hi
i would say the distance chart that Brian posted is spot on,
i did once see a guy at the golf range hitting his own ball and he said they went further than the range balls and he could ht his 8 iron 175 yards but he was using the yard marks on the range board and i had not the heart to tell him the the range ball hit short due to the range only being 250 yards long but it had a 300 yard marker up and if you hit the range balls with a driver you could hit about 250-260 yards on the range which was about right but really the range balls were only going about 200-210 yards. but with a real ball you put it past the 300 yard marker and into the high fence that was only 250 real yards away.
cheers
bill

Hi Brian,

I posted a chart on another thread yesterday, which gives Tiger's distances for each club for 2007. There may be some differences to update to present, also, it's his normal swing, not his full out swing distances. However, I would say he would be in the top 5% of the big hitters on tour, but the table shows reality.

I said in another thread, that I've watched all of the "Playing Lessons" series on the Golf Channel. This is where well known pros play about 9 holes and virtually all shots taken are shown, with a running commentary by the players of what clubs they are using and for what conditions and distances. After seeing the incredible distances being hit by players on tournament telecasts in certain cases, I think we get conditioned to believe a 200 yard 7 iron is normal. But in these Playing Lessons, more often than not, the players would say - light wind somewhat in the face, 204 yards - 3 iron. One player, who also does golf commentary, bluntly blurted - yes, people, 3 iron, not a 7 iron as they say on television!. He hit a nice high 3 iron pin high.

I believe that the huge shots hit under the gun in a tournament are the abberations. The player is on a roll and he is really pumped and he wants to hit the critical shot as hard as he can, rather than take a shorter club and play a normal shot. There could also be massive flyers, winds, slight downhill lies which shut down the lofts, etc.

Adrenalin does wonders and so does intense concentration. I have always played stronger and better in tournaments, and when I had to pull off a tough shot. I took a more longer and deliberate backswing, and that along with being more tuned to the swing, allowed me to hit the ball better than in my usual casual rounds. My fellow competitors would later say - wow, you were totally wired, and I was because i would be totally drained after the round. I found it surprising to later learn that you are not supposed to shoot 10 shots under your handicap, as I would on occasion, because the statistics on that are supposedly something like 4000 to 1.

There are also times when we have hit "career" shots, but those are not the norm, and we can't do that all the time. Because I hit a 150 yard pitching wedge the few times, I can't count on jumping out of my shoes on every 150 yard hole, and getting a good result. The game is scoring.

That's my thoughts.

Ted

Ted,
Thanks for your input. I am commenting on the OP and other mid to high handicappers that claim these silly distances. To my mind it is just a peeing contest and not to be taken seriously.

Hi Bill,

I know what you were getting at about the range balls, and I just said that I enjoyed the story. It's so much like other misguided chest-thumping examples I've seen over the years, in golf and otherwise.

The rest of my post was a tongue in cheek anectodal example of my "long hitting" prowess (on frozen links).

Ted

no, I am disagreeing that you say it is not possible, as I have seen it with my own eyes. I went out today and measured with a GPS 160m converts to 174.976yards, as I said, the 175 marker with range balls off the deck, I think a reall ball with a tee I could pick up 5 yards.



What is this kind of talk? A guy was asking about a club distance gap and then all you came in acusing OP and/or me of lying about distances and "thumping chest" or "peeing contest". If you are a "golfer doing fine" unless you hit these distances and want to help out the OP you have no need to be in this thread. If I saw a thread labeled 10 second cars (as I own a geo Metro), I cannot relate to nor help anyone so there is no need for me to enter or chat other than non-serous curiousity, but I have no place inputing other than asking questions maybe. The thread is clearly labeled. If this was labeled "if you don't hit 8i 180, then you suck" that would be a differnt story and you comments might be welcomed as that is not helping anyone get anywhere. I was merely relating to the OP so show that I can relate, and I think they need to do to fix the problem.

So I ask YOU the question, what good did you do comming here?

Bill Reed or LP42 are the only ones here who actually seems genuine in trying to help ensure that it is possible that we are mistaken on distances.




My handicap is 30-50? last I played, though I have only played maybe 10 rounds. I never really used a handycap nor understood how the system worked nor cared and hit from the black tees and counted every shot (2' muff shot or anything) and scored 100-120. I have no need to lie or to prove myslef to you or anyone.

As I have said so many times, I am working on my swing, as I believe that is the fondation to good golf, I still need to work on my short game, and then my putting. But I would like to get my full swing down 1st before I move on. If I played right now, my guess would be shooting in high 80's low 90's due to poor short game and putting. When building something you need a foundation, the swing is my foundation, then I will build on that.

Ted, reminds me of a shot I made recently. Si 1 on my winter course in a par 4 @ 420 yards, I teed off from a temporary tee stand, it was very cold for the UK and the ground was white with frost, I lost my footing and duck hooked my tee shot left onto the next fairway around 150 yards away. I took my next shot with a 5 wood that felt great and sailed over the trees in the general direction of the green. As I walked up the fairway I could not see the ball against the white fairway then as I approached the green it had pulled up 4 feet from the pin and I putted a birdy It must have hit the rock hard ground and bounced on a number of times.

it does get up my nose, particularly when I hear this talk of 300 yard drives and 180 yard 8 irons from high handicappers. Just read back through this thread and see that you did it again, questioning my comments. I just give up, it's just not worth the hassle.