able to tell by how far by a ball mark on the green. If you don’t you will see the landing spot in the sand.

 

[Stryker]

All of the above are good advice but, and please don't take this the wrong way, you are probably not going to find a set expected distance with each club yet. What I mean is with a 36 handicap you are probably not consistent enough from one swing to the next to really get a set distance like better players have. I am in the same boat from time to time. I pretty much know what my distances are but there are days the swing feels really good and I am 10-20 yards longer with everything and then there are the days where it feels not so good and I am 10-20 yards short with everything. As you start to build a more consistent swing, you are probably going to find distances are increasing as well from better contact. I personally learned most of my distances just by playing a lot of golf and now I just kind of know what to pull out the bag. But again, I still have days where I sail the green a hole or two and then realize I am just hitting it better that day and I also have days where I come up a little short a hole or 2 and realize I need extra that day.

Work on your ball striking. Take lessons as needed and get some drills you can work on by yourself. You will find your distances more consistent with a more consistent swing. I still stink at this game but I try to do something golf related every day even if its just 10-15 minutes of something in the yard. Sometimes its chipping and pitching, but a lot of the times its a drill I got from a lesson that doesn't even require me to use a ball or either I can use a foam ball and still get the same results.

 

[V14_Heels]

All of the above are good advice but, and please don't take this the wrong way, you are probably not going to find a set expected distance with each club yet. What I mean is with a 36 handicap you are probably not consistent enough from one swing to the next to really get a set distance like better players have. I am in the same boat from time to time. I pretty much know what my distances are but there are days the swing feels really good and I am 10-20 yards longer with everything and then there are the days where it feels not so good and I am 10-20 yards short with everything. As you start to build a more consistent swing, you are probably going to find distances are increasing as well from better contact. I personally learned most of my distances just by playing a lot of golf and now I just kind of know what to pull out the bag. But again, I still have days where I sail the green a hole or two and then realize I am just hitting it better that day and I also have days where I come up a little short a hole or 2 and realize I need extra that day.

Work on your ball striking. Take lessons as needed and get some drills you can work on by yourself. You will find your distances more consistent with a more consistent swing. I still stink at this game but I try to do something golf related every day even if its just 10-15 minutes of something in the yard. Sometimes its chipping and pitching, but a lot of the times its a drill I got from a lesson that doesn't even require me to use a ball or either I can use a foam ball and still get the same results.

I didn't even know there was a handicap on here listed. I shoot somewhere in the ballpark of 95-105 but have only been playing 2 months so I'm definitely new. I completely get that I won't get exact ranges, but I mean I have to start somewhere and just foolishly picking a club seems a little silly. I can definitely tell when i've made good contact vs. bad but to your guys point it's rare. I don't strike my irons very clean very often.

 

[Stryker]

I didn't even know there was a handicap on here listed. I shoot somewhere in the ballpark of 95-105 but have only been playing 2 months so I'm definitely new. I completely get that I won't get exact ranges, but I mean I have to start somewhere and just foolishly picking a club seems a little silly. I can definitely tell when i've made good contact vs. bad but to your guys point it's rare. I don't strike my irons very clean very often.

Honestly 95-105 with limited clubs in the bag is really good for 2 months of play. Don’t sell yourself short. Golf is a hard game and can be extremely frustrating but it is very addictive. I think you are on the right track looking for a set of irons now. Before you buy any hybrids you should see if there is somewhere to try them out and see if you like them. A lot of guys really like the Cobra one length hybrid and if you like your 7i you may really like that as well since it is the same length. If you are lucky, you might find a used one cheap somewhere too.


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[V14_Heels]

Honestly 95-105 with limited clubs in the bag is really good for 2 months of play. Don’t sell yourself short. Golf is a hard game and can be extremely frustrating but it is very addictive. I think you are on the right track looking for a set of irons now. Before you buy any hybrids you should see if there is somewhere to try them out and see if you like them. A lot of guys really like the Cobra one length hybrid and if you like your 7i you may really like that as well since it is the same length. If you are lucky, you might find a used one cheap somewhere too.


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I actually just bought a 2014 Adams Pro Hybrid at 20* and I absolutely love it. I'm hitting it farther than my driver cause my average drive is only about 190-200 right now. I find i'm just more consistent with the hybrid. The driver is soooo unforgiving. I get that solid 200 yard drive maybe 4 out of 10 shots, and the other 6 could be a ROCKET into the air, or bad slice into the right to the point where it's probably on another fairway some place. I was thinking of investing in two more hybrids of the same type, but it doesn't fit my one length methodology that I got going in the rest of my bag so I don't know. I'm just not there yet haha. Thanks for the pep talk though!

 

[Duffer Waldorf]

Tagging your shots as you play with Game Golf, Arccos, ShotScope, etc., once you have a sufficient number of rounds played, will give you a good idea, as well.

 

[kodewolf]

Tagging your shots as you play with Game Golf, Arccos, ShotScope, etc., once you have a sufficient number of rounds played, will give you a good idea, as well.

That's how I get my average yardages as well. But I use the golfpad gps/ app. You'll need a lot of data before you get a reliable average yardage for each club.
Also note that when tagging each shot using an app, a watch or any other device, this does not take into account elevation changes nor wind direction. These also have a substantial influence on your distances. Additionally, hitting from the tee, fairway or rough all might/will result in different yardages. Hitting towards a green or towards a fairway will also result in different yardages

Cheers,
Koen

 

[Canadan]

I put very little stock into my range ball distances. If I am at the range it's to work on contact and shape.

