Driving Range

[Charlesbme88]

I went to the driving range a few days ago for the second time. I hit around 200 with the 1 wood, 150 EVERY TIME with the 5 iron, and 100-125 with the 9 iron. Is this good? Bad? Exceptional? Horrible?

[bdcrowe]

Originally Posted by Charlesbme88

I went to the driving range a few days ago for the second time. I hit around 200 with the 1 wood, 150 EVERY TIME with the 5 iron, and 100-125 with the 9 iron. Is this good? Bad? Exceptional? Horrible?

Depends on if they were straight.

200 driver is a bit short for the average age/size/strength male adult. Average 7 iron for adult male is about 150, and average pitching wedge is around 100 - 110, I think.

But again, were they going where you pointed/ because distance is overrated if it isn't going straight.

[Rockford35]

I agree. Straight 200 is better than 270 in the bushes.

Nice work if you're hitting them straight. I'm assuming that if this was your second time to the range, you just started playing? Keep at it. If those are your first year distances, you'll be playing good golf in no time!

Keep us up to date,

R35

[goatster]

i agree with bd and rock.when my father first started he always said he wished he could hit the ball as far as me.but back then i hit it about 230 and 30 yards right so i was always playin from the rough he hit it 200 in the fairway.i told him he could play my drive and id play his any time.the distance will come before he ran into some med. probs. and had to quit playing he was hittin it 250 down the middle.

[Joe]

I'm sort of in between drivers right now as I don't like my current one and I also have an old Mizuno T-Zoid that I don't like becuase I can't keep it straight, it fades no matter what I do. I played an entire round yesterday teeing off on every par 4 short of 400 yards, and every par 5 short or 520 with my 3-iron. This actually really helped my game as on each tee shot I'd be 200-220 and in the center of the fairway. I guess my point is it's better to be short and straight than it is to be long off the tee and in the rough. With that said, I need to get my butt to the range and get my driver figured out.

[Rockford35]

Great attitude Joe, well said.

When I was younger, maybe 16 or 17, I had some lessons from an old pro from the Arizona region. Great guy. He had me play an entire round with my 7 iron as I was so focused on getting distance with my driver.

You don't realize how much a drive of 250 can help you over a 145 yard 7 iron on a par 5. But, you also learn that 250 is better than 270 into the trees.

Keep it straight and you'll score better than the guy crushing it left and right everyday of the week.

Oh, and being a good putter helps too.

R35

[KB1982]

If you're hitting the ball straight, I'd say you're doing a good job. I myself am not a long hitter (hit the PW 100, gain 10 yards a club afterwards, 150 with 5, about 175-180 with 3), but I hit the ball straight. I'll take my game over the friends I play with that hit the ball 20-30 yards further with their irons but have a tendency to shank it. In my opinion, Driver distance is more important (I hit about 230-240 on a constant basis, vs 250 that my friends hit). Woods = consistant distance, Irons = Accuracy. At least for me. Doesn't mean any less when I'm hitting my ball within 10 feet on a Par 3 140 with my 6, and my friend's hitting the green but 30 feet off with a 8. It's not like you lose any strokes by hitting your irons one or two less then your playing partner.

[Charlesbme88]

Thanks for all the replies.

Originally Posted by bdcrowe

Depends on if they were straight.

200 driver is a bit short for the average age/size/strength male adult. Average 7 iron for adult male is about 150, and average pitching wedge is around 100 - 110, I think.

But again, were they going where you pointed/ because distance is overrated if it isn't going straight.

Most of them were actually really straight. A few of them shot off to the right, but just a few. I'm 16 and I've played 3 rounds of golf on a 9-hole course here. My uncle and cousin asked if I wanted to go with them and watch them play one day a few weeks ago, and they let me play, and I got hooked.The first time I shot 36 over, the 2nd time 33 over, and the 3rd time 21 over. I'd really like to start playing for my school team this school year (I'll be a junior), but I'm not sure if I am or will be good enough by then.

[Tbone]

Hey man,
That is a pretty good start if your kinda a new player. As your swing develops and you mabye get some lessons your distance and accuracy will improve. But that is pretty good. Consistency is the thing you look for.

[Robert]

Practice dude. That's the best advise that I could give anyone. Second, take some lessons. They help also. And you said you were fading the ball no matter what you did? Try a stronger grip. Google it and see how to do it. That's how I hit the ball pretty far (driver 285-290, 5 iron 195ish, 7 iron 170ish)

[Rockford35]

I would saw off my left arm to be able to hit a 170 yard 7 iron.

155, max.

R35

[Joe]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

I would saw off my left arm to be able to hit a 170 yard 7 iron.

155, max.

R35

Is that 170 before or after the left arm removal?

[caddyshackgolf]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

I would saw off my left arm to be able to hit a 170 yard 7 iron.

155, max.

R35

Farther then my 7 iron. Mines like 110 tops. But its straight and sense im only 13 I got plenty of time to hit it farther.

[Robert]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

I would saw off my left arm to be able to hit a 170 yard 7 iron.

155, max.

R35

Don't feel bad Rockford, your a 4 handicap..... I'm a 9. Hehe

[nsherman2006]

hey, i'm coming from a similar situation. I'm a junior in high school now, and i started playing 2 years ago, freshman year. My 1st time out i dint keep score. My second time, i shot 128 on 8 holes plus a 40-something on the 9th on a par 35 course. I was terrible. But i started playing every week/every other week, and was offered a job at the course. I started getting into the mid 50's by the end of the year, and broke 100 once. Then last year i started playing seriously, as i was still working for the course. My first time out, i shot 91. It took me a long time to break 100 again, but i had that fire. I kept playing through the summer and got a handicap, started in June at a 26 handi. By the end of the year i was a 10.3 and had broken 80 a few times. Now, i'm just starting to get my swing to come together, but have dropped my handicap to a 7.1 and have fired 2 1-under-par 9 hole rounds, and i'm still getting better. I have never had a lesson in my life, pretty much figured out by trial and error. So it's up to you how much you're going to devote to the game, but if you put some effort into it, you can get good results