The Carry Distance of the Clubs In Your Bag

I saw you said it Marc :) I just wanted to remind the crabby morning people!
 
with all of the threads on this same subject, I am not going to list everything. But I. Like to plan on 240 yards of driver carry. 150 yards of carry with my 8 iron. I am a mid handicapper. I do not believe there is any correlation between distance and handicap. Even though lower cappers can put more consistent swings on the ball so they tend to be a little longer.
 
Driver:280-290 yds
3Wood 250-260 yds
18* Hybrid 225-240
4 Iron 200-210
5 Iron 185-200
6 Iron 175-185
7 Iron 160-175
8 Iron 150-160
9 Iron 140-150
PW 125-140
50* 105-125
SW56* 75-100
LW60* 50-75



HCP fluctuates between 4-5
 
Driver:280-290 yds
3Wood 250-260 yds
18* Hybrid 225-240
4 Iron 200-210
5 Iron 185-200
6 Iron 175-185
7 Iron 160-175
8 Iron 150-160
9 Iron 140-150
PW 125-140
50* 105-125
SW56* 75-100
LW60* 50-75

This...except while I have more than enough strength for 280-290+ drives, my average drive is closer to 270. And I use a 4W instead of a 3W so it's closer to 230. The iron distances are spot on to mine.
 
Just read this entire thread and the real purpose behind it. I don't think there is much correlation between scoring and distance. As a result, I don't think there is any correlation between handicap and distance. I think I'm a prime example of that. My distances are based on actually striking the ball well. I spent most of my day yesterday blading and hooking everything. Not only were my distances way less yesterday than what I posted here, but my score was terrible. Sure, I have hit over 300 yards this year with my driver, with 280 yards of carry, but that does nothing for my score. Case in point, during the city tournament, I actually was hitting my driver pretty well that week. I bombed one on hole 9, had an 85 yard shot to the green, proceeded to hit 10 yards over the green, blade my chip shot back across the green, chunk the next chip shot to the edge of the green, and two putt for a nice double bogey.

Distance can help, but you still have to have enough skill and consistency to get the score. My uncle is 70, he hits is driver less than I hit my 3 wood, and he's pretty consistently 2 irons shorter than me, but he hits straight every shot. I played a longer course with him earlier this year and he only beat me by about 14 strokes. Skill determines everything, distance is just a bonus if you have skill, which I clearly do not.

~Rock
 
I think there is some correlation between distance and handicap, at least if the average distance is taken as average of all shots as opposed to average of well-hit shots (important distinction). I would argue that unless you are very inaccurate with a iffy short game then I don't see how you can but not be a low handicapper if you can hit a 5 iron 200-210 yards.
 
Distance has no effect on handicap. Being able to consistently control distance does effect handicap.

In my opinion
 
I believe there is a correlation between distance and handicap to some degree. You have to have a decent short game in order to make the distance worth it; if that makes sense.

I just believe a good short game correlates to a lower handicap then more distance but that's just me
 
Distance has no effect on handicap. Being able to consistently control distance does effect handicap.

This is probably the most accurate statement so far.

~Rock
 
I have been teeing off with my 5 wood a bit more lately and notice scores are better. I would prefer 220-250 in a fairway than 260 behind some trees and I have started to learn that
 
Distance has no effect on handicap. Being able to consistently control distance does effect handicap.

In my opinion
I wouldn't say that. If you and I are of similar skill levels but I hit the ball further than I have the advantage and probably a lower HC.
 
I think there is definitely a strong correlation between distance and scoring, with the caveat that course conditions and consistency are much more important the farther you hit. My course is very tree lined, so days when I drive straight I'll regularly threaten par, whereas poor driving days I'm lucky to break 85. I go to 'harder' courses and play much better than my cap says because there is usually fewer holes with what we call 'dead spots', where you are lucky to get bogey.

For the OP and anybody interested:
D~250-270 w/roll
3w-230-250
21°-190-210
5i-180-190
6i-170-180
7i-165-170
8i-155-160
9i-145-150
45°PW-140
50°-125
55°-110
60°-95
64°-80

My biggest issue in the past week is hitting my short irons short and right :(...otherwise would be breaking par. My cap has been slowly going down for a month since I've started hitting my driver and long irons straight off the tee. My new 64° wedge has helped my short game on the rock hard greens here as well.
 
Disclaimer: Distances below are averages of well-struck shots. No 200 yard duck hook drives or laying the sod over a six iron holding the average down. Also, only carry distances, as roll-out is very dependent on conditions and shot shape. Most of these are based on observations with GPS over time - though the iron distances are somewhat iffy as I'm still getting used to the new i20s. My long irons are definitely a range, whereas I've gotten my short irons dialed in much more accurately.

Driver: 280
3W: 260
2H: 235-240
3i: 220-225
4i: 210-215
5i: 200-205
6i: 190-195
7i: 180
8i: 168
9i: 154
PW: 140
UW: 125
SW: 108
LW: 60-105 - I literally have no idea depending on the day. :D

Handicap is 2.1, trending down. Was a 6 in late spring.

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I wouldn't say that. If you and I are of similar skill levels but I hit the ball further than I have the advantage and probably a lower HC.