Every once in a while during an evening 9 I'll hit a couple extra shots to dial in my numbers. Once I have three or four irons dialed it's pretty clear what the rest of the bag is looking like.

 

[Reframmellator]

Next best thing to doing it on the course is to rent some time on a simulator and hit your own balls (most will let you use your own.) Hit four or five balls with each club and you will have a good idea off how far you hit the ball under ideal conditions (perfect lie, 70 degrees, no wind), although you will be tired at the end of an hour. I recommend changing clubs every swing, because even I (who shoots about the same as you) can groove a club given a couple of consecutive swings.

I've found the distances translate fairly well outside, but the gaps between clubs translate very well outside.

 

[Et Tu Brute?]

I actually just bought a 2014 Adams Pro Hybrid at 20* and I absolutely love it. I'm hitting it farther than my driver cause my average drive is only about 190-200 right now.

There's an old joke about two guys talking about the amount of land they own. One guy was a Texan and says, "I can get in my pickup and start driving at sunup and by lunch time I'll only be halfway across my ranch". Second guy says, "Yeah, I had a truck like that once".

 

[Brucem609]

I purchased a SC200 portable Launch Monitor. I now know the averages of all my irons, hybrids etc. it calculates by measuring club head speed, ball speed and barometric pressure. And yes, it’s pretty darn accurate. I scheduled time with a track man and used my SC200, and the difference was negligible, at least for me. 2 yards is not going to matter.
Anybody interested in buying.... it’s for sale now that I know my distances.

 

[jscincy]

HAMB.... I hate stupid questions.... hit a million balls


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[Buster1]

I regularly check and update my distances. You can do a fair job of this on the range depending on how your range is set up. A Laser is required. As some have mentioned, invest in GameGolf/Arrcos and start gathering real world/on course data for each club. I also pay $99/yr at my local PGA Superstore to use their bays. You can get some good carry data from their launch monitor system.

Lastly, yes to the distances for wedges! I’m a Dave Pelz believer and he recommends exact distances every time you practice your wedge shots. Knowing your carry for each swing and every wedge is critical to your game.

 

[DG_1234]

Ok so I have a basic dumb question. I don't get how folks are figuring out there various club ranges. My range like most I've been to has 50 yard gaps basically, so it's hard for me to tell if just carried the ball 110 vs 120 yards?

I've been told you should really understand this on your wedges, know your distances in 10 yard increments. Know that a 1/4 swing with your 56 is x amount yards, vs. 1/4 swing with your 60, but I don't really get how to accomplish this goal at a range. Say I shoot 10 balls at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 swings on my 3 wedges...how do I really know what the average is on those 10 balls without walking out there and truly measuring?

What am I missing?

Figuring out carry yardages is best done while playing a round of golf, not at a driving range.
Just pay attention to how far your shots carry on the golf course, make notes if that helps. For example, if you swing 7-iron three times during your next round, from that you should have a good idea of how far you carry your 7-iron.

 

[olperfesser]

Ok so I have a basic dumb question. I don't get how folks are figuring out there various club ranges. My range like most I've been to has 50 yard gaps basically, so it's hard for me to tell if just carried the ball 110 vs 120 yards?

I've been told you should really understand this on your wedges, know your distances in 10 yard increments. Know that a 1/4 swing with your 56 is x amount yards, vs. 1/4 swing with your 60, but I don't really get how to accomplish this goal at a range. Say I shoot 10 balls at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 swings on my 3 wedges...how do I really know what the average is on those 10 balls without walking out there and truly measuring?
What am I missing?

You need to take into consideration that you have been playing a very short time. At this stage there is no difference between 110 and 120. All you are going to have is ranges, not exact distances, because you aren't hitting consistently yet. But even the pros aren't that accurate, except in close. (Hit hundreds of balls each practice session like them, you'll get accurate...)
As to the range, that is for loosening up, practicing your swing, working on your draw or fade. Not for measuring distance. For that you need playing under real conditions with your gamer ball, and lots of repetition. it doesn't take long to realize how far you hit with any club. After 3 or 4 time hitting short from a given distance, you move up a club until you start hitting greens. (or if you are hitting over greens, move down a club) Then you get new clubs, and start all over, but with a better understanding.

 

[kodewolf]

Figuring out carry yardages is best done while playing a round of golf, not at a driving range.
Just pay attention to how far your shots carry on the golf course, make notes if that helps. For example, if you swing 7-iron three times during your next round, from that you should have a good idea of how far you carry your 7-iron.

I do not entirely agree; on the course you will only be able to measure your total distance (carry + roll). Except maybe for your approach shots into soft greens when you can find your pitch mark...

 

[rocullen]

Next best thing to doing it on the course is to rent some time on a simulator and hit your own balls (most will let you use your own.) Hit four or five balls with each club and you will have a good idea off how far you hit the ball under ideal conditions (perfect lie, 70 degrees, no wind), although you will be tired at the end of an hour. I recommend changing clubs every swing, because even I (who shoots about the same as you) can groove a club given a couple of consecutive swings.

I've found the distances translate fairly well outside, but the gaps between clubs translate very well outside.

Very true. I could hit 210 yard 5 irons....ON THE RANGE. While playing I'd play to 185-190.
I've found the best way to get iron distance is on the course. Practice round. Hit a couple 150 yard shots. 8 iron? land short ...long....about right?
Next hole, hit a couple pitching wedges at 120 yards or 110 yards or whatever you think your pitching wedge goes...........see where they land and make adjustments.

 

[Brucem609]

All the information is great
lessons -YES
If you want to know your distances-Launch Monitor