How far does your best drive carry?

[nickwbryant]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

I agree with Ian - pro's distances are not too much different from good amateurs. Where the pro's do have an advantage is that they consistently hit those distances because they consistently hit out the middle of the club face. I know my good strikes are well up there with pro distances (that's not bubba distances!). Just wish my shortgame was as close!

nick

[I_A_N]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

I remember years ago playing at my club in England there was a tournament once a year where you could only take 5 or 6 clubs with you. I used to love this tournament and the results for most players was an eye opener.
"Keep it simple" was the moto.

[shootin4par]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

here is a good way to measure your drive. I take my range finder and on the tee box I will pick out something behind it, example would be the last time I shot a group of three trees in a yard that was 85 yards behind the tee box. Then I went to my ball, measured to the three trees and got 382 yards. So subtract 85 from that and you get 297.

I would have to say that bubba is carrying 300 on average, his average roll is probably 20 yards. dont forget that if he pulls a 3 wood out they still count that in his driving average.

Also, I believe that most people are either short or long and not so many mediums. The reaon being is that you either have good swing mechanics or you dont. If you cut across, you will loose a lot of distance and be short below 240. If you have a good path you will automatically have good distance 260+. There are people that swing like a beast and cut across, hitting it 250, but that is minority.

And yes, many people will inflate, that is the nature of man

[LowPost42]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

And yes, many will inflate, that is the nature of man

I refuse to read into that.

[gord962]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

I am 29 yrs old, 6'2" and 180 lbs. I would rate myself as very athletic.

My average drive would stop around 280 - 290 yards out, but I have put many over the 300 yard mark. The first game with my new driver I hit it 4 times and all 4 were at least 290 - 300 yards - two fo them were right around 320 yards.

My 3 wood averages about 260 - 270 yards with a few of them rolling close to the 300 yard distance.

I would guess I have about 20 yards of roll on all my drives with my driver and 3 wood.

The biggest difference between good amatuers and pros is their game within 200 yards. Most pros are more accurate from 200 yards out with a 5 iron than amatuers are from 100 yards with a wedge. Not to mention that a pros percentage of putts is much higher - a pro will make more 20 foot putts than an amatuer will make 10 footers.

Why are amatuers always worried about how far they can drive the ball rather than how to lower their score? Because any monkey can swing a driver at 130+mph. It doesn't take practice and they should be able to make good contact at least 10 - 25% of the time while swinging out of their shoes. On the other hand, to putt and chip like a pro takes hours and hours of practice which is something 99% of us just don't have time to do on top of our real life comitments.

[BigdazUK]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

I'm 6'2 and weight 15½ Stone. The loft on my Driver is only 8.5º and I carry the ball about 200 yards. During the summer when the fairways are dry the ball can easily kick on and roll 100 yards. i've hit a few greens just over the 300 yard mark. i'm considering getting a driver with more carry and less roll as here in the UK the fairways aren't often dry.

[tomallinder]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

If these guys on the tours catch it, they are flying it over 300 yards. When the longest hitters out there go after it and catch it sweet, they are carrying 310-320, sometimes more.

No doubt about it in my mind, seen it up close. They hit it long. My 265 in the air is pathetic compared to the average Tour player- especially some of these younger guys coming out.

I played at Torrey Pines South in early December. I was hitting it good. A friend of mine that is 37 yrs old, 6' 0" tall and 170 lbs was flying it 20-30 yards past me. It was cool and damp and no roll. He is Tour long.

[roughfinder.]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

I can drive 250 yards when i hit it sweet, but I seem to hit just as far with my 3 and 5 woods although I wouldn't dream of teeing off with them unless it was a long par 3.
funny thing is, my mate only tees off with his 5 iron and he's never that far away from me at the finish. ( I usually go round in about 100, he's about 105)

[mr3856a]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

on launch monitor yesterday I got 283 with 117 clubhead speed. The launch monitor gives you a sore based on launch angle, spin, and left or right spin. My score on higher swing speeds was low and it seems my current shaft doen not match my swing, It seems if my shaft was better suited I should have carred it farther. I personally believe that the average golfer has the ability to hit 260+, but the swings are not efficient and that is why the average distance for most people is so short

283 with 117 clubhead speed is kinda low, I get that out of about 105.

[shootin4par]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

283 with 117 clubhead speed is kinda low, I get that out of about 105.

you are right. my scores on the launch monitor were lower when my swing speed was higher. on that drive I scored a 32 out of 100. Launch angle was 8 degress with about 2000 rpm, The clubfitter said I should be launching around 12 degrees with more spin, my current shaft is a big part of the issue. When I swung one at 105, which I told him was a bad swing, my score was higher, in the 80's, and carry distance was 272

[golf_scholar88]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

K some of you are responding to what your best drives in total (carry + roll), this thread is specifically carry. I was at the range today, its also in the winter and im carrying my driver about 250, I've never launched the ball this high in my life, and I friggin love it. Im 5'8 140 pounds, lol thats gonna surprise some of you and in total distance I can drive it around 280 (including roll)..In the summer, who knows, maybe ill be able to carry 260 ish. Would you guys say that for a 5'8 140 pounder that carrying the ball 250 (total=280) is decent?

[golf_scholar88]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

I'm 6'2 and weight 15½ Stone. The loft on my Driver is only 8.5º and I carry the ball about 200 yards. During the summer when the fairways are dry the ball can easily kick on and roll 100 yards. i've hit a few greens just over the 300 yard mark. i'm considering getting a driver with more carry and less roll as here in the UK the fairways aren't often dry.

Yeah man, I recently switched from a 9.5 to a 10.5, I used to like more roll, but in the past week I've been carrying the ball almost as far as my drives were rolling to...not to mention ive been training at the gym for the past 8 months so I've definitely gained distances from that. With that said, I think you should switch to like a 9.5, cause in the modern golf era, its ALL BOUT CARRY!

[CanOfCorn]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

K some of you are responding to what your best drives in total (carry + roll), this thread is specifically carry. I was at the range today, its also in the winter and im carrying my driver about 250, I've never launched the ball this high in my life, and I friggin love it. Im 5'8 140 pounds, lol thats gonna surprise some of you and in total distance I can drive it around 280 (including roll)..In the summer, who knows, maybe ill be able to carry 260 ish. Would you guys say that for a 5'8 140 pounder that carrying the ball 250 (total=280) is decent?

I'd say it's great!

[shootin4par]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

K some of you are responding to what your best drives in total (carry + roll), this thread is specifically carry. I was at the range today, its also in the winter and im carrying my driver about 250, I've never launched the ball this high in my life, and I friggin love it. Im 5'8 140 pounds, lol thats gonna surprise some of you and in total distance I can drive it around 280 (including roll)..In the summer, who knows, maybe ill be able to carry 260 ish. Would you guys say that for a 5'8 140 pounder that carrying the ball 250 (total=280) is decent?

I only have one inch on you and 15 lbs. Anyone who gets it out past 265-270 total distance is hitting it pretty decent

[pnearn]

Re: How far does your best drive carry?

Great thread.

In summer carry 260/70yds

winter in the uk about 240 only


Ian.

About the same for me Ian, Winter distances definitely about 30-40 yards shorter especially on these grey and frosty mornings

Im 6'0 and 13'4

If I really try and kill it I can get the odd 280-290 but i concentrate on swinging smooth, swinging for the target and stick with what I know keeps me in the fairway most of the time