Maybe. But the distance question always makes me wonder why Gary Woodland and Alvero Quieros don't win every tournament they're in.

Step one is have a consistent swing that produces similar results. Then worry about distance.
 
This is probably the most accurate statement so far.

~Rock

True. Average distance doesn't matter much if you calculate your average distance based on only well-hit shots, thus taking consistency out of the equation.
 
Maybe. But the distance question always makes me wonder why Gary Woodland and Alvero Quieros don't win every tournament they're in.

Step one is have a consistent swing that produces similar results. Then worry about distance.

The idea that it's one or the other, or that one is more important than the other, is part of the problem with this discussion. Golf will always be a game that combines all the facets, and distance overall, distance control, trajectory, consistency of trajectory, shot shape, consistency of shot shape, and ability to alter that shot shape all factor in.

I heard an interview with the Stack and Tilt guys yesterday. While I don't really know enough to comment on the "stack and tilt" style swing, and have little interest in digging into it, one thing they said about their basic philosophy really struck me. Their thoughts are that the fundamentals are:

1. Hitting the ground with the club consistently in the same spot.
2. Hitting the ball of a great enough distance to adequately play the game.
3. Creating a consistent shot shape.

It's really not complicated. I think we all agree that a minimum distance is necessary based on the course being played. After that, there are courses and conditions that will favor a long player with slightly less consistency and others that will favor a shorter hitter who is more consistent. There's no "this is better than that" all the time.

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I was thinking about this the other day. I played in a stiff wind and I crushed some shots and when I was coming back into the wind a penguin could have flown further so my average would be a simple guess. I can tell you what I expect to hit each club in friendly playing conditions but that's not what the thread is about my best guess is my 8 iron is about 5 yards shorter in average compared to my expected distance in nice conditions.
 
Agreed that distance isn't the end all, be all. But, being able to consistently hit a wedge 100 or 75 or 50 yards consistently improves your scores dramatically. That being said, if you only hit your drive 220 vs 285-290, you need to hit a 6 iron vs a wedge. I will take my wedge accuracy against a 6 iron any day (As I would expect 99% of the folks on here would as well)

I thinking being able to hit the ball consistently the same distances is essential to scoring. That being said, when you dial your wedges in, your score will drop. When you start hitting your mid irons consistently, that I believe was a bigger game changer for me in dropping my handicap in the past 2 years.
 
If were doing averages of all shots, I'll just throw in these numbers from yesterdays round. Only full shots are included.
Driver - 220 yards
3iron - 137.5 yards
4iron - 210 yards
5iron - 200 yards
6iron - 190 yards
8iron - 135 yards
9iron - 40 yards
56* - 45 yards

I didn't hit every club in my bag yesterday, hence not everything is there. My earlier distances were based on well struck shots, because when I walk up to a ball, I am assuming (or more accurately, hoping) I will hit the ball well. But as can be seen by the yardages here, when there is no consistency, the handicap is usually up.

It is a multi-faceted game, a short hitter with a great short game can be a lot better than a long hitter who can't ever get up and down to save par. But if I were forced to make general conclusions, distance does not equal better handicap or even better skill. Obviously that is just my opinion.

~Rock
 
Gonna put my best guess in here for some of these. I'm pretty solid on my iron distances but see some fluctuation in my FWs from time to time and my driver is a complete crap shoot right now...

Driver (carry) 230-240 (roll out) 250-260
3Wood (carry) 210-225 (roll out) 225-235
5Wood (carry) 200-215 (roll out) 210-225
7Wood (carry) 180-200 (roll out) 185-205
5 Iron (carry) 170-180
6 Iron (carry) 160-170
7 Iron (carry) 150-160
8 Iron (carry) 140-150
9 Iron (carry) 130-140
PW (carry) 120-130
48˚ (carry)105-120
52˚ (carry) 90-105
56˚ (carry) ≤90

Handicap is ~15 on OOB
 
Handicap: 0

Driver: Carry 275 Total 292
3 wood: Carry 250
17* hybrid: 235
3 iron 215-220
4 Iron 205-210
5 iron 195-200
6 iron 185-190
7 iron 175-180
8 iron 160-170
9 iron 150-160
PW 140
52* 125
58* 100

Driver Swing speed 116

But there is no correlation between handicap and distance. If anything you should look at handicap in correlation to scrambling % and putts per round. Short game is where you really effect scoring.
 
Last edited:
Driver carry 240-260 rollout 260-280
3wood carry 225 rollout 240
18* hybrid 210 rollout 230
4 Iron carry 200
5 Iron 190
6 Iron 180
7 Iron 170
8 Iron 160
9 Iron 150
PW 135
52* 120
56* 105
58* 90

ghin is 2.7 right now.
 
Driver carry 250-260 rollout 260-280
3wood carry 230 rollout 250+ (hit the Mashie really low - usually get tons of roll)
18* hybrid 200 rollout 220
4 Iron 190
5 Iron 180
6 Iron 170
7 Iron 160
8 Iron 150
9 Iron 140
PW 130
52* 115
57* 100

ghin = 9.2
 
Driver 250
4 wood 235
19* hybrid 210-225
25* hybrid 195-210
5i 185
6i 170
7i 155
8i 145
9 135
47* 125
52* 115
56* 105
60* 90
 
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