Am I the only one who hits my drives less than 250 yds here?

[scottmti]

I do believe there are many golfer who can hit 300+. Average distance might be different story.
Last time I was out with I averaged 245-250. That’s with roll. I probably carry around 230 in good day.
I played couple of guys that claim they can hit 300+. They are longer than I am but they are usually 15-25 yds further than I am. Not 50yds longer. I was 20-25 longer 10years ago so. I believe it when they say they can hit 290+. There are so many long hitters now these days.


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[YukonLiving]

Just checked my stats for all tracked shots.

Last 2 years, average 254 yds. Longest was 309.

Last 3 days have been a little shorter with temps hovering around 50*. Average 246 yards. Longest was 283 yards.

 

[Renren89]

When I hit the ball with an average swing I'm probably in the 240-250 range. If I hit it really well it can go longer for sure but that has to be struck well.

I know this for sure since there's a par 4 with a peninsula green that's about a 220 carry to the front edge to clear the water if you go straight for it and I can reach it with a decent swing. Not usually worth it since if you miss the green you're basically re-teeing but I've done it a few times in scrambles and such.

 

[Tevenor]

And the people that do hit it longer usually don't talk as much about their crap drives. I average 271, but I can show you my shot chart, and there are plenty under 250. I think of myself as shorter than my peers, but I know it's well over the adult male average.

This is certainly true. I am pretty sure my average is in the 265 range for normal 18 play so far, which means I have some ~250's in there and a few 270+. Unless I completely mishit it, I use my gps to find total distance just so I can keep a running tally in my head for that day how I am hitting it. I also will change my driver swing to fit the course. For instance today was target golf course. Only 5900 yards. I only used the driver 8 times and my goal with each of those was to get it in the fairway. Distance wasn't much of a concern so I used my "fairway finder" swing. Only averaged 250ish but it was enough to get it done. The hole that I could really take a cut at it, hit it 272 per my gps. But I certainly wouldn't say 272 was my average. And that's with all carry with no rollout since all the courses are still really wet here. Total can vary widely. I've had days where my total was 300+ average because it was a hot day in August and the fairways were like concrete. Doesn't mean I shot any lower scores however.

What I am waiting to see is once the weather gets to more sunshine, non-peat moss type courses, and temperatures above 55, how the ball reacts. Should get a bit more pop and get some decent roll out.

I went to the Distance Bash, so.....

There are quite a few people here that can poke it. @Tevenor and @GraniteRoost can mash a ball something nasty, for example. There are a few others I have met at events that do the same. But honestly, distance is less important than accuracy. I would much rather talk about my significantly increased accuracy this season than how far I can hit it.

This is a good example and Nick nails this comment. When @BigDill watched me at the Distance Bash, I was swinging on a wide open driving range and trying to put my best/fastest swing on the ball for the fitting. I happened to swing good that day and the GC quad measured me at quite a few 275-280 carries and one that went out to 290. Would I swing that way on the course? Only on a wide open one with very little trouble. Doesn't mean I could swing like that on every course as I have done in my younger years to mixed success and trouble. What I learned was a 300 yard drive into the woods, while cool to see, does very little to beat the 250 yard drive in the middle of the fairway when it comes to the final score for the round.

Next week for my league I am playing a course that is pretty long and decently open/forgiving. This discussion has me a bit curious as I do measure but I don't really record or tally my distances. I'll be swinging a lot harder/faster for that round. I'll have to take some notes on each of my drives to see what my average for that day is.

 

[oumagic]

Not wanting to call anyone out, but it seems like most posts I read are talking about their drives being 260-290+ yards. Is everyone here a pro or are yardages being exaggerated? I don't have yardage envy, just know mine will never reach that distance and neither will anyone I play with regularly. What's your secret

You are definitely not the only one who hits under 250. While my Arccos smart distance is above 250, there are plenty of drives under 250. If you just look at my drives today, I had 6 over 250 and 5 at or under.

 

[Mark_UK]

According to shotscope, I average 235 with the driver with my longest being 258. Thats over 5 rounds. I have no doubt that people on here feel they hit it further than they actually do, it's the internet after all. That being said, I've seen some THpers in the couple of events I've played in knock the cover off the ball!!!!

 

[WLG1952]

I haven't had a 250+ drive in decades. In fact, most of people I see on the golf course are not hitting their drives much more than in the 230 yard range.

These days, I make do with 220 yard drives. I just don't swing as fast as I use to. The trade off is that I am little more accurate now than when I was bombing balls out of tee box.

 

[Stemmy66]

hahahahahaha NO!

 

[jim54]

I think my average is in the 220 range with one or two a round that may see 250 with downwind or a slight downhill. It is sorely apparent when playing from 6,600 +/- tees. And of course when you go hunting for distance (I) end up losing it or the ball..

 

[Luchnia]

Not wanting to call anyone out, but it seems like most posts I read are talking about their drives being 260-290+ yards. Is everyone here a pro or are yardages being exaggerated? I don't have yardage envy, just know mine will never reach that distance and neither will anyone I play with regularly. What's your secret

My drives average much less at about 225 (probably). I really have not averaged them that well. I have hit drives up close to 270 and quite a number in the 240-250s range, but still my average is more consistent at 225 right now. That does change some depending on how I am hitting and wind, etc.

I hit a couple beauties yesterday and my Garmin says one was 281, which is total BS. It was more like 260 total with rollout. What I do is check the yardage on the course with my range finder and subtract that way which gives me a somewhat decent measurement.

 

[Luchnia]

In fact, most of people I see on the golf course are not hitting their drives much more than in the 230 yard range.

I agree with you big time. I hear guys talk about how far they hit drives and so forth. Here is what gets me. I am out there playing and I have a keen eye for a good driver of the ball and pretty much know the distances are on some course and I am not sure why I never see them hit them that far? On a local course I know well, I see them line up for the second shot on various holes and I am thinking, oh, they are not even at the 250 range, more like 220 to 240.

What I am more impressed with is not the distance but the guys that pop up to the tee box and smack the ball about the same distance with accuracy over and over again. Man, I want to have that control on my swing so bad. That equates to lower scores if the rest of their game is decent.

 

[Ooo]

Probably average about 160, it's got to where 180 is a good one. The bright side is that I am still able to play! Have lived much longer than I would have thought.

 

[tahoebum]

I average about 265 with a driver but there are plenty of guys that hit it past me on occasion but not many at my club outside of those that play college golf that average 275 yards. My son can hit it way past me sometimes but often trees are bringing his ball flight to an abrupt stop so his average is less. I watched my buddies son drive it 30 yards over a flag that was 291 yards the other day but he plays D1 baseball. I’d guess that about 10-15% of the golfers at our club average over 250 yards.

The latest study form the R&A/USGA puts the average drive at 215 yards and that’s about right from what I experience at the courses I play.

 

[DataDude]

Not wanting to call anyone out, but it seems like most posts I read are talking about their drives being 260-290+ yards. Is everyone here a pro or are yardages being exaggerated? I don't have yardage envy, just know mine will never reach that distance and neither will anyone I play with regularly. What's your secret

I don't hit mine more than 230, ever, in fact it's usually around 215-220. I feel your pain.

 

[G-Man]

Nah I'm in that less than 250 mark. Working on getting longer. I'll hit a few longer but generally playing 250 or less.

 

[DataDude]

Part of it is that on a forum, you are getting a condensed cross section of golfers. Your standard bell curve will almost always apply.

That said you forum golfer will tend to contain many of your very regular and avid golfers. So you may find that bell curve lean a little to one side or another.

I was thinking this, but now I am rethinking. The median USGA handicap is a 13 and the average is a 16.1. I would think that 13 probably splits our group up pretty good. The 75th percentile is around an 8 and the 25th percentile is around an 18. That is where I think you may be right. I bet we have more under an 8 than we do above 18.

@JB can you give us some insight here? Can you aggregate what we have entered in our handicap spot on our profile?

https://www.usga.org/handicapping/h.../mens-handicap-index-statistics-d24e6096.html

 

[JB]

I was thinking this, but now I am rethinking. The median USGA handicap is a 13 and the average is a 16.1. I would think that 13 probably splits our group up pretty good. The 75th percentile is around an 8 and the 25th percentile is around an 18. That is where I think you may be right. I bet we have more under an 8 than we do above 18.

@JB can you give us some insight here? Can you aggregate what we have entered in our handicap spot on our profile?

https://www.usga.org/handicapping/h.../mens-handicap-index-statistics-d24e6096.html

I genuinely dont know if I can aggregate it.

I can say I have met and played with TONS of THPers and a lot of golfers drive it a bit shorter than they think. Especially when it comes to travel and not getting extreme amounts of roll or slope.

We have a great mix of golfers here though and it makes it fun to see in THP Experiences and watching them test equipment and find more.

 

[DataDude]

I genuinely dont know if I can aggregate it.

I can say I have met and played with TONS of THPers and a lot of golfers drive it a bit shorter than they think. Especially when it comes to travel and not getting extreme amounts of roll or slope.

We have a great mix of golfers here though and it makes it fun to see in THP Experiences and watching them test equipment and find more.

Amen to that!!

 

[Flipit]

I was in the 220-240 range when I started. Being tall has its advantages. Working out and finding the right routine has helped. It’s brought my swing speed up and my swing has improved. With that distance has improved. I still miss hit a drive or two, and another will slice into the next fairway. I’d rather hit 240 down the middle every time.

I should add I smashed a drive about 75 yards during my last round. Topped the heck out of it and it rolled almost up to the ladies tees.

 

[Acesteve]

Typical carry on my drive is 225. Total distance dependent on time of year and the driver I'm playing. I'd say a 245 total drive is very good for me and over 250 is rare. I'm a high spin player and unfortunately that comes into my driving as well. I pull a 7i for a 155y par 3 for reference.

 

[Parrot]

I had a good day with the driver yesterday. I hit most in the 250-75 range. My longest was 310ish but it was a little downhill. I had another right at 300 but had 2 that I struck decently well but pulled that didn’t cover the bunker that I lasered at 235-240 to carry. Other than the last 2, all distances include roll.

Yesterday was a solid reflection of my driving last year.

I’m 55 and still hit it pretty good distance for my age.

My problem is that part of my brain that tells me I can still hit driverlike I did 15 -20 years ago.

 

[Molten]

I’m guessing that a real healthy percentage of my drives are less than 250.

 

[Phil75070]

According to Game Golf, since I put the 2020 Chrome Soft in play on March 25, they calculate my "typical drive" at 238 yards but my average of all drives is 227 yards. FIR stands at 68%.

With my distance off the tee I feel comfortable playing courses or from tees up to about 6300 yards.

 

[Snickerdog]

I would love to average 250 off the tee. Just doesn’t happen for me. I do get the occasional big drive, with wind and roll.

 

[Knot Right]

Ask a 100 golfers how far they hit the ball, and 90% of them will recall their better drives and base their answer off of them.

Ask 100 golfers what they average, and most of them really have no idea.

I can still sneak a few out there about 280 with carry and roll for ego purposes, but I'm averaging around 245-250............ stepping off of the 150 markers.